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My new go-to weeknight tacos, Chipotle Cauliflower Tacos with Creamy Jalapeño Verde. Saucy-spicy cauliflower with smoky poblano peppers stuffed into warmed tortillas. Top with a creamy jalapeño cilantro garlic verde sauce, plus avocados, and you’ll have tacos you won’t soon forget. These spicy vegetarian cauliflower tacos are made in just one skillet in about 30 minutes. They’re quick, simple, healthy, and so delicious…great all year round!
I mentioned this last week, but my brother Red was in town and he’s kind of a funny kid. He used to be a lot pickier about what he ate. But with age, he’s pretty much willing, and excited, to try almost anything.
That being said he still has his favorites. There are certain foods he’ll gravitate towards more than others. He’s an avocado toast, sushi, and taco loving kind of guy. His absolute favorite is my dad’s crispy, cheesy tacos. But another big favorite is cauliflower, especially buffalo cauliflower.
Every time he’s home he requests that I make the buffalo cauliflower from HBH Super Simple. It’s a great recipe, but it was time to try something new. And since Red loves a good taco, cauliflower tacos were the obvious choice.
Jumping into the details – let’s talk cauliflower
The cauliflower portion of this recipe is very similar to my crispy cauliflower tinga tacos, only I added in a poblano pepper. It’s such an awesome combination of spicy chipotle and smoky poblano peppers.
You’ll want to cook the cauliflower, poblano pepper, and onion together in a super hot skillet. Try to get a bit of a char on the cauliflower and peppers, but leave them tender, not mushy. Once the cauliflower starts to char, add in the chipotle peppers and enchilada sauce. The enchilada sauce is the secret here, it keeps these tacos saucy and flavorful.
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!
Well…first you need to make the creamy jalapeño verde
The jalapeño verde is my favorite part…this sauce is really really good. And it’s so easy to make!
Simply add everything to a blender or food processor and blend until creamy. It’s a mix of fresh cilantro, jalapeños, creamy mayo (plain yogurt would work too), garlic, and just a small squeeze of honey to balance the heat level.
It’s creamy, spicy, just a touch salty, and totally addicting. Meaning, the perfect taco recipe.
Finally, we assemble
I really did my tacos up with all the fixings here…smashed avocado, shredded lettuce, and grilled corn. Then I layered in the chipotle cauliflower and finished with the jalapeño verde and cotija cheese.
This looks like a lot, but everything comes together pretty quickly. And really, you can use as little or as many toppings as you’d like.
Just do not skip the verde sauce, it really is the best.
Oh, and yes, Red did love these tacos (and so did the rest of the fam!).
Looking for other fun taco recipes? Here are some favorites:
Crispy Chipotle BBQ Chicken Tacos with Creamy Charred Corn Salsa
Sheet Pan Jalapeño Pineapple Shrimp Tacos with Cilantro Garlic Sauce
Homemade Cheesy Gordita Crunch Tacos
Lastly, if you make these Chipotle Cauliflower Tacos with Creamy Jalapeño Verde, 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!
Chipotle Cauliflower Tacos with Creamy Jalapeño Verde
Servings: 6
Calories Per Serving: 532 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
Tacos
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 large head cauliflower, cut into florets (about 6 cups chopped)
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- 1 poblano pepper, sliced
- 2-3 chipotle peppers in adobo, chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 cup red enchilada sauce
- 8-12 corn tortillas, warmed
- 1 cup grilled or roasted corn
- smashed avocado, cilantro, and/or pumpkin seeds
- 1/2 cup crumbled cotija or feta cheese
Creamy Jalapeño Verde
- 1/2 cup olive oil, or avocado oil mayo
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 jalapeños, seeded if desired
- 1 bunch fresh cilantro
- 1/4 cup roughly chopped chives or green onion
- 1 clove garlic, grated
- 2 teaspoons honey
- 1/4 cup lime juice
Instructions
- 1. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add the cauliflower, poblano, 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. 2. Meanwhile, make the Jalapeño Verde. Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth and creamy. Season with salt.3. To serve, stuff the avocado, corn, and cauliflower into the warmed tortillas. Top with jalapeño verde sauce and crumbled cheese.
I love this recipe – great flavors from the cream sauce and roasted veggies – thank you for thinking up such good recipes constantly!
Thank you so much Lindsey! xT
These are AMAZING! We will be making these often. The sauce is also delicious and were very happy there was leftovers that we used on veggies.
Hi Nancy,
Wonderful!! Thanks so much for making this recipe and sharing your comment, so glad to hear it was a winner! xT
This is on our weekly rotations. My husband and I love it, he actually asks me to make it, almost weekly. We have made it several times and it is always delicious. Make sure to make the creamy jalapeno verde, it honestly is addicting. I also use greek yogurt for the sauce instead of mayo.
Hey Sarah,
Amazing!! So glad to hear that this recipe turned out well for you, thanks so much for making it! xT
Can’t get enough of these tacos! So delicious and flavorful. I love a good creamy sauce. Husband approved. Forgot to add the corn and didn’t have green onions but it was still so yummy. Will be making again and sharing this recipe with F&F!
Hey Christina,
Happy Wednesday!!❄️ Thanks so much for giving this recipe a try and sharing your feedback, I am so glad it was a hit! xx
I decided to oven roast the cauliflower, onion and pre roasted & peeled poblano in the oven with spices versus using the enchilada sauce & chipotle en adobo. Turned out well. For the chimichurri, did 50-50 olive and avocado oil with lime to taste. Thank you! Great inspiration. Served this with a lentil butternut squash soup.
Hey Robin,
Happy Friday! ☃️ So glad to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, I appreciate you making it! xT
So yummy. Definitely a bite too it heat wise.
Hi Angela,
Awesome!! I love to hear that this recipe turned out well for you, thanks for making it! xx
Does this recipe for 6 servings make about 6 tacos? trying to scale up to 10 tacos. Super excited to try this
Hey there,
This recipe will make 12 tacos! I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xx
I just made this for dinner…my husband said it is his new favorite meal, and I agree! There was sooo much flavor and we loved it! I added black beans and used a Mexican roasted corn blend from Trader Joe’s. Thanks so much for a great recipe!
Hi Bethany,
Happy Friday!? Thanks a bunch for testing this recipe out, I am so glad to hear it was enjoyed! xx
These were AMAZING and so easy to make. Instead of mayo, I used Mexican crema (sour cream) in the verde sauce and it was perfect. Thanks for such a delicious new favorite!!
Hi Debby,
Happy Sunday!! I love to hear that this recipe was a hit, thanks for making it! xTieghan
I served these these to my somewhat skeptical meat-loving husband and we both just loved them. I have passed this recipe along to friends with similar “husband situations” and all came back with rave reviews. The sauce is absolutely off-the-
charts – any idea how long it will keep in the fridge? Thanks for another delicious and visually stunning meal.
Hey there,
Happy Wednesday! I love to hear that this recipe was tasty, thanks for making it! I would say the sauce is good for 1 week in the fridge. xxT
This is one of my fav recipes! Thank you! I’ve made it a bunch of times and I can’t wait to have it again. So delicious!!
Hi Joanne,
Wonderful!! Thanks so much for making this recipe, I love to hear that it was enjoyed!! Happy Thanksgiving! 🦃
Just wanted to clarify is it yogurt or mayo in the verde…on insta video you mention yogurt…but in recipe it says mayo…just curious…
Hi there,
You can use either…both work well! I hope you love this recipe, please let me know if you give it a try! xx
The best cauliflower taco recipe I’ve found thus far! I make these over and over again and cannot get enough. So easy to make and so so yummy. Also don’t skip the jalapeño verde sauce, it’s necessary!
Hi Lauren,
Happy Sunday!! I am thrilled to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks for sharing your review and making it! xxT
After deciding to make this dish, I realized that I was out of mayo and green onions. I decided to use 1.5 avocados and double the amount olive oil in the sauce. It still turned out delicious. Thanks for out of this world recipes.?
Hi Fauzia,
Happy Sunday!! I am thrilled to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks for sharing your review and making it! xxT
This is one of the best tacos I have ever had in my life. Flavorful with the perfect amount of spice
Hi Jamie,
Happy Sunday!! I am thrilled to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks for sharing your review and making it! xxT
My ode to Tieghan: trying to write this under the noise of my family saying “this tastes like it comes from a restaurant! This is amazing!” I am a 56 year-old woman who has been cooking for a long time, and I feel pretty good about my skills. But along came Tieghan who generously, and in a friendly style introduced so many recipes that my world has been opened up. I am so grateful to her for so many recipes: ALL WINNERS! They are all doable! They aren’t too complicated and don’t take too many ingredients. My life is better since Half Baked Harvest. Thank you once again for another fantastic, easy, happy family and happy guest delicious meal. They are all going crazy eating this meal as I write this right now. Tieghan. You Rock.
Hey Becky,
LOL thanks so much for your kind message? I love to hear that this recipe was a winner, thanks for trying it out! Have a great weekend:)