I’m not usually one for spicy foods; my nose starts to run, I quickly have to shed whatever sweatshirt I’m wearing, and there must be a tall glass of liquid near by. However, for these spicy buffalo cauliflower tacos, I will sweat until the cows come home! There is so much flavor, texture, and deliciousness packed into every single bite, that the heat just becomes another key element.
If you’re like me, and always have a million and twelve things going on, save yourself some time and buy pre-washed, pre-cut veggies! I don’t always do this, I find chopping and dicing vegetables to be soothing after a long day. But many days I don’t have that luxury, so set yourself up for success! For these spicy buffalo cauliflower tacos, I used both pre-cut cauliflower, and a bag of cabbage and carrot slaw mix, then made my own dressing. And guess what? It still tasted amazing! In fact, my boyfriend and taste-tester-extraordinaire said this might be the best recipe I’ve ever made. Humble brag.
For all those kiddos for who haven’t graduated to fiery foods yet, you can always adapt these spicy buffalo cauliflower tacos so that they too can enjoy taco Tuesday! Simple use your favorite non-spicy bbq sauce instead of the buffalo sauce. Problem solved, and equally yummy.
Spicy Buffalo Cauliflower Tacos
Ingredients
Cauliflower:
- 5 cups cauliflower florets 2 12oz bags of pre-cut
- ¼ cup gluten free flour I used Bob’s Red Mill
- ½ cup unsweetened coconut milk
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp paprika
- ¼ tsp garlic powder
- ¼ tsp freshly ground pepper
Buffalo Sauce:
- 4 tbsp hot sauce like Cholula, Sriracha, Texas Pete's
- 2 tsp honey sub agave for vegan option
- ¼ tsp olive oil
Crunchy Cabbage Slaw:
- 2 cups shredded cabbage/carrots I used 1 12oz bag of pre-cut
- ½ cup plain Greek yogurt sub dairy-free for vegan option, I like Kite Hill
- 2 tbsp vinegar
- ½ lemon- juiced
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp dried oregano
- ½ tsp freshly ground pepper
Tortillas & Toppings:
- 1 largo ripe avocado
- 8 corn tortillas
- 2 limes-cut into wedges
- Fresh cilantro for garnish
Instructions
- Begin by preheating the oven to 450 degrees. Prepare your cauliflower, washing and cutting into florets, roughly the same size. Line two rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper. Do not attempt this recipe without lining the baking sheets, you will end up with the biggest disaster that will take days to clean. I speak from experience.
- Whisk together the flour, milk, and spices, then dip each floret into the batter, shaking gently to remove excess batter. Place the battered pieces on prepared baking trays, about an inch apart. Continue until all the florets are used.
- Bake the cauliflower for 20 minutes, turning each piece halfway through. I found tongs to be the best tool for this.
- While the florets bake, prepare the slaw. Cut cabbage into ribbons, or if using pre-cut, pour the slaw mixture into a large mixing bowl. Whisk together the yogurt, vinegar, lemon juice, and spices in a small bowl, then pour over the cabbage. Stir well to make sure all the cabbage is evenly coated with the yogurt sauce.
- When the cauliflower florets are done baking, quickly whisk together the hot sauce, honey, and olive oil, then using a pastry brush, coat each piece of cauliflower liberally with sauce. Double coat with any extra sauce, we want it as thick as possible.
- Bake for another 20 minutes.
- While the buffalo cauliflower bakes, cut the limes, slice the avocado, and toast the tortillas. I do this by placing each tortilla directly over the gas burner. This requires special attention, as burning can happen in a matter of seconds. I only set off the fire alarm once when flames erupted during one quick email check. Alternatively, heat the tortillas over a skillet until soft.
- Assemble the tacos thus: tortilla, sliced avocado, generous helping of slaw, 3-4 pieces of cauliflower, a squeeze of lime, followed by a couple leaves of torn cilantro. I served mine with a side of black beans to complete the meal.
- The buffalo cauliflower is best served right away, it will get soggy the longer it sits. If you are not eating right away, simply reheat the trays at 350 degrees until the edges are crispy and sizzling again. Enjoy!
