Roasted Cauliflower and Lentil Tacos with Creamy Chipotle Sauce
You're going to love this vegetarian lentil tacos recipe. Roasted cauliflower, seasoned lentils and creamy chipotle sauce combine to make a delicious taco!
Updated by Kathryne Taylor on September 5, 2024
Pop quiz! What is a “pulse,” in food terms? Pulses are the edible seeds of legumes, including lentils, chickpeas, dry peas and beans. I’ve been a big fan of pulses ever since I stopped eating meat. All of a sudden, I was craving them and cooking them all the time.
I shouldn’t have been surprised. Pulses are packed with protein, fiber and iron. Did you know that one half-cup serving of cooked lentils has twice as many antioxidants as blueberries and twice as much protein as quinoa? Plus, they’re inexpensive and an important drought-resistant crop to many people around the globe. They’re definitely a crave-worthy food, whether you’re a meat eater or not.
I’m writing about pulses today because each year, the United Nations picks a topic of global interest. They named 2016 to be International Year of Pulses because of their significant health, economic and environmental benefits. Gearing up for 2016, the UN asked each country to submit one pulse recipe to represent their country. The USA Dry Pea and Lentil Council reached out to me to develop a recipe to be in the running. How cool is that?!
They are running a Facebook competition to pick the winner. With your help, my recipe could be selected as the National Signature Pulse Recipe for the U.S.! You can help me out by going to the USADPLC Facebook page, and voting for mine by Liking the photo. Please do! You’d make this food geek really happy. (Update: Voting is over, and this recipe won! Thank you tremendously for your support!)
Watch How to Make Roasted Cauliflower and Lentil Tacos
We’ll talk about these tacos when you get back. They’re a little out there, I know. I discovered that golden, roasted cauliflower makes a great taco filling when I was in Austin. It’s a little crispy, a little chewy and totally perfect.
I cooked up some lentils that are seasoned with onions, garlic, tomato paste, cumin and chili powder. Top all that off with a drizzle of spicy, creamy chipotle sauce and some fresh cilantro, and you have one tasty taco. Not to mention, affordable and good for you, too!
Please let me know how these lentil tacos turn out for you in the comments! Looking for more fun taco recipes? I’ve got you covered right here.
Roasted Cauliflower and Lentil Tacos with Creamy Chipotle Sauce
You’re going to love this vegetarian lentil tacos recipe. Roasted cauliflower, seasoned lentils and creamy chipotle sauce combine to make a delicious taco! Recipe yields 8 modestly portioned tacos.
Ingredients
Cauliflower
- 1 large head of cauliflower, sliced into bite-sized florets
- 2 to 3 tablespoons olive oil
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Seasoned lentils
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 cup chopped yellow or white onion
- 2 large garlic cloves, pressed or minced
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- ¾ cup brown lentils, picked over for debris and rinsed
- 2 cups vegetable broth or water
Chipotle sauce
- ⅓ cup mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- 2 to 3 tablespoons adobo sauce (from a can of chipotle peppers) or chipotle hot sauce to taste
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Everything else
- 8 small, round corn tortillas
- ½ cup packed fresh cilantro leaves*
Instructions
- To roast the cauliflower: Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Toss cauliflower florets with enough olive oil to cover them in a light, even layer of oil. Season with salt and pepper and arrange the florets in a single layer on a large, rimmed baking sheet. Roast for 30 to 35 minutes, tossing halfway, until the florets are deeply golden on the edges.
- Warm the olive oil in a medium-sized pot over medium heat. Sauté the onion and garlic with a dash of salt for about 5 minutes, until the onions are softened and turning translucent. Add the tomato paste, cumin and chili powder and sauté for another minute, stirring constantly. Add the lentils and the vegetable broth or water. Raise heat and bring the mixture to a gentle simmer. Cook, uncovered, for 20 minutes to 45 minutes, until the lentils are tender and cooked through. Reduce heat as necessary to maintain a gentle simmer, and add more broth or water if the liquid evaporates before the lentils are done. Once the lentils are done cooking, drain off any excess liquid, then cover and set aside.
- To prepare the chipotle sauce, just whisk together the ingredients and set aside (if you have no choice but to use whole chipotle peppers from the can, use a blender to purée it all).
- Warm tortillas individually in a pan over medium heat. Stack the warm tortillas and cover them with a tea towel if you won’t be serving the tacos immediately.
- Once all of your components are ready, you can assemble your tacos! Top each tortilla with the lentil mixture, cauliflower, a drizzle of chipotle sauce and a generous sprinkle of chopped cilantro.
Notes
Make it vegan/dairy free/mayo free: Substitute vegan mayonnaise or, better yet, check out A Couple Cooks’ tahini chipotle sauce! (For what it’s worth, I tried making this sauce with yogurt and it really missed the mark. Mayo is much better.)
Make it gluten free: Be sure to use 100% corn, certified gluten-free tortillas.
Chipotle sauce tip: If you have leftover sauce and peppers, pour the leftovers into a small freezer bag, then squeeze the air out of the bag and flatten out the bag. Store it in the freezer, flat, and you can just pull off as much as you need and defrost it!
*Cilantro note: For those who dislike cilantro, substitute some fresh spring greens instead.
If you love this recipe: Check out my other taco recipes and lentil recipes!
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice. See our full nutrition disclosure here.
This recipe was created for USDAPLC as part of their National Signature Recipe Contest and I was compensated for my participation. Opinions are my own, always. Thank you for supporting the sponsors who support C+K!
Loved this recipe! New to cooking and this was not too difficult at all. I had a little bit of the lentils and sauce left but no cauliflower so we put the sauce on the lentils and used it as dip with tortilla chips. Really good!
Thank you for sharing, John!
These tacos were just the best! Thank you for sharing!!!
You’re welcome, Bob! Thank you for your review.
This is one of my favorite dishes now. I try to make it every other week because we eat it 3 days in a row. My husband was not thrilled initially with the idea of lentils but now he adores them. We are cutting back our meat consumption and this has helped a lot. So tasty, you don’t even miss the meat.
I’m glad this one won him over for lentils! Thank you for sharing, Lynn.
I made this and it was absolutely delicious. Instead of the coriander I made my friends famous salsa which has tomato, onion, chili and coriander (which was great but not needed given the original is perfect on its own) and this was one of the best meals ever. My entire family loved it. We are working on being vegetarian for most of the week and this will be part of our menu plan moving forward! We also had soft and hard tacos. Thank you son much. Loved it loved it loved it!
Hi Kate from Australia. I made your roast cauliflower and lentil tacos with chiplota sauce. It was very yum. My husband went in for 3 servings. I added rocket and baby spinach salad instead of coriander. Also added some good cheese and was able to get a chipotle cream sauce from the supermarket already made. Would make a bit more lentil mixture next time though as could have easily had seconds. Great to use cauliflower differently. Thank you. Bev Sturgiss.
Thank you for sharing, Bev!
Using adobo for the first time. Do you just throw away the peppers?
Hi Dena! You can save them for a different recipe.
We are vacationing in the north Lake Tahoe area. A bunch of my young adult son’s friends were suddenly invited to dinner after skiing. The crowd included a mixture of carnivores, vegetarians, and pescatarians. This recipe for lentil and cauliflower tacos was served along with turkey tacos, with an assortment of adds like avocado, cheese, tomatoes. I doubled the lentils just in case, but am left with more turkey than lentils at the end of the night. The cauliflower vanished. I’m looking forward to using the leftover lentils in other dishes this week. The chipotle mayo lime sauce was also a hit. Thank you for making our impromptu get together so easy and tasty!
I’m excited this one fit for everyone, Sandy! I appreciate your comment and review.
These were SO good! I’d say the lentils were my favourite part but together all of the components were great. Thanks for another great recipe, Kate.
You’re welcome, Hayley! I’m happy you loved them.
This was super tasty and delicious, Ill be making it again.
My husband is very picky and he just loved it.
Its a great Vegan dish and easy to make.
I love that! Thanks for sharing, Julie.
This so good. I gave made multiple times. Love it
Wonderful to hear, Angie!
I just made these – as an Australian newly arrived in Texas, I’m embracing all the local flavours and chipotle is quickly becoming a favourite. The slightly charred edges of the cauliflower also add deliciousness. Easy recipe, very tasty, quite filling and there’s leftover lentils to have on toast for lunch tomorrow. Will definitely make this again and again! I’m quickly discovering that everything tastes good in a taco :-)
Chipotle is pretty delicious, Trish. Thanks for sharing!
Hello Kate! I made this tonight and it was absolutely delish!! I used Greek yogurt instead of mayo and added some crumbled feta. I was surprised how delicious the lentils were; what a difference that caramelized tomato paste makes! Yum. Thank you for yet another winner.
I’ve gone vegetarian for a month and don’t really know what to do. These were wonderful. The cauliflower ended up a bit charred but were still delicious. Thanks for the ideas!
I’m happy you enjoyed this recipe, Caitin!
The lentil and cauliflower together in these tacos are such a good combo!! Yum!
I am looking to change my lifestyle and eat healthier. This recipe is definitely going in my box. I had my doubts about it at first but they are absolutely delicious. Thank you so much.
I’m a new vegetarian and these were knockout! I always seem to screw up vegetables and make them mushy, but the cauli turned out crispy (magically) and the lentils added a good hearty texture.
I needed to use up some cauliflower, cilantro and corn tortillas, and came across this recipe. I was a little wary at how it would turn out, as I realized I was out of tomato paste or even sauce, so had to improvise by reducing some canned tomatoes, and my immersion blender. Other than than, I followed the recipe, and it turned out completely amazing! All of the flavors- the lentils, roasted cauliflower, cilantro, corn tortillas and sauce just complemented each other. Even my skeptical husband (“But tacos are supposed to have cheese, sour cream and salsa!”) ate 3 of them, remarking, “Okay, they’re really good!”, and proceeded to eat 2 more. So delicious! I will definitely make these again! Thank you, Kate!
These were absolutely amazing. My 3 year old grandson ate his and my 1 yr old grandson couldn’t get enough of the lentils and cauliflower. I did grill the cauliflower and our camp chef smoker so that added some nice flavor as well. The sauce was delicious and really added some nice flavor.
Oooo SO yumm!! Thank you for the super simple fuss free wholesome dinner idea!!!
Made this the other night! It’s so easy and yummy. I recently became vegetarian and have been looking for yummy recipes that won’t make me miss meat. I’d say this did the trick! The lentil mixture alone is really good! The cumin really makes this recipe, and just as good as ground beef tacos (in my opinion, and I had previously been a huge meat eater!). I also LOVE roasted cauliflower and this plus the lentils and cilantro is a triple yummy combo! I tasted the sauce alone (not on the cauliflower and lentil mixture) and I admit I’m not a fan of it though I have yet to try it together with the other components. However I still love this and will definitely make it again for sure! I appreciate how easy it was to make and so tasty! Thank you for such an awesome recipe!!
Absolutely fantastic recipe, my meat eating husband was so impressed, not an easy task. Thank you!! We will be making this for guests!
These tacos were so delicious!! My meat eaters loved them too. I used ready to cook, flour street tortillas by Tortilla Land and dded a spoonful of Alexia Mexican Street corn to each. These are going to be a new staple in our house. I can’t wait to try your other taco recipes. Thanks very much!
My friend introduced me to this recipe a few weeks ago at a girls dinner, and I’ve already made it twice at home since (I meal prep 6 dinners a week, so I’ve only had 2 opportunities to make something else for dinner, and you’re tacos are 2 for 2). Really tasty, thanks Kate!
Kate, these are the absolute best tacos! My husband and I have made them several times and we’re still in awe of how delicious they are each time. The leftovers don’t last long. :) Thank you for such an awesome recipe!
Do you think I use green lentils instead of brown?
Hi! Yes, you can. Just be sure to cook them more to these directions in my lentil post for doneness, but follow the other ingredients/directions for this recipe. Does that help? https://capital-fly.pro/perfect-lentils-recipe/%3C/a%3E%3C/p%3E
Yes trying it today! Will let you know how it turns out :) loving all of your recipes right now ❤️
Hi Kate,
Thank you for sharing this recipe – we have made it twice now and it is truly fabulous!
Looking forward to making more of your creations,
Rebecca
I’ve already commented, but this recipe is worth a 2nd note. I’ve made these over 6 times in the past 2 months and they’ve become one of my top 5 recipes of all time. Everything seems like it shouldn’t work – cauliflower, lentils & mayo? – yet it goes SOO well together. I make this recipe for just myself and have no problems eating it 3 days in a row!
I love it, Hayley! :)
These were really tasty! I used canned lentils because I didn’t have any dried ones (this made the recipe pretty quick) and for the sauce, I used sour cream instead of mayo and chipotle chile powder instead of chipotle sauce.
I love it! I’m glad you could use what you had on hand, Hannah.
I made these last night and they were SO delicious. Followed the recipe, except did use yogurt (with a little mayo) for the sauce- came out great. All your recipes are a hit!
Delicious! I’ve been trying to cook more healthy, meatless, and diverse food for my family. It’s tough because there’s a lot of vegetables people don’t like. Nobody in my family loves cauliflower OR lentils, but the flavors were so good everyone loved the dish! Filling and very tasty, I grilled the cauliflower with some chipotle seasoning for extra flavor and I think it was even better than roasted.
Easy and delicious
Hi there! We love your recipes, especially this one! We have been making this recipe so many times and we love it! We make it at least every other week. I haven’t been able to get lentils the last few times I’ve went to the store… Have you (or any other reader) made this recipe with red split lentils? That’s all I have left right now… Any feedback is appreciated! Thank so much, Anja
Hi Anja! Glad to hear it, thank you! I haven’t tried this recipe with red lentils, but I think you could make it work. Red lentils cook up much, much faster, so you’ll need to decrease the cooking time accordingly (here’s my guide to cooking lentils, which provides more guidance on timing). You’ll probably pour off more liquid than usual, but that should be ok. Hope it works well for you!
Thanks for your reply! I will give it a try with the red lentils!
Does this keep in the freezer?
Hi Amy! I don’t think this one would be a great one to freeze, sorry!
Super pleased with this recipe! It was delicious, and will definitely be making again. I substituted the chipotle mayo by instead mixing vegan mayo with Tapitio and lemon (since that’s what I had on hand)- which was great! Thanks for sharing :)
This was outstanding! My spice resistant husband added some sour cream as a topping, which helped him, but otherwise this couldn’t have been better!
Super tasty! I added some quinoa in the mix to male it more protein packed. Turned put fabulous, from the cauliflower, the lentils, to the sauce. And pretty easy to follow, straight forward recipe. Definitely would make again.
One of the best precies we have made this quarantaine periode! Great food and even my 2 year old likes the less spicy version. Thanks
question: do you think I could make this with red lentils?
I haven’t tried this recipe with red lentils, but I think you could make it work. Red lentils cook up much, much faster, so you’ll need to decrease the cooking time accordingly (here’s my guide to cooking lentils, which provides more guidance on timing). You’ll probably pour off more liquid than usual, but that should be ok. Hope it works well for you!
This is such a yummy, filling veggie packed meal! I’ve made this probably ten times already and my hubby loves it, too. I like to roast some potatoes along with the cauliflower to give the taco even more oomph! Only downside is this recipe is a bit time consuming, but worth it!
Heads up, A Foodie Stays Fit is pirating your recipe without crediting you.
LOVE this recipe. So yummy!!
Hey Danielle! Thanks so much for looking out for me. Happy to hear that you love these tacos!
Kate! These are seriously the best EVER! Top 5 of your recipes for sure (and I’ve cooked a lot of them :). I followed the recipe and these came out perfection and they’re good the next day reheated as leftovers. They would even be good without the tortilla as a bowl. I love these so much and my meat eating husband loved them as well.
I love this recipe! Did not change a thing. Have even served these for company
Loved this! Made it only 4 nights ago and having it again as my teenage daughters loved it. I didn’t have any chilli powder so made my own with cayenne pepper, onion powder, cumin, dried oregano and garlic powder and it was lovely. Added red cabbage as a base and avocado on top and doubled the recipe for the 4 of us and even with the auditions and doubled quantities there was still none left! Might add another serve an triple it this time as it was such a hit! Couldn’t get the adobe chill things here in Australia as not a common ingredient so made a buttermilk, mayonnaise, lime and a little bit of chilli powder and it was a nice dressing on top too.
Absolutely adore C+K’s recipes and this is no exception. My boyfriend I have been cooking a lot recently (what else is there to do in the current climate!?) and we both agreed this was our favourite dinner for as long as we could remember. Super delicious!
Wonderful, Katie! Thank you for sharing..
Oh Kate. Thank you. I know I’ve made this at least once before but I forgot just how good it was. I had this planned for dinner tonight and was thinking of it as one of those kinda unexciting filler weeknight meals (I honestly think I got it mixed up in my brain with a similar lentil taco recipe that was just so so), and wow it was just so delicious and exceeded my expectations! I don’t give five star reviews unless I really feel like a recipe really is a wow, amazing recipe. This is a true five star recipe imo! I added avocado, red cabbage and sweet pickled onions and the resulting overall flavor and texture was to die for. Thanks again!!
OMG. These were SO good! My husband and I loved them and will make them again soon. Thanks for the recipe!
Hi Kate!
Just made this recipe and it was phenomenal! Very satisfying and flavorful with minimum ingredients. Thank you for sharing a wonderful recipe and I’m glad you won the contest.
You’re welcome! Thanks for sharing, Tina.
Kate, I made these for dinner tonight and they were delicious! My husband is NOT a cauliflower fan, but he is a good sport, so he agreed to try one taco. He loved them too! We agreed the tacos were very satisfying to both our taste buds and our appetites. The flavors all went together so perfectly. Thank you!
The lentils + cauliflowers makes for an awesome taco combination…our whole family was surprised by their deliciousness. I’m making them again tonight for Taco Tuesday. Thanks Kate (and Cookie) for another great one!
I cant wait to try this tonight