Veggie Taco Cups
These veggie taco cups are crispy baked tortilla shells filled with a spiced green lentil and vegetable mixture, then finished with a dollop of vegan cream and mayo. They are fully plant-based, come together in one pan plus a quick trip to the oven, and give you all the flavor of tacos in a neat, bite-sized shape that will not fall apart in your hands. Make them for a snack, a movie night, or an easy appetizer to share.
Lately, I have thought a lot about South American cuisine. It may be the fact that the sun is shining more these days, or it may be the fact that I miss tacos. Either way, today I want to inspire you to give taco cups a try! Mexican food is all about simple ingredients and a whole lot of spices, and that is exactly why I love it so much.
What Goes Into These Taco Cups
The filling starts with green lentils. In today’s recipe I used plenty of vegetables and green lentils to make sure I get the right amount of protein in my diet, and canned lentils keep the whole thing quick since they are already cooked and just need warming through. If you want to read more about plant-based protein, my guide on proteins in the vegan diet breaks it down.
The rest of the filling is built on aromatics and spices: onion, garlic, red bell peppers, cherry tomatoes, and tomato paste for body. The spice blend is where the taco character comes from — cumin, turmeric, smoked paprika, a pinch of brown sugar to round out the acidity, and red pepper flakes for a gentle kick. Soy sauce and balsamic vinegar add the savory, slightly tangy depth that makes the mixture taste like it simmered far longer than it did. The tortillas become the cups themselves, and the vegan cream and vegan mayo on top are optional but, in my opinion, well worth it.
How to Shape the Tortilla Cups
To make taco cups, start by creating the actual “cups” using tortilla. Press each tortilla into an oven-safe bowl or ramekin so it takes on a cup shape, or craft your own molds using scrunched aluminium foil. Bake them at 200 degrees C for 10 to 12 minutes, or until they turn golden brown and hold their shape on their own. The key is letting them crisp fully in the oven so they stay sturdy once you add the filling — a pale, underbaked shell will go soft. Let them cool for a minute before filling so they set firm.
Cooking the Lentil Filling
Heat the olive oil in a pan and sautee the onion and garlic first, until soft and fragrant, then add the chopped bell peppers and cook for a couple of minutes. Stir in the tomatoes, tomato paste, and drained lentils and bring everything to a gentle simmer before adding the spices, soy sauce, balsamic vinegar, and salt to taste. The one detail that matters most: cook it until there is no more liquid left in the pan. A dry, thick filling is what keeps your crisp tortilla cups from turning soggy the moment they are filled. Once the liquid has cooked off, take the pan off the heat and mix in the vegan cream.
Make It Your Own
Then you can use my advised ingredient list or you can switch and swap the veggies according to your own preferences. I’m sure that, regardless of what you’re going to add in these taco cups, they’re going to end up delicious if you use the right spices! Corn, mushrooms, or a handful of chopped spinach all fit right into the filling. If you like heat, add more red pepper flakes; if you are cooking for kids, leave them out entirely — this is a lovely recipe to make with children, and you can find more ideas in my vegan recipes for kids. Want the classic version instead? Try my cauliflower tacos.
What to Serve With Taco Cups
Because they are bite-sized and mess-free, these taco cups are a natural fit for a snack spread or party platter — see more of my vegan snack recipes if you are building one out. A bowl of homemade salsa on the side is perfect for dipping or spooning over the top, and if you want to lean fully into the theme, my Mexican cuisine guide has plenty more to round out the table.
Make-Ahead and Storage
These are at their best assembled fresh, when the shells are still crisp. If you want to prep ahead, store the components separately: keep the baked tortilla cups in an airtight container at room temperature, and refrigerate the lentil filling for up to 3 days. Reheat the filling in a pan until warm and any liquid has cooked off again, then fill the cups and add the toppings just before serving so nothing goes soft. I would not recommend storing them fully assembled, since the crisp shell is half the fun.
Yum, I start getting hungry just by thinking of these taco cups! If you decide to try making them (which I strongly advise you do!), please rate the recipe and let me know in the comments how your filling turned out and which veggies you swapped in.
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Veggie Taco Cups
Ingredients
- 6 tortillas
- 1 ½ cups green lentils canned, drained
- 1 onion chopped
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 2 red bell peppers chopped
- ½ cup cherry tomatoes chopped
- 2 Tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tsp cumin powder
- 1 tsp turmeric
- ½ tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp brown sugar
- ¼ tsp red pepper flakes
- 2 Tbsp soy sauce
- 1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 1 Tbsp vegan cream optional, for topping
- 1 Tbsp vegan mayonnaise optional, for topping
- 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Shape your tortilla cups and put the in oven-safe bowls or hand-crafted ones (use aluminium foil) and bake them at 200 degrees C for 10-12 min or until they turn golden brown.
- In a pan, heat up your olive oil and sautee the onion and garlic.
- Add the chopped bell peppers and cook for 2-3 minutes.
- Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, lentils and bring everything to a simmer.
- Add all your spices, soy sauce and balsamic vinegar and salt to taste.
- Cook for 5 minutes, make sure there’s no more liquid left, take off the heat and mix in the vegan cream.
- Fill the tortilla cups with the mixture and top with vegan mayo (optional, but highly advised).
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. This recipe is fully plant-based: baked tortilla cups filled with green lentils, onion, garlic, bell peppers, tomatoes, and spices, seasoned with soy sauce and balsamic vinegar. The optional toppings are vegan cream and vegan mayonnaise, so nothing in the dish comes from an animal source.
Press each tortilla into an oven-safe bowl or ramekin so it takes on a cup shape, or shape your own molds using scrunched aluminium foil. Bake at 200 degrees C for 10 to 12 minutes until golden brown and firm. Let them cool for a minute so they set before you add the filling.
The filling needs to be cooked until there is no liquid left in the pan. Bring the tomatoes, tomato paste, and lentils to a simmer, then keep cooking for about 5 minutes so the moisture evaporates. A dry, thick filling is what keeps the crisp tortilla cups from going soggy once filled.
The recipe calls for 1 and a half cups of canned green lentils because they are already cooked and keep the dish quick. If you only have dried lentils, cook them until tender and drain them well first, then use the same amount. Make sure they are not watery before adding them to the pan.
For the crispest result, store the components separately. Keep the baked tortilla cups in an airtight container at room temperature and refrigerate the lentil filling for up to 3 days. Reheat the filling until any liquid cooks off, then fill the cups and add toppings just before serving.
You can switch and swap the veggies to your own preferences without changing the method. Corn, mushrooms, or chopped spinach all work well alongside the peppers and lentils. As long as you use the spice blend of cumin, turmeric, smoked paprika, and red pepper flakes, the filling stays flavorful.
Awesome recipe, I really loved it!