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Weeknight style Crispy Cauliflower Tinga Tacos with Honey Lime Avocado Crema. Cauliflower seasoned up with smoky chipotle peppers and enchilada sauce, then mixed with cheese, stuffed into tortillas, and oven-baked. Each tinga taco is crunchy on the outside, but spicy and cheesy inside. Serve with a creamy, salty honey-lime avocado crema sauce, and a mix of your favorite toppings. These come together easily and are so delicious. The perfect vegetarian twist on a classic taco that everyone loves!
So, I’m sure I mentioned this, but brother Red has been in town since a little before Christmas. He’s here snowboarding until the end of the month. We almost never see Red since he’s constantly traveling, but because of COVID, his travel schedule is much mellower this year. It’s a huge bummer of course, but the silver lining is that we get to have him home for more than a few days at a time. Personally, I love having him around. He’s one of those kids that can always bring a smile to your face.
And let’s be honest, I’m a real sucker when he asks anything of me. But especially when it comes to the question, “what’s for dinner”? I cave-in and make him pretty much whatever he asks for.
Unlike my oldest brother, Creighton, Red actually enjoys a meat-free dinner. His all-time favorite…The Crispy Buffalo Cauliflower from the HBH Super Simple Cookbook. I’ve been making it on repeat.
But guys, while I love that recipe, I also love trying new things. Since Red is very, very into cauliflower right now, tacos seemed like a great idea.
Enter these crispy cauliflower tinga tacos…still cauliflower but presented in a whole new way.
The inspiration…
I’ve actually had this recipe on my list for a while, so when I realized just how much Red has been loving cauliflower I thought I’d make these while he’s in town. I drew inspiration from my chicken tinga taquitos that I shared last year. We all LOVE that recipe so much. I want to see if I could make something vegetarian, but with those same flavors.
I also really, really wanted to do crispy taco shells, since the cauliflower itself is saucy, not crispy. So I grabbed my hard shell taco recipe from my family’s favorite classic taco. I put the two recipes together, then added the cauliflower tinga. Guys, they turned out even better than I had thought.
I wasn’t sure how the cauliflower would hold up to the tinga sauce, but in all honesty? Everyone said they enjoyed the cauliflower, more than any other meat.
Making these tacos is pretty easy, here are the steps.
Aside from these tacos being delicious, they really are so easy to make. I start with the cauliflower tinga. If you’re new to Chicken Tinga, it’s a Mexican dish consisting of shredded chicken in a tomato-based chipotle sauce with sliced onions. It’s actually very simple, but the flavors from the chipotle peppers are KEY, and what is most traditional with any Tinga dish.
Cook the cauliflower and onion together in a super hot skillet. You’ll want to get a char on the cauliflower, but leave it tender, not mushy. Once the cauliflower starts to char, add in chipotle peppers and enchilada sauce. I use enchilada sauce as the tomato base for my tInga sauce. Once the cauliflower simmers in the sauce for a bit, it’s ready. It shouldn’t take more than fifteen minutes, then you can assemble the tacos!
Now onto the crispy shells.
Instead of using store-bought taco shells, I like to take corn tortillas and stuff them with the cauliflower tinga and a sprinkling of cheese. I throw them in the oven to bake until the tortillas are crispy.
This method is my GO-TO. It’s become a staple in a lot of my taco recipes. I love the crispy oven “fried” shells. Nothing beats them!
And finally, the crema.
While the shells bake, make the crema. I wanted something cooling and creamy to balance the heat from the chipotle sauce. So instead of using a classic cream-based crema, I went a little healthier and whipped my avocado in the food processor.
It is so creamy, and a touch of lime plus flaky sea salt makes it so delicious.
Serve up the cream with the crispy tacos and you’ll have the perfect dinner.
If you wanted to take the toppings a step further, I would recommend a pineapple salsa or mango salsa. You all know me, I love a good fruity salsa. The perfect way to liven up an average Tuesday night at home.
Oh, and yes, Red LOVED these (so did the rest of the fam). So I’d say I’m really close to winning that sister of the year award this year. Cool, Cool!
Looking for more simple, Mexican recipes? Here are a few favorites:
Slow Cooker Chipotle Chicken Tortilla Soup with Salty Lime Chips
Cauliflower Al Pastor Quesadillas with Lime Smashed Avocado
Mushroom Al Pastor Tacos with Garlic Lime Special Sauce
Healthier Homemade Crunchwrap Supreme
Lastly, if you make these, Crispy Cauliflower Tinga Tacos with Honey Lime Avocado Crema, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Crispy Cauliflower Tinga Tacos with Honey Lime Avocado Crema
Servings: 4
Calories Per Serving: 503 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus more for rubbing
- 1 large head cauliflower, cut into small florets (about 6 cups chopped)
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- 2-3 chipotle peppers in adobo, finely chopped use to your taste
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 cup red enchilada sauce homemade or store-bought
- 8-12 corn tortillas, warmed
- 1/2 cup shredded pepper jack cheese
- 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- salsa, shredded lettuce, and pickled onions for serving
Honey Lime Avocado Crema
- 1 large avocado, halved
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro
- 1-2 teaspoons honey
- 1 clove garlic, grated
- juice from 2 limes
- kosher or flaky salt
Instructions
- 1. Preheat the oven to 425° F.2. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over high heat. When the oil shimmers, add the cauliflower and onion. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the cauliflower is charring, about 5 minutes. Add the chipotle peppers, enchilada sauce, oregano, salt, and 1/3 cup water. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer until the sauce has thickened slightly, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat.3. Warm the tortillas for 30 seconds to 1 minute in the microwave, until pliable. On a baking sheet, rub the tortillas with olive oil. Lay each flat and then layer evenly with cheese and cauliflower. Fold the other half of the tortilla over the filling, gently pushing to adhere (see above photo). Transfer to the oven and bake for 5-8 minutes, then flip and cook another 5 minutes more, or until the cheese has melted and the tortillas are crisp. 4. Meanwhile, make the Honey Lime Avocado Crema. Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth and creamy. Season with salt.5. Serve the tacos topped with avocado, lettuce, limes, and any other desired toppings.
Thanks for such a delicious recipe!! Who knew cauliflower tacos could be so good??!!! 🙂
I hade a half recipe for 2 of us – perfect! (I did use about 1/4-1/4 of chipotle in adobo, but still SO good…) The avocado crema and squeeze of lime just made it perfect
Hey Barb,
Awesome!! I love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for giving it a try! ?xx
This hit the spot….and even pleased my meal-loving husband. Oh…and the sauce is amazing!!
Hey Karen,
I am thrilled to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for making it! xxT
Just made the Avocado Lime Crema for taco night and it was absolutely perfect with carnitas and mango salsa. Everyone lovef the sweetness of the honey with the creamy avocado and tangy cilantro. It’s now a must have on all taco nights!!!
Hey Stephani,
Awesome!! I love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks for making it!! Have the best week:) xTieghan
These were amazing.
Your combination of ingredients sometimes seem like a head-scratcher … but they are ALWAYS so delicious!!!
I could not keep my tortillas from cracking but everyone was shoving them down so fast that I don’t even think they noticed.
Hi David,
Wonderful!! Thanks a bunch for trying this recipe out, I love to hear that it was enjoyed!! ?xTieghan
I live in a house of carnivores and this was a hit! I have been craving this ever since I made it, we’ll definitely make this one again!
Hey Whitney,
Happy Sunday!! I love to hear that this recipe was a hit, thanks a lot for giving it a try! xxT
These were delicious and the avocado crema was so good.
Hi Vicky,
Wonderful!! Thanks so much for giving this recipe a try, I am so glad to hear it was enjoyed!! ?xTieghan
I’m not big cauliflower fan in general but these were so good. I scraped the seeds out of the peppers to decrease the heat and served the tacos with fresh salsa and guac. I made them with street taco size tortillas which makes a great nosh sized snack for company. The tiny taco wouldn’t stay closed for baking so I used a toothpick to hold them in place and removed the toothpick before I flipped them. I’ll be making these again for sure! Thanks Tieghan!
Hi Laura,
Awesome!! Love hearing that this recipe was a winner, thanks a lot for giving it a go! Have the best weekend:) xTieghan
These are simply fabulous! I left out the peppers because they are too hot for our family but used your taco seasoning recipe with smoked paprika to keep that smoky chili flavor without the heat. So so good! Easy to make, easy to clean up. Another favorite for us! Thank you so much!
Hey Denise,
Thanks a bunch for giving this recipe a go, I love to hear that it was a winner!! xTieghan
Cannot say enough good things about this dish. The avocado crema is delightful
Hey Julie,
Fantastic!! Love hearing that this recipe was a hit, thanks for making it:) Have the best day! xxT
Wow these were AMAZING. I’m so glad I saw your post where you said this was a must try recipe. The crispness and flavor punch are superb. Thank you, this will be in a regular rotation now!
Hey Janelle,
Awesome!! I am thrilled to hear that this recipe was a winner, thanks a bunch for making it! xTieghan
These are my new favorite tacos!!! Wow so good. So much flavor and just all around amazing. Thanks for the great recipe!!
Hey Cam,
Wonderful!! Thanks so much for making this recipe, I love to hear that it was a winner. Have the best weekend:) xT
These have become a weekly rotation in my house! They are simple and delicious. I will say that the folding process is a little difficult and I found it easier to stuff less and crimp the edges. The biggest take away from this comment though is that they are even better the next day! So much that I don’t even eat them the same day I make them. So easy to grab one out of the fridge and throw in the air fryer for <10 minutes.
Hey Landon,
Happy Friday!! I am thrilled to hear this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a bunch for giving it a go! xxT
Made these for our taco Tuesday dinner and they were so, so good!! Crispy and full of flavor!
Hey Jennie,
Thanks so much for making this recipe, I am thrilled to hear that it was enjoyed! Have a great day:) xxT
Absolutely loved this recipe! Cauliflower had a great flavor and the recipe was overall simple to make. I would suggest though that the tortillas be fried into shells as it was really difficult to handle the tortillas as described and we weren’t quite able to grab the tacos and eat easily. But that doesn’t take away from the delicious taste!
Hi Jessica,
Awesome!! Love to hear this recipe was a winner, thanks for making it. Have the best week:) xT
These were great! We used sliced cabbage instead of lettuce and frozen avocado because the fresh ones were looking pretty rough at Tesco (worked fine, I just thawed them in the fridge and I needed to thin it with a little bit of sour cream to get a creamy texture).
We also can’t buy enchilada sauce in Ireland (or at least I don’t know where to find it), so I used the enchilada sauce recipe from Cookie and Kate–it worked perfectly. These tacos were a total hit in our house–thank you, Tieghan!!
Hey Amber,
Awesome!! Love to hear this recipe was a winner, thanks for making it. Have the best week:) xT
Great recipe! Didn’t make the Avocado crema (too lazy) but dolloped some sour cream and salsa on it and topped it with arugula- delish. (I used the whole small can of enchilada sauce and simmered it all the way down- it made for a thicker, heartier sauce with the Cauliflower.
Hey Angela,
Thanks so much for giving this recipe a try and sharing your feedback! Love to hear that it was enjoyed!! xTieghan