Everyone loves tacos. But we can’t all afford the calories that the fatty meat fillings can sometimes carry. That’s where cauliflower, a true hero vegetable, comes in. Its incredibly rich and buttery natural flavor and thick, meaty texture makes for a great substitute for beef, pork, or chicken.
Here are 3 great cauliflower taco recipes that’ll leave both your tastebuds and waistline satisfied.
1. Roasted Cauliflower Tacos With Chipotle Romesco
Ingredients
-2 small heads cauliflower (chopped into bite-sized pieces, smaller pieces roast more quickly!)
-2-4 tbsp avocado oil or coconut oil (if avoiding oil, omit or sub with water)
-3 tsp ground cumin
-2 tsp chili powder
-2 tsp smoked paprika
-1 tsp sea salt
For The Sauce:
-4 cloves garlic (skin on)
-1/4 cup raw almonds
-1 15-ounce can fire-roasted tomatoes (drained)
-2 cloves raw garlic (peeled)
-2 Tbsp olive oil (or sub water)
-1 medium lime, juiced (3 Tbsp or 45 ml as original recipe is written)
-1/4 tsp smoked paprika
-1/2 tsp cumin
-1/4 tsp sea salt (plus more to taste)
-1 tbsp maple syrup (plus more to taste)
-1-2 whole chipotle peppers in adobo sauce (more for spicier sauce)
For Serving:
-12-15 whole corn tortillas (to keep grain-free, use Plantain Tortillas)
-Lime juice/wedges
-Fresh cilantro (optional)
-Thinly sliced red cabbage (optional)
-Pepitas (optional)
-Sliced avocado (optional)
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (204 C). Add cauliflower to 2 large baking sheets (use more baking sheets if increasing batch size). Add oil (or omit/sub water), cumin, chili powder, paprika, and salt. Toss to combine and roast on the bottom rack for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown and tender.
2. To a separate baking sheet, add raw almonds and the 4 unpeeled garlic cloves (adjust if altering batch size). Roast on the center rack for 10-12 minutes or until the almonds have started to brown/crack and the garlic is starting to get golden brown in color. Remove from the oven and set aside.
3. While the cauliflower finishes roasting, add drained, fire-roasted tomatoes to a high-speed blender along with
almonds, roasted garlic (peeled), raw garlic (peeled), oil (or water), lime juice, paprika, cumin, salt, maple syrup, and chipotle peppers in adobo sauce.
4. Blend on high until creamy and smooth, scraping down sides as needed. Taste and adjust flavor as needed, adding more lime for acidity, garlic for kick/zing, salt for saltiness, paprika or cumin for smokiness, maple syrup to offset heat/add sweetness, or chipotle peppers for more heat.
5. To serve, warm tortillas in the microwave or in the oven directly on the still-warm oven racks until pliable. Then add 1-2 Tbsp of the romesco sauce and a generous portion of cauliflower. Serve as is or garnish with lime juice/wedges, cilantro, cabbage, and/or pepitas.
*Best when fresh. Store leftover sauce in the refrigerator up to 1 week (or 1 month in the freezer), and the cauliflower in the refrigerator up to 3 days. Reheat cauliflower in a 350-degree F (176 C) oven until warm (best when fresh).
Original recipe by Minimalist Baker.
Braised Cauliflower And Chickpea Tacos
Ingredients
For the Tacos:
-2 tsp chili powder
-1 tsp ground cumin
-1/4 tsp garlic powder
-1/4 tsp onion powder
-1 tsp sea salt
-1 tsp fresh lime juice
-1 tbsp olive oil
-1 tbsp water
-1 (15 oz) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
-1 small head cauliflower washed and cut into bite-size florets
-Corn tortillas
-1 cup finely chopped red cabbage
-1 jalapeño sliced, seeds removed
-1 large avocado seed removed and diced
-Chopped cilantro
For the Lime Crema:
-1 cup plain Greek yogurt or sour cream
-1/8 cup fresh lime juice
-1/4 cup chopped cilantro
-Salt and pepper to taste
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a medium bowl, whisk together chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, salt, lime juice, olive oil, and water. Stir in chickpeas and cauliflower florets. Place seasoned chickpeas and cauliflower on
a greased baking sheet. Roast for 30-35 minutes, stirring occasionally during cooking, until chickpeas are slightly crispy and cauliflower is tender. Remove from the oven and set aside.
2. To make the lime crema, place the Greek yogurt or sour cream in a small bowl. Add fresh lime juice and cilantro. Stir well. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
3. Take a corn tortilla and place roasted cauliflower and chickpeas on top. Top with red cabbage, jalapeño slices, avocado, and cilantro. Drizzle lime crema over the tacos and serve!
Original recipe by Two Peas and Their Pod.
Chipotle Lime Cauliflower Tacos
Ingredients
-1/4 cup lime juice (from about 2 limes)
-1-2 tbsp chopped chipotles in adobo sauce
-1 tbsp honey
-2 cloves garlic
-½ tsp salt
-1 small head cauliflower, cut into bite-size pieces
-1 small red onion, halved and thinly sliced
-1 (15 ounce) can refried black beans, warmed
-8 corn tortillas, warmed
-1/2 cup crumbled queso fresco or feta cheese
-Sliced red cabbage, fresh cilantro, guacamole, jalapeño slices and/or lime wedges for serving
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 450°F. To prep cauliflower: Remove any outer leaves. Cut off the stem. Turn head upside down and, holding the knife at a 45-degree angle, slice around the stem to remove the core from the center of the head. Cut the head into large florets. Then, cut or slice florets to desired sizes.
2. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with foil. Combine lime juice, chipotles to taste, honey, garlic and salt in a blender. Process until mostly smooth. Place cauliflower in a large bowl, add the sauce and stir to coat.
2. Transfer to the prepared baking sheet. Sprinkle onion on top. Roast, stirring until the cauliflower is tender and browned in spots, 18 to 20 minutes. Serve the vegetables and beans in tortillas, topped with cheese and garnished with cabbage, cilantro, guacamole, jalapeños and/or lime wedges.
Original recipe by EatingWell Magazine.
Jasmine Browley holds an MA in journalism from Columbia College Chicago, and has contributed to Ebony, Jet and MADE Magazine among others. So, clearly, she knows some stuff. Follow her digital journey @JasmineBrowley.
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