Spicy Roasted Cauliflower Tacos with Chipotle Yogurt Sauce
When roasted cauliflower meets spicy chipotle chiles in adobo sauce with a slightly fiery but also cooling yogurt sauce drizzled all over it and the whole thing is wrapped up in a warm flour tortilla, mouth magic happens!
This is the kind of dish you’d be thrilled to get in some hip organic Mexican eatery, so the idea that you can make it yourself at home any time you want to, for a lot less than you’d pay at said joint, should also leave you with tingles.
Plus, it’s weeknight easy—really nothing much more than roasting cauliflower with chipotles peppers in adobo sauce and whizzing together some yogurt, more peppers, garlic, lime juice, olive oil and honey in a food processor. Nothing to it!
And it’s vegetarian without feeling like you’re eating vegetarian, if you know what I mean.
But all of these aren’t enough reasons for you to run out right now for that head of cauliflower and can of chipotle chiles in adobo sauce. Guys, this dish is super cool. If this dish were a teenager, it would be the most popular kid, hands down! And what’s more important than being popular, right?!! No, but seriously this utterly simple dish is just freakin good and good for you! Light, intensely flavorful and definitely not ho-hum, this is destined to become part of your regular repertoire. Serve it up to your coolest peeps tonight!
Spicy Roasted Cauliflower Tacos with Chipotle Yogurt Sauce
Makes 3-4 servings, definitely double if you’ve got more people or teenagers!
Prep Time: 10 minutes; Roast Time: 30-35 minutes
Ingredients
For the Cauliflower
- 1 large cauliflower, cut into small florets
- Extra virgin olive oil
- 1-2 chipotle peppers from a can of peppers in adobo sauce (use 1 if you want it less spicy)
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 8 taco sized flour tortillas, warmed
For the sauce
- 7 ounces Greek Yogurt (I used full fat)
- 1 chipotle pepper from the can you already opened or just a bit of the sauce from the can if you want it less spicy
- 1 garlic clove, peeled
- 2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lime juice
- 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
- 2 teaspoons honey
- Salt and pepper to taste
The Recipe
1. Preheat oven to 400º F. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and place the cauliflower on it. Drizzle with a bit of oil and a pinch or two of salt and pepper. Toss well to combine. Then use your hands to kind of squash and break up the 2 peppers and add to the cauliflower, along with a bit of the sauce from the can. The more sauce you use, the spicier it will be. Toss well to combine and roast for 30-35 minutes, or until cauliflower is golden brown and tender.
2. To make the sauce: place the yogurt, chipotle pepper, garlic, lime juice, oil and honey in the bowl of a food processor and blend until smooth. Taste and season with salt and pepper if needed.
3. Place a generous helping of the cooked cauliflower on each taco and drizzle with the sauce. Serve immediately.
4. You will likely have leftover sauce and that is not a bad thing. Store in an airtight container in the fridge and use on sandwiches instead of mayo or mustard and/or as a dip for veggies.
Enjoy!
Note: Recipe adapted from The Love & Lemons Cookbook by Jeanine Donofrio. I tinkered around a lot with this, especially the sauce which was way too spicy for some of us the first go round. I cut the chipotle pepper from the sauce using just a spoonful or two of the liquid from the can and added more honey and lime juice to balance things out.
