This vegan lentil picadillo is hearty, savory, and smoky—perfect with rice and warm corn tortillas. Family-friendly and ready in under 40 minutes, it makes a satisfying weeknight meal.
This version is adapted from Dora Ramirez’s cookbook Comida Casera. Dora, the author and photographer behind Dora’s Table, celebrates traditional Mexican flavors while relying on plants to recreate beloved home-cooked dishes. Her lentil picadillo swaps the usual meat for protein-rich lentils, letting tomatoes, cumin, and oregano shine.
If you’d like a sweet finish, strawberry dessert tamales pair beautifully with this meal.
Ingredients you need
Ingredient notes and substitutions
- Lentils — Use green or brown lentils. Rinse and pick them over before cooking.
- Tomatoes — The original recipe calls for three Roma tomatoes, which should yield about 1½ cups of purée. Smaller tomatoes can reduce that amount, so keep an extra tomato on hand if needed.
- Potato and carrot — You can leave the skins on if they’re well scrubbed; I peeled them for a smoother texture.
- Chipotle in adobo — Adds a pleasant smoky heat. Potatoes mellow the spice, so if you prefer more heat, add a second chipotle or some of the adobo sauce.
- Mexican oregano — Different from Mediterranean oregano; substitute with marjoram if you don’t have it.
How to make the recipe
Scroll to the recipe card below for exact measurements and step-by-step instructions. The process is straightforward: cook the lentils briefly, purée tomatoes with chipotle, sauté aromatics, combine and simmer with potatoes until tender.
- Step 1: Place lentils in a pot with onion and a bay leaf, cover with water.
- Step 2: Bring to a boil, simmer briefly until lentils begin to soften (about 10 minutes), then drain.
- Step 3: Purée the tomatoes with one chipotle in adobo until smooth.
- Step 4: Set the purée aside while you prepare the base.
- Step 5: Sauté onion and garlic in oil until translucent, add the lentils and mash about a quarter of them for texture.
- Step 6: Stir in the tomato purée and diced carrot; cook until the purée darkens and thickens slightly.
- Step 7: Add vegetable broth, diced potatoes, cumin, oregano, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil, then simmer until the potatoes are tender (20–25 minutes).
- Step 8: The mixture will thicken as it cools. If you prefer a thicker picadillo, continue simmering until the sauce reduces to your liking.
Serving suggestions
Serve this picadillo with Mexican red rice and warm corn tortillas for an authentic, comforting plate. It also works wonderfully as a filling for tacos, enchiladas, burritos, chiles rellenos, or tostadas.
For extra texture and flavor, top with guacamole, quick-pickled red onions, or fresh cilantro.
Storage and freezing
Make ahead: Cook the lentils in advance to speed up assembly.
Fridge: Store leftovers in an airtight container for 3–4 days. Keep rice and tortillas separate for best texture.
Freezer: Cool completely, then transfer to a freezer-safe container or bag. The picadillo keeps well up to 3 months.
Comida Casera Cookbook
Dora’s cookbook includes more than 100 vegan Mexican recipes ranging from traditional dishes to modern interpretations. It celebrates the comida casera—the home cooking that shaped her culinary memories—and offers a wide range of recipes from breakfasts and street food to moles and tamales.
- The Basics — staples like beans, almond queso fresco, and corn tortillas.
- The Indigenous Kitchen — dishes with regional ingredients and techniques.
- A Fonda Breakfast — hearty morning dishes like chilaquiles and tofu machaca.
- Street Food — tacos, tostadas, and other handheld favorites.
- Mole From The Market — classic mole sauces and inventive twists.
- Comida Casera — homestyle meals including the lentil picadillo featured here.
- La Tamaleria — a variety of tamales, savory and sweet.
- Modern Mexico — contemporary dishes with bold flavors.
- ¡Salud! — traditional drinks and atoles.
- La Panaderia and La Paleteria — baked goods and frozen treats.
More vegan Mexican-inspired recipes
-
Vegan Enchiladas
-
Sheet Pan Vegan Fajitas
-
Easy Vegan Refried Beans
-
Spicy Seasoned Black Beans
I hope you love this recipe—if you try it, please leave a rating and a comment in the recipe card below. For more family-friendly, meatless recipes, consider exploring additional resources and cookbooks focused on easy plant-based meals.
Lentil Picadillo
Dora notes that picadillo varies regionally and by family: some versions include raisins, olives, capers, or warm spices, while others add local vegetables. Her lentil version is inspired by northern Mexico and uses chipotle for a smoky touch. Serve with Mexican red rice and warm tortillas, or use it as a versatile filling.
Recommended Equipment
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Medium pot
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Blender
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Large pot
Ingredients
Lentils
- 8 ounces (227g) brown lentils picked over and rinsed (about 1 ¼ cups)
- ½ large (152g) white onion
- 1 dried bay leaf
- 1 teaspoon salt
Picadillo
- 3 large (296g) Roma tomatoes cored and cut into quarters
- 1 chipotle in adobo
- 2 teaspoons avocado oil
- ½ large (152g) white onion finely chopped (about 1 cup)
- 2 cloves (6g) garlic minced
- 1 large (103g) carrot cut into small dice (¾ cup)
- 3 cups (709mL) vegetable broth
- 1 large (459g) russet potato cut into small dice (about 2 ½ cups)
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon dried Mexican oregano
- 1 ⅛ teaspoons salt
- ⅛ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Serving
- Mexican Red Rice page 24 of Comida Casera
- Corn tortillas warm
Instructions
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Place lentils in a medium pot and add enough water to cover by 2 inches (5 cm). Add the onion, bay leaf, and 1 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce to low, and simmer for 10 minutes until the lentils begin to soften but are not fully cooked. Drain.
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Place tomatoes and chipotle in a blender and purée until smooth, about 1½ cups of purée.
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Heat oil in a large pot over medium-low. Add chopped onion and cook 3–4 minutes until tender, add garlic and cook 1 minute. Add the lentils and mash roughly one-quarter of them, leaving the rest whole for texture.
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Add the tomato purée and diced carrot; simmer 3–4 minutes until the purée thickens and deepens in color. Add vegetable broth, diced potato, cumin, oregano, 1 ⅛ teaspoons salt, and black pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer until the vegetables are tender, about 20–25 minutes. The lentils will absorb some broth as it cools.
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Serve with Mexican red rice and warm corn tortillas. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
Notes
Oil-free: Omit the oil and sauté the onion in ¼ cup (59 mL) vegetable broth instead.
Central Mexican picadillo: For a sweeter, more complex version, add 2½ tablespoons raisins, ¼ cup chopped Manzanilla olives, 1 tablespoon chopped capers, ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon, and ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves.
Nutrition facts are calculated for the lentil picadillo without rice or tortillas and should be used as estimates.
Nutrition
Nutrition values are estimates only. Verify using your own data if needed.