Crunchy buffalo cauliflower is the star of these decadent cauliflower tacos topped with avocado, cilantro, and velvety garlic cashew crema!
Servings 4servings (2 tacos = 1 serving)
Author Becky Striepe
Ingredients
For the cauliflower
4cupscauliflower floretsEach one should be approx. the size of two baby carrots, if you put the baby carrots side-by-side.
1cuppanko breadcrumbs mixed with 1 teaspoon sea saltI would not use regular salt here. Sea salt grains are bigger, and they add a little extra crunch to the breading.
¼cupmelted vegan butter¼ cup after melting
¼cupvegan Buffalo sauceCheck the ingredients for butter. I used Frank's Red Hot
For the garlic cashew crema
1cupcashewssoaked in hot water for 10-15 minutes, then drained (see note)
Melt the vegan butter in a mug in the microwave, then whisk in the buffalo sauce.
Holding by the stem, dip each floret in the butter/buffalo sauce mixture, getting most of the floret coated in sauce. It's fine if a bit of the stem doesn't get saucy. Hold the floret over the mug until it pretty much stops dripping. A few drips are OK, but if it's raining sauce, your panko is going to get clumpy and stop sticking as well.
To Air Fry: Dredge the dipped floret in the panko/salt mixture, coating as much as you like, then place in the air fryer. No need to worry about a single layer. Just place it in there. Air fry at 350° F (do not preheat) for 14-17 minutes, shaking gently a few times (see note), and checking their progress when you shake. Your cauliflower is done when the florets are a little bit browned.
To Bake: Dredge the dipped floret in the panko/salt mixture, coating as much as you like. Arrange the coated florets in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake at 375° F for 30-35 minutes, until the coating browns slightly.
Make the cashew crema
Combine all of the cashew crema ingredients in your blender, and puree until smooth. If you have to blend for more than 1 minute to get a totally smooth mix, be sure to give your blender's motor a minute or two to rest before blending more. Don't stop blending until you have a completely smooth cashew crema, and don't give up! Just keep on blending, scraping down the sides of the blender as needed, until you achieve the creamy texture you're going for.
Season to taste with the salt and pepper.
Assemble the tacos
Divide the cauliflower and avocado between your 8 tortillas, then drizzle a tablespoon or two of cashew crema onto each one. Top each taco with a tablespoon of chopped cilantro. Serve with the lime wedges on the side.
Video
Notes
About the cashews: I've discovered that you don't really need raw cashews to get a smooth cashew crema, so if you can't find raw, roasted is fine. Soak raw cashews for 10 minutes or soak roasted ones for 15 minutes. If you are not using a high speed blender, add 5 more minutes to the soaking time.About the recipe time: The cook time assumes that you're using the air fryer and buying pre-cut cauliflower. For a whole head of cauliflower, add 5-10 minutes to the prep time. If you are making these in the oven, the cook time will go up to 30 minutes, for a total recipe time of 40 minutes.