Description
These crowd pleasing vegan tacos with lentils & cauliflower are so easy to make, and are full of flavour! A nutritious way to enjoy legumes and veggies.
Ingredients
Cauliflower:
- 450g / 1 pound / half a medium cauliflower, cut into little florets
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 3 tablespoons neutral oil*
- ½ teaspoon salt
Lentils:
- 2 tablespoons neutral oil
- 1 onion, finely diced
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- ½ teaspoon cumin powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon chilli powder (or to taste)
- 425g / 14.99 ounce can brown lentils (don’t drain water)
- 1 teaspoon salt
Sauce:
- ½ cup / 70g raw cashews,* soaked in boiling water for 20 minutes
- 1 teaspoon lime juice
- 2 teaspoon maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper (or to taste)
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
Serving:
- 10 wheat or corn tacos (if gluten-free double check that the corn ones are gluten-free)
- Red onion*, sliced into thin half-moons
- Jalapenos
- Handful coriander/cilantro
Instructions
- For the cauliflower: Preheat the oven to 220 degrees Celsius (425 degrees Fahrenheit) and line a large baking tray with parchment paper. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, add the washed and cut cauliflower florets and the cornstarch. Toss well.
- Add in the smoked paprika, garlic powder, oil, and salt. Toss well with your hands to cover all the cauliflower evenly.
- Place in a single layer in the lined baking tray and roast for 30-40 minutes until they start to brown on the outside. Once finished, remove and set aside.
- For the lentils: While the cauliflower bakes, add a skillet to medium-high heat. Add in the oil and onions, sauteing for a few minutes until the onions start to colour.
- Add the tomato paste, cumin, garlic, and chilli cooking for 1-2 minutes to release the aroma.
- Add in the lentils with the water in the can and stir well. Season with salt and simmer for 5-10 minutes until all the liquid evaporates, stirring occasionally.
- For the sauce: Drain the cashews and add them to a small high-speed blender along with the lime juice, maple syrup, apple cider vinegar, cayenne pepper, smoked paprika, garlic powder, salt, and 4-6 tablespoons of water. The sauce should be smooth and thick but pourable.
- Now you’re ready to assemble your tacos. Grill or toast your tacos for 30 seconds to a minute and fill them with the lentils, cauliflower, topped with red onions, jalapenos, coriander, and the spicy sauce.
- Enjoy straight away.
Notes
Oil: Use a high smoke point oil like grapeseed, rice bran, or sunflower oil.
Cashews: If you want to keep this recipe nut-free, substitute cashews with sunflower seeds.
Red onions: You can use them raw, or if you want to take them to another level, you can make these quick pickled red onions.
This recipe was originally published in November 2017, and completely recreated in November 2021.
- Diet: Vegan
