Homemade Cauliflower Soft-Tacos

Introduction

I've had soft tacos for a long time. I've never made them myself, but I've always been interested in the idea of cooking cauliflower into a taco shell and then topping it with beans and rice.
Today, we did just that! We used our favorite homemade black bean salsa instead of store-bought salsa, which is totally up to you.
For this recipe, we also topped the cauliflower tacos with red cabbage slaw and avocado slices instead of cheese or sour cream. If you're looking for more ideas on how to make cauliflower more delicious (and fun), check out this list of 10 Ways to Use Cauliflower!

Ingredients

• 1 head cauliflower, cut into florets

• 1 cup cooked rice (or quinoa)

• 1 can black beans, rinsed and drained

• 1/2 cup onion, diced

• jalapenos to taste (optional)

Tacos:

• Corn tortillas (I use the ones from Trader Joe's)

• Cauliflower, chopped into small pieces and cooked in a pan with olive oil until soft and slightly browned on both sides.

• You can also use Trader Joe's frozen cauliflower florets for this step if you don't have the time to cook your own!

• Cilantro leaves (I used about 3-4 tablespoons)

• Lime wedges for squeezing over taco shells or serving alongside tacos as garnish.

• The lime juice will add some acidity that helps balance out some of the heat from cayenne pepper, which is used in this recipe as well as many other Mexican dishes like enchiladas or burritos.

• For the sauce:

• 2 cloves garlic, minced (I used Trader Joe's frozen garlic cloves)

• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro leaves (I used fresh but you can use dried)

• 2 Tablespoons of Sour Cream

Rice and beans:

• Rice and beans: You can use any type of rice you want, but we like using white or brown because they have their own distinct flavors. We also love adding spices like cumin, chili powder and oregano to the mix!

• We use canned beans because they are quick and easy to prepare, but you can also make your own. Simply drain the liquid off of a can of beans (you should be able to find organic canned beans at most grocery stores!), rinse them well and cook according to package instructions (usually just heating them up on the stove will do).

• Vegetables: If you're feeling extra adventurous (and have some leftover veggies), try adding carrots or zucchini to your rice and beans! It's also a good idea to add onion, garlic and cilantro to your rice and beans. They're all vegetables that go well together, so you can't really go wrong with adding them! Meat: We like using chicken or pork in this recipe because it adds some protein but isn't overpowering in flavor.

This can add a lot of flavor and texture to your dish! If you don't want to use meat, feel free to leave it out. The rice and beans alone are very filling and delicious! Cheese: We like adding a little bit of cheese to this dish because it adds some creaminess without being too heavy. You can add any kind of cheese you like (cheddar or mozzarella are good choices). Just try not to add too much because the dish will start tasting more like a quesadilla than a burrito bowl!

Instructions

• Prep the cauliflower: Trim and cut into bite-sized pieces. In a large bowl, gently toss with 1 tsp of salt and 1/2 tsp of black pepper. Let sit for 30 minutes to release excess moisture before serving.

• Prepare the rice and beans: Heat oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat; add onion, garlic and jalapeños (if using). Cook until soft but not browned, about 3 minutes. Stir in rice until well coated; cook until opaque at edges but still slightly translucent in center—about 5 minutes more or less depending on how you like your fried rice. Add salt to taste if desired; set aside while you prepare other ingredients below.* Cook tacos: Heat oil in another large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering but not smoking*. Set taco shells on plate lined with paper towels so they don't soak up too much oil.* Fry eggs over easy or sunny side up as desired then set aside* Serve tacos!

If you want to be fancy, top with avocado, cilantro and hot sauce. If you want to be frugal, serve the tacos with salsa instead of guacamole. This is a very flexible recipe. You can use any combination of meat and veggies that you like. I like to add onions, bell peppers and mushrooms to my fried rice because they go with everything!

This recipe is delicious and can be modified to make a variety of yummy tacos with different ingredients.

This recipe is easy to make and can be modified to make a variety of yummy tacos with different ingredients. You can use different types of beans, rice, vegetables and/or meat if you wish. This is also a great recipe for lining your tortillas with pre-cooked chicken breast or pork carnitas (Mexican style shredded meat).

This recipe makes a lot of tacos, so you can either cut the recipe in half or freeze what you don’t eat for future meals. If frozen, thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating. The best part about this recipe is that you can make a huge batch of beans and rice, freeze them and then use them whenever you need a quick meal.

This is a very basic vegetarian taco recipe but it’s super delicious!

Conclusion

So we hope you enjoyed this recipe for homemade cauliflower soft tacos. It's a fun way to make your own meal, and with only 8 ingredients, it's easy to cook! Feel free to make them any way you like; just be sure that your taco shells are hot before filling them with the rice and beans mixture below. If you're looking for more recipes like this one or want more suggestions on how eat vegan, check out our other blog posts!