A weeknight winner, Roasted Cauliflower Tinga Tacos are simple to make, and packed with flavor. These vegetarian tinga tacos are freezer friendly and ready in about 30 minutes! Serve with your favorite Spanish Brown Rice and other inspired sides. This recipe is vegetarian or vegan, easily gluten free.
This recipe was first published Dec. 2017 and updated Jan. 2023 with additional recipe notes and tips. The recipe remains unchanged.
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A Weeknight Win! Vegetarian Cauliflower Tacos
Weeknight taco night is lookin’ soooo good! Loads of flavor, tinga style, in a tasty vegetarian taco.
This Cauliflower Tinga Tacos Recipe Is:
- quick to pull together and feeds a small crowd
- nourishing and plant based
- meal prep ready
- saucy!
What is Tinga?
You may have heard of Chicken Tinga Tacos (tinga de polo), but did you know you can achieve a similar tasty flavor profile in a vegetarian version? Tinga is a Mexican recipe where onions are sautéd, then simmered in a zesty tomato and chipotles in adobo sauce – sauce. The chipotle in adobo sauce is *key* for smoky flavor and heat in this recipe. It adds SO much flavor!
Ingredients You’ll Need
For the Tacos:
- Cauliflower: just one medium head of cauliflower cut into bite size pieces.
- Vegetable Oil: I like olive or avocado oil.
- Red/Purple Onion: helps flavor the tinga sauce.
- Seasonings: simply season with ground cumin and sea salt.
- Chipotle Peppers in Adobo Sauce: offer an authentic tinga flavor. You can add more or less depending on heat/flavor preference. Leftovers freeze with ease!
- Fire Roasted Tomatoes: adds to the smoky flavor of these vegetarian cauliflower tacos.
- Prepared Salsa: this will be added to the tinga sauce, so keep in mind, if your salsa is spicy, your cauliflower tinga sauce will be extra spicy! If making homemade salsa, you can adjust the heat to taste.
- Tortillas: use corn, flour or a corn/flour mix. Cauliflower tinga filling is also delicious in crunchy tacos too!
For the Chili Lime Slaw:
- Purple and Green Cabbage: a mixture for color and flavor!
- Fresh Jalapeños: adds a bit of heat to the slaw.
- Cilantro: for freshness and authentic flavor.
- Fresh Lime Juice: adds a bit of acid to the tacos and ties the slaw together.
Quick Guide: How to Make Cauliflower Tinga Tacos
- First, toss the cauliflower with avocado or olive oil, then roast the cauliflower.
- Next, while the cauliflower is roasting, saute the onions, then sprinkle in the spices, minced chipotle peppers and adobo sauce (this is the secret ingredient !).
- Last, to finish the tinga sauce, add your favorite salsa (homemade if you like) and fire roasted tomatoes. Stir in the roasted cauliflower and warm through for about five minutes.
While the cauliflower is roasting, whip up the vegetarian tinga sauce and chili lime slaw. Once the cauliflower tinga is done, keep it warm on the stove and whip up something creamy, like guacamole or pepita crema. Simple yet, so delish!
Variations on Cauliflower Tinga Tacos
There are many ways to personalize these tacos, but the key is to serve them with something creamy. Just smear any one (or two) you choose on the bottom of the tortilla or drizzle/sprinkle over the top of the taco. Here are a few ideas:
Pepita Crema: This vegan tinga pairs deliciously with Pepita Creama. It’s super creamy, plant based, and delicious! We love it as a “cheezy” dip too! It requires a high speed blender for best texture (I use Vitamix). It’s perfect for meal prep and whips up in no time!
Avocado Cream Sauce: Easy to whip up in a food processor. Tangy sooooo gooood on these tacos!
Guacamole: A delicious way to add flavor and creamy to these tacos, my favorite is Creamy Guacamole with Sour Cream or for a spicy variation, Roasted Jalapeno Guacamole.
Sour Cream: Sour cream is fabulous on these cauliflower tinga tacos as well offering a bit of tang and creamy (and doesn’t require any pre-planning or making).
Refried Beans: For a boost of flavor and protein, my favorite is Black Refried Beans.
Cotija Cheese: A little sprinkle adds a salty cheesy component to these mouthwatering tacos.
What to Serve with Vegetarian Tinga Tacos
Fresh or pickled jalapeños, chopped cilantro and/or diced avocado are delicious accompaniments for tacos, but these sides help round out the meal:
A Few Recipe Notes
- Taco Shells: warm soft corn or flour tortillas on a gas stovetop or in a cast iron skillet. Toasting or charring the tortillas brings out their best flavors. This vegetarian tinga taco recipe is also delicious stuffed into crunchy taco shells.
- Meal Prep: If meal prepping, the Pepetia Crema, Salsa, Refried Beans (if using), Avocado Crema and tinga sauce can be made up to two days ahead. If you’re a fan of aioli, my 5-minute Jalapeno Aioli is quite nice on these tacos!
- Make it a Bowl: Cauliflower tinga is delicious in bowls! Layer in the tinga, Mexican Black Beans, Spanish Rice, cheese if desired, chopped romaine lettuce, something creamy like avocado crema and salsa with tortilla chips crumbled on top.
- Freezer Friendly? Yes please! The vegetarian tinga cauliflower freezes with ease and is perfect for meal prep!
More Vegetarian Taco Recipes to Love
- Sweet Potato and Black Bean Tacos
- Tacos Rancheros
- Creamy Corn, Zucchini and Poblano Tacos
- Rancheros Tofu Scramble
- Harissa Chickpea and Cauliflower Tacos
- Black Bean and Quinoa Tacos – from Foolproof Living
- Mexican Inspired Tofu Tacos with Chili Lime Slaw
Roasted Cauliflower Tinga Tacos with Chili-Lime Slaw Recipe
Ingredients
For the Tacos:
- 1 Head of Cauliflower* (see note) chopped into small bite size pieces, about 1 3/4 pound (790 grams)
- 2 1/2 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil or avocado oil, divided
- 1 cup (110 grams) Purple Onion chopped, about 1 medium
- 1 teaspoon Fine Sea Salt
- 1/2 teaspoon Cumin ground
- 1 1/2 – 2 tablespoons Chipotle Chilis + Adobo Sauce mince the chilis and mix with adobo sauce – omit or reduce to 1 tsp adobo sauce for a much milder tinga! Look for gluten free if needed.
- 1 cup (274 grams) Fire Roasted Tomatoes + its juices, leftovers may be frozen
- 1/2 cup (135 grams) Prepared Salsa I like homemade
- 12-14 6 inch (15 centimeters) Corn or Flour Tortillas
For the Chili-Lime Slaw:
- 3 cups (150 grams) Purple and Green Cabbage shredded, loosely packed
- 1 tablespoon Fresh Jalapeno seeded and chopped fine, or to taste (add more to take the spicy up!)
- 1/2 cup (20 grams) Cilantro chopped
- Juice of Two Limes
- 1/2 teaspoon Fine Sea Salt
Serve With (options):
- Creamy Guacamole
- Avocado Crema
- Pepita Crema
- Sour Cream
Instructions
For the Tacos:
- Set oven rack to center of the oven and preheat to 425F (218C). Line a sheet pan with silpat or parchment paper.
- Toss the cauliflower with 1 1/2 tablespoons oil and roast for 15-20 minutes, tossing and flipping the cauliflower once while roasting. When done, it should still be firm, yet lightly golden around the edges. Set aside.
- While the cauliflower is roasting, heat the remaining 1 Tbs olive oil in a large saute pan until it shimmers. Add the onion and saute on medium low for about 5-8 minutes, or just until softened. Sprinkle in the salt and cumin and add the chipotles + adobo sauce. Stir to coat the onions. Add the tomatoes, salsa and roasted cauliflower. Stir to warm through, about 5 minutes. Adjust salt to taste. Remove from heat and put a lid on it until ready to serve.
For the Chili-Lime Slaw:
- In a medium bowl, mix the red and green cabbage, jalapeño, cilantro, lime juice and sea salt. Set aside or rest in the refrigerator until ready for service.
To Assemble:
- Warm tortillas on a low open flame on the stove top turning with tongs a few times to lightly char or warm in a cast iron skillet. To hold them warm, place the tortillas in foil and into a warmed toaster oven on low heat.
- On the tortilla, spoon a good schmear of guacamole, sour cream or pepita crema (something creamy) down the center of the tortilla. Spoon the cauliflower mixture evenly over the top, then top with slaw and any condiments you prefer.
- Store the leftover cauliflower mixture in the fridge in a lidded container for up to three days or it may be frozen for up to a month. Thaw in the fridge overnight and warm gently on stovetop with a splash of water.
Wow ! Do not pass up this recipe, it is so flavorful, you just have to give it a try. I did cut back on the adobo peppers; I only used the adobo sauce because I thought it might be too spicy. However, I do think the cauliflower is the perfect vehicle to support that amount of spice. Next time, I will make it a little spicier. The slaw on top is delicious and balances out all of the flavors. I was looking for something different to eat and this recipe definitely hit the mark. :)
Hii Diann! Thank you for your note, five star rating and giving the recipe a go! Aren’t these tacos such a nice surprise?! Yes to a little spicier – cauliflower can take it! :D
5 Star! We loved it and made it just as it was written!
Hiii Margaret!! So nice to read your note! Thank you for making and giving the tinga tacos a go. Super pleased to hear!
We love chicken tinga Traci, so I know I’d love this cauli version! Perfect vegetarian option for Mexican night! With a margarita on the side of course!
Hooray! Yes, yes, with a margarita on the side :D Saving you a plate, Mare!
Delicious! Followed the recipe but instead of slaw we made guacamole. Cut down the heat and added another dimension.
Hi Rashimi! Thank you for your note, rating and giving the recipe a go! SO happy to hear you enjoyed the tacos with guacamole :D Delicious!
OMG, Traci! I made these along with your Pineapple Jalapeño Margheritas for May 5th. I’m Scottish but had a fab holiday in Mexico and loved everything about the culture, friendliness, food…I could go on! Thank you for reminding me how great Mexico and it’s people are! Will be recommending your site and all things Mexican to anyone who’ll listen. xx
Hi Yvonne! Thank you so much for coming back and leaving a note! What a lovely combination and celebration for May 5th. I’m pretty smitten with Mexican food and was practically raised on Tex Mex… so those flavors are so comforting to me. Thank you too for sharing the blog, Yvonne! Day made! :D
This looks delicious and I’m planning on making it tonight! Fortunately we have all the ingredients in the fridge!
Hooray! I love it when that happens! I hope you enjoyed the recipe Shareen!
I am normally a bit shy when it comes to cooking Mexican food — I love it so much when I eat out that I can’t really imagine creating it at home. But I saw these Cauliflower Tinga Tacos and decided to give it a whirl — SO GLAD I did! They are jam packed with flavor and have plenty of room for creativity in terms of throwing on whatever toppings fit your taste. I loved the texture of the cauliflower. My husband and I kept going back for more of the Cauliflower mixture sans tortilla (!) and any time I can get him to love a meatless meal I count as a huge win. Thank you Traci for a delicious, filling, unique recipe. Will be making many more of your creations for sure :)
Thank you for your note! Hooray for new flavors, textures and a meal everyone enjoys! FTW! I’m with you on the texture of the cauli… and understand a return for seconds. So happy to read your note!
Mind…blown…and not by breaking Christmas tradition. (I am completely on board that boat…I suggest “The Minimalists” podcast if anyone needs reinforcement) These tacos are incredible! I was highly suspect…but this is the blog who introduced me to the best black bean burgers I’ve ever made, so I gave you the benefit of the doubt. I can live without pepitas, cabbage and cilantro. Cauliflower is ok, but put them all together and they have become mandatory. I’ve been a vegan for a long time…so glad I found your blog!
Thank you for your “The Minimalists” podcast suggestion (I’ve watched their story and am inspired!). HOORAY for combining all the goodness to make something delicious! OMGee that burger has me ruined…. Thank you for making and trying my recipes, Delin! So happy to have you here!
Now for these tacos…my son comes home from college this Sunday and we’ll be making these! I just tried mashed cauliflower last night with fried sage leaves crumbled on top. Cauliflower is so versatile!
Happy Holidays!