Tacos are back and this time they come complete with spicy chickpeas and roast cauliflower. The recipe for my Halloumi and Black Bean Tacos that I posted at the beginning of summer is hands-down the most popular recipe on the blog. I even get the odd email about it. I've been making them on repeat throughout the summer and while I'm not sure I'll ever get sick of them, last week I felt the need to mix up my taco-game.
There are lots of good taco combinations. For vegetarian tacos, start with a protein like marinated tofu, beans or lentils. Add a mix of raw or cooked vegetables. I like roasted cauliflower, butternut squash or sweet potato and raw or pickled cabbage or onion. You can also add your favourite cheese. I find grilled halloumi, crumbled feta and smoked cheddar work well depending on what flavour you are going for. A good taco needs a good dressing. I love creamy avocado and yogurt-based dressing as well as pico de gallo and hot sauces like sriracha for extra heat. Serve tacos with lemon or lime wedges on the side to brighten up the flavour.
For these tacos, I've pan-fried the chickpeas in spices for heat, roasted the cauliflower and served them with a quick pickled red cabbage, topped with a feta and greek yogurt dressing.
Discovering easy ways to eating more vegetables is what this blog is all about. Cauliflower is one of my favourite vegetables and at this stage I've eaten it raw, roasted, baked, mashed, in a gratin, pan-fried as rice and now in a taco. All are good, but I have a feeling, this one will be a crowd-pleaser.
Keep scrolling for the recipe for these Spicy Chickpea and Cauliflower Tacos.
Spicy Chickpea & Cauliflower Tacos
Makes 4
Ingredients
For the spicy chickpeas
1 tbsp olive oil
1 400g tin chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp maple syrup
1 tsp sweet smoked paprika
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp garlic powder
½ tsp chipotle chilli powder
For the cauliflower
1 small cauliflower, chopped into small florets
3 tbsp olive oil
½ tsp ground cumin
½ tsp garlic powder
Sea salt and black pepper to season
For the dressing
100g feta cheese
½ cup Greek yogurt
2 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp water
Small bunch chives
Pinch sea salt
For the tacos
½ head red cabbage, thinly shredded
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 tbsp lemon juice
2 scallions
Fresh herbs of choice
4 soft flour or corn tortillas
Method
Start with the cauliflower. Preheat the oven to Gas 7 / 220C. In a bowl, mix the olive oil, cumin, garlic powder together and season well with sea salt and black pepper. Add the cauliflower florets and toss well to ensure they are coated with the oil. Transfer to a large baking sheet making sure the cauliflower florets are well spread out and not over crowded on the sheet. Place in the oven for 25 minutes, tossing halfway through.
While the cauliflower is roasting, move onto the cabbage. Use a mandolin, grater or processor to finely shred the cabbage. Place in a bowl with the lemon juice and apple cider vinegar, briefly massaging both into the cabbage. Set to one side.
Next make the dressing by adding all the dressing ingredients to a blender or processor and blend into a creamy dressing. If it’s too thick to pour, add a little more water.
Next make the chickpeas. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a frying pan over a medium to hot heat. Add the chickpeas and fry until golden. This should take about five minutes. Add the lemon juice and maple syrup to the chickpeas and toss gently. Cook for a further minute or so. Add the spices and cook for a further 2-3 minutes. Remove from the heat and set to one side.
To assemble the tacos, start by heating the tortillas in a pan for a minute or so both sides. They can also be heated gently in a microwave or oven. Gather all the different elements together. Divide the cabbage, chickpeas and cauliflower between the four tortillas. Add a dollop of the dressing, some chopped scallion and fresh herbs. Serve straight away, serving the remaining dressing on the side for anyone who would like extra.
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