Looking for a delicious meat-free taco recipe for your next taco night? My Crispy Cauliflower and Potato Tacos are just what you need! The potatoes and cauliflower are well seasoned and crisped in a pan, then baked to perfection in the oven with melted cheese. Enjoy with your favorite taco toppings for lunch or dinner.
I’ve been making baked tacos for years now, and it is one of my favorite ways to enjoy them. These Cauliflower and Potato Tacos are crispy on the outside and cheesy on the inside. Boiling the potatoes before frying them gives them a great texture that pairs well with the cauliflower. These flavorful, vegetarian tacos are sure to be a hit with everyone in the family. Load them up with your favorite taco toppings and enjoy.
Why You’ll Love These Vegetarian Tacos
- Packed with flavor – Potatoes and cauliflower are both naturally mild in flavor, so I like to add lots of warm spices like cumin, paprika, and garlic powder. They’re coated and crispy with the help of the spices and some oil.
- Great way to use cauliflower – If you want to add more cauliflower to your diet, these tacos are a great way to do that. Cauliflower goes so well with potatoes and, of course, cheese.
- Customizable – I made these tacos simple, with just a few main ingredients, but you can easily bulk them up by adding in beans and extra veggies.
Why We Love Cauliflower
Cauliflower is high in fiber, which helps digestion run smoothly and keeps the belly feeling full for longer. It also contains prebiotic fiber, which feeds the beneficial bacteria in the gut.
Cauliflower contains sulforaphane, an excellent compound for the skin. It helps reduce the appearance of wrinkles, promotes collagen production, and may help protect the skin against harmful UV radiation.
Sulforaphane is also known to help lower cholesterol levels, keeping arteries clear of fatty buildup. This contributes to lower blood pressure and reduces the risk of heart disease.
Crispy Cauliflower Taco Recipe Ingredients
- Potato – Any kind of potato can be used for this recipe, but I prefer to use russet potatoes because they have a pretty neutral flavor. Sweet potatoes can also be used, although the cooking times might vary a bit.
- Cauliflower – I used regular, white cauliflower, diced into small pieces similar in size to the potatoes. You can use yellow or purple cauliflower if you prefer.
- Tortillas – I prefer using corn tortillas for these tacos, but mini flour tortillas can also be used.
- Cheese – You can use any cheese you like in this recipe. I usually use cheddar or pepper jack if I want a kick.
- Spices – The potatoes and cauliflower are seasoned with a mixture of cumin, paprika, garlic, onion, salt, and black pepper. If you don’t have those individual spices on hand, you can also use a few Tablespoons of packaged fajita or taco seasoning.
How To Make Crispy Cauliflower and Potato Tacos
- Fill a large pot with water and then add in the diced and peeled potatoes, along with a big pinch of salt. Place over medium-high heat, cover, and bring to a boil. Once boiling, set a timer for 10 minutes. Once that 10 minutes is up, add in the diced cauliflower and let it cook for about eight more minutes, until both the potatoes and cauliflower are just fork tender. You don’t want them to get mushy. Drain and let sit in the colander for a few minutes, until all the liquid has drained out.
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add about two Tablespoons of oil, enough to coat the bottom of the pan well. Next, add in the cooked potatoes and cauliflower, along with all the spices, salt, and pepper. Mix everything well until the vegetables are evenly coated with oil and spices.
- Use the back of your spatula to gently press down the potato and cauliflower and let them cook until browned and slightly crispy, about 15 minutes total. I recommend allowing potatoes and cauliflower to cook for about 4-5 minutes before stirring, to ensure you get a nice crispy crust on them.
- Heat corn tortillas in the microwave or on the stovetop until soft and flexible, if needed. Lay tortillas down on the baking sheet; you should be able to fit about six. Sprinkle half the tortilla with about one Tablespoon of shredded cheese, and then add about 1/4 cup of the potato cauliflower mixture. Top with another small sprinkle of shredded cheese, and then fold the other side of the tortilla over.
- Repeat until all tortillas are filled. Don’t worry if the tops of the tortillas don’t stay folded over; once the cheese melts in the oven, you should be able to press them down and have the top of the tortilla stick to the melted cheese. Bake tacos until cheese is melted and tortillas are crispy, about 10-15 minutes. Remove from the oven, let cool, and enjoy with your favorite taco toppings.
Recipe Frequently Asked Questions
- Make this recipe gluten-free by using gluten-free corn tortillas.
- Make this recipe vegan by using your favorite vegan meltable shredded cheese.
- Can other vegetables be added? Yes, you are welcome to add extra veggies if you like. You can either cook them separately or cook them in the boiling water with the potatoes and cauliflower, depending on the type of veggies you are using.
- Can beans be added? Yes, you can easily add a can of beans to the pan with the potatoes and cauliflower in the last few minutes of cooking.
- Are these tacos freezer-friendly? Yes, you can freeze them, but I recommend assembling and then freezing just before you would place them in the oven. This will ensure the ingredients stay fresh. When ready to eat, pop them in the oven for about 20-30 minutes.
- How long do leftovers last? If stored in an air-tight container in the refrigerator, leftovers should last about five days. Reheat in the microwave, on the stovetop, or in the oven.
Have a question I didn’t answer? Ask me in the comment section below, and I will get back to you ASAP!
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Crispy Cauliflower and Potato Tacos
- Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
- Yield: 12
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
Looking for a delicious meat free taco recipe for your next taco night? My Crispy Cauliflower and Potato Tacos are just what you need! The potato and cauliflower get well seasoned and crisped up in a pan and then baked to perfection in the oven, with melted cheese. Enjoy with your favorite taco toppings for lunch or dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
- 3 cups peeled and diced russet potato, about 3 large potatoes
- 3 cups small diced cauliflower, similar in size to the potatoes
- 2 tablespoons neutral flavored oil, such as canola
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon plack pepper
- 12 corn tortillas
- 1 1/2 cups shredded cheese, I used colby jack
Instructions
- Fill a large pot with water and then add in the diced and peeled potatoes, along with a big pinch of salt. Place over medium-high heat, cover and bring to a boil. Once boiling, set a timer for 10 minutes. Once that 10 minutes is up, add in the diced cauliflower and let boil for about 8 more minutes, until both the potatoes and cauliflower are just fork tender. You don’t want them to get mushy. Drain and let sit in the colander for a few minutes, until all the liquid has drained out.
- Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add in about 2 tablespoons of oil, enough to coat the bottom of the pan well. Next, add in the cooked potatoes and cauliflower, along with all the spices, salt and pepper. Mix everything together well, until vegetables are evenly coated with oil and spices.
- Use the back of your spatula to gently press down the potato and cauliflower and let cook until browned and slightly crispy, about 15 minutes total. I recommend allowing potatoes and cauliflower to cook for about 4-5 minutes before stirring, to ensure you get a nice crispy crust on them.
- Heat corn tortillas in the microwave or on the stovetop, until soft and flexible, if needed. Lay tortillas down on the baking sheet, you should be able to fit about 6. Sprinkle half the tortilla with about 1 tablespoon of shredded cheese and then add on about 1/4 cup of the potato cauliflower mixture. Top with another small sprinkle of shredded cheese and then fold the other side of the tortilla over.
- Repeat until all tortillas are filled. Don’t worry if the top of the tortillas don’t stay folded over, once the cheese melts a little in the oven, you should be able to press them down and have the top of the tortilla stick to the melted cheese. Bake tacos until cheese is melted and tortillas are crispy, about 10-15 minutes. Remove from the oven, let cool and enjoy with your favorite taco toppings.
Notes
This recipe makes about 12 tacos.
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 50 mins
- Category: Dinner, Vegetarian
- Method: Stovetop, Oven
- Cuisine: Mexican Inspired
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