Crispy cauliflower tacos with cashew cream: crispy, delicious, and even “kind of” on the healthier side!
Oh crispy cauliflower, what an evil delight you are. I LOVE fried cauliflower. Actually, that’s quite the understatement. I’m pretty much obsessed with fried cauliflower, and I’m always looking for new ways to incorporate it into some delicious recipes. Tacos are an obvious choice. I mean anything tastes incredible when it’s slapped onto a corn tortilla (my tortilla of choice). These crispy cauliflower tacos with cashew cream are the perfect weeknight meal and are a must-have for you next meatless Monday or taco Tuesday.
Let’s be honest, tacos are the perfect vessel for just about anything. I personally think anything tastes better when it’s placed in a taco.
Tilapia? eh…
Tilapia in a taco!? HECK YEAH.
Are you picking up what I’m throwing down? I know you guys all know what I’m talking about.
These tacos are such a great weeknight meal and I love them even more for taco Tuesday. Fried cauliflower is so simple to make and is ready in just a couple of minutes. Just make sure the pan is nice and hot and you are golden.
So, let’s talk about this cashew cream before I sign off for the day. I think the term “cashew cream” scares people. I know that you have to soak the cashews, but in all honesty, it’s one of the simplest condiments you can make, and it’s so worth the little bit of time you have to wait.
You simply soak the cashews in water for at least an hour or up to a day or two if necessary. I find that the longer (within reason) that you soak cashews the better the result. Sure, you can accomplish a cashew cream with just an hour soak, but you will have to blend for much longer and I’m not even sure you can get out all of that grittiness out.
After you have soaked the cashews, you drain them and transfer to a blender with some water and salt. Now, I have made cashew cream with milk before (cashew milk) and I was absolutely obsessed with it. To keep the cost of this recipe down, I used water. Either one will work fine, but if you’re looking for some ultra creaminess use a nut milk.
Blend like your life depended on it. If you think you have been blending for way too long, you probably haven’t, so just keep on blending. I have blended cashews for 10 minutes before. My blender didn’t love me after the fact, but the cashew cream was just to die for.
…and that’s it! SERIOUSLY, that’s it! Store in the fridge for a couple of days or make a big old batch and freeze some of it.
Welp, I hope you guys had a fabulous week and are all set for the weekend. Zach and I will be spending some much-needed relaxing time in Wyoming this weekend (one of our favorite places on the planet), and I can’t wait to do absolutely nothing. ;) Beer pairing and recipe for these scrumptious crispy cauliflower tacos with cashew cream are below. See you all on Sunday! xo
Crispy Cauliflower Tacos with Cashew Cream
Servings:
10 tacosNutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
Cashew Cream
- 1 1/2 cups raw cashews
- 1 cup water plus more for soaking
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
Crispy Cauliflower Tacos
- 1/2 cup canola or vegetable oil more as needed
- 1 head of cauliflower chopped into bite-sized pieces
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 eggs beaten
- 1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
- 1/2 cup regular bread crumbs
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon chili powder
- 10 corn or flour tortillas warmed through
- 1 cup purple cabbage chopped
- 2 tablespoons fresh chives chopped
- 2 tablespoons raw cashews chopped
Instructions
Cashew Cream
- In a large bowl, add the raw cashews. Completely submerge the cashews with water and soak for at least an hour or up to 24 hours.
- Once the cashews have soaked, drain and transfer them to a blender. Add 1 cup of water and sea salt. Blend on high for 4-5 minutes (or longer if needed) until the cashews are COMPLETELY smooth. Thin out with more water if necessary.
- Place in an airtight container and store in the fridge where it will keep for 3-4 days; or you may freeze for up to 3 months.
Crispy Cauliflower Tacos
- Heat the oil is a large skillet or dutch oven over medium to medium-high heat.
- While your oil is heating up, place the all-purpose flour in a shallow bowl, the eggs in a separate shallow bowl and the panko, regular bread crumbs, salt, black pepper and chili powder in a third shallow bowl. Mix the bread crumb mixture together until thoroughly combined.
- In batches of 6-7 cauliflower pieces, dredge in flour, then the egg and then the bread crumb mixture, pressing to adhere where needed.
- Place the cauliflower into the hot oil and fry for 2 minutes on each side or until crispy and brown. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate, and repeat for the remaining cauliflower.
- Assemble your tacos, by placing a layer of chopped cabbage on the bottom of each warm tortilla. Top with crispy cauliflower and then drizzle on the cashew cream. Sprinkle with chives and raw cashews.
- Enjoy immediately!
Notes
9 Responses
Nothing about these tacos doesn’t absolutely rock my world :)
You’re the sweetest, Nora. Thanks girl!
Oh gosh, I love this! As a vegetarian, I’ve missed out on the fried fish tacos my whole life. Fried cauliflower sounds amazing. I’m weary of frying things, but I will have to try this as soon as I have a chance. I love the shredded cabbage and chives, too– great color, and the perfect California taco!
Thank you so much! I hope these tacos meet your expectations! Enjoy!
Mmm, this looks delicious!
Thank you so much, Ola!