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Ambitious Kitchen
Tacos + Enchiladas
June 2, 2015

Salsa Verde Lentil Tacos with Mango-Pomegranate Pico

Vegetarian lentil tacos in an amazing homemade salsa verde sauce, and topped with a mango-pomegranate pico. Healthy and so flavorful!

Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
40 mins
Total Time
1 hour

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lentil tacos with mango, pomegranate, onion, and cilantro

It’s Taco Tuesday and I’m prepared to blow your mind.

First question I had for myself after making these tacos was how do I only have only one other legit taco recipe on my site?! The Hispanic in me is disappointed.

On the other hand, I’m now on a mission to bring you approximately three more taco recipes by the end of summer. Might just have to whip out the slow cooker for one of them.

lentil tacos with mango, pomegranate, onion, and cilantro

This recipe reflects my effortless love for lentils and all things vegetarian lately. If you’re not into the lentil obsession allow me to introduce you to the nutritional magic of these little legumes. Lentils are packed with fiber, protein, folate, magnesium and a wonderful source of iron! Who knew something so small could be such a food powerhouse?

To really give the lentils some flavor and of course, make for a unique taco, I decided to make my own green tomatillo verde sauce. The sauce itself reminds me of when I used to live in California and make chile verde with my roommate nearly every Sunday. We lived for those weekend cooking nights, I swear.

lentil tacos with mango, pomegranate, onion, and cilantro

I love the flavor that the tomatillos, poblano peppers and garlic bring to the sauce, especially since they’re all roasted.

Oh and don’t you worry, the sauce itself is easier to make then you think; all you need to do is broil the peppers and garlic then blend with cilantro. It smells and tastes incredible, almost to the point where I would want to pour it directly into my mouth and sink into a dreamy green sauce food coma. That’s probably just me though.

lentil tacos with mango, pomegranate, onion, and cilantro

While shopping for taco ingredients at the store, I couldn’t help but stalk the produce section and pick up some fruit for a summer salsa. Never in my life have I made a fruit salsa this good you guys. Mango + pomegranate + red onion + cilantro + lime!!! Basically that means you NEED to try it ASAP.

Last but not least, what’s a taco without some cheese? I opted to used GO Veggie! Monterey Jack & Cheddar Shreds because they’re lactose-free and tummy friendly. I do think the tacos would be quite fabulous with their dairy free (vegan) mozzarella shreds too! I love the way they melted into the lentils and that dreamy sauce I was telling you about.

bowl of mango pomegranate salsa and bag of shredded cheese

This is a great nutritious vegetarian recipe. I would recommend serving the tacos with some guacamole or sliced avocado, along with a side of corn and Spanish rice or quinoa.

Here’s to more delicious summer night meals! If you make this, be sure to upload a photo to Instagram and tag #ambitiouskitchen so I can see your creations. Xo!

Oh and don’t forget to check out my new project called the #SummerSWEATSeries! It’s going to be amazing.

lentil tacos with mango, pomegranate, onion, and cilantro

If you like this recipe, you might also like:

Jalapeño Sweet Potato Black Bean Tacos with Avocado-Lime Crema

Blackened Salmon Tacos with Forbidden Rice & Mango Guacamole

Vegan Butternut Squash Black Bean Enchiladas with Jalapeño Cashew Crema

Fiesta Mango Black Bean Quinoa Salad

Salsa Verde Lentil Tacos with Mango-Pomegranate Pico

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lentil tacos with mango, pomegranate, onion, and cilantro
Course Dinner, Gluten Free, Lunch, Vegetarian
Keyword lentil tacos
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Serves 4

Vegetarian lentil tacos in an amazing homemade salsa verde sauce, and topped with a mango-pomegranate pico. Healthy and so flavorful!

Ingredients

  • For the Pico:
  • 1 mango, pitted and diced
  • Seeds from 1/2 of a pomegranate (about 1/2 cup)
  • 2-3 tablespoons fresh chopped cilantro
  • 1/4 cup diced red onion
  • 1 teaspoon fresh lime juice
  • For the lentils & sauce:
  • 1 1/2 cups water
  • 3/4 cup uncooked green lentils
  • 1 pound tomatillos
  • 1 poblano pepper
  • 1 jalapeño, cut in half and seeded
  • 3 unpeeled cloves garlic
  • 1/4 cup fresh chopped cilantro
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
  • Salt and pepper, to taste
  • 8 corn tortillas (gluten free)
  • ½ cup GO Veggie! Monterey Jack & Cheddar Shreds

Instructions

  1. First make the salsa: Add mango, pomegranate, red onion, cilantro, and lime juice to a medium bowl; stir until just combined. Cover and place in fridge until tacos are ready to serve.
  2. Next make the lentils: Add 1 ½ cups of water and lentils to a medium pot and place over high heat. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 25-35 minutes or until lentils are fork tender and water has absorbed completely. Do NOT overcook the lentils or they will become mushy and we don’t want them to be mushy. Once lentils are cooked, drain out excess water from pot and remove from heat.
  3. While lentils are cooking, make the tomatillo sauce. Remove husks from tomatillos and rinse them under warm water; cut in half and place cut side down on a foil-lined pan along with garlic, jalapeno halves and poblano pepper. Place under the broiler for 5-8 minutes or until the skin of the tomatillos and peppers are dark golden brown and somewhat blackened. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes.
  4. Once cooled enough to handle, peel the blackened skin from poblano pepper and discard. Remove the roasted garlic cloves from their skin and add to a blender along with the rest of the poblano pepper (stem and skin removed), tomatillos and jalapeno halves. Add in cilantro and lime juice; blend for 1-2 minutes or until smooth.
  5. Stir in 1 cup of tomatillo sauce into cooked lentils. Add salt and pepper to taste. Reserve extra sauce for garnish (or you can use it as a salsa with chips).
  6. To assemble tacos: Add 1 tablespoon of GO Veggie cheese in a taco, then place about ¼ cup lentils and top with a tablespoon or two of mango-pomegranate pico. Serves 4, 2 tacos each.

Recipe Notes

Feel free to use 1 cup canned salsa verde or green enchilada sauce for a quick shortcut.

Nutrition

Servings: 4 servings
Serving size: 2 tacos
Calories: 389kcal
Fat: 4.6g
Carbohydrates: 69g
Fiber: 16.3g
Sugar: 13.3g
Protein: 15.9g

Disclaimer: This post was sponsored by Go Veggie! Foods. All opinions, text and recipe are my own. Thanks for continuing to support AK and the brands I work with. Xo!

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