On a recent trip to Kansas City, we ate at Port Fonda and I had the most delicious roasted cauliflower tacos.
I studied them. I inspected them. I devoured them. And then I did what I always do. I came home and tried to make an inspired version for all of you. Let’s do this!
Origins of Tacos
Who exactly invented the taco? It’s still a bit of a mystery! But a professor who has spent much time researching the topic theorizes that tacos were invented by Mexican silver miners in the 18th century. (source)
Tacos became popular throughout Mexico and were introduced to the US by Mexican immigrants in the 19th century.
These inspired, veggie-heavy tacos are similarly served in a corn tortilla for the perfect handheld meal or snack.
About These Cauliflower Tacos
This is an easy, 30-minute recipe with smoky, roasted cauliflower and a spicy romesco-inspired sauce*. It’s also plant-based, gluten-free, and oil-free optional and grain-free optional. I do a lot for you people! I must like you a lot (wink, wink).
While the cauliflower is roasting, make your sauce, which is comprised of roasted almonds, roasted and fresh garlic, fire-roasted tomatoes, lime juice, spices, chipotle peppers*, and a little maple syrup. The result is a smoky, tangy, spicy, well-balanced sauce that’s thick and creamy and perfect for these cauliflower tacos.
*Note: you can learn more about romesco sauce here and chipotle peppers in adobo here.
I hope you all LOVE these tacos! They’re:
Smoky
Spicy
Savory
Satisfying
Easy to make
Versatile
& So delicious
This would make the perfect healthy, satisfying weeknight meal when you don’t have much time to cook. The cauliflower could be roasted ahead of time and reheated in the oven or stovetop if you’re short on time. And the sauce lasts up to 1 week in the refrigerator, so it can also easily be made ahead of time to enjoy throughout the week.
If you’re into Mexican-inspired meals, also be sure to check out our 5-Ingredient Ginger Beer Margaritas, Watermelon Margaritas, 1-Pot Vegan Barbacoa, Black Bean Butternut Squash Enchiladas, Mexican Quinoa Salad with Orange Lime Dressing, Quinoa Black Bean Salad Cups, Vegan Mexican 7-Layer Dip, Easy Red Salsa, Garlicky Guacamole with Plantain Chips, 3-Ingredient Plantain Tortillas, Roasted Jalapeño Vegan Queso, and Mexican Green Chili Veggie Burgers!
If you try this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo #minimalistbaker on Instagram so we can see. Cheers, friends!
*Note: quantity of cauliflower doubled on 10/09/2018.
Roasted Cauliflower Tacos with Chipotle Romesco
Ingredients
CAULIFLOWER
- 2 small heads cauliflower (chopped into bite-sized pieces // smaller pieces roast more quickly!)
- 2-4 Tbsp avocado 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
SAUCE
- 4 small-medium cloves garlic (skin on)
- 1/4 cup raw almonds
- 1 15-ounce can fire-roasted tomatoes (drained)
- 1-2 medium 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 my Plantain Tortillas)
- Lime juice / wedges
- Fresh cilantro (optional)
- Thinly sliced red cabbage (optional)
- Pepitas (optional)
- Sliced avocado (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (204 C) and 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.
- To a separate baking sheet, add raw almonds and the 4 unpeeled garlic cloves (amount as original recipe is written // adjust if altering batch size). Roast on the center rack for 10-12 minutes, checking at the 8 minute mark. If the almonds are dark brown and cracking, remove from the oven to avoid burning, but continue cooking garlic until light golden brown and slightly softened. Remove from oven and set aside.
- While 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.
- 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.
- 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 (optional).
- 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).
Video
Notes
*Prep time does not indicate total hands-on prep time, but also includes prep completed while other items are cooking.
John says
Loved it! However, my sauce came out runny and not as thick as you show. What could be the reason? I’m thinking the tomatoes may have been very juicy?
Thanks!
Hi John, so glad you enjoyed this recipe! Did you drain your canned tomatoes? If so, perhaps they were just more juicy. Thanks for sharing your experience!
Christina says
One of my favourite recipes from MB for taste, speed, and simplicity. Made this tonight, used olive oil instead of coconut/avocado oil for the cauliflower, walnuts instead of the almonds (didn’t roast these obviously) and omitted the fire roasted tomato, only using a slightly higher quantity of roasted red peppers (in brine, not in adobo). Also added kimchi as a topping, along with the avocado, lime, cilantro and red cabbage. Delicious!
Wow, your modifications sound amazing, Christina! Thank you for sharing! xo
Msmoo says
Loved this recipe, needed to use up a bit of cauli! Didn’t have fire roasted tomatoes so just added a roasted pepper to the sauce.with a tin if chopped tomatoes. Shredded some cabbage and carrot, with a little grated cheese, avo and fresh mint to serve, as I had no coriander. Definitely on the make again list.
Amazing! Thanks so much for the lovely review and for sharing your modifications!
Sophie says
So delicious. We couldn’t get canned fire roasted tomatoes (not sure if that’s a thing in Aus) but used plain tinned tomatoes and added char grilled capsicums (peppers) to the sauce and it was great. My partner added grilled prawns to his. Thanks for the great recipe!
Yay! Thanks, Sophie!
Amber says
These were SOOOO good with 2 peppers. Used one for the kids, then blended in one more for my husband and I. I’ll be tasting garlic for days!! ❤️❤️
Wondering if the sauce could be canned?
Yay! We’re so glad you and your family enjoyed it, Amber! We haven’t experimented much with canning, so we’re not sure. Thank you for the lovely review!
Maggie says
The romesco sauce was delicious! I’ll probably use a bit less chipotles next time (1.5 instead of 2, maybe?) And I’ll definitely be making these tacos again. Thanks!
Yay! Thanks for the great review and for sharing your experience, Maggie!
Grace Verchek says
Love the sauce! Cooking for just two adults. Can the sauce be frozen?
Hi Grace, we are so glad you enjoyed it! The sauce can be frozen for up to 1 month!
Meggie says
This is an awesome recipe! I will definitely be making it again!
Yay! Thank you for the lovely review, Meggie! xo
Aracely says
I don’t have almonds in hand, can I use cashews instead?
Hi Aracely, the taste won’t be quite the same as a typical romesco, but that should work, yes! Let us know how it goes!
Claire Quinlevan says
Incredible, the sauce is to die for!
Thank you for the lovely review, Claire! xo
Lindsay says
I made this for dinner last night and it turned out so good! The sauce was amazing. I’ll definitely be making this again.
Yay! We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Lindsay. Thank you for sharing! xo
Helen A Bierman says
Made these last nite, served w a mango Mezcal cocktail. Outstanding! Scrumptious! Perfect heat! and I have leftover sauce! An easy meal to go along w NBA plaoff games.
Thank you ~
Yum, that sounds like an amazing meal! Thank you for the lovely review, Helen!
Jessica says
I am sorry. I do love cauliflower, but I wasn’t crazy about this recipe. My 2 teens and husband was not wild about it either. We didn’t like the spice blend for the roasted cauliflower and the sauce was not for us.
Oh no! We’re so sorry you and your family didn’t enjoy it, Jessica. Did you make any modifications? We ask because this recipe is a reader favorite so we wonder if something could have gone wrong?
Amanda says
Was it the almonds and the sweetness in the sauce ? I saw this and it looked so tasty I think I’ll try it with a different sauce . The cauliflower looks tasty
Maddie says
This is literally one of the best things I have ever eaten and made. I never leave reviews but thats how good this was. Seriously eat this you will not regret it is freaking delicious!
Aw, yay! We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Maddie! Thank you for taking the time to leave a review! xoxo
Dana says
I made these earlier and they were delicious! They were super easy to throw together. Thank you for the great recipe!
Woohoo! So glad you enjoyed. Thanks so much for the great review, Dana!
Jen says
I am actually our of Garlic cloves, only have the pre-chopped in a jar. Will that work?
That will work!
Julia says
This was really good. The rest of the family was less enthused at the idea of it and, yet, they were pleasantly surprised how much they liked it. It sounds odd, but it actually tastes a little bit like shrimp! I’m putting in our rotation.
Amazing! Thank you for sharing, Julia! xo
Dani says
This has become a family favorite! Simple, fast and delicious! Thank you!
Yay! So glad you enjoy this recipe, Dani!
Suzy says
This is a new fav to be a permanent meal each month! The sauce too was a hit for a chicken batch we made for the non-cauliflower lovers in the house.
We’re so glad to hear it was a hit, Suzy! Thank you for sharing! xo
Chloe says
I think this is legitimately the best recipe I’ve ever come across, and this is the first recipe review I’ve ever done. I’ve been making it consistently for a couple years. I make a whole bunch of the romesco sauce ahead of time and freeze it alongside some corn tortillas so I can make this whenever I want. I have to make it when I’m eating alone because eating it – topped with cilantro and diced raw onion with liberal amounts of Tabasco and lime juice – I’m an absolute mess, blissfully stuffing it into my face. I cannot thank the creator of this recipe enough and 100% recommend it to anyone and everyone.
Aw, thank you SO much for the lovely review, Chloe! We are so glad you enjoy the recipe so much! xoxo
Julie says
Delicious recipe! Everyone enjoyed – made it exactly as written. The chipotle romesco sauce is superb. This tastes better than a similar version at our local favorite taco restaurant. We will definitely be making this again.
We’re so glad to hear it, Julie! Thank you for the lovely review! xo
Laura says
Made exactly as stated. A flavor bomb! My husband and I both thought they were so delicious–I’ll be adding this one to my arsenal!! Easy and so super healthy. I love the sauce! Can put on nearly anything!! Thank you!
Yay! We’re so glad you both enjoyed it, Laura! Thank you for the lovely review! xo
Frinchetti Base Camp says
I never review recipes, but this one is so good I had to comment. I would give this recipe 10 stars. It is super easy, flavorful, healthy, and delicious! I recommend using the “cheese trick” from chef Saul Montiel (Epicurious Pro Chef vs Home Cook).
The sauce is versatile and great on anything.
Make these tacos, you won’t be disappointed!
Yay! Thanks so much for the great review, Frinchetti!
Msmoo says
Would love to know what the cheese trick was?
Kelly says
On my list to try this week!! What alternative would you suggest to make the sauce nut-free (peanut and nut allergy). Apple butter or perhaps 1/4 cup chickpeas plus a bit of liquid from can? Thanks!
Hi Kelly, we’d suggest omitting the almonds or subbing pepitas. Hope that helps!
CarolAnne says
Actually, I didn’t make this. But my sister did. My daughter and I went to her house for a girls weekend. After a long drive, we had these for supper. YUM! She doubled the recipe for the 3 of us, and we gorged ourselves. Ate it all. Fantastic. Stupendous. Delicious. I’ve never enjoyed meat free tacos so much. Today, I printed this recipe. Tomorrow I’m off to Wegman’s to get all the ingredients I don’t already have in my house. This weekend, it’s TACO time!!
Aw, love this, CarolAnne! We’re so glad you and your family enjoyed the recipe so much! Thank you for the lovely review! xo
Pam S says
This was a very good recipe, it turned out great and prep wasn’t hard at all. I used cashew instead of almond in the sauce, because I need to use what I had on hand before buying new, and I had to use diced roasted tomatoes since that’s all they had at the store. The sauce was BONKERS DELICIOUS! I had a leftover too, so I can use it on other stuff too. The cauliflower was great too, a nice mix of a soft and crunchy bite if that makes sense. I used homemade flour tortillas, since I’m not gluten-free, and I highly recommend since they are way better quality than store brand, and don’t take more than 20 minutes extra time if you are making them along with the recipe. Next time, I think I will add black beans or chickpeas to this, since the cauliflower alone feels a bit light.
Oooh – delish! Love the idea of adding some beans. Thanks so much for the lovely review and for sharing your experience, Pam!
Aman says
Girl!!! You knocked it out of the park with this one. My husband immensely enjoyed it. My 6 year old son wanted to drink the romesco sauce. He only stopped because I told him he could use it for lunch the next day. Flavors are amazing. Cauliflower by itself was sooo delicious! We paired it with your Black bean salad with orange lime dressing. Soooooooo darn good!
Yay! We’re so glad to hear you and your family enjoyed it, Aman! Thank you so much for sharing! xo
Erin says
These were fantastic!!! Definitely adding to our dinner rotation as well. The only think I altered was using pecans instead of almonds since that was what I had. We topped ours with red cabbage, avocado chunks and a little Greek yogurt for more creaminess. Delish! Thank you for another winner!
Yumm, love those toppings! Thanks so much for the lovely review, Erin!
Sally says
Preparing for a Tex-Mex themed family reunion dinner and tested this recipe as a possible menu addition – a definite winner and I’m anticipating lots of praise from my family when they taste these oh-so-delicious tacos! Side note: when my hubby tasted them at lunch today he asked that I add these to our regular rotation :). Thanks for another fantastic recipe!!
Amazing! We hope everyone loves it at the reunion =) Thank you for sharing, Sally! xo