Chili Lime Cauliflower Tacos
These roasted cauliflower tacos are so easy and so good! Tender cauliflower florets are tossed with a flavorful spice blend, roasted until perfectly tender, and then piled into warm tortillas for incredibly delicious and satisfying vegetarian tacos. My family loves taco night, and these roasted cauliflower tacos are a fantastic addition to our rotation. They’re vegetarian, budget-friendly, and packed with flavor! We fill warm tortillas with our chili lime roasted cauliflower (which we also use in our veggie burritos!). These tacos are perfect for a quick and easy weeknight dinner. If I have time, I especially love making them with homemade tortillas, like these flour tortillas. For more inspiration, see all of our taco recipes or for more veggie-forward options, these roasted veggie tacos and sweet potato tacos with black beans. Key Ingredients Tortillas: Use your favorite store-bought tortillas or make your own! Here are our recipes for corn tortillas and soft flour tortillas! Cauliflower: Look for firm, creamy white heads with tight florets. Pass on any cauliflower that’s spotted or discolored. For more tips, see how to buy and cut cauliflower. Oil: I like using a neutral, high-heat oil like avocado or safflower for roasting veggies. Spices: I make my spice mix by combining salt with chili powder (homemade chili powder is amazing), smoked paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, and cayenne. Adjust the cayenne to your liking: 1/8 teaspoon is mild, and 1/2 teaspoon is pretty spicy. Chipotle powder is also an excellent substitute for cayenne and has a similar heat level. Lime: You’ll want a bowl of lime wedges handy for this recipe. I love squeezing some over the roasted cauliflower and then over my tacos after I’ve assembled them with all my favorite toppings. I also use it to make lime crema (a lime sour cream) to drizzle over my tacos. Toppings: I am sure you have a few favorite taco toppings. I’ve listed some options in the recipe, but my favorites for these cauliflower tacos are mashed avocado (or guacamole), shredded cabbage, extra lime juice, and pickled red onions. Tortillas: Use your favorite store-bought tortillas or make your own! Here are our recipes for corn tortillas and soft flour tortillas! Cauliflower: Look for firm, creamy white heads with tight florets. Pass on any cauliflower that’s spotted or discolored. For more tips, see how to buy and cut cauliflower. Oil: I like using a neutral, high-heat oil like avocado or safflower for roasting veggies. Spices: I make my spice mix by combining salt with chili powder (homemade chili powder is amazing), smoked paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, and cayenne. Adjust the cayenne to your liking: 1/8 teaspoon is mild, and 1/2 teaspoon is pretty spicy. Chipotle powder is also an excellent substitute for cayenne and has a similar heat level. Lime: You’ll want a bowl of lime wedges handy for this recipe. I love squeezing some over the roasted cauliflower and then over my tacos after I’ve assembled them with all my favorite toppings. I also use it to make lime crema (a lime sour cream) to drizzle over my tacos. Toppings: I am sure you have a few favorite taco toppings. I’ve listed some options in the recipe, but my favorites for these cauliflower tacos are mashed avocado (or guacamole), shredded cabbage, extra lime juice, and pickled red onions. How to Make Cauliflower Tacos I roast cauliflower tossed in the spice mixture in a 425°F oven. The cauliflower florets will become tender and nicely caramelized in about 30 minutes at this temperature. The trick to roasting cauliflower is to spread the florets out on your baking sheet so they are not touching each other. This way, the hot air surrounds them, and they will brown instead of steam. While your cauliflower roasts, you can prepare everything else. Warm your tortillas, make the lime crema by mixing lime juice and salt into sour cream (or crema), and prepare any other favorite toppings. To serve, I spread mashed avocado on the bottom of my tortilla (I do the same with shrimp tacos), then top with shredded cabbage, cauliflower, pickled onions, and finally, a good drizzle of lime crema. So good! Chili Lime Cauliflower Tacos PREP 10 mins COOK 35 mins TOTAL 45 mins PREP 10 mins COOK 35 mins TOTAL 45 mins These delicious roasted cauliflower tacos feature roasted cauliflower tossed with ancho chili powder, smoked paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, and cayenne pepper. We love building our tacos with mashed avocado, shredded cabbage, and pickled onions. We also add a drizzle of lime crema, making the tacos extra special. Makes 8 tacos You Will Need 1 medium cauliflower, cut into small florets, 1 ¼ pounds 2 tablespoons avocado oil 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt 1 teaspoon ancho chili powder or use homemade chili powder 1 teaspoon smoked paprika 1/2 teaspoon onion powder 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or more to taste 2 to 3 lime or lemon wedges 8 corn tortillas or flour tortillas 1 medium avocado, mashed 2 cups thinly shredded cabbage or lettuce Lime crema, recipe below Optional: pickled onions, pickled jalapeños, fresh cilantro leaves, crumbled or shredded cheese 1/2 cup crema or sour cream 1 to 2 teaspoons fresh lime juice Pinch of salt Directions 1Preheat the oven to 425°F (218°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat — lining the pan is not entirely necessary, but this does help with cleanup. 2In a large bowl, toss the cauliflower florets with 2 tablespoons of oil, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon chili powder, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, 1/2 teaspoon onion powder, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, and 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper. 3Add the seasoned florets to the baking sheet. Spread them out, facing as many flatter edges onto the baking sheet so they brown nicely. 4Roast until the edges are crisp and brown and the insides are tender, 20 to 35 minutes. After 20 minutes, stir the cauliflower to promote even browning. 5Remove the cauliflower from the oven and toss with a squeeze of fresh lime juice. 6Make the lime crema. Combine 1/2 cup crema (or sour cream) with a teaspoon of lime juice and a pinch of salt. Taste, and then add more lime juice as needed. 7Warm the tortillas. Wrap the tortillas in two stacks with aluminum foil. Place into the oven for 10 to 15 minutes or until warm. 8Spread a tablespoon or so of mashed avocado onto each tortilla. Then add a handful of shredded cabbage, some roasted cauliflower, a drizzle of the lime crema, and any additional taco toppings. 1Preheat the oven to 425°F (218°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat — lining the pan is not entirely necessary, but this does help with cleanup. 2In a large bowl, toss the cauliflower florets with 2 tablespoons of oil, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon chili powder, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, 1/2 teaspoon onion powder, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, and 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper. 3Add the seasoned florets to the baking sheet. Spread them out, facing as many flatter edges onto the baking sheet so they brown nicely. 4Roast until the edges are crisp and brown and the insides are tender, 20 to 35 minutes. After 20 minutes, stir the cauliflower to promote even browning. 5Remove the cauliflower from the oven and toss with a squeeze of fresh lime juice. 6Make the lime crema. Combine 1/2 cup crema (or sour cream) with a teaspoon of lime juice and a pinch of salt. Taste, and then add more lime juice as needed. 7Warm the tortillas. Wrap the tortillas in two stacks with aluminum foil. Place into the oven for 10 to 15 minutes or until warm. 8Spread a tablespoon or so of mashed avocado onto each tortilla. Then add a handful of shredded cabbage, some roasted cauliflower, a drizzle of the lime crema, and any additional taco toppings. Adam and Joanne's Tips Crema is a thickened tangy cream (similar to sour cream). We buy ours at a local Mexican market, but you might find that your local grocery store sells it. If you cannot find it, use sour cream as a substitute. Any chili powder will work for this recipe, but we love using ancho chili powder, which tastes sweet, fruity, and mild. We also love substituting our homemade chili powder blend, which is packed with flavor. Smoked Paprika is made from dried and smoked pimiento peppers. It adds a deep smoky aroma and flavor. Unless noted on the packaging, it isn’t typically hot (spicy) and instead is mild and a bit sweet. The nutrition facts provided below are estimates. Crema is a thickened tangy cream (similar to sour cream). We buy ours at a local Mexican market, but you might find that your local grocery store sells it. If you cannot find it, use sour cream as a substitute. Any chili powder will work for this recipe, but we love using ancho chili powder, which tastes sweet, fruity, and mild. We also love substituting our homemade chili powder blend, which is packed with flavor. Smoked Paprika is made from dried and smoked pimiento peppers. It adds a deep smoky aroma and flavor. Unless noted on the packaging, it isn’t typically hot (spicy) and instead is mild and a bit sweet. The nutrition facts provided below are estimates. Nutrition Per Serving Serving Size 2 tacos / Calories 333 / Total Fat 17.2g / Saturated Fat 3.9g / Cholesterol 6.7mg / Sodium 302.2mg / Carbohydrate 41.7g / Dietary Fiber 10.3g / Total Sugars 5.4g / Protein 9g AUTHOR: Joanne Gallagher We’re Adam and Joanne, a couple passionate about cooking and sharing delicious, reliable recipes since 2009. Our goal? To inspire you to get in the kitchen and confidently cook fresh and flavorful meals.More About Us