Cauliflower tacos are full of roasted, browned and well seasoned cauliflower florets, plus tons of fun add-ins and toppings. Great for a vegan take on taco night!
Not intentionally, really, but I’ve been sharing SO many vegetarian meals here on the blog so far in 2021.
We are not vegetarian in my house, but I do gravitate towards veggie-heavy and plant-based dishes. And like any mom, I’m always hoping to get more veggies in my kids, so I keep experimenting with new recipes.
Some of our favorite easy vegetarian dinners are sweet potato black bean enchiladas, quick and easy vegetarian curry and easy chickpea burgers.
In cooler weather, we adore Instant Pot lentil soup and vegetarian quinoa chili, which is ready in just 30 minutes.
And I love having some easy baked falafel on hand for pitas, wraps and for crumbling over salads or grain bowls. I also love making vegetarian meatballs for a twist on spaghetti night.
Today though I’m excited to share these cauliflower tacos.
I’ve been making Air Fryer cauliflower on repeat, and in addition to just having it as a veggie side dish at dinner (unless I eat them all before hand), I’ve enjoyed finding new ways to use them.
So, duh, tacos.
Tacos might be one of our most frequent meals in my house. Normally, it’s just our go-to ground turkey tacos.
My kiddos can’t get enough. Little taco fiends, they are.
But I also love these vegetarian tacos that have black beans and peppers. Or sometimes I do fish tacos or shrimp tacos to mix things up.
Today, we’re using cauliflower as the star of the show.
I mean, really, is there anything cauliflower can’t do?!
Here, the florets get tossed with taco seasoning, roasted or air fried to browned and crispy perfection, and then tucked inside some taco shells along with ALL the fun toppings.
These are flavorful, a bit nutty and totally delectable.
You’ll be so happily chowing down you won’t even miss the meat.
These tacos are both vegetarian and vegan as is, as well as gluten-free and dairy-free. Just depends on how you serve them and what you use for toppings.
OK, let's get cooking.
Now, I’ve got some notes and tips coming up below on how to make cauliflower tacos. Just tryin’ to be helpful.
If you want to jump on down to the recipe, simply scroll right on through the rest of the text. The recipe card is near the bottom of the page, above the comments section.
Ingredient Notes and Add-Ins:
- Cauliflower: You can roast your cauliflower florets in the oven or cook them in the Air Fryer. The recipe card below includes instructions for both methods.
- Taco shells: Choose hard or soft taco shells, or even lettuce wraps. More on that below (with details on how to warm your soft taco shells).
- Taco seasoning: Homemade taco seasoning is super easy to mix together and has so much more flavor. But of course, store-bought is fine too.
- Add-ins: Feel free to add some steamed rice or warmed black beans to your tacos to make them a bit more hearty and filling.
- Vegetables: Want more veggies? You could also sauté some bell peppers or zucchini or add some corn to go with these tacos.
- Spicy: Like it spicy? Add a bit of cayenne pepper to season the cauliflower before you cook them. Or serve your tacos with hot sauce or pepper Jack cheese for an extra kick.
So many ways you can customize these veggie tacos to suit your tastes - or just what you have on hand in the fridge!
Speaking of options…
About the taco shells:
- You can use hard or soft shell tacos. We love these served in soft corn or flour tortillas that I’ve warmed on the stove.
- If you have a gas burner, you can place a soft tortilla, one at a time, directly over the flame. Leave it for 5-10 seconds, until lightly charred, then flip and do the same on the other side.
- Oh and if you have an electric stove instead of a gas one, you can broil your tortillas in the oven as an alternative. Just keep a close eye on them so they don’t burn.
- Or of course, you can wrap the tortillas in some damp paper towels and warm them in the microwave too. They don’t get the same char, but they do get warmed through easily.
Another note about serving and serving size…
This will serve 3-4 people, depending on how many tacos you make and how full you stuff them. Feel free to double the recipe if needed.
And if your head of cauliflower is on the small side, I’d definitely recommend getting two so you have enough.
Leftover cauliflower can be reheated in the Air Fryer or broiled in the oven to rewarm for more tacos or a different use on another day.
OK, we are all ready to dive in.
Last thing, don’t forget to add all your favorite taco toppings!
Toppings Ideas:
- Spinach or shredded lettuce or cabbage
- Shredded cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese
- Chopped fresh cilantro
- Sliced avocado or a dollop of guacamole
- Salsa or pico de gallo
- Greek yogurt or sour cream
- Hot sauce or sriracha
- Pickled red onions
- Pickled or fresh jalapeño slices
- Fresh lime juice
Let everyone add their favorites and dig in!
I hope you give this a try for a fun and healthy twist on taco night or for a new meatless Monday dinner.
Enjoy!
XO,
Kathryn
Cauliflower Tacos
Ingredients
- 1 large head of cauliflower, cut into bite-size florets
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 teaspoons taco seasoning
For serving:
- Soft or hard corn or flour tortilla shells, warmed
- Steamed rice (optional)
- Warmed black beans (optional)
Optional toppings:
- Shredded lettuce, shredded cheese, chopped cilantro, sliced avocado or guac, salsa or pico de gallo, Greek yogurt or sour cream, hot sauce, pickled red onions, fresh lime juice
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450. (See notes below for cooking the cauliflower in the Air Fryer instead.)
- Toss the cauliflower florets with olive oil and taco seasoning to coat evenly.
- Spread in an even layer on a baking sheet sprayed with cooking spray.
- Bake at 450 for 25-30 minutes, until tender and well browned.
- Add the cauliflower to the taco shells with rice and/or beans, if using. Add your favorite taco toppings and enjoy!
Notes
- Preheat the Air Fryer to 400 (if yours requires preheating).
- Toss the cauliflower florets with olive oil and taco seasoning to coat evenly. (You can get away with just 1 ½ teaspoons of oil if using this method.)
- Spray the Air Fryer tray with cooking spray then add the cauliflower in an even layer. Cook at 375 for 12-15 minutes, pausing to shake the basket halfway through the cooking time to help the cauliflower cook evenly. (Check for doneness at 12 minutes to avoid burning them. Add an additional 1-3 minutes as needed.)
Ramya
will be making this soon with grain free tortaillas as i dont eat corn will dm you if i make this and let you know how it goes Thanks Ramya