Vegan Crispy Cauliflower Tacos with Cashew Mozzarella

These vegan crispy cauliflower tacos with cashew mozzarella are a variation of this beloved recipe. Oven-baked crispy cauliflower is folded into warm tortillas along with spoonfuls of gooey cashew mozzarella, crunchy cabbage, and fresh cilantro. A spritz of fresh lime juice sends these vegan summer tacos over the edge. 

This post is sponsored by Silk. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

If you've been following along here for a good chunk of time, then you might be familiar with this taco recipe I shared nearly three years ago. The recipe quickly claimed a spot amid the top 10 on the site and it's remained there to this very day. I've made those tacos more times than I can count, and they're always a crowd-pleaser (whether the crowd is full of veg-heads or meat lovers).

It's incredibly versatile and easy, too, so I decided to come up with a remixed version that boasted similar mass-appeal with a fresh array of flavors.

Whereas the original tacos were dressed with tangy cabbage slaw and avocado cream, this new version is decked out with gooey vegan cashew mozzarella and crunchy cabbage. The result is just as flavorful as the original and perhaps even a bit more satisfying.

To make these vegan crispy cauliflower tacos with cashew mozzarella, you'll start by preparing the cauliflower.

Add rolled oats to a food processor and pulse or process until they're ground into a coarse meal that resembles panko bread crumbs.

Then, add chopped cilantro, chili powder, smoked paprika, ground cumin, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, and sea salt and pulse to incorporate.

Transfer the oat crumb mixture to a medium shallow bowl and the cauliflower to another.

In a third bowl, whisk together Silk Unsweetened Original Almondmilk, brown rice flour, and fresh lime juice to create a batter.

Line up the three bowls, creating a little assembly line, and place a prepared baking pan at the end.

Add a few pieces of cauliflower to the batter, toss to coat, and use a slotted spoon to transfer them to the oat crumb mixture, shaking off any excess batter as you go.

Toss the cauliflower florets in the oat crumbs, and transfer to the lined baking pan. Repeat until all of the cauliflower is coated.

Bake the coated cauliflower for 25 to 30 minutes, or until crisp and golden brown.

While the cauliflower bakes, begin to prepare the other taco elements.

Warm the tortillas, chop the cabbage, trim the cilantro, and slice the limes.

Once the cauliflower florets are nearing the end of their baking time, make the cashew mozzarella. This quick homemade cashew mozzarella is a go-to in our house, and it's also a blog go-to, having appeared in this recipe, this recipe, and this recipe.

To make this super simple vegan cashew mozzarella, you'll add filtered water, raw cashews, nutritional yeast, arrowroot powder, apple cider vinegar, and sea salt to a high-speed blender. Blend on high until super smooth.

Then, pour the mixture into a medium saucepan and whisk over medium heat for about 5 minutes, or until thick and almost stretchy.

Once all of the taco elements are ready to go, it's time to assemble.

Fill each warm tortilla with a spoonful of cashew mozzarella and several pieces of crispy cauliflower. Then, top with a small handful of cabbage and garnish with cilantro.

Serve the tacos warm with lime wedges for spritzing.

These crispy cauliflower tacos with cashew mozzarella remind me of a vegan version of fish tacos. They're crispy and flavor-packed, and the gooey mozzarella cheese offers a super comforting element that can't be beat.

Be sure to finish these beauties with a generous spritz of fresh lime juice—it unites the flavors and really makes these tacos pop!

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5 from 4 votes

Vegan Crispy Cauliflower Tacos with Cashew Mozzarella

Oven-baked crispy cauliflower is folded into warm tortillas along with spoonfuls of gooey cashew mozzarella, crunchy cabbage, and fresh cilantro. A spritz of fresh lime juice sends these vegan summer tacos over the edge. 

Course Bigger Bites, Handheld Bites, Tacos

Cuisine Gluten-Free, plant-based, Vegan

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes

Total Time 50 minutes

Servings 12 tacos

Ingredients

Crispy Cauliflower, Base + Toppings

• 1 small head of cauliflower or ½ a large head of cauliflower, cut into bite-size florets
• 1 cup gluten-free rolled oats
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• ½ teaspoon cumin
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
• 1 ¼ cup Silk Unsweetened Original Almondmilk
• ¾ cup brown rice flour
• 1 ½ tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 12 small soft corn tortillas, warmed
• Shredded green cabbage
• Cilantro leaves
• 1–2 limes, sliced into wedges
• 1 recipe Vegan Cashew Mozzarella**

Instructions

For the Crispy Cauliflower, Base + Toppings

• Preheat the oven to 400F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Add the rolled oats to a food processor. Process for 20 to 30 seconds, or until a coarse meal forms. You don't want the oats to be a fine flour, but rather a texture similar to panko bread crumbs. Transfer the oats to a large, shallow bowl or dish. Add in the cilantro, chili powder, paprika, cumin, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, and sea salt. Gently mix to incorporate spices.
• Add the almond milk, brown rice flour, and lime juice to a large bowl and whisk until smooth.
• Place about a handful of cauliflower florets into the almond milk batter, toss to coat, shake off excess batter, and transfer to the oat and spice mixture. Toss until coated, and transfer to the lined baking sheet. Repeat with the remainder of the cauliflower.
• Bake for 25–30 minutes or until crispy and golden, tossing halfway through baking.
• Remove from the oven and let cool slightly.
• Meanwhile, warm the tortilla in a skillet (about 20 seconds on each side), and keep them wrapped in tin foil until serving. Prepare the cabbage, cilantro, and limes, as well.
• About 5 minutes before the cauliflower has finished baking, prepare the Vegan Cashew Mozzarella.

To Assemble the Tacos

• Fill each warm tortilla with a spoonful of cashew mozzarella and several pieces of cauliflower. Top with a small handful of cabbage, and garnish with cilantro leaves. Serve with lime wedges for spritzing.*
• Refrigerate leftovers, separately, for up to 4 days. (Note: The mozzarella is best enjoyed fresh; however, to reheat it, add a bit of filtered water, and whisk over medium-low heat until smooth and stretchy.)

Notes

*I strongly recommend spritzing each taco with a generous splash of fresh lime juice. It pulls the flavors together and adds brightness.

**A single batch of mozzarella makes enough to spread a small dollop of cheese in each taco. If you're a cheese lover and looking for truly cheesy tacos (as pictured), I recommend doubling the batch.