Cauliflower Tacos with Chickpeas – Vegetarian
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These easy vegetarian cauliflower tacos are full of flavor and protein! Even meat-lovers are going to flip over these fun tacos. Whether it’s for Meatless Monday or a full-on vegetarian lifestyle, you’re going to love these! They’re also easy to make vegan. Make them tonight!
As this post goes live, I’m on a flight to California. And did ya know that California is going to BE THE SAME TEMPERATURE as Michigan? And rainy! I’m thrilled. I definitely didn’t want to dust off any sleeveless dresses after they spent the winter in hibernation. Oh no, I was realllllly hoping I would be able to bring my umbrella and winter coat. Awesome!
Despite the less-than-ideal weather, I am truly excited to head to California and spend time with some of my closest blogging friends on the campus of Google. Yeah, GOOGLE. I’m thrilled to have this opportunity thanks to my ad network (hooray for Mediavine!) and even more pumped to see all my friends who understand this crazy blogging life.
I’m excited to learn from the people at Google to help you guys find the exact recipe you need in the easiest, quickest way! Make sure to follow along on Instagram stories if you want to see what I’m up to.
I’m also looking forward to eating some fantastic food – my friends at Mediavine know how to throw a great conference!
About these Cauliflower Tacos:
I would like to wave a magic wand and make these appear in front of me. I may have shed a tear the last time I ran out of the ingredients for these cauliflower tacos. I urge you to make these cauliflower tacos. Whether you’re a vegetarian or a meat-loving carnivore, these tacos are a must-try. Another must-try are these vegetarian tacos with delicata squash – they’re so good!
You start by roasting cauliflower, chickpeas, onions, and bell peppers. The onions and peppers become ultra-sweet when they’re roasted. The chickpeas become crispy and add such great texture to these tacos. The cauliflower, well, you know all about roasted cauliflower at this point, don’t you?
PS: If you aren’t living the roasted cauliflower life, I gotcha covered. Since the time I showed you how to roast cauliflower, I also gave you recipes for roasted cauliflower with chili powder and Parmesan roasted cauliflower. Make sure you don’t miss my whole roasted cauliflower, either. You will want to drink the sauce!
I recommend topping these tacos with avocado, pickled red onions, a sprinkle of cheese, and lots of cilantro. But of course, have fun with it! Use your favorite taco toppings and make these your own. Try drizzling a little homemade fry sauce over the tacos, or top them with freshly made salsa verde, or pico de gallo.
Serving Suggestions: These are great on their own, but make it a full Mexican fiesta with these side dishes:
- Southwestern Oven Roasted Sweet Potatoes (bonus: they cook at the same temperature in the oven)
- Cilantro Lime Rice
- Sautéed Fresh Corn
- Queso Blanco
- Beer!
More vegetarian tacos to try: Vegetarian Taco Cups, Zucchini and Crimini Street Tacos from A Spicy Perspective, and Three Bean Tacos from Two Peas & Their Pod.
Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me @rachelcooksblog on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest!
Ingredients
- 1 head cauliflower, cut into bite-sized florets
- 1 can (15 oz.) chickpeas, rinsed and drained (or garbanzo beans)
- 1 cup chopped red onion (¼ of a large red onion)
- 1 cup chopped red bell pepper (½ of a large red bell pepper)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- ¾ teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 8 corn tortillas (flour tortillas are fine, too)
- Toppings: pickled red onions, cotija cheese, cilantro, avocado, sour cream, jalapeño, etc.
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F. Using paper towels or a clean lint-free dish towel, pat the chickpeas mostly dry. Remove excess water from cauliflower using a salad spinner or towels.
- In a large bowl, combine olive oil chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, and salt. Add cauliflower florets, chickpeas, chopped onion, and bell pepper to the bowl; toss until well-coated.
- Transfer mixture to a large rimmed sheet pan; spread into a single layer.
- Bake for 20 minutes, stir and continue baking for 10 to 15 minutes or until cauliflower is tender and chickpeas are crispy.
- Fill tortillas with cauliflower chickpea mixture and top with your favorite toppings!
Notes
- Nutrition information is calculated for 2 tacos with corn tortillas, without toppings.
- Gluten-free: Corn tortillas are generally gluten-free (check the label) or substitute lettuce wraps.
- Vegan/dairy-free: Omit the cheese or use a vegan cheese.
- Make your own pickled red onions. It's easy and they keep well in the refrigerator.
- To char corn tortillas, put them directly on a gas burner over medium low heat. When lightly charred (about 2 minutes), use tongs to flip the tortilla over and char the other side (about 1 minute).
Nutrition Information
This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.
Husband’s take: Ummm…I don’t believe I shared these with Ben….
Changes I would make: None! I love these just the way they are.
Difficulty: Easy!
teresa says
There is a natural foods store that has a cafe serving cauliflower/chickpea tacos. They have vegan cream and salsa verde on it. Do you happen to have a great garlicky vegan crema recipe for these you can give?
Rachel Gurk says
A lot of vegan sauces have nuts in them and my kiddos are allergic, so I don’t have a recipe for a vegan crema on my site. I googled it though, and this one looks really tasty and versatile!
Rachel Gurk says
Oooooh this one would be amazing on these tacos, too!
Christine W says
I just made this. It was so yummy! There are even leftovers and I may use them in a frittata. Thanks for the great recipes.
Rachel Gurk says
So happy to hear you liked these! Thanks for taking the time to come and leave a comment. :)
Melissa Griffiths says
These are perfect for a meatless Monday – they look so good! Have so much fun at your conference – it sounds so cool!
Rachel Gurk says
Thank you on all accounts! I hope you try the tacos and love them!