Vegan Brussels Sprout Tacos

These vegan Brussels sprout tacos are simple but mighty. They're speedy enough to prepare for a flavorful weeknight meal and yet special enough to bust out for fancier affairs. Friends, meet the colorful tacos that do it all... 

As you might have guessed from recent recipes, we're having a pickled onion moment over here at the Melillo household.

Sloane is obsessed with pickled onions. Has been since she was about a year old. Gave her one expecting a silly face, and she frantically signed "more, more, more" with her precious little baby hands.

The rest is history.

For a while there, I was scooping them out of the Whole Foods salad bar by the bucketful. I quickly wised up and thought better of that nonsense...

Why in the world am I spending $7 on pickled onions at WF when I know darn well how to make them at home for little more than a dollar?? Why, Ashley? Why??????

I have no idea why. I blame it on our third move in less than a year and a handful of related stressors.

But hey, better late (to the homemade pickled onion game) than never.

Although it's not so much "late" as "slow return". Because this certainly isn't my first rodeo with homemade pickled onions.

Now that we've covered pickled onions, let's please talk about these tacos...

Here's the low down on the goodness that's tucked into these toasty tortillas:

Savory: Shredded, seasoned, and sautéed Brussels sprouts.

Spicy: Sriracha mayo/sauce.

Creamy: Diced avocado.

Tangy: Pickled onions.

Fresh: Cilantro.

Optional kick: Jalapeño slices.

The array of flavors nestled within these tacos was specially designed to hit your taste buds from every angle. It's a full on party for your mouth.

And they're the easiest things to make.

Quick note on planning ahead: You'll need to prepare the pickled onions at least four hours before you make the tacos. I find it's easiest to make them a day or two ahead of time so that I don't need to set a reminder to pickle the day of.

When you're ready to make the tacos, add a heap of shredded Brussels to a large sauté pan with a bit of olive oil, garlic, chili powder, and smoked paprika. (Helpful tip: Our grocery store sells pre-shredded Brussels sprouts—check to see if yours does, too.)

Sauté the shredded sprouts for about 5 to 10 minutes, or until they're cooked to your liking.

I prefer a bit of a bite left in mine, so I lean towards the lower end of that cooking time range. If you prefer very tender sprouts, you'll want to sauté for 8 to 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare the toppings.

For the Sriracha "sauce," you'll whisk together vegan mayo, Sriracha, and fresh lime juice. That's it. Hard to compete with the ease of that.

Pit, peel, and dice an avocado.

Wash and stem a handful of cilantro.

Warm your favorite tortillas in a skillet or over a direct flame on your stovetop. I prefer the latter method as it results in delightful little charred marks. Just be sure to keep the flame on low and don't walk away—no one needs a flaming tortilla.

Once the filling, toppings, and tortillas are ready, get assembling.

Fill each toasty tortilla with a generous mound of sautéed sprouts. Generously drizzle with Sriracha mayo, and top with pickled onions, avocado, and cilantro.

For a kick of heat, I like to add a few slices of fresh jalapeño to each taco, but this is totally optional.

I hope you enjoy this new recipe and that you're having a beautiful start to 2020. Sending love, light, and peace to you. 💖

If you make these vegan Brussels sprout tacos, let me know! Leave a comment, rate the recipe, and don’t forget to tag a photo #blissfulbasil on Instagram.

📖 Recipe

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5 from 1 vote

Vegan Brussels Sprout Tacos

These vegan Brussels sprout tacos are simple but mighty. They're speedy enough to prepare for a flavorful weeknight meal and yet special enough to bust out for fancier affairs. Friends, meet the tacos that do it all... 

Course Bigger Bites, Tacos

Keyword tacos, vegan

Prep Time 20 minutes

10 minutes

Servings 10 tacos

Author Ashley Melillo | Blissful Basil

Ingredients

Brussels Sprout Filling

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 20 ounces Brussels sprouts, shredded*
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
• Sea salt, to taste

Sriracha-Lime Mayo

• ½ cup vegan mayonnaise
• 1 to 2 tablespoons Sriracha, to taste
• ½ tablespoon fresh lime juice or to taste

Tacos + Toppings

• Pickled red onions**
• 8 to 12 small tortillas, warmed through in a skillet until soft and pliable
• 1 ripe avocado, pitted, peeled, and sliced or diced
• Fresh cilantro leaves
• 1 jalapeño pepper, stemmed and sliced (optional)

Instructions

To Prepare

• Prepare the pickled red onions* ahead of time. They need at least 4 hours to pickle but preferably overnight.
• For the Brussels Sprout Filling
• Once you've shredded the Brussels sprouts and minced the garlic, heat the olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat for just a minute.
• Add the shredded Brussels sprouts, garlic, chili powder, paprika, and a pinch or two of salt.
• Sauté for 5 to 10 minutes, or until softened to desired texture (I like a bit of bite left in mine), stirring every minute or two.
• Taste and add more sea salt, if desired.
• For the Sriracha-Lime Mayo
• Meanwhile, in a medium mixing bowl or jar, whisk together the mayo, Sriracha, and lime juice.
• Keep refrigerated until ready to serve.

For the Tacos + Toppings

• Meanwhile, prepare the tortillas, avocado, and cilantro.

To Assemble

• Spoon a bit of Brussels sprout filling into each tortilla.
• Generously drizzle sauce/mayo.
• Top with avocado, pickled onions, and cilantro.
• Serve immediately.

Notes

*Our grocery store carries pre-shredded Brussels sprouts. I recommend checking to see if yours does, too. It'll save you at least 10 minutes of shredding time! If you have to shred yourself, you can quicken the process by using a food processor fitted with the shredding blade.

**To make the pickled red onions: Fill one medium jar with thinly sliced red onion. Fill about two-thirds of the way full with white vinegar. Fill the remaining one-third with filtered water. Add a generous pinch of sea salt, secure lid, shake, and refrigerate for at least four hours but preferably overnight. Serve and refrigerate leftovers.