Vegan Tacos: 3 Ways
Here they are. Vegan Tacos: Three Ways. A Spicy BBQ cauliflower, a Samosa with Curry Sauce, and Sweet Potato with Avocado Crema. Each of them as good as the last, and so, so filling (word on the street is that these plus a margarita are the ultimate backyard dinner party combo). Try them for dinner tonight!
Click on the links below to skip to any part of the recipe:
Introduction
This post is going to be split up into three parts, with a separate recipe for each taco. I made all three at the same time for the picture, and it was great to be able to try them all, but it was an organizational affair coordinating the timings for three different tacos with many different ingredients.
If you’d like to try all three, you’ll need to combine the recipes and fill in the blanks slightly, but it’s so worth it.
In each recipe, there are a few moving parts, but as with many of my methods, we prep while other ingredients are cooking. For example, the cauliflower wings take about 30-40 minutes, which gives you a ton of time to get everything else ready.
The secret is all in the seasoning and sauces. Don’t skip out! They make a world of difference to the final taste. There is nothing worse than a bland taco - so add your own spices, too, if you have them lying about.
The great thing about the sauces is that they make a ton, so you can use them for other recipes, too. Try dipping some bread into the curry sauce and thank me later. Be patient, allow things to take the time that they need, exercise a bit of technique here and there, and you’ll have great tacos in no time.
Give each one a try, and let me know which is your favourite. Check out the Spruce it Up section for ideas on how to take each recipe to the next level.
Eat Wonderfully.
Before we Get Started
Indian Samosa w/ Curry Sauce
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Yield: 5 Tacos
Sweet Potato w/ Avocado Crema
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Yield: 5 Tacos
Spicy BBQ Cauliflower
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 55 minutes
Yield: 5 Tacos
Indian Samosa with Curry Sauce
Ingredients
4 (9-inch) Tortillas
2 potatoes
1/2 cup Peas
2 medium Carrots
1 can (398mL) Coconut Milk
14oz Diced Tomatoes (1/2 a large can)
2 clove Garlic
1/2 Red Onion
Kale
Cilantro
1/2 tbsp. Cumin
1 tsp. Garam Masala
2.5 tbsp Curry Powder
Method
Preheat a pot to medium heat, with oil. Fill another pot with water and place over high heat, bring to a boil.
Finely dice your red onion and garlic, and add them to the pot with oil. Stir until translucent, then add your cumin, a pinch of salt, garam masala, and 1.5 tbsp of your curry powder. Stir to incorporate.
Add your coconut milk and diced tomatoes (make sure to only use 14oz), Gently stir. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to a simmer, and let cook for about 10 minutes.
Be mindful when bringing the sauce to a boil as it can stick to the bottom of the pot, so make sure to give it a good stir every once in a while.
After the 10 minutes is up, simply take the pot off the heat.
Pour your curry sauce into a blender, and blend until smooth. Add back into the pot and reduce further to your liking.
Remember to stir often.
While the sauce is reducing, dice your potatoes into 1/2 inch cubes, and put them into the pot of water (which should now have reached a boil). Add a generous pinch of salt. Set a timer for 8 minutes. Drain after the timer has gone off.
After the 8 minute timer has gone off, grab a knife and try to slice through one of the cubes. If you can do that without any resistance, then the potatoes are ready to be drained.
If you do face some resistance, boil for another 2 minutes or so, and check again.
While your potatoes are boiling, cut your carrot into small cubes (roughly the same size as a pea). Tear the leaves from 2 stems of kale, and cut into bite-sized pieces.
Don’t sweat it if they cubes are a bit too big or a bit too small. Mine weren’t perfect., either.
Preheat a pan over medium high heat, and add some oil. One it has come to temperature, add your drained potatoes, as well as 1 tbsp. Curry Powder and a good pinch of salt. Allow them to sit for a bit to form a golden-brown, crispy skin. Toss every once in a while, then add your peas and your carrots. Continue to cook until the potatoes are golden-brown on all sides.
While the potatoes are cooking, thinly slice some cilantro.
Lay out your tortillas. Put down some kale, spoon on your potatoes, peas, and carrots, and drizzle the curry sauce over top. Sprinkle on some cilantro
Enjoy.
Spicy BBQ Cauliflower
Ingredients
5 (9-inch) Tortillas
1 head Cauliflower
Sauce of Choice
I used a Spicy BBQ sauce
Panko Bread Crumbs
1/4 head Red Cabbage
6 Radish
2 Carrots
1 Tbsp. Chili Powder
Method
Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
Cut your Cauliflower into bite-sized florets.
Grab two bowls. Put some bread crumbs, your chili powder, and a good pinch of salt into one bowl, and your cauliflower into the other. Drizzle olive oil into the bowl with the cauliflower, and toss to coat. Then, dunk each floret into the bread crumb mix, and roll it about to make sure it’s covered in bread crumbs.
Place each floret onto a baking sheet with tin foil, evenly spaced out. Put into the oven and set a time for 20 minutes.
While the cauliflower is cooking, thinly slice your red cabbage.
Cut the top and bottom off of the radish, and slice thinly. Then, stack up your slices, and slice again to form sticks. Repeat for the other 9 radish.
Be careful of your fingers here. Only stack the slices a few high. If too many are stacked together, there’s a good chance the stack will fall and you might get caught by the knife.
Square off your carrots, and slice into thin sticks like you did with the carrots.
I have a video on how to square off and slice a carrot in my Vegan Spring Roll w/ Spicy Peanut Sauce recipe.
After the 20 minutes have expired for the cauliflower, remove from the oven, and flip each floret. Toss some more bread crumbs over top. Put back into the oven for another 20 minutes.
After your cauliflower is finished, put them in a clean bowl. Add your favourite BBQ/wing sauce, and toss to coat.
Lay your tortillas out. Put down some red cabbage, then your BBQ cauliflower florets, and top with your carrots and radish.
Enjoy.
Sweet Potato w/Avocado Crema
Ingredients
5 (9-inch) tortillas
2 medium Sweet Potatoes
1 Avocado
1/2 cup Unsweetened, Dairy-Free milk
1/3 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Don’t sweat it if you don’t have good quality oil. Vegetable oil works well, too.
2 Green Onions
1 clove Garlic
Kale
Juice of 1 Lime
1/2 cup Cilantro (approx)
1/2 tbsp. Garlic Powder
1/2 tbsp. Onion Powder
1/2 tbsp. Cumin
1.5 tsp. Salt
1/2 tbsp. Chili Powder
Method
Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
Dice your sweet potatoes into 1/2 inch cubes.
Place in a bowl, drizzle with olive oil, then add your garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, salt, and chili powder. Toss thoroughly to coat.
Place on a baking sheet with tin foil, making sure they’re all evenly spread out. Throw them in the oven and put a timer on for 10 minutes.
In a blender, add your avocado, garlic clove, cilantro, a 1/4 cup of water, half of your oil, milk, lime juice, and a good pinch of salt. Blend until smooth. Continue to slowly add your oil until you’re happy with the consistency. If the consistency is still too thick for your liking, add some more water until it’s loose enough to pour.
Add more salt to taste.
Don’t feel inclined to add all of the oil. If you’re happy with the consistency before you’ve used it all, then you’re all set.
After the ten minute timer has gone off for the sweet potatoes, take them out of the oven, and flip them over. Put them back into the oven for another 10 minutes.
While the sweet potatoes are cooking, thinly slice your green onions. Tear the leaves from 2 stems of kale, and cut into bite-sized pieces.
Lay your tortillas out, and put down some kale. Take your sweet potato out of the oven, and spoon some on top of the kale. Add your green onions, and drizzle over your avocado crema.
Enjoy.
Spruce it Up
A drizzle of lime juice over each taco adds a great flavour.
Sprinkle some red chili flakes over top.
Use green and red cabbage for your cauliflower wings for nice colour variation.
Add your kale to a hot, oiled pan to crisp them up before putting them onto your tortillas.