Lentil Tostadas

Vegetarian recipes don’t come any easier than Lentil Tostadas. Add your favorite toppings this Mexican food recipe, and you have a winning dish sure to please any palate.

My son likes lentils. Say what?! Definitely not the normal food a 10-year-old would like, but hey, I’m going with it. He gets really excited for Sopa de Lentejas, or Mexican Lentil Soup. Soup in the summer months, though… no, thank you. Somehow, I knew these Lentil Tostadas would be a hit with my redhead.

It all starts with a big pot of lentils. Let them simmer on low until they are soft. You can also make them in an instant pot to get them on the dinner table faster.

Once they are done, take out 2 cups of the cooked lentils. Transfer the rest into a container and store them in the fridge for later. Cooked lentils last up to one week in the fridge or 3 months in the freezer. You can skip this step by purchasing already cooked lentils.

Tostadas always remind me of my grandmother. She used to leave tortillas on the warm part of the stove to harden. You can fry or bake your own tortillas to make tostadas. Personally, I buy baked tortillas. They like life easy for the busy home cook.

What really makes these Lentil Tostadas are the toppings. I added lettuce and tomatoes. Those are a must on tostadas.

Up to this point, this is a fully vegan meal. If you are ok with eating dairy, you can add toppings like crumbled queso fresco. Mmm.. Or you can substitute for cotija or queso añejo. Cheddar is not authentic Mexican food, but it is a yummy cheese.

Something that is almost always in my fridge: crema mexicana. It’s not as tangy. Creamy and slightly sweet. If you can’t find this at your local grocery store, you can also use sour cream.

Then there’s also my favorite fruit: avocado. Yes, it’s a fruit because it has a pit. I could eat avocados every, single day. Avocado adds a creamy layer of deliciousness. If you have some guac, it rocks on these Lentil Tostadas.

Oooh, and just a bite of pickled jalapeño for some spice. It ties everything together. You can also serve your tostada with some salsa on the side. Or if you are not into spicy food, omit all together.

Tell me this doesn’t sound like an easy recipe? The magic is that it’s all up to you and what you want to put on your Lentil Tostadas. Not only did the redhead like them but my meat-loving, serve-it-to-me-rare, carnivore husband did too. Hope you enjoy!

Lentil Tostadas

Vegetarian recipes don’t come any easier than Lentil Tostadas. Add your favorite toppings, and you have a winning dish sure to please any palate.

5 from 1 vote

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Course: Dinner

Cuisine: Mexican

Prep Time: 12 minutes

Cook Time: 8 minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes

Servings: 8

Author: Maggie Unzueta

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil2 tablespoons olive oil
• ¼ onion diced¼ onion diced
• 1 garlic clove finely minced1 garlic clove finely minced
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 2 cups lentils cooked2 cups lentils cooked
• 1 tspn Salt1 tspn Salt
• 8 Tostadas8 Tostadas
• Shredded LettuceShredded Lettuce
• Diced tomatoesDiced tomatoes
• Queso Fresco optionalQueso Fresco optional
• Pickled Jalapeño optionalPickled Jalapeño optional
• Avocado slices optionalAvocado slices optional

Instructions

• In a large skillet, heat the oil.
• Add the onion, stir constantly. 1 minute.
• Add the garlic, cumin, salt, and lentils.
• Cook for 5 minutes.
• Remove from heat.
• Place tostada shell on a plate.
• Add 2 tablespoons of the lentil mixture on top of the tostada.
• Add lettuce, tomatoes, and desired toppings.
• Enjoy!

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