Vegan Smash Burger Tacos
User Reviews
5
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Prep Time
20 mins
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Cook Time
20 mins
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Total Time
40 mins
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Servings
4
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Calories
427 kcal
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Course
Main Course, Dinner
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Cuisine
Indian
Vegan Smash Burger Tacos
Description
Vegan Smash Burger Tacos offer a creative plant-based take on traditional smash burgers, served taco-style on warm tortillas. The burger filling blends drained lentils with finely processed mushrooms, onions, and hemp seeds, seasoned with garlic powder, black pepper, garam masala, and fenugreek leaves, then combined with a smooth coconut milk and tomato paste based butter chicken sauce. This combination yields a soft, patty-like texture that crisps slightly when cooked.
The method involves forming the lentil mixture onto tortillas before pan-frying, which creates a crispy exterior with a tender interior, imparting complex spiced flavors and a creamy undertone from the sauce. The tacos are topped with fresh chopped onions, shredded lettuce, cilantro, and lime juice for contrast and freshness.
These tacos are ideal for serving immediately when crisp and warm, highlighting the contrasting textures of the creamy sauce, hearty filling, and crisp vegetables. They make a versatile vegan meal the whole family can enjoy.
As noted, the lentil mixture can be prepared up to two days in advance and stored refrigerated, but it is best cooked on tortillas fresh to avoid sogginess. The butter chicken sauce may also be made ahead and refrigerated for up to three days. Substitutions like chickpeas for lentils or different nuts for hemp seeds can accommodate availability or preferences.
Ingredients
For the Butter Chicken Sauce
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 cup coconut milk full fat
- 1 teaspoon fenugreek leaves dried
- 1/2 to 1 teaspoon garam masala
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 tablespoon ginger garlic paste or 3 cloves garlic, 1/2 inch ginger minced
For the Lentil Meat Mixture
- 2 ounces mushrooms such as white, cremini, or portobello
- 1/2 red onion cut into big pieces
- 2 tablespoons hemp seed or use chopped walnuts or sunflower seeds or omit
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon garam masala
- 1/2 teaspoon fenugreek leaves dried
- 15 ounce lentils drained, or 1 1/2 cups cooked lentils, canned
- 2 tablespoons butter chicken sauce from above
To Make the Smash Burger Tacos
- 6 to 8 corn tortillas or other tortillas, small
- 1/4 cup onion red, chopped
- lettuce shredded
- cilantro
- lime
Instructions
Make the sauce.
- Add all of the butter chicken sauce ingredients, using just 1/2 cup of the coconut milk to a bowl, and mix really well. Press and mix to break down the tomato paste, then mix in the remaining 1/2 cup of coconut milk. Set the sauce aside to sit while you make the tacos. You can also heat the sauce in a skillet or microwave to just bring to a boil. This helps the flavors to meld more.
Make the smash burger tacos.
- Add the mushrooms, onion, hemp seeds, and all of the spices to a food processor, and process until the mushrooms and onion are chopped up. Then, add in 2/3 (a scant cup) of the lentils and 2 tablespoons of the butter chicken sauce. Process again, until the lentils break down and the mixture becomes homogeneous, kind of like a pate. Transfer this to a bowl, and mix in the remaining lentils
- Scoop up 3 to 4 tablespoon of the lentil mixture, and spread it onto a tortilla using a spatula, evening out the top. Repeat for all the tortillas.
- Heat a skillet over medium-high heat, add a little bit of oil, and place the tortillas on the skillet with the lentil side down. Place as many tortillas as fit on the skillet, but you don't want to overlap them. Continue to cook for a minute, then press the tortillas down with your spatula, because the heat will make the corn tortillas’ edges to start to turn, and you want them to keep sticking to the lentil mixture. Let these tortillas cook for at least 5 to 6 minutes. Press again after a few minutes to flatten the tortillas.
- Once the edges of the tortilla start to turn a little golden brown, check if the lentil mixture is also golden brown and crisping up a little bit, then flip the tacos and continue to cook to crisp up the other side of the tortilla, another 2 to 4 minutes. Repeat for all of the remaining tortillas.
- Once they are all crisped up, place them on your serving plate, then top with some chopped onion, shredded lettuce, cilantro, a good drizzle of the remaining butter chicken sauce, and a squeeze of lime and serve. You can serve the remaining sauce on the side, and dip the tacos in the sauce to eat. See notes for storage and make ahead.
Notes
- Prepare the lentil mixture ahead and refrigerate up to 2 days; only spread on tortillas just before cooking to keep them crisp.
- The butter chicken sauce can be made in advance and kept refrigerated for up to 3 days.
- If lentils are unavailable, substitute with chickpeas or a blend of chickpeas and vegan meat alternatives like soy curls.
- These tacos naturally avoid nuts, soy, and gluten; for coconut-free, use a thick non-dairy milk alternative.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 4Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 427 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 427kcal | 21% |
| Carbohydrates | 51g | 17% |
| Protein | 17g | 34% |
| Fat | 19g | 29% |
| Saturated Fat | 13g | 65% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 4g | 24% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 1g | 5% |
| Sodium | 531mg | 22% |
| Potassium | 780mg | 17% |
| Fiber | 13g | 52% |
| Sugar | 9g | 18% |
| Vitamin A | 224IU | 4% |
| Vitamin C | 7mg | 8% |
| Calcium | 88mg | 9% |
| Iron | 6mg | 33% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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