Cauliflower Lentil Tacos (Vegan and Gluten-Free)

These cauliflower lentil tacos are full of flavour, the perfect shared meal, and will definitely be a crowd-pleaser.

The three main components that make up these vegan tacos are roasted cauliflower, lentils, and a creamy spicy sauce.

All of the other components are interchangeable. I decided to add raw red onion slices, coriander/cilantro, jalapenos, and the juice of a lime.

If you’re hosting a get-together, or want to impress your family, these tacos will be your new go-to meal. If you’re making it for kids, you can adjust the heat in the lentils and the sauce to suit your family’s needs.

Like many ideas for new recipes, I find inspiration for them while travelling and eating out. These cauliflower lentil tacos were inspired through our travels on the west coast of the US, in particular LA and Seattle.

We visited two great places called Gracias Madre and No Bones. They make amazing tortillas and tacos, full of flavour and bursting with colour.

I started experimenting with different combinations back in 2017 when we returned from our trip and I’ve since decided to re-visit that original recipe I shared, and I must tell you, this 2.0 version is out of this world.

These cauliflower tacos with lentils can be made for lunch, dinner, or as an afternoon snack.

Note that they’re best eaten straight away regardless of what kind of tacos you’re using. The hard ones will go soggy over time and the soft ones that you warm up will turn into a cracker as they cool down.

A diverse lentil taco filling

This lentil filling is the main hero in these tacos. The flavours are simple, yet really delicious. All you need is:

• Canned lentils
• Oil
• Onion
• Tomato paste
• Cumin powder
• Chilli powder
• Garlic powder
• Salt

That’s it! You’ll also use the liquid that comes with the can of lentils. So make sure you don’t drain them before you start.

You can use this easy lentil recipe for so many different things. Tacos, nachos, sandwich or burger filling, the start of a spaghetti bolognese, added to soups, layered in lasagna, and so much more!

Roasted cauliflower for additional flavour

Like the lentils, the roasted cauliflower for these tacos is a great way to add more nutrients, texture, and taste.

The ingredients used to coat these beautiful florets (I love how they look like little trees) are:

• Cornstarch
• Garlic powder
• Smoked paprika
• Oil
• Salt

Using a vegetable that’s so versatile, besides my creamy vegan cauliflower bake, this is my favourite way to use cauliflower.

So next time you’re scratching your head wondering what to do with a head of cauliflower, you have a few delicious and easy ways to use it!

Great base for a delicious taco

You can make so many different variations of a meal like this. I would start with a hero vegetable, which in this case is the cauliflower. You can add some beans or legumes, which are the brown lentils in this recipe.

Lastly, create a great topping with some fresh vegetables, like avocado, peppers, tomato, cucumber, coriander/cilantro, parsley, and any vegan sauces you can think of that work with the combination of flavours you’ve created.

Some other sauces you can try from our selection:

• Healthy Vegan Green Goddess Dressing
• Tahini Dressing
• Easy 5-Minute Vegan Peanut Sauce
• Easy Garlic Parsley Sauce
• or even our 5-Ingredient Vegan Guacamole

It’s also a fun way to get kids involved in putting the filling in their own taco. They can try different flavour combinations and pick out their favourite. A great way to get the whole family to help out!

These tacos are:

• Full of flavour
• Easy to make
• Packed with nutrients 
• Affordable
• Gluten-free (option)
• Meat-free
• Dairy-free
• Vegan

Other delicious, quick, and easy recipes to try:

1. Vegan Buddha Bowl Three Ways
2. Mushroom Fajitas
3. Vegan Loaded Nachos with Cashew Cheese Sauce
4. Juicy Tofu Sandwich With Smoked Mayo
5. Vegan Tempeh Reuben Sandwich
6. Healthy Vegan Burrito Bowl
7. Turkish-Style Shredded Tofu Wraps

If you try this recipe, let me know! We’d love for you to leave a comment and rating below. If you want to go that extra mile, tag us on Instagram or share your photo of the recipe on Pinterest. 

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