005 / 75 · Breakfasts with Staying Power
Mushroom and Lentil Breakfast Tacos with Scrambled Eggs
4 filled corn tacos; 2 tacos per serving · Active 15 min · Cook 20 min · Total 35 min
Print recipe · PDFMushrooms and lentils give breakfast tacos a savory base without hiding the scrambled eggs. The trick is to treat the filling as two tasks: first make a dry, browned mushroom mixture, then cook soft but fully set eggs in a clean part of the pan. Warm tortillas keep the tacos flexible. Each serving contains two, with the same share of lentils, eggs and salsa, making this a practical breakfast rather than a tray of tiny party bites.
Give the mushrooms room
A broad skillet lets mushroom moisture escape. At first the pieces may look as though they are doing nothing; then they release water, and only after that water evaporates do they begin to color. Keep the heat at medium-high and avoid adding lentils too soon. The lentils are already cooked and need only a short warming time. Adding them after browning preserves their shape and keeps the mixture from becoming a damp mash that soaks the tortillas.
Build at the last moment
Corn tortillas become brittle when cold. Warm them in a dry skillet until flexible, then hold under a clean towel while you scramble the eggs. Cook the eggs over a gentler heat than the mushrooms, folding broad curds rather than stirring them into crumbs. Assemble just before eating so the tortilla can support the filling. For breakfast away from home, pack the filling and tortillas separately, chill the cooked filling promptly, and reheat it thoroughly before building the tacos.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil (15 ml), divided
- 8 oz cremini mushrooms, finely sliced (225 g)
- 1/2 small onion, finely diced (60 g)
- 1 cup cooked green or brown lentils, drained (200 g)
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin (1 g)
- 1/4 teaspoon fine salt (1.5 g)
- 4 large eggs (200 g without shells)
- 4 small corn tortillas, 6 inches/15 cm across (100 g total)
- 1/4 cup prepared tomato salsa (60 g)
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro (4 g)
Set out
12-inch/30 cm skillet, Small dry skillet, Mixing bowl, Spatula, Food thermometer
Allergens
Egg, Check tortillas and salsa labels for cross-contact and additional allergens. Check labels and substitutions.
Make it
- Heat 2 teaspoons of the oil in the large skillet over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and onion. Cook for 8–10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the liquid has evaporated and the mushrooms begin to brown.
- Stir in the drained cooked lentils, cumin and half the salt. Heat, stirring, until the lentils reach 165°F/74°C, allowing longer than 2 minutes if needed. Transfer to a covered bowl.
- Warm tortillas one at a time in the dry small skillet over medium heat, about 20–30 seconds per side. Wrap in a clean towel.
- Whisk eggs with the remaining salt. Reduce the large skillet to medium-low and add the remaining 1 teaspoon oil. Add eggs and fold slowly until fully set with no liquid egg; the center of the curds should reach 160°F/71°C.
- Divide mushroom-lentil mixture and scrambled eggs equally among the four tortillas. Top each with 1 tablespoon salsa and a quarter of the cilantro. Serve two tacos per person.
Use the lentil batch twice
This recipe needs only one cup of cooked lentils. If you cook a larger batch, portion the rest promptly for another meal and refrigerate it safely. The tortilla count makes breakfast easy to serve, while any extra sides can be chosen separately rather than quietly changing the base serving.
A useful detail
Use firm cooked lentils that hold their shape. Canned lentils are suitable when drained and rinsed; weigh 200 g after draining. Use lentils cooked today or yesterday and safely chilled, or a freshly opened ready-cooked product; follow any shorter packet opening limit. Earlier lentil cooking is not included in this recipe time.
Another way
- Use 225 g oyster mushrooms torn into small pieces instead of cremini; cook away their moisture before adding lentils.
- Replace cilantro with 2 tablespoons finely sliced scallion greens if you prefer; add them at serving.
Keep it well
Store cooked filling and eggs in shallow containers at 40°F/4°C or below for up to 3 days. Refrigerate within 2 hours, or 1 hour above 90°F/32°C. Reheat both to 165°F/74°C and warm tortillas separately. Keep salsa chilled and carry perishable components with two cold sources. For home-cooked lentils, use the finished dish within 3 days of their original cooking date, or the shorter stated storage limit; assembling or warming them does not restart that clock.