Pop quiz! What is a “pulse,” in food terms? Pulses are the edible seeds of legumes, including lentils, chickpeas, dry peas and beans. I’ve been a big fan of pulses ever since I stopped eating meat. All of a sudden, I was craving them and cooking them all the time.
I shouldn’t have been surprised. Pulses are packed with protein, fiber and iron. Did you know that one half-cup serving of cooked lentils has twice as many antioxidants as blueberries and twice as much protein as quinoa? Plus, they’re inexpensive and an important drought-resistant crop to many people around the globe. They’re definitely a crave-worthy food, whether you’re a meat eater or not.
I’m writing about pulses today because each year, the United Nations picks a topic of global interest. They named 2016 to be International Year of Pulses because of their significant health, economic and environmental benefits. Gearing up for 2016, the UN asked each country to submit one pulse recipe to represent their country. The USA Dry Pea and Lentil Council reached out to me to develop a recipe to be in the running. How cool is that?!
They are running a Facebook competition to pick the winner. With your help, my recipe could be selected as the National Signature Pulse Recipe for the U.S.! You can help me out by going to the USADPLC Facebook page, and voting for mine by Liking the photo. Please do! You’d make this food geek really happy. (Update: Voting is over, and this recipe won! Thank you tremendously for your support!)
Watch How to Make Roasted Cauliflower and Lentil Tacos
We’ll talk about these tacos when you get back. They’re a little out there, I know. I discovered that golden, roasted cauliflower makes a great taco filling when I was in Austin. It’s a little crispy, a little chewy and totally perfect.
I cooked up some lentils that are seasoned with onions, garlic, tomato paste, cumin and chili powder. Top all that off with a drizzle of spicy, creamy chipotle sauce and some fresh cilantro, and you have one tasty taco. Not to mention, affordable and good for you, too!
Please let me know how these lentil tacos turn out for you in the comments! Looking for more fun taco recipes? I’ve got you covered right here.
Roasted Cauliflower and Lentil Tacos with Creamy Chipotle Sauce
- Author:
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 35 mins
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 2 to 4 servings 1x
- Category: Entree
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: Mexican
You’re going to love this vegetarian lentil tacos recipe. Roasted cauliflower, seasoned lentils and creamy chipotle sauce combine to make a delicious taco! Recipe yields 8 modestly portioned tacos.
Ingredients
Cauliflower
- 1 large head of cauliflower, sliced into bite-sized florets
- 2 to 3 tablespoons olive oil
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Seasoned lentils
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 cup chopped yellow or white onion
- 2 large garlic cloves, pressed or minced
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- ¾ cup brown lentils, picked over for debris and rinsed
- 2 cups vegetable broth or water
Chipotle sauce
- ⅓ cup mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- 2 to 3 tablespoons adobo sauce (from a can of chipotle peppers) or chipotle hot sauce to taste
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Everything else
- 8 small, round corn tortillas
- ½ cup packed fresh cilantro leaves*
Instructions
- To roast the cauliflower: Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Toss cauliflower florets with enough olive oil to cover them in a light, even layer of oil. Season with salt and pepper and arrange the florets in a single layer on a large, rimmed baking sheet. Roast for 30 to 35 minutes, tossing halfway, until the florets are deeply golden on the edges.
- Warm the olive oil in a medium-sized pot over medium heat. Sauté the onion and garlic with a dash of salt for about 5 minutes, until the onions are softened and turning translucent. Add the tomato paste, cumin and chili powder and sauté for another minute, stirring constantly. Add the lentils and the vegetable broth or water. Raise heat and bring the mixture to a gentle simmer. Cook, uncovered, for 20 minutes to 45 minutes, until the lentils are tender and cooked through. Reduce heat as necessary to maintain a gentle simmer, and add more broth or water if the liquid evaporates before the lentils are done. Once the lentils are done cooking, drain off any excess liquid, then cover and set aside.
- To prepare the chipotle sauce, just whisk together the ingredients and set aside (if you have no choice but to use whole chipotle peppers from the can, use a blender to purée it all).
- Warm tortillas individually in a pan over medium heat. Stack the warm tortillas and cover them with a tea towel if you won’t be serving the tacos immediately.
- Once all of your components are ready, you can assemble your tacos! Top each tortilla with the lentil mixture, cauliflower, a drizzle of chipotle sauce and a generous sprinkle of chopped cilantro.
Notes
Make it vegan/dairy free/mayo free: Substitute vegan mayonnaise or, better yet, check out A Couple Cooks’ tahini chipotle sauce! (For what it’s worth, I tried making this sauce with yogurt and it really missed the mark. Mayo is much better.)
Make it gluten free: Be sure to use 100% corn, certified gluten-free tortillas.
Chipotle sauce tip: If you have leftover sauce and peppers, pour the leftovers into a small freezer bag, then squeeze the air out of the bag and flatten out the bag. Store it in the freezer, flat, and you can just pull off as much as you need and defrost it!
*Cilantro note: For those who dislike cilantro, substitute some fresh spring greens instead.
If you love this recipe: Check out my other taco recipes and lentil recipes!
▸ Nutrition Information
This recipe was created for USDAPLC as part of their National Signature Recipe Contest and I was compensated for my participation. Opinions are my own, always. Thank you for supporting the sponsors who support C+K!
Vegetable enthusiast. Dog lover. I'm probably making a big mess in my Kansas City kitchen right now. 
Lisa L Hunter
Hi Kate, I harvested a large head of Cauliflower from the garden yesterday and found this recipe. We made it with some friends last night and we all, even the teen boys, LOVED it! Thank you so much! I’m sold on the roasted cauliflower idea!! ~Lisa
★★★★★
Joan Stirling
My husband and I thought they were delicious! We aren’t vegetarians but try to eat less meat. Even meat eaters will love this dish.
★★★★★
Robin
This is a favorite recipe! We make it often. I just got an instant pot and was wondering if anyone has made the lentil portion in the instant pot and if yes how long under pressure (high or low) and natural or quick release.
Thanks
★★★★★
Kate
I haven’t made the lentils in a pressure cooker, sorry! I’m delighted you enjoy this recipe, Robin!
Martine Tomczyk
This was an inspiration. Altered to fit WFPBNO: water used for steaming vegetables (always keep some in the freezer) mixed with water and splash of Bragg’s Liquid Aminos only to roast the cauliflower (no oil, no salt). Whole cumin cooked with onions and garlic for lentils. Pepper sauce made from soaking raw cashews in hot water. In a food processor, to cashews, add nutritional yeast, milder peppers, cilantro. Definitely will make again. Thanks!!
★★★★★
Jenna Price
I was a little skeptical but decided to give this a try because of all the 5 star reviews. Wow! They were spot on. Easy and absolutely delicious. We make tacos a lot and I am so happy to have a new recipe, with such different flavors, to add to the rotation.
★★★★★
Kate
I’m glad you loved these tacos, Jenna! I appreciate your review.
Jess
These are SO good! I used vegetable broth with the lentils and the flavor of that with the chipotle sauce was delicious! This is a super filling recipe and easy to make! I will definitely be using this recipe often!
★★★★★
Don B
This is seriously one of the absolute best recipes I have ever found from any source. The combination of roasted cauliflower with lentils, topped off by the sauce, is incredibly amazing (and both those words are still not adequate to describe how good this is). Phenomenal!!!!
★★★★★
Kate
I’m glad you love it, Don! Thank you for sharing.
Suzanne Sharp-Przekwas
Made this the other day and it was enjoyed by all. Followed the recipe exactly except I used yogurt for the base for the chipotle sauce and found that it took more chipotle salsa to get the acquired taste but besides that everyone LOVED all of it. Will make again!
★★★★★
Kate
That’s great, Suzanne! I appreciate your review.
Cami
These are so delicious and I love to be able to serve a fantastic plant based meal! I wanted to bring this as a meal delivery, but I had the idea of making it into a casserole, so its just pop in the oven and done. Any ideas or has anyone tried. Sort of like a taco layered casserole?
★★★★★
Kate
Hi! I haven’t tried it. I would recommend Roasted Veggie Enchilada Casserole
Laura
These are super tasty. We are not vegetarian, but had lots of cauliflower on hand…I googled cauliflower and lentils and got this recipe. I think the sauce really makes the dish. Would make this again!
★★★★★
Cath
Absolutely delicious, thank you! I made some vegan chipotle sauce with pureed cashews, and added some picked red onion on top. Wow, it went down extremally well!
I love all your recipes, you have a such a great way with combining flavors, and mixing interesting and delicious veggies in ways I have never thought of!
★★★★★
Kate
That’s great to hear, Cath! Thank you for sharing.
Kirby Moss
I have red lentils at home, would they be an okay substitute for the brown lentils?
Kate
Hi Kirby, red lentils are more delicate. I would follow my How to Cook Lentils as a guide.
Victoria
Delicious! Used a whole chipotle and the sauce was pretty intense alone but just perfect in the taco.
★★★★★
Kate
I’m so glad you loved it, Victoria!
Lesley
Do you have the nutritional information for this recipe.
Kate
Hi Lesley! It’s below the notes section of the recipe.
ang
This is a fantastic recipe. My partner does not eat meat and has several other allergy issues that limit his choices. Except for the sauce (which i eat on everything!) this dish filled the bill. I have made this for parties and as a weeknight meal with leftovers (add an egg to the cauliflower and lentils). I can’t thank you enough for sharing this recipe.
★★★★★
Elizabeth
Flavor is fantastic but the consistencies for the lentils and sauce were difficult for me to pin down.
I used dry lentils, since the directions mentioned plucking out debris. I ultimately needed 4 cups of vegetable broth. Cooked them uncovered for about 50 minutes until they were soft enough and increased the heat to a rapid boil the last 20 minutes. I would stir every 7 minutes or so to prevent burning. In the future, covering the pot may help speed up the softening process? Alternatively, after sauteing the onion mixture, you could use 3 cups of broth and cook the lentil mixture in the microwave for 12-15 minutes with the bowl covered loosely with a lid, stirring once in the middle of cooking.
In regards to the chipotle sauce, mine didn’t turn out like the pictures. Mine came out runny and pale (even though I triple checked the measurements, used 1/3 cup of mayo, and added the third tablespoon of adobo). It was very tart, so I think the recipe might call for too much lime juice? It tasted great on the tacos regardless.
That being said, I will definitely make these tacos again! We are usually carnivores and my boyfriend is very picky, but he kept coming back for more! I’m so glad we’ll have a healthier meal option to look forward to!
★★★★
Kate
Thank you for sharing how you made this recipe, Elizabeth!
Gwen
Love it! This recipe is a regular in our kitchen. Even my 6 year old daughter enjoys it!
★★★★★
Kate
That’s great to hear, Gwen! Thank you for sharing.
Jen
I have enjoyed many cauliflower taco recipes but this one is the best for sure. I found that it really makes the flavors POP if you squeeze fresh lime over the finish product. These are amazing!
★★★★★
Kate
Thank you, Jen! I’m happy you enjoyed them.
Jane
I have made these several times and I can’t tell you how delicious they are! I rave about them often. We love a little sliced avocado on them too! Try them out. You will not be disappointed and you will not miss the meat.
★★★★★
Kate
I’m glad you loved this recipe, Jane! Thank you for your review.
Emily
As a mom of littles I’m always looking for ways to speed up weeknight meals. Here are a few shortcuts that worked great for us.
We tripled the recipe and I fudged the quantities for ease.
For the lentils I used half of a bag of a three pepper and onion blend, garlic paste, one 6oz can for the lentils, and much more broth (I lost track).
For the cauliflower I used two frozen bags of broccoli/cauliflower blend roasted in our air fryer.
For the sauce we don’t eat mayo, so I used our food processor to blend 2% plain Greek yogurt, lime juice, cilantro stir in paste, 1/2 an avocado, and a touch of chipotle powder. It was perfect.
We only had whole wheat tortillas, but those worked great for us! Toddler approved!
★★★★★
Kate
I know others will find these tips helpful! Thank you for sharing, Emily.
Stephanie
Has anyone used red or green lentils for this before? I have them in my pantry that I’m trying to use up. So just wondering how different they’d be from brown lentils.
Thanks
Kate
Hi! You may need to adjust cooking times. Here is my How to Cook Lentils post for guidance.
Jen
Great recipe! I only had canned lentils, so I used about 1/2 a can and reduced the veggie broth and it came out great. I can’t wait to make it again! I’m
★★★★★
Kate
I’m glad you loved it, Jen!
Briana
I love this recipe and it’s my go-to when hosting vegetarian/vegan friends.
★★★★★
Kate
That’s great to hear, Briana! I appreciate you taking the time to review. I’m glad this recipe is a go-to for you when hosting.
Rachael
It’s been a bit since I made this so I forgot that the lentils really should get started before the cauliflower since they take longer! Would recommend warning oven, then chopping veggies and starting lentils first
★★★★★
Kate
Thank you for sharing, Rachael! I appreciate your review.
Nikki
This is the first time.jn 14 years, that my husband has given anything a 10/10!
It was simple and delicious. Can’t wait to make it again!
★★★★★
Kate
I love to hear that, Nikki! Thank you for your review.
Michelle
My family gave me the serious side-eye with this one, but everyone came back for more, which is why I’m glad I doubled the recipe! I tossed the cauliflower in taco seasoning before roasting, just to give it some extra flavor, and I used store-bought lime crema and chipotle aioli. The only thing I’d do differently next time is use flour tortillas. I’m not fond of the flavor of corn tortillas, and they fell apart easily.
★★★★★
Karoline
This recipe is fantastic! I’m a Latina who lives in Texas and I’m here to say this taco recipe is a big winner! Once again I can’t thank you enough for another healthy, delicious recipe that anyone can make.
★★★★★
Kate
You’re welcome, Karoline! I appreciate your review.
Madeline MacKenzie
This is one of our favourite recipes ever. We’ve made it many times just as the recipe describes and it never disappoints! Sometimes the lentils come out differently but I blame the different brands of lentils that I buy.
I am curious though, what did everyone doing with all the left over chiles? One can of chiles in adobo usually makes two to three batches of the spicy mayo, but now I just have a every growing bag in the freezer of chiles without the sauce. Thoughts?
★★★★★
Adriana
Great recipe! We made it into a bowl with brown rice and it was delicious.
★★★★★
Tara
So obsessed with this recipe – a regular in our rotation! We don’t have / hard to find chipotle sauce in Toronto so blend whole chipotles in with the mayo – so good!
★★★★★
Kate
Love to hear that, Tara!
Kay
Hi! I am planning to make this for friends, but I’m not sure what to serve with it as a side or starter course? Any suggestions?
★★★★★
Kate
Hi! I find these make a great main and my Esquites (Mexican Street Corn Salad) could be delicious with it.
Ken
I was at the store last week and bought some cauliflower because it was such a good price. I will often buy produce that is a good price without a certain use in mind. I usually figure something out later. It was getting to the point that I had to use the cauliflower or it was going to turn so I came here and looked for something that sounded easy and tasty. As usual, you did not disappoint. I was a bit skeptical but this was delicious.
I thought that I had an unopened bag of lentils but did not. I only had about 1/2 cup left so I also added black (Beluga) lentils to make the full 3/4 cup and they worked fine. I also had some French lentils (Puy) & red lentils but the French lentils would be too firm and the red lentils would be totally unsuitable due to falling apart. The other adjustment I made was to start the lentils first because they take a bit longer to get together than the cauliflower does. I served with avocado slices on the side. The avocado is very good dipped in the chipotle sauce. I will definitely be making these again.
★★★★★