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–+ servings
A tray with 3 cauliflower and chickpea tacos served with a bowl of creamy chipotle sauce.

Easy Roasted Cauliflower Tacos (vegan + gf)

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 4 people
Author: Tracy Halasz

Ingredients

Baked Cauliflower and Chickpeas

  • 1 medium cauliflower head, broken into florets
  • 1 can chickpeas, drained, rinsed, patted dry

Spice Blend (OR 1-2 tablespoons Taco Seasoning Blend)

  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1 tablespoon chili powder
  • ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt (more to taste)
  • 1 large juicy lime (~ 2 tablespoons)
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1-2 tablespoons water (to make a loose paste)

Vegan Coleslaw

  • 2-3 cups slaw mix or shredded cabbage*
  • 3 tablespoons Vegenaise (vegan mayo)
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 3-4 tablespoons pickle juice (or white vinegar)
  • ¼ teaspoon salt (to taste)
  • ¼ teaspoon coarse black pepper (to taste)
  • ¼ - ½ teaspoon sugar or maple syrup
  • 1 tablespoon sriracha sauce

Extra Toppings

  • 1 avocado, sliced
  • 6-8 slices red onion
  • cilantro, chopped
  • 4-6 tortillas, 6"

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 400º F
    Line baking sheet with parchment paper.

CAULIFLOWER-CHICKPEA FILLING

  • Cauliflower: Rinse, pat dry, and cut or break the cauliflower into bite-size florets and place in large bowl with the chickpeas.
  • Mix the taco spices: Whisk together spices* plus lime juice, oil, and water in a small bowl to make a loose paste. Stir into the cauliflower and chickpeas to combine.
  • Roast in the oven: Arrange the cauliflower/chickpeas in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet and bake on center rack for ~25-30 minutes (stirring after 15 minutes). The cauliflower should be tender (not mushy) with crispy edges.

VEGAN SLAW

  • While the taco filling is in the oven, make the coleslaw. Use a bag of shredded cabbage from the grocery store or thinly slice ½ cabbage.
  • Whisk coleslaw dressing ingredients together, taste and adjust as necessary. Toss with the cabbage to incorporate. Store in fridge to chill.

ASSEMBLING TACOS

  • Slice, dice or mash avocados, slice red onion, and chop the cilantro.
  • Warm flour tortillas on a dry skillet over medium-high heat (both sides) for ~20 seconds until soft and pliable.
  • Layer the cauliflower-chickpea mixture, slaw, avocado, and onion slices on the tortillas. Serve with a sprinkle of chopped cilantro and lime wedge.

Notes

Cauliflower - Play around with the chop size. Too big and you don't get the natural sweetness from the roasting. Too small and they get mushy. Aim for bite-size around 1" florets.
Chickpeas - Pat dry and don't overcrowd the pan so you get a nice crunchy outside but tender inside. 
Roasting tip - Roast the cauliflower and chickpeas on separate baking sheets. Add the chickpeas after 10 minutes of cooking. It's up to you how crispy you want each ingredient to be!
Dairy-free coleslaw - We love it made with pickle juice or pickled jalapeno juice. But if that isn't sour enough for you, add a splash of white vinegar. If you don't like mustard, just skip it.
Taco seasoning - Sub 1 ½ - 2 tablespoons (or more) of homemade Taco Seasoning for the dry spices. Highly recommend making a double batch of this homemade taco seasoning to have on hand for next time.
Optional Toppings: Cherry tomato halves, pickled red onions, corn or corn salsa, dairy-free cheese.
Leftovers - This recipe makes great leftovers for lunch. Store everything in separate containers to be enjoyed all week. Repurpose the leftovers into a vegan burrito bowl or on a baked sweet potatoes with a drizzle of creamy chipotle sauce.