Cauliflower Tacos Recipe: How to Make Cauliflower Tacos
Written by MasterClass
Last updated: Apr 18, 2022 • 2 min read
“Meatless Monday” meets “Taco Tuesday” in this flavorful recipe for cauliflower tacos, featuring tender, roasted cauliflower and a variety of tasty taco toppings.
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What Are Cauliflower Tacos?
Cauliflower tacos are a meatless take on the classic handheld Mexican dish, consisting of flavorful roasted cauliflower folded into a warm flour or corn tortilla and topped with traditional taco toppings. Cauliflower is a cruciferous vegetable with tight, edible florets encased in leaves resembling those of cabbage or a head of broccoli. When tossed in cumin, chili powder, and lime juice, this versatile veggie transforms into a flavorful taco filling that meat lovers and herbivores will enjoy.
5 Tips for Making Cauliflower Tacos
This simple Mexican dish is one that any home cook can execute. Follow these tips to make tasty roasted cauliflower tacos every time:
- 1. Go vegan. Adapt this satisfying vegetarian dish to be free of animal products. Ditch the cheese and Mexican crema or replace them with vegan alternatives (like cashew cream) to make vegan tacos.
- 2. Experiment with additions. Adapt this crispy roasted cauliflower taco filling to include additional roasted veggies, such as bell peppers, onions, squash, corn kernels, black beans, pinto beans, or chickpeas. Change up the seasonings to incorporate spicier additions like cayenne pepper, adobo-seasoned chipotle peppers, hot sauce, smoked paprika, and other Mexican-inspired spices.
- 3. Incorporate toppings. Jazz up this meat-free main dish with traditional toppings like pickled jalapeños, crumbled Mexican cheese, pickled red onions, sliced radishes, red cabbage slaw, sour cream, and more.
- 4. Switch up the sauce. Dress your vegetarian tacos with the salsas and sauces of your choice. Fresh pico de gallo, mango salsa, and watermelon salsa are great toppings for cauliflower tacos. Creamy cilantro-lime dressing or Mexican crema lends some rich creaminess to the dish. Add heat with jalapeño-infused guacamole and spicy chipotle salsa.
- 5. Change up the tortillas. Supplement gluten-free corn tortillas, flour tortillas, whole wheat flour tortillas, or hard taco shells for corn tortillas to suit your preferences.
Easy Cauliflower Tacos Recipe
makes
prep time
15 mintotal time
45 mincook time
30 minIngredients
Roast the cauliflower:
- 1
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
- 2
Add the cauliflower florets to a large baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil.
- 3
Sprinkle the cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, and salt over the cauliflower.
- 4
Using your hands, toss the cauliflower in the oil and seasonings and spread the pieces out into a single layer on the baking sheet.
- 5
Squeeze the lime juice over the cauliflower and transfer the sheet pan to the oven.
- 6
Bake the cauliflower until it is golden brown and tender, 30–35 minutes, stirring once halfway through.
- 7
Remove the cauliflower from the oven and transfer it to a serving bowl.
Make the avocado sauce and serve:
- 1
In a food processor or blender, add the cubed avocado, lime juice, and olive oil and blend until smooth.
- 2
Add the garlic, jalapeño, and cilantro to the avocado sauce and blend until well incorporated.
- 3
If the sauce seems too thick, blend in 1 tablespoon of water or olive oil at a time until it reaches your desired consistency.
- 4
Season the sauce with salt and pepper to taste and transfer to a serving bowl.
- 5
Serve the roasted cauliflower and avocado sauce with warm tortillas, cotija cheese, crema, thinly sliced cabbage, lime wedges, and hot sauce.
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