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    MJ & Hungryman » Baby/Kid-Friendly Recipes » Family Meals

    One Pot Vegetarian Mexican Lentils

    By Min On April 14, 2020, Updated August 6, 2021

    This post may contain affiliate links. Please see our disclosure policy for more details.

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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

    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 ;).

    Table of 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
    • One Pot Vegetarian Mexican Lentils

    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. It will disintegrate too much and turn into mush.
    • 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.

    Lentils for babies and toddlers

    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. 

    Do you want to minimize picky eating and set a solid foundation for a lifetime of healthy eating habits?

    Check out this 3 month mastering self-feeding program! It’s the closest thing to me being in your kitchen

    Find out more!

    Cook's Tips

    • Skillet size: a 10 to 12 inch deep skillet will work best (linked my favorite below). 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 and iron 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.

    Best Iron-Rich Foods for Babies and Toddlers

    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 ½ 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
    • Slow Cooker Chickpea Lentil Chili
    • Tofu Veggie Scramble
    • Iron rich baby pasta
    • Kid-Friendly One Pot Meals Ecookbook (with 27 recipes)
    • Healthy Family Pantry Meals
    a collage of cover pages for all my three ecookbooks

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

    Find out more!
    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 41 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 7 minutes minutes
    Simmering time: 30 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 42 minutes minutes
    Servings: 5
    Author: Min | MJ and Hungryman

    Equipment

    • Deep Pan

    Ingredients

    • 1 tablespoon olive oil
    • ½ medium yellow onion, diced
    • 2 garlic cloves, minced (can use 2 teaspoon garlic powder)
    • 1 cup (165g) diced sweet potatoes (½ 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!

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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 two miracle babies! Currently, I’m having a ton of fun feeding their tummies 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. Jenny says

      January 19, 2023 at 7:44 pm

      5 stars
      So simple - This turned out to be a great weeknight meal for the whole family and the spice load is just right for my little eater. I gave this to my 1 year old for dinner and he ate every bite. Next time I'll add extra sweet potato. Thanks!

      Reply
      • Min says

        January 20, 2023 at 8:32 am

        Yay!!! This is one of my go-to weeknight meals too!!

        Reply
    2. Rhi says

      January 18, 2023 at 7:01 pm

      5 stars
      Perfect flavor! All the ingredients worked well together. First time trying lentils and giving them to my 1 year old. She didn't protest which is a huge win! And thank God because there's a lot so mama will be freezing for nights when I don't have time to make anything! Love it! And thank you for sharing 🩷

      Reply
      • Min says

        January 18, 2023 at 8:39 pm

        This is such a heartwarming feedback!! Thank you for taking the time to share :).

        Reply
    3. King says

      December 10, 2022 at 9:08 am

      5 stars
      Superb! I love it as a side for my mexican entrees, because it combines so many super healthy ingredients into a single skillet. I added extra sweet potato and garlic and it worked great. Sprinkled the top with cilantro, green onions and diced avocado. And finally, I love that is comes together so fast and easy. Thanks!

      Reply
      • Min says

        December 12, 2022 at 8:42 pm

        Yay!! This is one of our favs too! Thanks for sharing 🙂

        Reply
    4. Hope says

      October 19, 2022 at 3:00 pm

      5 stars
      A family favorite that we come back to over and over. The flavors are just so delicious! We sometimes like to turn any leftovers into burritos, quesadillas, or taquitos. Delicious!

      Reply
      • Min says

        October 19, 2022 at 8:31 pm

        Yay!! We love to enjoy this as a filling for burritos too!

        Reply
    5. Rachel says

      August 15, 2022 at 7:06 pm

      5 stars
      My husband, toddler, and infant all enjoy this meal! That's a major win for me! Thank you so much!

      Reply
      • Min says

        August 16, 2022 at 5:32 am

        Yay!!! I'm so glad!! Thanks for sharing 😉

        Reply
    6. Valerie Birkey says

      November 11, 2021 at 12:04 am

      5 stars
      This is absolutely delicious! Love that it is vegetarian but so hearty you don’t miss the meat!

      Reply
      • Min says

        November 11, 2021 at 10:21 am

        My hubby isn't too fond of lentils but he loves this one too!

        Reply
    7. Vivian says

      November 10, 2021 at 11:39 am

      5 stars
      This Mexican lentil one pot meal has been a life saver. Never fails and thermos from school is always empty if this is for lunch. Thanks Min!!!

      Reply
      • Min says

        November 10, 2021 at 7:27 pm

        So awesome!! thanks for sharing!

        Reply
    8. Ali says

      November 10, 2021 at 10:29 am

      This one was so tasty. Loved how many veggies it included and how I could make it with things from my pantry!

      Reply
    9. María B says

      August 06, 2021 at 1:47 pm

      5 stars
      This was delicious!! Our whole family loved it!

      Reply
      • Min says

        August 06, 2021 at 4:07 pm

        yay!! I'm so glad you guys enjoyed this meal!!

        Reply
    10. 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 ?

      Reply
      • 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

        Reply
        • Christina says

          April 30, 2020 at 10:36 am

          Okay! Good to know! Thank you! ☺️

          Reply
    11. 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!

      Reply
      • 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

        Reply
    12. Sylvia says

      April 18, 2020 at 8:09 am

      Ok thank you

      Reply
    13. 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!

      Reply
      • Min says

        May 03, 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.

        Reply
    14. 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

      Reply
      • 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!

        Reply
        • Sylvia says

          April 18, 2020 at 8:09 am

          Ok thank you

          Reply

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    I am MJ, a registered dietitian and a mom of 2. I truly hope you’ll enjoy all the recipes and tips that I share on what and how to feed your child!

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