Vegan Mexican Rice and Lentils
Mexican rice and lentils are a hearty, flavorful one-pot meal that comes together with just a handful of simple ingredients. Ready in about 30 minutes, this recipe is budget-friendly, satisfying, and perfect for busy weeknights when you need something nourishing without the fuss.
The bold, savory flavors make it versatile too, you can enjoy it on its own, spoon it into tacos, use it as a base for burrito bowls, or add it to salads for an easy meal prep option. Whether you’re cooking for the week or making a quick family dinner, this dish is sure to become a go-to favorite.
How to make Mexican Rice and Lentils in one pot:
- Start by rinsing the rice and lentils in a mesh strainer
- Once the rice and lentils are rinsed, add them to a pot with water (or stock) and bring to a boil. Once boiling, turn down the heat to low and cover. Cook for about 15 minutes until the rice is cooked and the lentils are tender.
- Turn off the heat and add the salsa, spices and spinach. Stir well and allow the spinach to wilt.
- Serve hot or cold.
How to serve this simple vegan Mexican Rice and Lentil Recipe
- As a burrito bowl – start the bowl with chopped romaine lettuce, add the Mexican rice and lentils, top the rice and lentils with chopped roasted red pepper, avocado, and a bit more salsa for dressing.
- In tacos/burritos/enchiladas – serve with hard or soft taco shells and use the Mexican Rice and lentils as the taco filling instead of meat for a meatless but filling dish. Top with your favorite toppings
- As a breakfast hash – you can use the leftover Mexican Rice and Lentils as a base for breakfast the next day. Top with eggs or coconut bacon for a simple but filling breakfast.
Mexican Rice and Lentils
Guided Recipe Video
Ingredients
- 1 cup brown or green lentils
- ½ cup brown jasmine rice
- 3 cups water or 1 1/2 cups water and 1 1/2 cups vegetable stock
- 1 cup organic salsa
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 tablespoon dark chili powder
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- pinch cayenne
- 2 cups fresh spinach or kale
Instructions
- In a large pot, add the lentils and rice to the pot. Cover with water and let sit 2-3 minutes to soak. Drain the water and then cover in 3 cups of water or 1 1/2 cups of water and 1 1/2 cups vegetable broth.1 cup brown or green lentils, ½ cup brown jasmine rice, 3 cups water or 1 1/2 cups water and 1 1/2 cups vegetable stock
- Cook over medium high heat until the pot reaches a slight boil. Turn down to low and cover. Cook 20 minutes or until the lentils are tender and the water has been absorbed.
- Once the water has been absorbed, turn off the heat. Add the salsa, cumin, chili powder, salt, cayenne and spinach. Stir to combine1 cup organic salsa, 1 tablespoon ground cumin, 1 tablespoon dark chili powder, ½ teaspoon sea salt, pinch cayenne, 2 cups fresh spinach or kale
- Serve hot or cold. Add your favorite toppings
Recipe Notes
Nutrition Information
FAQ’s:
Can you make this ahead of time?
Yes, this Mexican lentil and rice recipe can be made up to 4 days ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator in a sealed container. Reheat in the microwave or on the stove.
This recipe can also be frozen in individual servings and reheated from frozen or defrosted in the fridge before reheating.
What kind of rice do you need to use?
This recipe calls for rice that will cook along side the lentils. You will want to use a brown rice (jasmine, basmati or regular brown rice) so that the rice doesn’t’ get over cooked while the lentils are cooking.
What kind of lentils can you use?
This recipe calls for brown or green lentils. They can be sprouted or regular. Red lentils will not work since they cook up quicker than rice and get a very sticky texture when overcooked.
Terrific! I tossed the rice and lentils in sautéed garlic and shallot before adding the liquid. I also added a few dried chilis to the mix while it simmered. Awesome next to carne asada seasoned skirt steak; BUT, even better the next day – I prepared it like fried rice with a few runny eggs on top – ACES! Thanks Samantha
I love those simple additions – I bet this turned out so flavorful for you! And the fried rice trick, I have to try that! Thanks so much for coming back to leave a review on how it turned out! Happy cooking – Sam
The brown jasmine rice I have takes 40min to cook so I’m not sure 20min will do it???
Hi Andrea, the rice will cook as it comes up to a boil, then once boiling, turn down the heat and cook for 20 minutes. This is how I always cook my brown jasmine rice so it seems to work for me. Let me know if you try this method!
Yum! So healthy and satisfying! I used Rotel instead of salsa, used 3 cups of spinach and added fresh cilantro and a squeeze of fresh lemon before serving.
OMG! Loved this recipe! I used spinach and instead of the stock I used 1/2 a veggie stock cube and omitted the salt as that is what I had on hand. I have eaten this with eggs at breakfast, with tofu for lunch and as a side with roasted pork! This is definitely a keeper!
This is so great to hear Michelle!! Thank you for letting me know!
What if I use white rice instead of brown rice? Can I use red lentils then? I think they take around the same timw to cook.
Hi there, I have not tried this so I cannot tell you the outcome but in theory it should work! Let me know if you try it!
Can this be made in an InstaPot/Pressure Cooker? How would you adjust the cooking time? Thanks!
Yes! You can cook this on low pressure for 15 minutes and allow for natural release.