Today, columnist Seiran Sinjari is sharing a delightful recipe for vegan Shawarma Spiced Lentil Tacos with Green Tahini, Roasted Salsa & Sumac Lime Onions. Her recipe column All About the Veg! is all about highlighting the versatility of fruits and vegetables by shining a spotlight on a different one in each of her articles.
Shawarma Spiced Lentil Tacos with Green Tahini, Roasted Salsa & Sumac Lime Onions
For today’s column, I’ll be showcasing a delicious and creative vegan recipe for Shawarma Spiced Tacos with Green Tahini, Roasted Salsa, and Sumac Lime Onions. The combination of flavors and textures in this dish is truly unparalleled. The warm and savory shawarma spice blend perfectly complements the slightly spicy salsa and the tangy sumac lime onions. A perfect balance of flavors that tantalize the taste buds.
Lentils are a staple ingredient in vegan cooking and the brown lentils used here add a rich texture to this dish, to make it more meaty I’m mixing them with some mushrooms as well. Lentils and mushrooms are my go-to ingredients for creating meat-like vegan dishes.
Brown lentils are not only high in protein and fiber but also offer a wealth of other nutritional benefits such as iron, folate, and potassium. They’re very versatile and can be used in anything from stews, soups and salads to tacos and even sweet baked goods.
I always prefer cooking my own lentils, for both flavor and texture, but if you have some pre-cooked ones on hand you want to use, please feel free. Just make sure to rinse them well if you have a sensitive tummy.
Now let’s dive into this tasty and nutritious recipe for my Shawarma Spiced Lentil Tacos!
How to make these vegan Lentil tacos
Shawarma Spiced Lentil Tacos with Green Tahini, Roasted Salsa & Sumac Lime Onions
Ingredients
Roasted Salsa:
- 5 medium tomatoes - halved
- 1 yellow or white onion - sliced in thick circles
- 1 jalapeno
- 2 garlic cloves with peel
- 1 small bunch of coriander - about 10 sprigs
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
- salt to taste
Lime & Sumac Onions:
- 1 red onion - finely sliced
- 1 lime - juiced
- 1 tbsp sumac
- salt to taste
Coriander & Tahini Cream:
- 100 ml tahini
- 150 ml vegan Greek style yogurt or coconut yogurt
- 100 ml water
- 1 small bunch of coriander - about 15 sprigs
- 1 clove of garlic
- 1 lime - juiced
- salt to taste
For Shawarma Spiced Lentils & Mushrooms:
Other:
- finely shredded lettuce or cabbage
- grated vegan cheese - optional
- 10 small tortillas
Shawarma seasoning:
- 1 tbsp ground black pepper
- 1 tbsp ground coriander
- 1 tbsp ground allspice
- ½ tbsp ground cumin
- ½ tbsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tbsp garlic powder
- ½ tbsp onion powder
- ½ tbsp ground turmeric
- ½ tbsp ground sumac
- ½ tbsp sweet paprika powder
- 1 tsp ground cardamom
- 1 tsp ground cloves
- 1 tsp chili powder
- Mix the seasonings together and store in an air-tight glass container.
Instructions
- Roasted Salsa:
- Preheat the oven to 250 C / 480 F degrees (grill mode if you have it).
- Cut the tomatoes in half and the onions into thick rings. Place the tomatoes, cut side down, on an oven sheet along with the onions, jalapeno and garlic cloves.
- Place the pan on upper racks in the oven and roast until the vegetables are a little charred, about 7-10 minutes. Flip everything and roast until they are slightly charred on the other side as well.
- Peel the garlic and remove the seeds from the jalapeno if you don’t want too much heat in your salsa. Place garlic, jalapeno, tomatoes, coriander, cumin & salt in a food processor. Pulse until you have a salsa, it should still have some texture. Season to taste and set aside. If you want to serve it hot, heat it up in a pan just before serving.
Sumac & Lime Pickled Onions:
- Place all ingredients in a small bowl.
- Mix well by pinching and tossing the onions with your finger tips, make sure they’re all well coated with the sumac.
Coriander & Tahini Cream:
- Blend all ingredients in a food processor until creamy, adjusting with more water if needed.
Shawarma Spiced Lentils & Mushrooms:
- Heat a large pan, add the mushrooms and fry over medium heat, stirring occasionally until most of the liquid has evaporated.
- Then add the oil, onion, all seasoning, soy sauce and salt, mix well. Fry over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the onion is soft and the mushrooms are a little crispy around the edges. Add the lentils, mix well and try for another 2-3 minutes.
Recipe, text, and photography by Seiran Sinjari.
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