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!
Made it and it was delicious
Great to hear, Warren!
I made these for the second time last night and they were again a big hit with the vegan, meat-lover, and picky teens in my family. Amazing flavor in every bite!
I wish there were more than 5 stars I could give!!!! My husband is a meat-aholic, not thrilled when I decided last week that we were going to start a meatless night once a week. He stated ” Honey, stop looking I could eat this every day!” Crazy good, the flavors are layered and complex. A real gourmet bite that absolutely took me by surprise. I am sending this recipe to every “Veggie” I know.
I wish there were too! Thanks for sharing how much you loved these tacos, Kim. :)
So delicious. I am addicted.
These are pretty addicting! Thanks for sharing, Amy.
Made it just like it was written, turned out fantastic.
Thank you for the recipe :)
You’re welcome!
This recipe is AMAZING!
Here are some things I did to change it up a bit-
Added a packet of taco seasoning mix to the lentils to make them taste a little more “taco-y” and I used an individual sized Chobani Greek yogurt instead of mayo for the sauce.
They were a Hit! Thank you for sharing !
Wow! Absolutely amazing – I’ve come to expect nothing less from you, but this one was stunning. This will definitely go into our weeknight rotation. Delicious and easy – what more could you want?
I’m glad you loved it, Megan! Thank you for your review.
Loved this eclipse. Easy and delicious. I added garlic, crushed red pepper, and cumin when roasting the cauliflower. I subbed Greek yogurt for the Mayo in the sauce.
Made exactly as written, absolutely delicious, thank you!!
Will definitely make again. I like cauliflower and lentils just fine but was not prepared for the amazing texture the two make together, combined with the flavors from the sauce and spices. If you’re skeptical, just try it! I had to post a comment just to add my support!
This is honestly one of the best things I’ve ever made. SO DARN GOOD. And simple too! It’s in my monthly rotation, and I look forward to every time I get to make these. I made it in an instant pot and cook on high pressure for 20 minutes.
However, I really recommend soaking lentils overnight to prevent gas/bloating.
This is one of my favorite recipes!! I made these tonight and they even had my 2 year old excited about dinner.
OMG!! My son was visiting from ATlanta and wanted to try more beans in his diet so I found this recipe on line and made it for him! We both loved it!! The lentils were fabulous – I make these all the time and use them in salads, on top of chicken! Love your recipes, but this was just fantastic!!
I’m not that big of a fan of either lentils or cauliflower, but somehow the combination is delicious! The chipotle sauce kind of makes it all happen.
Oh my Lord! so good!!! I cut the recipe down since just me and my son were eating tonight. I wasn’t real particular about the amounts of ingredients. still turned out Amazing! will make again.
I can’t even tell you how many times I’ve made these tacos because they are AMAZINGGGG!!!! Great vegetarian meal.
I just use the cholula Chipotle hot sauce for the sauce. I use canned lentils and only about 3/4 to 1 cup of water and it cooks up very quickly instead of cooking from dry. Also if you’re looking to cut some fat from the mayo, try using non fat Greek yogurt or even doing half mayo half yogurt.
Love this go to recipe!!!!
Not enough stars for these tacos! So delicious I cannot believe it!!
Thank you, Karen! I’m glad you loved them.
So good we’re making them again tonight and doubling the recipe.
Was blown away by how good these were. Will be put Into our rotation! Added pickled radishes on top for an extra zing
This has been a go-to recipe for me for at least a year now – it’s excellent! My boyfriend who is not vegetarian at all gets excited every time I I decide to make them.
We wanted a meat free dinner and thought this looked good (good enough to tempt my partner!). It was absolutely gorgeous! We added sweetcorn to the tortilla and a cucumber radish salad. The best non meat dish we’ve ever had, just love it and will come back to it over and over. Thanks!
One Aussie family trying to eat more vegetarian meals. Something as tasty and easy as this make it a wonderful experience. Yummo, as my ten year old said last night!
So delicious, easy and healthy! The only downside was that there were no leftovers for tomorrow. I will definitely add this recipe to my cooking repertoire. Yum!
Perfect recipe for lentil tacos. If I don’t have the cauliflower no biggie I just make as is and still yummy!
Made the lentils in the Instant Pot (sautéed first then at high pressure for 6 minutes NR) and cauliflower in the air fryer (12 minutes at 390°) so it was ready way faster! I was pleasantly surprised at the meaty taste of the lentils. I didn’t try making the sauce but I will definitely make it again with it!
I was looking for some more meat-free recipes to add to my weekly rotation. When I found this one and read the comments – I was a little confused. How could lentils and cauliflower be so good? Why were people so obsessed? After making it – I was floored. This recipe is delicious!! I will be making this every week!!
I’m glad you love them too! It’s really good. I appreciate you taking the time to review.
Silly question — but this uses dried lentils? (Not canned, right?)
Hey Kate! Yes, dried lentils. :)
I made this last night for the first time and it was delicous. I am hooked!!!
SO SO SO GOOD. and easy to make!! Love this recipe
Great recipe!
I actually DID make the chipotle sauce with Greek yogurt, and it was perfect. You just have to whisk a little olive oil into it, to mimic the mouth feel of mayonnaise (which I stopped buying YEARS ago! Everything I used to make with mayo I use Greek yogurt. I have NOT found anything that it doesn’t work for! Debate me!) Thanks for the recipe.
SO good! I didn’t have the ingredients for the chipotle sauce so I made it the lentils and cauliflower and added taco sauce and avocado and it was so good! So happy to have leftovers to enjoy tomorrow.
My first time making one of your recipes and it was delicious. Simple yet some great flavors from the lentils and the chipotle sauce. Really nice presentation as well. My wife and guests were raving about it all night! Thank you.
Honestly, I was a little skeptical when I made these. I liked the idea of a vegan taco, but I just didn’t see how cauliflower and lentil could be great together. Still, we had some lentils that needed using, so I figured eh, what the heck. Oh. My. God. These were so good! They were a little like having a vegan fish taco. Great texture and flavor. My partner took one bite after saying they weren’t really hungry and then proceeded to eat two huge tacos while taking breaks between bites to rave about them. Thank you for this excellent recipe.
These are FANTASTIC! My husband was skeptical but LOVED them! Simple. Delicious. Perfect!
These were INCREDIBLE! I only made the lentils and sauce, not the cauliflower. I did not have tomato paste, so I substituted ketchup. For the sauce I used 1/3 cup vegan mayo, 1 tablespoon lime juice and 1 tablespoon sriracha. Next time, I will use 1/2 tablespoon sriracha since it was a little too spicy. But wow…I still could not stop sampling the sauce while I cooked the lentils! I will also be trying these with tomato paste! This will be on our weekly rotation from now on. I am a LOVER of beef tacos and was surprised to hear myself say I never want another beef taco again, just these lentil ones! I put them on corn tortillas with just the sauce and lettuce. THANK YOU!!
Second time I have made these, and they are so delicious! I wouldn’t change a thing. I’m always looking for interesting vegetarian meals and this one fits the bill and then some! Thank you!
Can you sub out red lentils for brown?
Hi Lauren! You can use different lentils. I would suggest you looking at my how to cook lentils post if you adjust the lentils.
Thanks! Turns out I had brown after all. Delicious!
I love these tacos so much. A sucker for anything that involves roasted cauliflower, I was curious about how it would pair with the lentil filling. The answer is that they are the perfect pairing. We make a vegan version of the mayo using coconut milk, so it’s probably a little higher fat than the original. No regrets. It’s a truly perfect recipe: on the upward end of the healthy scale, crunchy, chewy, savory, spicy, dense, velvety…. delicious.
Can I sub the brown lentils with green or red? Making these tonight!!
Hi! I would suggest green over red as red tend to be more delicate. I hope you love them!
Thanks!! I ended up using red since I only had a tiny amount of green. They are amazing and I will make again!! Loves so much! I will Be stocking up on all colors to be prepared. The chipotle sauce was amazing!!!!
These are sooo good, would not change a thing! Thank you!
This dish is out of this world yummy and is so easy to make! Definitely one we will be having often! Thank you for this recipe!
Tried it tonight as my wife wanted to try some vegitarian options for dinner. This was really good. I o my used half the onions and added some guacamole and pico. Will definantly make again
This recipe is amazing! Well done! I’ve made it twice now with no changes to the lentil part of the recipe. The 1st time I made the recipe I decided to make lettuce wraps and taco wraps. WOW!! The lettuce wraps are my preferred way of eating the tacos. The 2nd time I made this I just cut up a bunch of lettuce, put the lentil mix, cauliflower, hot sauce with some spouts on top. YUM! Quick and yummy!
Does anyone have any side dish recommendations? (Preferably able to be made dairy free) I am probably going to make these tacos on Saturday (if not then I definitely will sometime soon) and I am looking for a side dish that works well with this, so any recommendations would be greatly appreciated!
Hi Amy! You could serve this with my Cilantro Lime Brown Rice or Mexican Brown Rice. Or another simple salad with The Best Guacamole
My husband and I’s favorite vegetarian taco-Tuesday dish ❤️
I make these all the time – so easy, so good! I typically sub a store bought sauce for convenience, and use hard taco shells since my kids prefer the crunch. Any recipe that can make a 4 and 5 year old ask for more cauliflower is a win in my book – thank you!
You’re welcome, Judy! Thank you for sharing. Excited it was such a hit.
Amazing, didnt do the sauce but the tacos were delish!
Great recipe. My wife suggested adding mushrooms next time, I think that’s a great idea and this recipe is worth making again!
My son just recently gave up meat, so I have been searching for vegetarian main dishes and came across this one. This was absolutely delicious!! My two kids and I all agree that these are better than tacos with meat!! So flavorful!!
Happy this one was a hit, Robin! Thank you for your review.
A must try!! This recipe is so satisfying and full of flavor, it will definitely become a weekly staple for me. Just came across your website today and I’m so excited to try more recipes, they all sound so delicious and healthy! Thank you for sharing :)
You’re welcome! This is a delicious recipe to have on rotation.
When I was looking at the ingredients for this recipe, I hadn’t been expecting much because they looked very simple. Glad I still gave it a try because it turned out so delicious! Has to be one of my favourites and I’ll have to make it again many times in the future. Thanks for sharing this Kate!
I’m glad you tried it too, Audrey! Thank you for your comment.
This was divine and will definitely be going on our regular meal rotation, thank you for this amazing recipe. We ate as a taco bowl without the tortilla for a lower carb option, and added avocado. I did not have adobo or lime juice, but I substituted vegan mayo combined with lemon juice, sriracha, smoked paprika, cumin, liquid smoke and some apple cider vinegar and this worked well with the recipe. The lentils took a lot longer to cook than the recipe and used around 50% more liquid so I will probably leave the lid on next time for most of the cooking time and just evaporate at the end.
These were amazing. I served mine on flour tortillas. Definitely making on repeat. I could eat just a pan of the cauliflower.