August 27, 2021
Caribbean-Inspired Cauliflower Tacos with Mango Salsa
Caribbean-Inspired Cauliflower Tacos! Rich and slightly spicy seasoned cauliflower is baked to perfection, stuffed into warm tortillas, and livened up with fresh mango salsa and zesty limes, making for the most delicious and flavorful meal that’s ready in less than 30 minutes!
eat the rainbow: taco edition
Summer might be coming to an end, and while I’m excited for cooler temps (hello, soup season!), pumpkin-spiced everything, and bundling up by the fire, I can’t deny that I’ll miss these long, sunny days.
So, to close out this summer with a colorful bang, grab a drink and let’s get to making the most delicious, bright, and bold Caribbean-Inspired Cauliflower Tacos with Mango Salsa!
what is Jamaican Jerk?
As someone who’s not familiar with the intimate details and intricacies of jerk, I am not going to pretend that I know what it is. Yes, I’ve had versions of Jamaican Jerk Chicken before going vegan, but that’s pretty much the extent of it. That being said, upon my research, I’ve learned that Jamaican Jerk is so much more than a seasoning, or flavor, or style of cooking. It’s a legacy and a tradition that honors change in the face of adversity.
While some may think that the term “jerk” – as in Jamaican Jerk Chicken – is synonymous with the seasoning blend, as a stand alone term, it actually refers to the way the meat is seasoned, cooked, and grilled. Jerk is the mores the style of cooking, whereas jerk seasoning is the actual spice blend, which can vary in different regions. This article, written by Jamaican-Canadian Vaughn Stafford Gray, is a wonderful resource into learning the brief history of Jamaican Jerk, and I highly recommend giving it a read!
While these Caribbean-Inspired Tacos are not prepared using the traditional style of jerk cooking, I am using a blend of spices inspired by Jamaican Jerk seasoning.
Note: When looking up recipes from other cultures, I implore you to dive deep into the recipe’s history. I got inspiration for my Jamaican-jerk inspired seasoning from several different recipes, including those from Imma at Immaculate Bites, Malaika at Malaika Malz, and Terri-Ann at Terri-Ann’s Kitchen. I definitely recommend checking all their recipes out!
how to make these Caribbean-inspired cauliflower tacos with mango salsa:
My Caribbean-inspired cauliflower tacos rely on a homemade jerk-style seasoning blend of green onions, garlic, vinegar, and spices. It comes together quite quickly, but you can purchase store-bought Jamaican-jerk seasoning as well. Heres how to make the tacos:
1. Make the marinade:
Place the ingredients into a food processor or blender and pulse until a paste-like marinade forms, about 30 seconds. Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary.
2. Toss and bake:
In a large bowl, toss the florets with the marinade and transfer the coated florets to a rimmed baking sheet in an even layer. Bake the cauliflower on the middle rack of the preheated oven until the edges start to crisp a bit, 20 to 30 minutes, tossing halfway through.
3. Prepare the mango salsa:
While the cauliflower is in the oven, make the mango salsa. Place all the ingredients in a bowl, mixing to combine. Taste and adjust seasonings, if necessary. Set aside.
4. Build your tacos:
My favorite part! To prepare the tacos, fill each warmed tortilla with fresh cabbage, a few florets, avocado, and couple spoonful’s of the salsa. Serve with fresh lime wedges and enjoy!
Tools you’ll need:
more taco recipes:
bright tacos are the best way to end the summer, am I right?!
I hope ya’ll love this recipe as much as I do! If you make my Caribbean-Inspired Cauliflower Tacos, tell me about it! Snap a photo or video, and by tag me on Instagram at @eat_figs_not_pigs and #EatFigsNotPigs. I love seeing all your recreations of my recipes! Until next time, friends!
XO!!!
Caribbean-Inspired Cauliflower Tacos with Mango Salsa
Ingredients
MARINADE and CAULIFLOWER:
- 1 cup green onions roughly chopped (about 1 bunch)
- ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
- 2 habanero peppers deseeded and deveined
- 6 cloves garlic
- 2 tablespoons water
- 2 tablespoons coconut sugar or light brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon minced ginger
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme
- 1 teaspoon ground Jamaican allspice
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt plus more to taste
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 pound cauliflower cut into bite-size florets (about 1 small head)
MANGO SALSA:
- 3 large ripe mangoes diced
- 1 red bell pepper diced
- 1 cup diced red onion
- 1 jalapeno deseeded, deveined, and diced
- ½ cup fresh chopped cilantro
- ¼ cup fresh lime juice
- 2 chipotles in adobo sauce chopped + 2 tablespoons of the adobo sauce
- 1 teaspoon coconut sugar
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt plus more to taste
TACOS:
- Flour or corn tortillas warmed
- Thinly sliced cabbage
- Thinly sliced avocado
- Fresh lime wedges
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400° F.
- To make the marinade, place all the ingredients except the cauliflower into a food processor or blender and pulse until a paste-like marinade forms, about 30 seconds. Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary. In a large bowl, toss the florets with the marinade and transfer the coated florets to a rimmed baking sheet in an even layer. Bake the cauliflower on the middle rack of the preheated oven until the edges start to crisp a bit, 15 to 20 minutes, tossing halfway through.
- Meanwhile, make the mango salsa. Place all the ingredients in a bowl, mixing to combine. Taste and adjust seasonings, if necessary. Set aside.
- To prepare the tacos, fill each warmed tortilla with fresh cabbage, a few florets, avocado, and couple spoonful’s of the salsa. Serve with fresh lime wedges and enjoy!
Notes
Imma at Immaculate Bites, Malaika at Malaika Malz, and Terri-Ann at Terri-Ann's Kitchen (all linked in the original blog post - I highly recommend checking out each of their recipes!).
This was DELICIOUS!!!