You may be as surprised as we were to hear that National Taco Day falls on a Thursday (“WTF?!” – Taco Tuesday), but that obviously won’t stop us from celebrating. For this holiday, we’re kicking it old school… with a twist.

Growing up, my family had “taco night” at home every few weeks, and I always looked forward to it. Taco night in our household was very no frills: flour tortillas, ground beef with a packet of store-bought taco seasoning, cheese, iceberg lettuce and tomato. I like to imagine every 90’s kid had the same taco night experience growing up. So, for National Taco Day, we got all sorts of nostalgic and recreated taco night—vegetarian style.

Before all you meat lovers start booing us off of our hypothetical stage, just give us a second of your time. These lentil tacos straight up taste JUST LIKE BEEF. And the texture is pretty spot on, too. I, personally, was transported back to my parents’ dining room table upon taking my first bite.

For those of you who like a little heat, we recommend topping these with your favorite salsa and/or hot sauce. To counteract that heat, maybe go for a little plain Greek yogurt with lime juice or avocado. The best part about a DIY taco bar is that the toppings are entirely up to you!

Vegetarian Lentil Tacos

Ingredients:

• 2 cups cooked lentils (from 1 cup dry)
• 1 onion, diced
• 3/4 cup vegetable broth
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp oregano
• 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
• 10 white corn tortillas
• 2 roma tomatoes, diced
• shredded iceberg lettuce, Mexican shredded cheese blend, salsa, hot sauce, etc., for optional topping

Instructions:

1. Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium high heat. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes or until translucent.
2. Add all six spices and salt to the pan and stir to coat evenly. Cook for about a minute, until fragrant.
3. Add cooked lentils and chicken broth to skillet. Gently mash lentils with a fork or potato masher until broth is absorbed and the texture is similar to ground beef.
4. Meanwhile, heat tortillas according to package directions.
5. Divide lentil mixture between tortillas and top with cheese, lettuce, tomato, etc., as desired.

Yield: 5 servings
Serving size: 2 tacos

244 calories per serving • Fat: 3g • Carbohydrates: 43.9g • Protein: 10.5g