Crispy Vegan Cauliflower Tacos
The crispiest cauliflower you've ever had! The combination of flavors and textures from the crispy roasted cauliflower, the sweet and sour crunchy slaw and the creamy tangy tartar sauce are out of this world!
Servings: 4
Calories: 413kcal
Ingredients
Breaded Cauliflower
- 1 cauliflower
- ½ cup full fat coconut milk
- Juice and Zest of 1 lime
- 1 teaspoon salt divided
- ½ cup panko breadcrumbs gluten free if necessary
- ½ cup cornmeal
- ½ cup unsweetened shredded coconut
- 1 ½ teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
Sweet and Sour Slaw
- 1 ½ cups chopped cabbage red or green cabbage or a combination of both
- ½ cup shredded carrots
- Juice of 1 lime
- 1 tablespoon white vinegar
- 1-2 teaspoon(s) pure maple syrup
- ½ teaspoon salt
Tangy Vegan Tartar Sauce
- ½ cup homemade vegan mayonnaise or your favorite store-bought vegan mayo
- ⅓ cup finely diced dill pickle
- Juice and zest of ½ lime
- 1 ½ teaspoons finely chopped dried dill or 1 tablespoon fresh dill
- ½ teaspoon salt or to taste
- Dash of sriracha or hot sauce optional
Extras
- Tortillas use corn tortillas for gluten free
- Extra lime wedges
- Dash of sriracha or hot sauce
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
For the Slaw
- Make the slaw first so it has time to marinate and soften just a bit. Whisk the lime juice, vinegar, maple syrup and salt together and pour them over the cabbage and carrots in a medium bowl. Toss well to mix. Cover the slaw and refrigerate.
For the Breaded Cauliflower
- Stand the cauliflower up on a cutting board and slice it in half from top to bottom. Trim off the excess stem, leaving just enough to keep the florets attached. Slice each half into thinner slices. I usually get about 3 slices per half. The further away from the center you get, the harder it is going to be to keep the florets from breaking apart. It's okay if they fall apart a bit. Cut each slice in half again from top to bottom, if you like, to make them easier to work with and a bit less delicate.
- Whisk together the coconut milk, zest and juice of 1 lime and ½ teaspoon salt in a wide shallow bowl, set aside.
- Whisk together the panko, cornmeal, shredded coconut, smoked paprika, cumin, garlic powder, turmeric, ½ teaspoon salt and the pepper in another wide shallow bowl, set aside.
- Line up your breading station in this order: cauliflower, wet batter, dry breading, prepared baking sheet.
- Take a slice of the cauliflower and place it in the coconut milk batter, flipping it over to make sure all sides are covered. Next, place that slice of cauliflower in the dry breading mix, pressing it down and flipping it over to make sure it's coated evenly on all sides. Transfer your breaded slice of cauliflower to the lined baking sheet. Repeat with all remaining slices of cauliflower. Do not overcrowd the pan. Make sure to leave space between each slice of cauliflower. Use two pans if needed.
- Bake the breaded cauliflower for 25 to 30 minutes, flipping each piece over after 15 minutes, until both sides are golden brown and crispy.
For the Tartar Sauce
- While the cauliflower is baking, make your tartar sauce. In a small bowl, stir together all the ingredients. Place in the fridge until you are ready to use it.
To assemble the tacos
- To assemble the tacos, place a tortilla on a plate, top with a bit of the slaw, a piece or two of the crispy breaded cauliflower and top with a big dollop of tangy tartar sauce. Garnish with an extra squeeze of lime or dash of sriracha.
Video
Notes
~ Trim away as much of the thick, fibrous cauliflower stem as possible while allowing the florets to stay attached.
~ Don't worry, however, if the florets fall apart. It will taste just as delicious no matter how the cauliflower is cut.
~ Do not sub another milk for the canned coconut milk. You need creamy, thick texture to coat the florets and allow the breading to stick.
~ For the ultimate crunchy coating, use cornmeal and panko breadcrumbs. Regular breadcrumbs will work in a pinch, but won't be as crispy.
~ For best results, make sure each slice of cauliflower is fully coated on all sides with the milk mixture and then with the breading.
~ Do not overcrowd the pan. Make sure to leave space between each cauliflower slice. If they are touching, they may steam instead of roast leaving the breading soggy instead of crisp. Use two pans if necessary.
~ Warm the tortillas by placing them one at a time in a dry skillet over medium-low heat until they just start to brown, about 1 to 1 ½ minutes per side.
~ For a gluten-free option, use gluten-free panko breadcrumbs and corn tortillas.
~ For the coleslaw, bagged coleslaw works just as well and would be a nice time-saver. Honestly, I do this more often than not!
~ For meal prep, the coleslaw and tartar sauce can both be made in advance, up to 2 days.
~Nutrition facts calculated for baked cauliflower, tartar sauce, and slaw. This does not include tortillas.
~Nutrition facts calculated for baked cauliflower, tartar sauce, and slaw. This does not include tortillas.
Nutrition
Calories: 413kcal | Carbohydrates: 47g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Sodium: 877mg | Potassium: 857mg | Fiber: 12g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 2950IU | Vitamin C: 175.7mg | Calcium: 80mg | Iron: 2.2mg