I absolute love making vegetarian taco recipes —they’re a simple, healthy dinner. This veggie-packed taco is easy and quick to make! It’s filled with good-for-you ingredients, like chopped roasted cauliflower and crispy baked chickpeas. Top your cauliflower tacos with with a quick red cabbage slaw, and homemade avocado sauce. Dinner is done in 45 minutes!
Looking for new vegetarian taco ideas? These roasted cauliflower tacos are your answer. We’re dressing up nutritious cauliflower and protein-packed chickpeas as a delicious street taco, because taco Tuesday deserves a comeback. And everyone knows tacos are a minimal effort, maximum tastiness weeknight kinda dinner. So let’s taco.
A good taco is all about the components. And in my book, the more the better. So while the cauliflower and chickpeas are our main vegetarian taco filling, the deliciousness doesn’t stop there. We’re talking pickled red cabbage and avocado crema.
Oh, and it’s all done in under 45 minutes. Taco night: engage.
Reader rating
“I can’t say enough about how much I love this recipe. I’ve made it several times and even my die hard meat eaters enjoy it.” —Angela
Here’s what you’ll need
This recipe has three main components: the filling, the crema, and the slaw.
Quick Slaw
A quick pickled red cabbage adds crunch to these tacos and helps to balance out the spice. You could also use pickled onions or even pickled jalapeños here!
Avocado Crema
This quick version of our avocado crema is a blend of avocado, garlic, and seasonings
Vegetarian Taco Filling
We’re using a combination of spiced cauliflower and chickpeas, roasted until crispy! Cauliflower not your thing? Try out vegan tempeh taco filling!
FAVORITE SHEET PAN
This large nonstick sheet pan is one of my everyday favorites!
How do you make vegetarian tacos?
The key to the perfect vegetarian tacos is to keep the flavor high! Being completely plant-based does not mean your tacos have to fall behind in flavor.
Choose your vegetable and season it well (cumin, smoked paprika, and chili powder are all perfect on vegetarian tacos!) And don’t forget to add a killer sauce, like the herby avocado sauce we’re using in these Roasted Cauliflower Tacos (or change it up with this dreamy cashew queso!)
What vegetables are good for tacos?
Aim for a mix of crunchy and soft vegetables for the perfect vegetarian tacos. Roasted cauliflower provides filling crunch, while chickpeas are a bit softer and meatier. You can also use sliced portobellos (similar to how we do it in this Portobello Gyros), pulled “pork” oyster mushrooms (like in these Mushroom Carnitas Tacos), sweet potatoes (like in these Sweet Potato Black Bean Tacos, bell peppers, zucchini…wherever the wind takes you!
What pairs well with tacos?
The sky’s the limit when it comes to taco pairings! I like to serve dishes that can be served both on or next to the tacos.
Ingredients
Quick Slaw
- 2 cups thinly sliced red cabbage 220g
- 3 Tbsp apple cider vinegar 45 mL
- 1 lime juiced
- 1 tsp honey or sugar for vegan alternative
- ¼ tsp salt
Roasted Cauliflower Taco Filling
- 3 cups cauliflower 350 g, chopped
- 1 15-oz can chickpeas 425g, strained and patted slightly dry
- 2 Tbsp olive oil 30 mL
- 1 Tbsp chili powder
- 2 tsp paprika
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp cumin
Avocado Sauce
- 1 avocado
- 1 clove garlic minced
- ¼ cup olive oil 60 mL
- ½ lime juiced
- 2 Tbsp chopped parsley
- Salt and pepper to taste
To serve
- 8 flour tortillas or corn
Instructions
- Slaw: Combine all of the Slaw ingredients in a non-metal bowl and set aside. Stir every once in a while.
- Bake Filling: Preheat oven to 400°F (204°C). Toss together all Cauliflower Filling ingredients. Lay on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes, or until slightly browned and crisp.
- Sauce: Meanwhile, combine all Sauce ingredients in a food processor until smooth.
- Assemble: Spoon filling evenly onto 8 tortillas. Top with a heaping spoonful of slaw and avocado sauce. Serve immediately or store separately until ready to eat.
GW says
Brilliant and since cauliflower is a fairly complete protein source with 8g per 100 or so calories, you are getting protein, quality fat from the avocado and a reasonable vitamin profile. Please keep th cauliflower posts coming.
Sarah says
So true! It’s no wonder they are so filling 🙂
Liz @ pumpkin & peanut butter says
Ohhh I love this recipe so much! Can’t wait to try soon 🙂
Sarah says
Thanks Liz!! I’d love to hear how it goes!! 🙂
Michelle says
These were so good! I made a few changes like omitting the oil in the sauce and decreasing the apple cider vinegar, but they came out awesome. I never had chickpeas in a taco. I didn’t know what I was missing!
Sarah says
SO happy to hear, Michelle!! Yea they’re definitely really adaptable, so I”m glad you found a way that fits for you 🙂 And chickpeas on sandwiches/taco/gyros/everything are the BEST! 🙂
Dawn says
This was absolutely amazing. Thanks for this great recipe!
Bonnie says
Would smoked paprika be good in place of the regular paprika?
Sarah says
Hey Bonnie, yep that would work! I’ve tried it a few times and it adds a totally new dimension that I love 🙂
Stacey says
This recipe was great and super flavorful.
Sarah says
So happy you liked it, Stacey! 😀
Angela says
I can’t say enough about how much I love this recipe. I’ve made it several times and even my die hard meat eaters enjoy it.
Thank you!!
Sarah says
Aw I’m so happy to hear that, Angela!! Have you tried the Chickpea Gyros or Portobello Gyros? They’re also some of my favorite sandwich-y/taco-y recipes that meat eaters seem to really like 😀
Angela Pungello says
Just finished gorging myself on your Portobello gyros – yummy!
Sarah says
Hahah, so happy you liked them Angela!! 😀
J says
We had taco day at work last week and I made these for my vegetarian friends and they loved them! Thanks for the recipe.
Sarah says
Taco day?! I want to work where you work 😀 So happy they liked them and thanks so much for dropping back in to let us know!!
Amanda says
Simple and delish! I will definitely be making this again. Thank you!
Sarah says
So happy you liked it, Amanda! 😀
Bridget says
This were absolutely delicious and easy to make! This recipe is a keeper – thank you!
Sarah says
So happy to hear, Bridget!! 😀
Tracy says
My teenage son found this recipe and made them for the family…now they’re a household favorite and he makes them often! 😊
Sarah says
Aw so great to hear, Tracy!! 😀
Barb says
Love these! However, I don’t think you need near as much oil as the recipe calls for, in the sauce or the filling. Try cutting it back, I don’t think you’ll be disappointed!
Sarah says
Thanks for the tip, Barb! 😀 You could also try spray oil for even coverage that uses less oil.
Kathy says
We made these again tonight and they are just soooo good!! I am always looking for recipes my whole family will enjoy and this one ticks all the boxes!
Sarah says
Yay!! So happy to hear Kathy! 😀
Derek says
I added just a pinch of sugar to the slaw and sauce to offset the bitterness. Otherwise, excellent! I want to experiment with some substitutes in the sauce to change off the flavors.
Sarah says
Thanks for the tip, Derek! 😀
Cindy says
Love your recipes. I’m not vegan but am on a no carb diet. Your recipes are super helpful getting more veggies involved. Love, love the eggplant bacon in my salads..Thx a million.
Sarah says
So happy to hear, Cindy!! Not sure if you’ve seen this, but I have a post of all low carb vegetarian dinners here, and you can find all of our low carb recipes here. Enjoy!
GW says
Oh my gosh. I tried this and commented on it four years ago and am coming around to it again. I guess Ive just become a fan of your cooking style.
Sarah says
😅 So happy to hear it!
Petra says
LOVE learning new recipes especially vegetarian as my son’s girlfriend is one. Thank you for besingt creative
Sarah says
So happy to hear it! Enjoy! 😀
Jessica Janeway says
QUESTION. I HATE CHICKPEAS WITH A CHILDISH PASSION. WHAT’S A GOOD SUBSTITUTE?
Sarah says
Ha! You could just leave them out of this recipe and use a bit more cauliflower in its place 😀
D p says
Really enjoyed the recipe.
One problem came up. Chickpeas got lil chewy after roasting. Did I do something wrong?
Sarah says
They can get chewy when cooked too long. Next time just take them out a little earlier 😀
Cherinita Reese says
I tried this recipe today and it was delicious. I substituted regular paprika for smoked and it gave it a really great flavor. It’s loaded with flavor.
ta says
This is a great recipe, we loved it! Super filling and flavorful. I left out the oil in the sauce and added just a little water, it turned out wonderfully.
Andrea Postier says
We love this recipe and have made it many times. Always fresh and delicious. Pairs well with fresh squeezed margaritas. Thank you!
Adrienne says
Insane-in-the-membrane good. I subbed sweet potatoes for chickpeas and put the empty sheet pan in the oven while it got to temp so the veggies browned nicely. I used lemon EVOO in the avocado crema and it. was. spectacular. 5 stars. Would eat again and again and again.
Mark Matulis says
Super Recipe Thanks 😊
Catherine says
I need recipes for my air Frier please as I have not used it yet plus
not vegetarian Thank you Catherine.
Sarah Bond says
Here are our favorite air fryer recipes! The whole site is vegetarian so everything won’t include meat 😀