CRISPY COCONUT LIME BAKED CAULIFLOWER TACOS
I have to admit I haven’t been this excited about a recipe in a long time! These seriously turned out better than I could have ever imagined and now I can’t stop eating them. They are the perfect light summer meal!
Easy with super fresh flavors, this recipe hits on all the best textures – crispy, crunchy and creamy. You have to try these Crispy Coconut Lime Baked Cauliflower Tacos!
Crispy Coconut Lime Baked Cauliflower Tacos
Prep Time
30 mins
Cook Time
30 mins
Total Time
1 hr
The crispiest vegan tacos you've ever had! The combination of flavors and textures from the crispy baked cauliflower, the sweet and sour crunchy slaw and the creamy tangy tartar sauce are out of this world!
Course: Entree, Tacos
Cuisine: dairy free, egg free, gluten free, refined sugar free, vegan, vegetarian
Servings: 4
Calories: 413 kcal
Ingredients
Baked Cauliflower
1 medium cauliflower (sliced into long pieces - see note)
1/2 cup full fat coconut milk
Juice and Zest of 1 lime
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs (gluten free if necessary)
1/2 cup cornmeal
1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
1 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
Sweet and Sour Slaw
3/4 cup chopped red cabbage
3/4 cup chopped green cabbage
1/2 cup shredded carrots
Juice of 1 lime
1 tbsp white vinegar
1-2 tsp pure maple syrup
1/2 tsp salt
Tangy Vegan Tartar Sauce
1/3 cup vegan mayo
1/3 cup diced dill pickle
Juice and Zest of 1 lime
1 1/2 tsp dried dill
1/2 tsp salt
Dash of sriracha (optional)
Extras
Tortillas (use corn tortillas if gluten free)
Extra Lime Wedges
Dash of Sriracha
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
For the Slaw:
Make the slaw first so it has time to marinate and soften just a bit. Whisk all the wet ingredients together and pour them over the veggies in a medium bowl. Cover it and put it in the fridge.
For the Baked Cauliflower:
Whisk together the coconut milk, zest and juice of 1 lime and 1/2 tsp salt in a wide shallow bowl, set aside.
Whisk together the panko, cornmeal, shredded coconut, smoked paprika, cumin, garlic powder, turmeric, 1/2 tsp salt and the pepper in another wide shallow bowl, set aside.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and line up your breading station in this order: cauliflower, wet batter, dry breading, baking sheet.
Take a slice of the cauliflower and place it in the coconut milk batter, flipping it over to make sure all sides are covered. Next, place that piece of cauliflower in the dry breading mix, pressing it down and flipping it over to make sure it's coated evenly on both sides. The breading should stick easily and not fall off. Transfer your breaded piece of cauliflower to the lined baking sheet. Repeat with all remaining slices of cauliflower. My medium sized cauliflower filled up one baking sheet perfectly!
Bake the breaded cauliflower for 25-30 minutes, flipping each piece over after 15 minutes, until both sides are golden brown and crispy.
For the Tartar Sauce:
While the cauliflower is baking, make your tartar sauce. In a small bowl, stir together all ingredients. Place in the fridge until you are ready to use it.
For the Tacos:
To assemble the tacos, place a tortilla on a plate, top with a bit of the slaw, a piece or two of the crispy breaded cauliflower and top with a big dollop of tangy tartar sauce. Garnish with an extra squeeze of lime or dash of sriracha.
Devour!
Recipe Notes
~I like my cauliflower pieces to be long and fairly thin for this recipe, not your traditional floret style. To do this, I place the head of cauliflower on my cutting board stem side down and cut in half from top to bottom. Cut the bottom of the stem off. Stand one half upright on your cutting board and make thin slices from top to bottom. Take one of the large thin slices and place it on the cutting board. Cut any remaining stem off if you wish...I like to leave a little bit to help hold it together. If it's too long, cut it in half again. Repeat with the remaining cauliflower. Of course, if you like chunkier florets, that will work just as well.
~Nutrition facts calculated for baked cauliflower, tartar sauce, and slaw. This does not include tortillas.