This post may contain affiliate links.

These Cauliflower Tinga Tacos are loaded with spicy chipotle flavour for a vegan taco that packs a punch! They’re topped with avocado crema and cilantro for an easy, delicious, and healthy dinner! Also try these Black Bean Corn Quesadillas next!

a cauliflower tinga taco on a marble board

We all know cauliflower can be pizza crust, nuggets, or rice (like in these Cauliflower Rice Burrito Bowls). But today, cauliflower is being transformed into the best taco filling ever!

Vegan roasted cauliflower tacos

These Cauliflower Tinga Tacos are naturally vegan and made with roasted cauliflower for some amazing bold flavour! The cauliflower gets roasted to crispy perfection, tossed in a spicy tinga sauce with chipotles, chilli and garlic and stuffed into some grilled corn tortillas. Drool.

Roasted cauliflower makes a great meat alternative for tacos since it has a really nice bite to it and is mega satiating. Roasting the cauliflower also helps it build some great flavour which is really important when making a vegan taco filling!

I use a dairy-free sour cream to top these tacos to keep them vegan-friendly, but you can skip out on this entirely or add some vegan cheese to top these off instead.

Roasting or not, if you have leftover cauliflower, use it to make these Thai Peanut Cauliflower Wings, and this Vegan Buffalo Cauliflower Mac and Cheese for your next dinner!

cauliflower in a baking dish

How to make cauliflower tacos

To make these cauliflower tacos, start by cutting your cauliflower into florets. You want the florets to be small enough so they fit nicely inside the taco shells.

Then, roast the cauliflower in the oven for about 20-25 minutes until golden brown and crispy. While your cauliflower is baking, you can prepare the sauce and any additional ingredients for the tacos.

When the cauliflower comes out of the oven, toss it in the tinga sauce and fill your taco shells right away.

tinga sauce in a pan

A few notes on the recipe

I highly recommend using corn tortillas for this recipe and heating them directly on your stove top or an open flame. (If this isn’t an option for you, just toast them slightly.) This will totally change the flavour of the tortillas, and make them taste SO GOOD with your tacos!

The tinga sauce is a little bit on the spicy side, so this is definitely a recipe for those who like heat! If you want to make the sauce less spicy, simply add 1/2-1 chipotle pepper instead of 2.

I like to puree my avocado and sour cream together to make an avocado crema. This is a great tasty alternative to adding avocado and sour cream separately onto your tacos.

five cauliflower tinga tacos

More cauliflower recipes to try

Save this recipe!
Get this recipe sent to your inbox, plus new healthy recipes each week!
Print
clock clock iconcutlery cutlery iconflag flag iconfolder folder iconinstagram instagram iconpinterest pinterest iconfacebook facebook iconprint print iconsquares squares iconheart heart iconheart solid heart solid icon
Cauliflower tinga tacos

Cauliflower Tinga Tacos

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 4.9 from 18 reviews
  • Author: Jess
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 25 minutes
  • Total Time: 40 mins
  • Yield: 6 servings
  • Category: Entree
  • Method: Cook
  • Cuisine: Mexican

Description

Spicy and tangy these cauliflower tinga tacos pack a punch! 


Ingredients

Cauliflower tinga 

  • 1 tbsp olive oil 
  • 1 medium cauliflower, cut into florets
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • 2 chipotle peppers in adobo
  • 1 tsp chilli powder
  • 1/2 tsp cumin
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 4-5 tbsp water

Other

  • Corn tortillas
  • Shredded cabbage
  • cilantro
  • avocado
  • sour cream (vegan or regular)


Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F and line a baking pan with parchment paper. 
  2. Coat the cauliflower with olive oil and roast for 20-25 minutes until golden brown. 
  3. Heat olive oil in a small pan on medium-high heat then add the onion and garlic let cook for 2 minutes. Add the rest of the sauce ingredients and let cook on medium for 2-3 minutes.
  4. Transfer to a blender and blend until smooth.
  5. Pour the sauce on the roasted cauliflower and toss together until evenly coated.
  6. Toast your corn tortillas and fill them with the cauliflower tinga and toppings.

Notes

Don’t forget to toast your corn tortillas! This makes them taste SO good! 


Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 taco
  • Calories: 140g
  • Sugar: 4g
  • Fat: 6g
  • Saturated Fat: 1g
  • Carbohydrates: 20g
  • Fiber: 6g
  • Protein: 4g

If you tried these Cauliflower Tinga Tacos or any other recipe on the blog let me know how you liked it by leaving a comment/rating below! Be sure to follow along on PinterestInstagram and Facebook for even more deliciousness!

Hi, I'm Jess!

Choosing Chia is a blog all about healthy vegetarian recipes that are easy to follow, taste delicious and focus on wholesome ingredients. I started the blog after a spontaneous trip to India where I studied the practice of yoga and wellness.

You May Also Like

Leave a comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe rating 5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

47 Comments

  1. Roxanne says:

    This was just delicious! I think it is all into the sauce. 

    1. Jessica Hoffman says:

      Thanks Roxanne, happy you enjoyed 🙂

  2. Jill says:

    This was really tasty. I used a fresh chilli and a little bit of ketchup instead of the chipotle pepper in adobo. Next time I’ll probably just use taco shells instead of frying tortilla wraps to make life easier but overall a fuss free recipe. We got 2 servings out of it as a lighter main meal.

    1. Jessica Hoffman says:

      Happy you enjyoed the recipe Jill!

  3. Melinda Bell says:

    Made these for dinner tonight and this recipe is amazing!! My husband would prefer to eat meat at every meal but even he loved this! Thanks for sharing this amazing recipe!!

    1. Jessica Hoffman says:

      Thanks Melinda! Happy you enjoyed it!

  4. Lana says:

    These are SO tasty! We love them and are making them for the second time this week! Thanks for the great recipe!

    1. Jessica Hoffman says:

      So happy you enjoyed them Lana 🙂

  5. Barbara says:

    I made your Tinga Tacos this evening for dinner. My husband and I both loved them! Spicy and very tasty. I didn’t have tacos so I used romaine lettuce leaves.  I will definitely make these again! 

    1. Jessica Hoffman says:

      So happy you both enjoyed Barbara!

  6. Natalie Desmarais says:

    Guuurrrrrrrrllll,

    I’m a newbie vegan, and so my taste buds are still picky. These were so legit! The sauce is restaurant quality, for sure. As far as tacos are concerned, I am not missing out being vegans.

    Bottom line: Those were delish!

    1. Jessica Hoffman says:

      Hi Natalie, I’m so happy you loved the recipe! 🙂

  7. CJ Wilberger says:

    Anyone have any tips to keep the cauliflower crispy after adding the sauce? Mine kinda turned soupy. Still tasted amazing! Maybe I had too much water in the sauce? I had trouble blending it so had to add some liquid to it. 

    1. Jessica Hoffman says:

      Hi CJ, the cauliflower shouldn’t be “soupy”, you can try adding less sauce. The roasted cauliflower won’t ever be super crispy though

  8. Lianne byrne says:

    Can’t wait to try this but Unfortunately they don’t sell chipotle peppers where I live, is there something else I can use? 

    1. Jessica Hoffman says:

      Hi Lianne, you can just use some salsa or tomato paste instead!

  9. Diana says:

    I make a meatless meal each week for my vegan daughter.  This is her favorite dish. My meat and potato husband not only does not complain but throughly enjoys this dish.

    1. Jessica Hoffman says:

      Thanks for the review Diana! Happy your daughter and even husband enjoyed this! 🙂

  10. Charleen says:

    This recipe was quick and easy. I actually served it over brown rice and it was delish. I used one chipotle pepper and some adobo (never used this before, so that was fun). We found it is bit spicy, so I’ll tweak in the future to suit our taste. Loved how the meal was done in less than 40 mins. Thank you, Jess!

    1. Jessica Hoffman says:

      Happy you enjoyed Charleen!