Next Post
Summertime Rose Tequila Sangria.
This post may contain affiliate links, please see our privacy policy for details.
Tacos may just be one of my all-time favorite foods.
I know that’s such a bold statement, but I mean, let’s be real, almost everyone has a special spot for tacos!! Hello, Taco Tuesday anyone?!?!
I especially love tacos during the summer months for many reasons…
…one: as far fillings go, the options are endless.
…two: summer is a great time to break away from the oven. During these warmer months I prefer quicker cooking methods like the grill or skillet. I’ll either grill up some meat, chicken or veggies OR I’ll throw whatever I have on hand in a skillet, add some taco seasoning and call it a day. Dinner in thirty minutes… and no oven time, YES!
…reason three: fruity salsas. Duh.
…reason four: margaritas! It’s summer, margaritas all around!
…reason five: tacos feel light and fresh and that’s just want I want on a hot summer night…with a side of guacamole. Obviously.
So you see? Tacos are the perfect easy summertime meal, and today I’m sharing possibly my most favorite taco recipe to date, Cauliflower Al Pastor Tacos!! I know, I know, YUM!
Think about your favorite pork al pastor tacos and then swap the pork for cauliflower. This may seem like an odd combination at first, but I promise, it’s so delicious, and the perfect light option for summertime eating. The cauliflower gets stewed in a spicy, sweet pineapple sauce, then stuffed into a warmed Old El Paso tortilla and topped with cheese. SO GOOD!! Honestly, this taco is quickly going to become one of your new favorites.
All right, and that’s all I’ve got for you guys today, but before I go, I want to give you a heads ups and let you know what’s happening over here. In an effort to really put my all into this cookbook of mine, the posts in the next couple of weeks may be on the lighter side. It’s super important to me that I continue to stay in touch with you guys and share recipes daily, but I also really need to focus on the book so I can make my approaching deadlines. It’s definitely crunch time and I am ready… or well, doing my best to get there! lol!
So I’ll still be around, especially on Instagram and Snapchat (follow hbharvest) and will continue to share new summer recipes… because I simply cannot help myself… but for the next 3 or so weeks, my write ups will probably be a bit on the short side, I hope you all can understand. And with that, I also want to say that I am beyond excited with how the cookbook is shaping up and I cannot wait to share it all with you guys. I know fall of 2017 seems a little far out, but I have a feeling it’s going to sneak right up on us all!
OK, now let’s make tacos…and don’t forget about the Margaritas. Oh, or maybe a Paloma?!?! Or Mojito?!? Really any summery drink will work beautifully.
Watch the How-To Video:
Cauliflower Al Pastor Tacos.
Servings: 4 Servings
Calories Per Serving: 650 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 2 cloves garlic minced or grated
- 2 tablespoons chili powder
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 2 chipotle peppers adobo
- 1/2 cup pineapple juice
- ¼ cup white vinegar
- 2 cups fresh pineapple chunks divided
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 head cauliflower cut into florets
- ½ of a sweet onion thinly sliced
- 1 jalapeno seeded + diced
- ½ cup fresh cilantro chopped + more for serving
- 12 toasted corn or flour tortillas
- 4 ounces feta or goat cheese crumbled
- lime wedges for serving
Instructions
- In a high-powered blender or food processor combine the garlic, chili powder, paprika, chipotle chilies, pineapple juice, vinegar and 1 cup of the pineapple chunks. Blend until completely smooth. Set the pineapple sauce aside.
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add the olive oil. Add the cauliflower and onions, season with salt + pepper. Cook for 12-15 minutes or until the cauliflower is tender and the onions have caramelized. Reduce the heat to low stir in the pineapple sauce, the remaining cup of pineapple chunks and the jalapeno. Simmer for 8-10 minutes or until the sauce has reduced and coats the cauliflower, there will still be sauce left in the pan, this is good. Remove from the heat and stir in the cilantro.
- Divide the cauliflower among the warmed tortillas, drizzling each taco with the remaining sauce left in the pan. Top each taco with fresh cilantro, lime juice and cheese. EAT
Notes
*For added protein you can add one (14 ounce) can of drained and rinsed chickpeas to the cauliflower mix when you add in the pineapple sauce. *Once you have cooked the cauliflower, it can sit in the pineapple sauce for up to 1 day. The cauliflower will absorb more of the flavors from the sauce and be extra delicious. To re-heat, just place the cauliflower back on the stove over low heat until warmed through.
Bring on the summer tacos parties!
The pineapple sauce was so good! Will absolutely make again!
Hey Sara,
Thanks so much for giving this recipe a try, I am so glad that it was enjoyed! Have a great week:) xTieghan
I made these tonight and they were delicious HOWEVER I have not cooked with adobo sauce before and it was sooo spicy. I didn’t add jalapeno and only 1 teaspoon of chili pepper and I was struggling but will def make again with some adjustments bc the flavor was great!
Hey Michelle,
Thanks a lot for making this recipe, I am delighted that it was enjoyed! Happy Friday:) xTieghan
This recipe is incredible! Made last night for Taco Tuesday Vegetarian Edition (for my veggie step-daughter). No one missed meat! Super-duper flavors and so filling. I added smashed avocado and smoked paprika like you do in the similar (and newer) quesadilla recipe. Tieghan, your recipes have really elevated my cooking adventures. I’m eating (and loving) things I never would have thought of on my own! Thanks (again)! xo
Hi Lisa! You are too kind! I am really glad you have been enjoying making my recipes and I hope you continue to! Thank you so much! xTieghan
i love love this recipe and all of yours a huge fan! Have you ever made chile rellenos?If so would love the recipe
I am so glad you are loving this recipe, Amelia! I have made them and I will link the recipe below!! xTieghan
https://www.halfbakedharvest.com/grilled-chiles-rellenos-chipotle-peach-mojo-shrimp/
I’ve made this twice now and it’s great. There is a taco truck near my house that makes these butcthis recipe is better. The taco truck has amazing tortillas but they skimp on the cauliflower and they are $4 a taco.
Wow! Well, I am glad you can make it from home now!! Thank you for trying this Shane! xTieghan
Made these tonight and they were so good. Great balance of spicy, smoky, and sweet!
Thank you so much Sara! I am so glad you loved this! xTieghan
WoW ! I juste love this tacos al pastor version. My mouth is watering just thinking about making them again ! Plus I just received your book for my birthday and Im so excited to try your recipes. I only discovered your blog about tro months ago (Im from Québec – the french part of Canada – so that may explain why I discovered it so late) and it litteraly changed my way of cooking.
Thank you so much for all these amazing recipes!
So amazing! Thank you so much Florence! I hope you are loving the book! xTieghan
Recently made this…..WOW. such amazing flavors! So quick – and easy! I don’t miss the protein at all….and I am a carnivore..Teigan, your recipes are flawless and researched well. I’ve made several things for company now (guinea pig style) – and each recipe is a hit. Keep up the great work!
Hi Kris! I am so glad you loved this recipe! Thank you so much!
Has anyone TRIED these? There are tons of “looks great, can’t wait to try”, but has anyone? I’m interested to know BEFORE I make them because they look a little sweet, but interesting.
Hi there! Many have tried these and loved them. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe. Thanks so much! xTieghan
These tacos are SO delicious! We eat predominantly vegetarian and I can honestly say I didn’t miss the meat at all. What a great recipe. I am So obsessed with these that I not only ate an embarrassing amount but I promptly sent the recipe to everyone in my life encouraging them to make them ASAP. And they’re so pretty :). Great recipe!
Thank you Jessica!
I made this tonight and knew I had to cut the heat component and still it was HOT! But good gravy, SOOOO GOOD! I’m bummed I forgot to add the queso fresco (I blanked out and used cheddar) but it was still super tasy. Thank you for sharing and the inspiration. I’m already reworking it for our weak palette,
Hi Jessica! I am so glad you loved this recipe! Thank you so much!!
What do you mean by “2 in canned chipotle chilies adobo” listed in the ingredients? Is that 1 chipotle chili that’s 2″ in size or do you mean 2 whole chilies?
Hi Lauren, so sorry for the confusion. It is 2 chipotle peppers from 1 can of chipotle peppers in adobo. Let me know if you have any other questions. hope you love the tacos!
What is “2 in canned chipotle chilies adobo” – is that 2 inches, e.g. do I pull them out of the can and stack them until they’re 2 inches high??? I’ve never run across “in” in reference to a canned ingredient before. Any clarification you can offer would be helpful.
But ditch the Old El Paso tortillas. Like all national brands, they are tasteless mealy imposters pretending to be real tortillas – think of drunk people wearing sombreros and stick on mustaches at a Mexican restaurant on Cinco De Mayo. Most bigger cities have local producers or make you own, super easy.
This sounds really good, however I’m not a big fan of pineapple in any capacity haha. I’d love to try this because I’d love to try cauliflower as an optional meat substitute at times. Do you have any suggestions on a substitute for the pineapple?
Hey Kayla! You can omit the pineapple and either use mango in it’s place or just leave it out completely. Let me know if you have questions. Thank you! 🙂