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Weeknight style Crispy Cauliflower Tinga Tacos with Honey Lime Avocado Crema. Cauliflower seasoned up with smoky chipotle peppers and enchilada sauce, then mixed with cheese, stuffed into tortillas, and oven-baked. Each tinga taco is crunchy on the outside, but spicy and cheesy inside. Serve with a creamy, salty honey-lime avocado crema sauce, and a mix of your favorite toppings. These come together easily and are so delicious. The perfect vegetarian twist on a classic taco that everyone loves!

overhead photo of Crispy Cauliflower Tinga Tacos with Honey Lime Avocado Crema

Ingredients

  • Extra virgin olive oil 
  • Large head cauliflower 
  • Yellow onion 
  • Chipotle peppers in adobo 
  • Dried oregano 
  • Kosher salt 
  • Red enchilada sauce
  • Corn tortillas 
  • Shredded pepper jack cheese 
  • Shredded cheddar cheese 
  • Large avocado
  • Fresh cilantro 
  • Honey 
  • Garlic 
  • Limes 

So, I’m sure I mentioned this, but brother Red has been in town since a little before Christmas. He’s here snowboarding until the end of the month. We almost never see Red since he’s constantly traveling, but because of COVID, his travel schedule is much mellower this year. It’s a huge bummer of course, but the silver lining is that we get to have him home for more than a few days at a time. Personally, I love having him around. He’s one of those kids that can always bring a smile to your face.

And let’s be honest, I’m a real sucker when he asks anything of me. But especially when it comes to the question, “what’s for dinner”? I cave-in and make him pretty much whatever he asks for.

Unlike my oldest brother, Creighton, Red actually enjoys a meat-free dinner. His all-time favorite…The Crispy Buffalo Cauliflower from the HBH Super Simple Cookbook. I’ve been making it on repeat.

But guys, while I love that recipe, I also love trying new things. Since Red is very, very into cauliflower right now, tacos seemed like a great idea.

Enter these crispy cauliflower tinga tacos…still cauliflower but presented in a whole new way.

prep photo of Crispy Cauliflower Tinga tacos being assembled

The inspiration…

I’ve actually had this recipe on my list for a while, so when I realized just how much Red has been loving cauliflower I thought I’d make these while he’s in town. I drew inspiration from my chicken tinga taquitos that I shared last year. We all LOVE that recipe so much. I want to see if I could make something vegetarian, but with those same flavors.

I also really, really wanted to do crispy taco shells, since the cauliflower itself is saucy, not crispy. So I grabbed my hard shell taco recipe from my family’s favorite classic taco. I put the two recipes together, then added the cauliflower tinga. Guys, they turned out even better than I had thought.

I wasn’t sure how the cauliflower would hold up to the tinga sauce, but in all honesty? Everyone said they enjoyed the cauliflower, more than any other meat.

prep photo of tacos before baking

Making these tacos is pretty easy, here are the steps.

Aside from these tacos being delicious, they really are so easy to make. I start with the cauliflower tinga. If you’re new to Chicken Tinga, it’s a Mexican dish consisting of shredded chicken in a tomato-based chipotle sauce with sliced onions. It’s actually very simple, but the flavors from the chipotle peppers are KEY, and what is most traditional with any Tinga dish.

Cook the cauliflower and onion together in a super hot skillet. You’ll want to get a char on the cauliflower, but leave it tender, not mushy. Once the cauliflower starts to char, add in chipotle peppers and enchilada sauce. I use enchilada sauce as the tomato base for my tInga sauce. Once the cauliflower simmers in the sauce for a bit, it’s ready. It shouldn’t take more than fifteen minutes, then you can assemble the tacos!

overhead photo of Honey Lime Avocado Crema

Now onto the crispy shells.

Instead of using store-bought taco shells, I like to take corn tortillas and stuff them with the cauliflower tinga and a sprinkling of cheese. I throw them in the oven to bake until the tortillas are crispy.

This method is my GO-TO. It’s become a staple in a lot of my taco recipes. I love the crispy oven “fried” shells. Nothing beats them!

overhead prep photo of Crispy Cauliflower Tinga Tacos with Honey Lime Avocado Crema

And finally, the crema.

While the shells bake, make the crema. I wanted something cooling and creamy to balance the heat from the chipotle sauce. So instead of using a classic cream-based crema, I went a little healthier and whipped my avocado in the food processor.

It is so creamy, and a touch of lime plus flaky sea salt makes it so delicious.

Serve up the cream with the crispy tacos and you’ll have the perfect dinner. This recipes is sure to be one of your new favorites.

If you wanted to take the toppings a step further, I would recommend a pineapple salsa or mango salsa. You all know me, I love a good fruity salsa. The perfect way to liven up an average Tuesday night at home.

Oh, and yes, Red LOVED these (so did the rest of the fam). So I’d say I’m really close to winning that sister of the year award this year. Cool, Cool! Your new go-to weeknight tacos!

overhead photo of half eaten Crispy Cauliflower Tinga Tacos

Looking for more simple, Mexican recipes? Here are a few favorites:

Slow Cooker Chipotle Chicken Tortilla Soup with Salty Lime Chips

Cauliflower Al Pastor Quesadillas with Lime Smashed Avocado

Mushroom Al Pastor Tacos with Garlic Lime Special Sauce

Healthier Homemade Crunchwrap Supreme

Lastly, if you make these, Crispy Cauliflower Tinga Tacos with Honey Lime Avocado Crema, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys on Instagram and Facebook and on the blog and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!

@halfbakedharvest

Spicy cauliflower 🌮 #chipotle #cauliflower #tacos #jalapeno #salsaverde #newrecipe #vegetarian #meatless #easydinner #vegetables

♬ The Good Part – AJR

Crispy Cauliflower Tinga Tacos with Honey Lime Avocado Crema

Author: Tieghan Gerard
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings: 4
Calories Per Serving: 503 kcal

Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.

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Watch the How-To Reel

Ingredients

Honey Lime Avocado Crema

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

  • 1. Preheat the oven to 425° F.
    2. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over high heat. When the oil shimmers, add the cauliflower and onion. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the cauliflower is charring, about 5 minutes. Add the chipotle peppers, enchilada sauce, oregano, salt, and 1/3 cup water. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer until the sauce has thickened slightly, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat.
    3. Warm the tortillas for 30 seconds to 1 minute in the microwave, until pliable. On a baking sheet, rub the tortillas with olive oil. Lay each flat and then layer evenly with cheese and cauliflower. Fold the other half of the tortilla over the filling, gently pushing to adhere (see above photo). Transfer to the oven and bake for 5-8 minutes, then flip and cook another 5 minutes more, or until the cheese has melted and the tortillas are crisp. 
    4. Meanwhile, make the Honey Lime Avocado Crema. Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth and creamy. Season with salt.
    5. Serve the tacos topped with avocado, lettuce, limes, and any other desired toppings.
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overhead horizontal photo of Crispy Cauliflower Tinga Tacos
This post was originally published on January 19, 2021
4.33 from 689 votes (555 ratings without comment)

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Comments

  3. 5 stars
    This is my new favorite website. 2 for 2 with the recipes, I’ve tried. Made this tonight and actually used Cauliflower tortillas too. Absolutely delicious.

    Reply

  4. 5 stars
    Super tasty! I added a little cumin and some southwest seasoning to the cauliflower, but otherwise perfect! A little time consuming and messy to make and eat, but time consuming and vegetarian seem to go hand in hand! Avocado Crema is a key element to its deliciousness!

    Reply

  6. 5 stars
    I am not exaggerating when i say this was one of the nicest veggie meals i have ever eaten. I made the corn wraps and the enchilada sauce in the morning and then the rest of the dish at tea time. The avocado crema is inspired, sooooo delish.Wil be recommending this and will make again in a few weeks.Thank you Tieghan

    Reply

  8. 5 stars
    Made these for the first time tonight and they were DELICIOUS!! I ate 3 of them! I couldn’t stop. My husband loved them, too! The flakey salt and the avocado lime sauce were the perfect addition to the tacos. I couldn’t believe I was eating cauliflower- there was so much flavor! And the crispy tortilla brought just the right amount of crunch. I’ll be making these over and over!

    Reply

  9. 4 stars
    HI! Long time cooker/lurker first time responder to this website. I have tried this recipe with both cauliflower (for the vegetarians) and shredded leftover chicken (for the omnivores). The flavors are great! easy to pull together and great bang for the buck as far as taste and effort. One caveat (and the reason it is not five stars)… I have tried this recipe with several types of corn tortillas, though admittedly not the exact brand she mentions from Whole Foods. The corn tortillas fall apart and are hard to work with. I LOVE this recipe with flour tortillas or the flour/corn blend tortillas. A family favorite! But just be aware that many brands of corn tortillas fall apart with this particular recipe.

    Reply

  10. 5 stars
    These were delicious! My only issue was getting the tortillas to stay closed while baking – I ended up using toothpicks to keep them together.

    Reply

  12. 5 stars
    I had a big head of cauliflower in the fridge so I thought why not try these as I liked the chicken tinga tacos quite a bit. I made them per your instructions exactly even bought frontera enchilada sauce as I was not impressed with some of the flavors of the other can sauces. The tacos were delicious! My husband will not eat cilantro so I left that out … I thought the avacado crema a little too limey for my taste so I added an extra avacado. I would have liked the tacos even crispier. Not sure if I just let bake a little longer? I’ve must buy your book as I just love a lot of your recipes!

    Reply

    1. Hey Mary,
      Thanks for making the recipe, I am so delighted that it was enjoyed! Yes, for a crispier taco you can bake longer. Have a great week:) xTieghan

      Reply

  15. 5 stars
    Easily the best thing I’ve eaten in 2021 so far (it’s the end of January)! My corn tortillas did not crisp up beautifully like in the photo so I ended up on frying them for a minute after taking them out of the oven. Overall delicious flavors and I’ll definitely be making it again!

    Reply