Mission accomplished! I made THE BEST TACOS!
Woot! Woot!
When I lived on the central coast in California, there was a little taco shop/fish market that was famous for their epic hot sauce and fish tacos. Making whole food plant based versions of fish anything is a challenge, but I’ve definitely hit my mark on this one!
If you haven’t jumped on the cauliflower wagon yet, I suggest that you do. I’ve come to terms with the fact that my favorite food is now cauliflower (sorry, potatoes). Cauliflower is such a versatile vegetable – I’ve used it for chicken and fish substitutes, cream sauces, minced taco “meat,” cheeses, and more. And it never disappoints.
Here are a few more reasons cauliflower is so awesome:
- A whole head of cauliflower (6-7 inches in diameter) has ~210 calories with 17 grams of fiber and 16 grams of protein, so it is excellent for losing weight.
- High in vitamin C and other antioxidants that can help fight cancer.
- Great source of Choline, which is necessary for metabolism and brain development.
Making the cauliflower is pretty simple. All you need to do is batter it, bread it, and bake it. Then put it in your tacos and top it with some tasty mango salsa and coleslaw!
Vegan Cauliflower “Fish” Tacos with Simple Coleslaw
- Prep Time15 min
- Cook Time30 min
- Total Time45 min
- Yield4 servings
- Serving Size2 tacos
Ingredients
For the Taco
- 1 large cauliflower, chopped into florets
- 8 corn tortillas
- Mango Salsa (below)
- Simple Coleslaw (below)
- Hot sauce (optional, but recommended)
For the Batter
- 1/2 cup chickpea flour
- 3/4 cup water
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1/8 tsp pepper
For the Breading
- 3/4 cup panko bread crumbs (gluten-free if necessary)
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp oregano
Mango Salsa
- 1 cup diced tomato
- 1/2 cup diced mango
- 2 TBSP minced onion
- 1 TBSP minced cilantro
- juice from 1/2 lime
- 1 tsp hot sauce (optional)
Simple Coleslaw
- 2 TBSP vegan mayo (for low-fat version, use non-dairy milk)
- 1 TBSP maple syrup
- 2 tsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tsp mustard
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 cup shredded red cabbage
- 1/2 cup shredded carrots
Directions
Batter the Cauliflower
Add the batter ingredients to a bowl and whisk until smooth.
Dip the cauliflower florets into the batter. For less of a mess, hold the stem and only batter the bulbous part.
Bread the Cauliflower
Whisk the breading ingredients in a bowl. Coat the battered cauliflower with the breading and place on a lined baking sheet.
Bake at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 30 minutes.
Prepare the Mango Salsa
While the cauliflower cooks, combine the Mango Salsa ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Set aside.
Prepare the Simple Coleslaw
While the cauliflower cooks, whisk together the vegan mayo (or non-dairy milk), maple syrup, apple cider vinegar, mustard, salt and pepper in a medium bowl.
Add the shredded cabbage and carrots to the coleslaw dressing and mix until well coated. Set aside.
Asseble Tacos
Heat tortillas and fill with cauliflower, Mango Salsa, and Simple Coleslaw. Drizzle with hot sauce, if desired.
Enjoy immediately.
