Between working full-time, mom life, and taking care of our farm, I am busy 110% of the time. When my family’s looking for a surefire way to get me to hit the pause button, tacos are always the answer! And these vegan Cauliflower Tacos with Romesco Sauce are a go-to slam dunk for us! The roasted cauliflower is perfectly tender-yet-crisp, and the homemade romesco sauce is tangy and incredibly easy to make. Seriously, this is a flavor combination worth trying—trust me!
What is Romesco Sauce?
Romesco is a seriously delicious sauce from the Catalonia region of Spain. It’s traditionally made with red peppers, tomatoes, garlic, and almonds and was originally created by fishermen to pair with their catch of the day. I take this already flavorful sauce one step further by adding smoked paprika, lemon juice, and cayenne pepper, which adds a bright, smoky tang. My easy romesco sauce recipe also uses canned tomato sauce, so we only need to roast some bell peppers and whip everything up in a food processor! I keep the texture chunky because I love the crunch the almonds add to these roasted cauliflower tacos.
Ingredients for Cauliflower Tacos
Here’s what you’ll need to make this cauliflower tacos recipe:
- Cauliflower: Choose the largest cauliflower you can find at the grocery store. More cauliflower florets = more tacos! Avoid cauliflower with soft or brown spots, as that’s a sure sign of being past its prime.
- Flour Tortillas: I use the smaller street-style tortillas, but feel free to use any tortillas you prefer.
- Red Bell Pepper: Roasted to perfection and adds a delicious sweetness to the romesco sauce.
- Olive Oil: Helps the bell peppers and cauliflower florets to crisp up when roasted. I also add some to the sauce to add flavor and emulsify it.
- Parsley: Italian flat-leaf parsley adds a fresh and herbaceous flavor to the tacos. Mince some for the sauce, then sprinkle whole parsley on top as a garnish.
- Lemon: Adds brightness and acidity to the sauce. Save some lemon wedges to serve on the side.
- Seasonings: Smoked paprika, garlic powder, salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper add the best flavor to the cauliflower florets and sauce. They’re also pantry staples that you probably already have on hand!
- Garlic Cloves: Fresh garlic cloves are a must for the romesco.
- Slivered Raw Almonds: This is a classic addition to the sauce and adds a delicious nutty flavor. Slivered almonds have been blanched to remove the tannic skins and have a light crunch. You’ll probably find these in the baking aisle at your grocery store. Regular unsalted almonds will also work. If you don’t like almonds or have a nut allergy, you can use sunflower seeds—check my note in the recipe card below!
- Tomato Sauce: Canned tomato sauce is an easy shortcut for adding extra tomato-y flavor. I use an 8-ounce can of plain tomato sauce, but you can also use homemade.
- White Vinegar: Adds a slight tanginess (and is budget-friendly!). You can also use red wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar. Vinegar is one of my favorite secret ingredients to make flavors really pop in almost any recipe!
What Else Can I Add?
I can happily eat these tacos all day long as they are, but I’d never say no to extra toppings or fillings! Here are some ideas to get you started:
- Avocado slices, pickled red onions, or chopped kalamata olives for additional toppings
- Shredded cheese (cheddar, Monterey Jack, Mexican blend, or a vegan alternative) for a melty finish
- Bulk each cauliflower taco up with black beans, white beans, pinto beans, tofu, or your favorite protein
- Grilled corn kernels for added smokiness
- Or omit the tortilla and serve everything in a lettuce wrap or a roasted cauliflower taco bowl!
Tips and Suggestions
- Crush the garlic cloves before adding them to the food processor. Doing this makes the garlic flavor even stronger! To crush garlic, place the peeled clove on a cutting board and lightly press down on it with the flat side of your knife (be careful!). You can also use the bottom of a heavy glass or jar.
- You can toast the slivered almonds in a dry skillet over medium heat for 2-3 minutes if desired. I don’t normally do this, but it would add a nice toasty flavor.
- I like my almonds to remain fairly whole in the romesco, so I only pulse the mixture a few times in the food processor. You just want to chop them up a bit and mix everything together, but you can blend it longer if you want smoother consistency—romesco is very versatile!
- Try to keep the cauliflower florets somewhat similar in size. This will help them cook evenly in the oven. Slice larger florets in half/quarters and keep an eye on any smaller ones so they don’t burn. (Although some of the extra crispy ones are addictively delish!)
How to Store Leftovers
Each component in this recipe stores well, so get your meal prep on and make a double batch! Lunch for days with minimal effort? Yes, please! Keep the roasted cauliflower in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days, and store the romesco in an air-tight container for up to a week. You can microwave both to reheat, but for the crispest cauliflower, reheat it in the oven or an air fryer at 350°F for a few minutes. Romesco sauce is also delicious when served chilled.
Cauliflower Tacos Recipe (with Romesco Sauce)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 large cauliflower, separated into bite-size florets $2.86
- 1 package flour tortillas (I like the street taco size, the small ones!) $1.68
- 2 red bell peppers $2.96
- 2 Tbsp olive oil, divided $0.19
- 1 ¼ tsp smoked paprika, divided $0.04
- ¼ tsp garlic powder $0.01
- ¼ tsp salt $0.01
- 2 large garlic cloves, crushed $0.09
- ½ cup slivered raw almonds* $1.53
- 1 8oz can tomato sauce $0.48
- 2 Tbsp white vinegar $0.04
- ½ Tbsp lemon juice, about ½ of 1 lemon** $0.64
- ½ tsp cayenne pepper $0.13
- 2 Tbsp Italian flat parsley, minced $0.09
- 1 Tbsp fresh parsley, for garnish $0.09
Instructions
- Quarter and seed bell peppers.
- In a medium size mixing bowl, whisk together 1 Tbsp olive oil, ¼ tsp smoked paprika, garlic powder and salt.
- Add quartered and seeded red bell peppers to bowl and toss.
- Transfer red bell pepper quarters to baking sheet and bake in 375 degree oven for 35-40 minutes on the top rack.
- Then, to the same mixing bowl, add cauliflower florets and toss until coated. Add an extra sprinkle of salt and spread florets on a lined baking sheet and bake in 375 degree oven on bottom rack for 30 minutes or until tender and golden brown, stopping to shake/flip half way through.
- When red bell peppers are done roasting, finish making your Romesco sauce: combine roasted bell peppers, 1 Tbsp olive oil, garlic cloves, tomato sauce, white vinegar, lemon juice, 1 tsp smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, salt and black pepper in food processor. Pulse until well-combined but still chunky.
- Add minced parsley and slivered almonds to the food processor and pulse a few times.
- Warm flour tortillas in a dry pan until lightly toasted.
- Remove cauliflower from oven. Place 3-4 florets on top of each tortilla and top with warm Romesco sauce. Garnish with extra fresh parsley and slivered almonds if you have them. Enjoy with a squeeze of fresh lemon or lime!
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Notes
Nutrition
how to make Cauliflower Tacos with Romesco Sauce – step by step photos
Quarter and seed 2 red bell peppers. In a medium size mixing bowl, whisk together 1 Tbsp olive oil, ¼ tsp smoked paprika, ¼ tsp garlic powder, and ¼ tsp salt.
Add quartered and seeded red bell peppers to bowl and toss.
Transfer red bell pepper quarters to baking sheet and bake in 375 degree oven for 35-40 minutes on the top rack.
Then, to the same mixing bowl, add the florets from 1 large head of cauliflower and toss until coated. Add an extra sprinkle of salt and spread florets on a lined baking sheet.
Bake in 375 degree oven on bottom rack for 30 minutes or until tender and golden brown, stopping to shake/flip half way through.
When red bell peppers are done roasting, finish making your Romesco sauce: combine roasted bell peppers, 1 Tbsp olive oil, 2 crushed garlic cloves, 1 8oz can of tomato sauce, 2 Tbsp white vinegar, ½ Tbsp lemon juice, 1 tsp smoked paprika, ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper, ¼ tsp salt and black pepper in food processor. Pulse until well-combined but still chunky.
Add 2 Tbsp minced Italian flat parsley and ½ cup slivered almonds to the food processor and pulse a few times.
Warm 1 package of flour tortillas in a dry pan until lightly toasted.
Remove cauliflower from oven. Place 3-4 florets on top of each tortilla and top with warm Romesco sauce. Garnish with 1 Tbsp extra fresh parsley and slivered almonds if you have them. Enjoy with a squeeze of fresh lemon or lime!
Bring all the street food vibes to your kitchen with these easy vegan cauliflower tacos and romesco sauce. But be warned—you’ll be making this sauce for everything!
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