Seitan & Lentil Tacos
Taco night! Unfortunately the seitan & lentil filling is hiding at the bottom; scroll down to see better pictures of it.
Wouldn’t you buy seitan if the package had a gentleman with a mustache on it? I know I would! And did, to be most accurate.
My local Whole Foods carries Upton’s Chorizo Style Seitan, and I’d eyed it a few times before finally putting it in my cart, intending to use it in some blue corn taco shells (something else from Whole Foods that I could not resist).
While no meat substitute has quite the same taste of high-quality, pasture-raised meat, it can still be darn tasty in its own right. I didn’t miss the meat in these tacos, nor did anyone I served these too. The filling has a somewhat meaty texture to it, and the flavor is just right between the chorizo style seitan and the added spices. Lentils help stretch the admittedly much more expensive seitan, while still providing protein, fiber, and an extra dimension to the filling.
If you’re feeding a mix of vegans, vegetarians, and omnivores, they will all be satisfied with this meal! You could even make it part of a do-it-yourself taco bar, offering soft tortillas as well as taco shells, and toppings such as fresh tomatoes, salsa, shredded lettuce, peppers & onions, guacamole, and shredded cheese!
It even looks meaty! The texture and flavor is excellent; even my meat-loving roommate said she would be happy having this in tacos again!
Seitan & Lentil Tacos
8 ounces (1 package) Upton’s chorizo style seitan
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon coriander
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup cooked lentils
Using your hands, gently crumble the seitan into a nonstick frying pan. Cook at medium-low heat, stirring frequently, for 4-5 minutes. Add the lentils sprinkle on the spices. Pour in 1/2 cup of water and turn up the heat to medium. Cook for 2-3 minutes, until there’s no water left (all absorbed or evaporated). Remove from heat.
Scoop into taco shells. Top with sauteed peppers and onions, fresh chopped tomato, or both.
Makes four servings of seitan & lentil filling. Each serving is enough for two hard shell tacos.
Cost per serving: $1.20
Nutrition per serving: 181 calories, 4.5g fat, 0.5g saturated fat, 16g carbohydrates, 3.5g fiber, 19g protein
On Tweaking:
- I haven’t tried it yet, but you could probably use ground beef style or traditional style Upton’s seitan if your local grocery doesn’t carry the chorizo type! Just taste before serving and, if it’s a little bland, add more chili powder.
I topped these tacos with onion, orange bell pepper, and tomato, but the possibilities are only limited by your imagination!
These look so good! Nomm… my local grocery store doesn’t carry seitan but next time I see it I’ll be making this!