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Home » Baby/Kid-Friendly Recipes » One Pot Vegetarian Mexican Lentils

One Pot Vegetarian Mexican Lentils

By Min On April 14, 2020, Updated May 14, 2020

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a very close up shot of Mexican lentils in a skillet

Here’s a super easy, comforting, and nutritious One pot Mexican lentils recipe for the whole family! Made with pantry staples like lentils, black beans, frozen corn, and sweet potatoes, this hearty vegetarian meal is sure to become your next go-to busy weeknight meal.

Mexican lentils in a large skillet topped with cheese and handle wrapped in blue and white striped kitchen towel
Contents
  • A Healthy Pantry Meal
  • Ingredients
  • Step By Step Instructions
  • Serving Tips for Babies
  • Cook’s Tips
  • Serving Suggestions
  • Storage Suggestions
  • Other Baby-Friendly Pantry Meals

A Healthy Pantry Meal

There are a TON of Mexican skillet recipes online that involve rice. Delish! But we’ve been eating a lot of rice during this time when we’re encouraged to stay home as an act of love and obedience, to make our communities and this world a safer place once again.

So I knew I was feeling Mexican food, and as I was staring into my pantry trying to get my creative juices running, my eyes landed on several bags of lentils that were begging to see the light. And there were also plenty of canned black beans and tomato products. Hello, vegetarian Mexican lentils.

a very close up shot of the finished dish

I’m telling you. I think even after all this is said and done and we are able to go to the stores freely (or anywhere for that matter!), I don’t think I’ll be making as frequent visits as I once did. I’m en route to becoming the queen of resourceful and scrappy cooking ;).

Ingredients

All the ingredients spread out on a white background
  • Broth: you really can use whatever you have on hand. I always recommend low-sodium. If you don’t have any, water will work too, although not as flavorful.
  • Lentils: Any variety will work besides red lentils.
  • Cheese: I personally LOVE cheddar cheese in this dish, especially the ones from Cabot Creamery. Don’t do dairy? Feel free to swap out with nutritional yeast or vegan cheese.

Step By Step Instructions

Process shots numbered from one to four

You won’t believe how something so flavorful could be this easy to whip up!

  1. Cook the onion, garlic, sweet potatoes in chili powder, cumin, and tomato paste.
  2. Add the rest of the ingredients – lentils, canned beans, corn, broth (or water) and bring to a boil. Simmer (covered) for 30 minutes or so, until lentils are cooked through.
  3. The liquid should be absorbed and lentils cooked through.
  4. Top with cheese!

Crazy simple, right? You’ll most definitely appreciate the minimal dishes you’ll end up with too!

A close up look at the Mexican lentils in a skillet with a large wooden spoon

Serving Tips for Babies

This dish is PERFECT to serve to your baby because it is:

  • Soft textured (if you’re nervous about the corn kernels, even though they do get really soft, you can take them out).
  • A great source of iron, which is SUPER important during this age.
  • Bursting with flavor! Baby’s food doesn’t have to be bland! Introduce them to herbs, spices, etc. from early on, which is important for the development of food preferences.

Because you want to be mindful of their sodium intake, once the lentils are done cooking, set aside a portion for your baby and then add the cheese to the rest. It’s fine to add a little bit to your baby’s plate. Just not a lot. 

Cook’s Tips

  • Skillet size: a 10 to 12 inch deep skillet will work best. You can also use a dutch oven.
  • Don’t rush cooking the vegetables. It’s important for flavor development.
  • You can use another grain, like rice, farro, barley. Just be sure to adjust the amount of liquid and the cooking time accordingly.
  • If your child is able to handle some heat, try adding more chili powder or some green chiles.
  • If you want to add extra protein to this dish, cook some ground beef, chicken, or turkey along with onion and garlic. Then add the sweet potatoes and follow the rest of the instructions. You can also fold in whatever cooked protein you have on hand (meat, poultry, seafood, tofu, tempeh) towards the end.
  • To make this vegan, leave out the cheese or use nutritional yeast or vegan cheese.

Serving Suggestions

Mexican lentils in a white bowl with a fork and a side of tortilla chips in a red bowl

This meal would be really yummy with some avocado, fresh cilantro, lime juice…we don’t have any of those at the moment. BUT we have tortilla chips! YASSSS nachos! Alas, all is well with the world ;).

You can also enjoy on a bed of salad greens or as a filling for tacos, burritos, burgers, potatoes….what else would you add to this list?

Storage Suggestions

Fridge: transfer to a closed container for 3-5 days.

Freezer: I recommend not adding the cheese if you know you’re going to freeze all or some (e.g. add cheese to 1/2 of the dish). Fresh cheese is ALWAYS best! Transfer to a freezer-safe bag or container. Will keep for up to 3 months.

Here’s everything you need to know to safely store leftovers!

Other Baby-Friendly Pantry Meals

  • Vegan African Peanut Stew
  • Tofu Veggie Scramble
  • Vegetarian Orzo Primavera
  • Kid-Friendly One Pot Meals Ecookbook (with 27 recipes)
  • Healthy Family Pantry Meals

Did you make this baby and toddler-friendly One Pot Vegetarian Mexican Lentils? Follow me on Instagram post a photo and tag me, post a photo on my Facebook page, or save it to Pinterest. I love to see what you’re making! 

 
A close up look at the Mexican lentils in a skillet

One Pot Vegetarian Mexican Lentils

Made with pantry staples like lentils, black beans, and sweet potatoes, this one pot vegetarian mexican lentils is the perfect busy weeknight meal.
5 from 10 votes
Print Pin
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 7 minutes
Simmering time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 42 minutes
Servings: 5
Author: Min | MJ and Hungryman

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1/2 medium yellow onion, diced
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced (can use 2 tsp garlic powder)
  • 1 cup (165g) diced sweet potatoes (1/2 inch pieces)
  • 2 teaspoons cumin
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 1 cup (195g) brown lentils, rinsed and drained
  • 1 (15 ounce) can no-salt-added black beans
  • 1 (15 ounce) can no-salt-added diced tomatoes
  • 1 cup frozen corn
  • 2 cups broth of choice
  • cheddar cheese (amount to your liking)

Instructions

  • Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion, garlic, and sweet potatoes and cook for 5-7 minutes, until softened.
  • Add the seasonings (if using garlic powder, add it here) and cook for 1-2 minutes
  • Add the rest of the ingredients and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 30-35 minutes, until lentils are cooked through
  • Add cheese (See note) and cover with a lid until the cheese has melted.

Notes

  • Skillet size: a deep 10-12 inch skillet will work best.  You can also use a dutch oven.
  • Don't rush cooking the vegetables. It's important for flavor development.
  • You can use another grain, like rice, farro, barley. Just be sure to adjust the amount of liquid and the cooking time accordingly.
  • If your child is able to handle some heat, try adding more chili powder or some green chiles.
  • If you want to add extra protein to this dish, cook some ground beef, chicken, or turkey along with onion and garlic. Then add the sweet potatoes and follow the rest of the instructions. You can also fold in whatever cooked protein you have on hand (meat, poultry, seafood, tofu, tempeh) towards the end.
  • To make this vegan, leave out the cheese or use nutritional yeast or vegan cheese.

Nutrition

Calories: 293kcal | Carbohydrates: 49g | Protein: 16g | Fat: 4g | Sodium: 93mg | Potassium: 860mg | Fiber: 17g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 6909IU | Calcium: 57mg | Iron: 5mg
Course Dinner, lunch
Cuisine Mexican
Diet Vegetarian
Tried this Recipe? Tag me Today!Tag me @KidFriendly.Meals today!
3 cover pages for MJ and Hungryman's baby led weaning ecookbooks

Looking for more baby-friendly recipes that the entire family can enjoy? My ecookbooks are packed with quick and easy, veggie-forward, freezer-friendly recipes!

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Filed Under: Baby/Kid-Friendly Recipes, Main Dishes, Main Meals, Mexican, One Pot Meals, Recipes, Vegetarian

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About Min

Thank you so much for stopping by! I am Min, a Registered Dietitian, a Christ follower, a wife, and a mom to our miracle baby, Caleb. Currently, I’m having a ton of fun feeding his little tummy and sharing our baby led weaning journey! Follow me on Instagram if interested in seeing daily menu as well as tips and tricks.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Sylvia says

    April 14, 2020 at 11:25 am

    Please what can I use in place of black beans and sweet potato, I don’t really have does now. The dish looks yumme

    • Min says

      April 14, 2020 at 12:59 pm

      You can try other beans and carrots, if you have those. Any root veggies will work!

      • Sylvia says

        April 18, 2020 at 8:09 am

        Ok thank you

  2. Amy says

    April 14, 2020 at 7:33 pm

    Will I need to adjust the cooking time or amount of broth added if I use red lentils? Looking forward to trying out this recipe!

    • Min says

      May 3, 2020 at 7:46 pm

      Most definitely red lentils cook up so much faster. I honestly wouldn’t recommend as texture gets really mushy but might work. Let me know if you try.

  3. Sylvia says

    April 18, 2020 at 8:09 am

    Ok thank you

  4. Dee says

    April 22, 2020 at 2:07 am

    Hi Min,
    This looks delicious. Can I use fresh diced tomatoes instead of canned? Thank you!

    • Min says

      April 22, 2020 at 6:16 am

      Sure but you’ll have to add a bit more liquid to ensure the lentils will cook through

  5. Christina says

    April 25, 2020 at 8:49 pm

    Hi Min,
    I only have red lentils on hand..
    Is there reason why I cant use red ?

    • Min says

      April 27, 2020 at 6:43 am

      Red lentils tend to become mushy when cooked through so they’re best for curries and thickening soups and such. You can try if that’s all you have. I would decrease the cooking time

      • Christina says

        April 30, 2020 at 10:36 am

        Okay! Good to know! Thank you! ☺️

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