Vegan Smoky BBQ Cauliflower Tacos (Printable Version)

Crispy BBQ cauliflower with fresh pineapple salsa in warm tortillas

# What You'll Need:

→ Cauliflower

01 - 1 large head cauliflower, cut into bite-sized florets
02 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
03 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
04 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
05 - 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
06 - 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, optional for extra heat
07 - Salt and black pepper to taste

→ BBQ Sauce

08 - 1/2 cup vegan BBQ sauce
09 - 1 tablespoon maple syrup
10 - 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

→ Pineapple Salsa

11 - 1 cup fresh pineapple, finely diced
12 - 1/4 cup red onion, finely diced
13 - 1 medium tomato, seeded and diced
14 - 1 small jalapeño, seeded and minced
15 - 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
16 - Juice of 1 lime
17 - Salt to taste

→ For Serving

18 - 8 small corn or flour tortillas
19 - 1 avocado, sliced
20 - 1/4 cup shredded red cabbage
21 - Fresh cilantro leaves for garnish
22 - Lime wedges

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a large bowl, toss cauliflower florets with olive oil, smoked paprika, cumin, garlic powder, cayenne pepper if using, salt, and black pepper until evenly coated.
02 - Spread coated cauliflower on the prepared baking sheet in a single layer. Roast for 20 minutes, flipping halfway through.
03 - While cauliflower roasts, whisk together BBQ sauce, maple syrup, and apple cider vinegar in a small bowl until well combined.
04 - After 20 minutes, remove cauliflower from oven. Toss with BBQ sauce mixture until well coated. Return to oven and roast for 8 to 10 minutes until caramelized and crispy.
05 - Combine pineapple, red onion, tomato, jalapeño, cilantro, lime juice, and salt in a bowl. Mix thoroughly and set aside.
06 - Warm tortillas in a dry skillet or wrap in foil and heat in the oven for a few minutes until pliable.
07 - Layer BBQ cauliflower, pineapple salsa, avocado slices, and shredded cabbage into each tortilla. Garnish with cilantro and serve with lime wedges.

# Additional Tips::

01 -
  • The cauliflower gets genuinely crispy and caramelized, not mushy or sad, which is honestly the whole game.
  • Pineapple salsa adds brightness and sweetness that plays off the smokiness in a way that feels a little bit fancy but takes no extra effort.
  • These tacos disappear fast whether you're cooking for vegans or skeptics.
02 -
  • Don't crowd the baking sheet or your cauliflower will steam instead of roast; give it space to breathe and get crispy.
  • Add the BBQ sauce in the last 10 minutes, not at the beginning, or it'll burn and taste bitter instead of smoky and caramelized.
03 -
  • Let your cauliflower get properly caramelized in that first 20 minutes before you add the sauce—this step is what separates crispy from mushy.
  • Fresh lime juice makes the salsa sing; bottled just tastes flat and sad by comparison.
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