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Buffalo cauliflower tacos will become your new fave.
Vegetarian tacos are tough sometimes. They’re often filled with beans and cheese, and not very inspiring at all when it comes to flavor, especially when you compare it to meat versions.
I have never been a cauliflower fan — I find it boring — but I do love hot sauce, specifically buffalo sauce. So the newest trend of buffalo cauliflower is my friend for sure. Of course, if you only eat it in restaurants, you’re probably eating it deep fried. Not the healthiest way to eat cauliflower. I mean, I’m not sure how many nutrients are in cauliflower but it can’t be enough to overcome a good deep fry.
So I’ve made buffalo cauliflower at home on occasion and experimented with different methods and ingredients. My only real goal is that I don’t want to deep fry. It’s messy, unhealthy, and just an all-around no for me.
My latest method involves using club soda to help puff up the batter a bit, and I’m happy to say, it was a success.
The cauliflower was definitely not as crispy as deep-fried, but a bit better than baked.
Now that I have the perfect cauliflower, I wanted to make buffalo cauliflower tacos. I had the base. Now I needed more without making it too complicated. I had some good corn tortillas I picked up with my latest farmer’s market haul, and some avocados I got from Imperfect Foods (fyi – if you want $80 in free groceries, go here) and I always have cilantro in my fridge.
I also had some homemade ranch powder I made, which gave me the idea of the cilantro avocado ranch. Because what goes better with buffalo sauce than ranch? If you don’t want to make the ranch powder, you have options. You can either swap a packet of store-bought seasoning, use 1 teaspoon each dried chives, parsley, and dill, or even just leave it out. The creaminess comes from the yogurt, so you won’t miss out on much without the ranch flavor.
I added some cabbage for crunch, and that’s it. Overall, pretty easy, and perfect with an ice cold beer.
Buffalo Cauliflower Tacos with Cilantro Avocado Ranch
These easy buffalo cauliflower tacos are perfect for taco Tuesday, or any day. The cilantro avocado ranch adds creaminess and flavor, while keeping things healthy.
Ingredients
Cauliflower:
- 1/2 head cauliflower cut into florets
- 3/4 cup flour
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika preferably smoked
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 8 ounces club soda
- 1/2 cup hot sauce such as Frank’s
- 1/4 melted butter
Cilantro Avocado Ranch:
- 1 bunch cilantro
- 1 avocado pitted
- 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 1 tablespoon ranch powder OR 1 teaspoon each dried parsley dill, and chives
- Juice of 1 lime
- 1 clove garlic
To serve:
- Shredded Cabbage
- Corn tortillas heated according to package directions
- Lime wedges
- Chopped green onions
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
- Cut the cauliflower into florets.
- Add the flour, seasonings and cornstarch to a gallon sized freezer bag. Add the cauliflower florets and shake until well coated.
- Add the club soda and shake to coat.
- Transfer the cauliflower to a sheet pan in a single layer. Bake for 15-25 minutes, until browned.
- Put the hot sauce and butter in a small saucepan on the stove and bring to a low simmer.
- When the cauliflower is done, remove from the oven and coat with the sauce.
- To make the cilantro avocado ranch, put all of the ingredients in a blender. Blend until smooth, thinning out with water a tablespoon at a time. Taste as you go and adjust with more lime juice, ranch powder, etc.
- To serve, fill each taco shell with cauliflower, cabbage, and sauce. Garnish with lime wedges and green onions if desired.
Notes
Storing leftovers: This is best made and eaten at the same time.
Pairs well with: Roasted Cherry Tomato Guacamole, Salted Chili Lime Tortilla Chips, Homemade Buttermilk Ranch Powder
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
