Cauliflower Tacos with Avocado Crema Recipe

Taco menus typically lean heavy on the meat, with al pastor, chicken tinga, and barbacoa taking up the top spots. The vegetarian options, if any, are usually limited to one meager offering of plain grilled veggies. Which is a shame, because if one thing is true, it’s that everything tastes better in a tortilla. So with these cauliflower tacos, we’d like to make the case for adding more delicious meatless options to your taco rotation.

In this recipe, the cauliflower florets take a cue from crispy fried fish, getting coated in a batter and oven-fried until nicely golden. They’re complimented by a luxuriously creamy and smooth avocado-yogurt sauce, plus toppings like cilantro and shredded cabbage for a crisp, cool crunch. And unlike meaty recipes that require long hours of simmering and stewing, this taco filling comes together in just a few quick, simple steps.

Even if the cauliflower is the star of the show here, it’s still really worth it to use good, corn-based nixtamal tortillas (nixtamalization is the traditional process of soaking the corn to increase nutrient availability). We’re big fans of the tortillas from Vista Hermosa, which are locally made and have an excellent real corn flavor. Warm them up before filling and feel free to make the tacos street-style by adding a second tortilla (which holds everything together and sops up any oozing sauce).

Try out the recipe below for Cinco de Mayo or a taco night at home. And to make it a taco party, try out one or a few of our other taco recipes:

Cauliflower tacos with avocado crema recipe

What you’ll need:
1 head cauliflower
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup low-fat milk
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 ripe avocado
1/2 cup nonfat yogurt
1 lime
10 corn tortillas, warmed
To finish: cilantro and shredded red cabbage, as needed

What to do:

Preheat oven to 425 F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment. Coat parchment with cooking spray. Cut the cauliflower into small florets (you should have about 8 cups). In a large bowl, combine the flour, milk, chili powder, and garlic powder. Season with salt and pepper. Add cauliflower to batter, coating each piece evenly.

Pour coated cauliflower onto prepared baking sheet, spreading into an even layer. Spray cauliflower with cooking spray. Bake 15 minutes. Flip cauliflower and coat again with cooking spray. Bake until the florets are tender, another 15 minutes.*

Meanwhile, make the avocado crema. Remove the zest from the lime. To a blender, add the avocado, yogurt, and lime zest. Blend until smooth and creamy. Season with salt.

To assemble tacos, add cooked cauliflower to tortillas and top with the cabbage, cilantro, and avocado crema. Cut the leftover lime into wedges and serve on the side.

* Tip:
Alternatively, cook coated cauliflower in an air fryer at 375 F for 10–20 minutes, shaking halfway through.

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