Vegan Lentil Quinoa Taco Cups

Make taco nights more fun with these super cute Vegan Lentil Quinoa Taco Cups! These little cups are filled with a simple, protein packed mixture of lentils and quinoa seasoned with all the spices that make you think tacos. 

One thing I have learned from having kids is, when it comes to food especially healthy food, the more fun it is the better. Take these Vegan Lentil Quinoa Taco Cups - totally fun, right?

Jump to:

• Ingredients
• Instructions
• Substitutions
• Variations
• Equipment
• Storage
• Top tip

Ingredients

The ingredients needed to make these cups are typical ingredients found in many kitchens. Nothing unusual or difficult to find.

• olive oil
• small onion diced or grated
• garlic cloves
• quinoa, uncooked
• lentils, dried
• chili powder
• ground cumin
• oregano
• paprika
• salt
• pepper
• vegetable broth or water
• large tortillas
• Your choice of toppings

See recipe card for quantities.

Instructions

The filling is super simple to make with everything going into one pan to cook until tender and fluffy.

Start by heating olive oil in a deep sauté pan over medium heat. Add onion and cook for 3-4 minutes. Add garlic, quinoa, lentils, and all spices. Sauté for 1-2 minutes to toast. Carefully pour in broth or water and stir to combine. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to a simmer. Cover and simmer for 20-25 minutes until lentils and quinoa have cooked through and liquid has been absorbed. Set aside while you prepare tortillas.

To make the individuals cups, I went with the muffin pan, which is useful for so much more than muffins! All you need to do is cut your tortillas into fourths and press them into each well overlapping, if needed, to close any gaps. Don't get too fussy with this, it's perfectly okay if each one is a little different. Just make sure there's a bit of tortilla around all the sides.

Spoon the filling into each tortilla cup and bake a few minutes to crisp up and lightly brown the edges.

Remove the taco cups from and the pan and load up the toppings.

Hint: For even more fun, make a taco station and let the kids load up their own toppings like lettuce, tomatoes, olives, or anything else they like.

Substitutions

• Lettuce - instead of ice berg lettuce, you can use romaine lettuce
• Tortillas- use gluten free tortillas nstead of wheat tortillas to make this gluten free

Variations

• Spicy - add chili pepper flakes while cooking the filling, or add jalapeño peppers to the toppings.
• Deluxe - add guacamole, non dairy sour cream and non dairy cheese

Equipment

There's no specialized equipment needed to make this recipe. A deep sauté pan or large pot and a muffin pan is all you need.

Storage

Store the toppings (lettuce, tomato, olives, etc.) separately from the lentil cups in the fridge, and recombine when ready. Good for 2-3 days.

These ingredients don't stand up well to freezing.

Top tip

For little ones, who don't like the texture of onions, that's all of mine, simply grate it rather than dicing. This way you get all the delicious flavor without anyone even knowing they are there!

If you try this recipe, let me know how it turns out! Leave a comment below or snap a pic and tag it @weelittlevegans on Instagram so I’ll be sure to see it!