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. 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. 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 ;). Lentils for
babies and toddlers You won't believe how something so flavorful could be this easy to whip up! Crazy
simple, right? You'll most definitely appreciate the minimal dishes you'll end up with too! This dish is PERFECT to serve to your baby because it is: 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. A Healthy Pantry Meal
Ingredients
Step By Step Instructions
Serving Tips for Babies
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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
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
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!
Made with pantry staples like lentils, black beans, and sweet potatoes, this one pot vegetarian mexican lentils is the perfect busy weeknight meal.
Print Pin Rate
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 7 minutes
Simmering time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 42 minutes
Servings: 5
- ▢
- ▢ 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)
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.
- 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.
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
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.