Max La Manna’s smoky lentil and broccoli stem tacos recipe

“Meat-eaters and vegans alike will enjoy this budget-friendly take on tacos,” says plant-based chef Max La Manna.

“A handful of surprisingly simple ingredients lends big flavours and ‘meaty’ textures to the smoky lentil and broccoli stem taco filling.”

Smoky lentil and broccoli stem tacos

Ingredients:
(Serves 4)

2tbsp olive oil
½ red onion, thinly sliced
1 large broccoli stem, grated
1 x 400g tin green lentils, drained and rinsed
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
4 sundried tomatoes, roughly chopped
1tbsp tomato purée
1tbsp soy sauce or tamari
1tsp smoked paprika
1tsp ground cumin
1tbsp nutritional yeast
¼tsp black pepper

For the crisp cucumber salsa:
2 baby cucumbers, quartered lengthways, then thinly sliced
½ red onion, finely chopped
Zest and juice of 1 lime
2tbsp freshly chopped mint
2tbsp freshly chopped coriander
½ fresh red or green chilli, seeded, finely chopped
Generous pinch of salt
¼tsp black pepper

To serve:
8-12 corn or flour tortillas, warmed
Freshly chopped coriander and basil
Lime wedge

Method:

1. Heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium heat and cook the onion for three to five minutes, stirring occasionally, until soft. Add the grated broccoli stem, lentils, garlic and sundried tomatoes, and cook for two to three minutes, stirring occasionally.

2. Add all the remaining ingredients and cook for about three minutes, stirring frequently, until the mixture thickens and begins to stick to the pan. Stir in one to two tablespoons of water for the last minute of cooking. Remove from the heat and cover with a lid while you warm the tortillas.

3. Make the cucumber salsa: in a mixing bowl, combine the cucumbers, red onion, lime juice and zest, mint, coriander and chilli. Season with salt and black pepper and leave for about 10 minutes before serving. This will allow the flavours to marinate and will also remove some of the liquid from the cucumber, providing a less watery crunch.

4. To serve, spoon the lentil and broccoli stem mixture onto warm tortillas and top with cucumber salsa, fresh coriander and basil, with lime wedges on the side.

You Can Cook This!: Simple, Satisfying, Sustainable Veg Recipes by Max La Manna is published by Ebury Press, priced £22. Available now. Photography by Lizzie Mayson.