This recipe is inspired by my viral Golden Cauliflower Chickpea Salad, every time I post it to social media it goes viral without fail. So I thought I would take those flavours and turn it into a main meal that absolutely delivers on taste and nutrition. Not to mention these Cauliflower Lentil Tacos are so pretty as well! They are such a great combination of flavour and texture, you’re going to love them!
What You’ll Need
Here are all of the ingredients that you will need to make this easy recipe, along with any notes and possible ingredient substitutions. The ingredient quantities can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- one head cauliflower – cut the cauliflower into small florets and make sure you add all of those little bits of cauliflower to the tray because they end up nice and crispy!
- brown lentils – the lentils provide protein and fibre to this dish. You can swap them for another legume like black beans or chickpeas. I’ve used canned brown lentils
- spice mix – you will need ground turmeric, cumin seeds, garlic powder and sea salt flakes.
- extra virgin olive oil – I always recommend extra virgin olive oil as it is minimally processed and high in polyphenols and healthy fats.
- soft shell tortillas – you can use either flour tortillas or corn tortillas. If you are gluten intolerant then make sure you choose gluten-free.
- pickled red onions – I’ve used my quick pickled red onions recipe but you can also use store bought.
- avocado – seed removed, peeled and sliced.
Yoghurt sauce
This sauce is so quick and easy to make. Here’s what you’ll need:
- greek yoghurt – if you are dairy intolerant or vegan then you can use unsweetened natural coconut yoghurt.
- fresh cilantro – also known as coriander. If you don’t like coriander then swap for fresh parsley or mint.
- fresh lime juice – you need the juice of one lime. Lime can be swapped for lemon but lime juice is definitely better in this recipe!
- garlic clove – I use one garlic clove but if you really love garlic then you can add more.
- sea salt flakes – season well with sea salt flakes to taste.
Optional Extras
If you want to add some bite to these tacos then you can top with crispy chilli sauce, jalapeños or chilli flakes. Or add some chili powder to the spice mix for the cauliflower and lentils.
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How to Make Golden Cauliflower Lentil Tacos
Start by preheating the oven to 220°C/428°F (conventional). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
Add the cauliflower florets and drained and rinsed lentils to the baking tray. Sprinkle the spices over the cauliflower and lentils as well as sea salt and olive oil. Toss to coat the cauliflower and lentils evenly in the spice mix and oil. Season with cracked black pepper if desired. You might want to wear food safe gloves for this step to prevent from staining your hands yellow. Place the tray into the oven and bake for 35 minutes or until the cauliflower is fork tender and starting to crisp.
While the vegetables roast, make the sauce. Add the yoghurt, coriander (stems as well but not roots), lime juice, garlic and salt to a blender or food processor. I like to use a bullet blender for this job. Blend on high until the sauce is vibrant green and runny. Place in the fridge until the tacos are ready to assemble.
Place the tortillas onto a sheet of baking paper on top a sheet of aluminium foil. Fold the edges together to seal and then place into the oven when the veggies have 10 minutes to go. Alternatively, you can warm each tortilla individually on a frying pan over a medium heat with no oil added.
Remove the warm tortillas from the oven as well as the cauliflower and lentils. To assemble, lay a few slices of avocado onto a warm tortilla. Top with a few scoops of roasted cauliflower and lentils, some pickled red onions and a few spoonfuls of sauce.
Cauliflower Lentil Tacos
Equipment
- Sharp knife
- Chopping Board
- High Powered Blender
Ingredients
- 1 head cauliflower, cut into small florets
- 240 grams cooked brown lentils, from a 400 gram tin, drained and rinsed
- 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 teaspoon sea salt flakes
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Lime herb yoghurt
- handful coriander
- 1 lime, juiced
- 1 cup Greek yoghurt, or unsweetened, natural coconut yoghurt
- 1 clove garlic, peeled
To serve
- 8 tortillas
- Quick pickled red onions
- crispy chilli sauce
- 2 avocado, peeled and sliced
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 220°C/428°F (conventional). Line a large baking tray with parchment paper and set aside.
- Add the cauliflower florets to the tray along with the drained lentils. Scatter the ground turmeric, cumin seeds, salt and garlic powder over the lentils and cauliflower. Drizzle with the olive oil and then toss to coat all of the cauliflower and lentils with the spices. Spread out into a single layer and place into the oven to bake for 35 minutes or until golden brown and starting to crisp on the outside. Remove from the oven and set aside.
- To make the lime herb yoghurt sauce, add the coriander, lime juice, yoghurt, garlic and a good pinch of sea salt flakes to a bullet blender or other high-powered blender. Place the lid on and blend until smooth and creamy. Taste and season with more salt as desired.
- To warm the tortillas, either place onto a plate and microwave for 1 minute, wrap in baking paper and foil and place into the oven for 10 minutes, or heat each one individually in a dry frying pan on a medium heat.
- To assemble, take a tortilla and top with avocado and a scoop of the cauliflower and lentils. Top with herb yoghurt, chilli sauce (if using), quick pickled red onions and extra coriander. Serve warm.
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