Crave Worthy Cauliflower Tinga Tacos

Put on your stretchy pants people, it's Taco Tuesday and I'm serving up a gigantic batch of Cauli Tinga Tacos!!

Oh yes, I'm not even kidding! You are about to have one epic Taco Tuesday and if these tacos are anywhere near as popular at your house as they are in ours your loved ones will be be deeming your family table the best taco joint in town. (Be warned though, they just might come to expect a platter of Cauli Tinga Tacos every week!)

Look, it's no secret that I am a taco fanatic and I am a pretty big admirer of cauliflower too, but I had never put the two together before. I've had crispy cauliflower tacos at restaurants and thought they were pretty good, but I've never really had the desire to fry up a head of cauliflower. (When you think about it that's pretty weird because I really do LOVE to fry things!) However, when I was plowing through Pinterest and scrolled past my friend Kate of ¡Hola! Jalapeño's recipe for Leftover Turkey Tinga Sopes I immediately knew that dreamy tinga sauce had to happen in my house stat and that it needed a blank slate to really let it shine - hello cauliflower!

I've been meaning to share this Spicy Mexican Slaw recipe with you for a while too, but just had not gotten around to making it happen yet. If you keep a small batch of it on hand you can top tacos any time you like, but it is also great on sandwiches and tossed in with your favorite salad fixin's...heck it's even good over nachos. However, the greatest pairing this slaw has ever had are these Cauli Tinga Tacos - the smoky heat of the tinga sauce really plays well with the fresh, crisp bite of the slaw. It's like magic to your taste buds!

Smoky, crunchy, tender and  fresh - these Cauli Tinga Tacos have it all!

Cauli Tinga Tacos

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Don't just limit this smoky tinga sauce to cauli tacos! Save any leftover sauce for drizzling over egg dishes, spreading a top quesadilla's, or even slathering your black bean patty for an epic veggie burger!

• Author: This Mess Is Ours
• Yield: 6 servings 1x

Ingredients

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Cauli Tinga

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 heaped cup large dice red onion
• 4 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
• 3 tomatillos, husks removed and cut into quarters
• 2 large tomatoes, chopped
• 3 chipotles en adobo + 1 tablespoon adobo sauce from the can
• 2 scallions, chopped white and green parts
• ½ teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 cup vegan chicken broth ( I use 1 cup hot water + Massel All Purpose Bouillon and Seasoning Granules, chicken flavor )
• juice of 1 orange
• 6 cups cauliflower florets, about 1 ½ heads

to serve

• sour cream or cashew cream if vegan
• Spicy Mexican Slaw
• roasted pepita seeds
• lime wedges
• 12 white corn tortillas, grilled

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Instructions

Make the cauli tinga

1. Heat the oil in a large braising pan or deep frying pan over medium heat. Add the onion to the pan and a generous pinch of salt and pepper. Cook until softened and turning translucent, about 6-7 minutes.
2. Add the garlic and tomatillos to the pan and cook for 3 minutes more, stirring occasionally. Add the tomatoes, chipotles, adobo sauce, scallions, and vegan "chicken" broth. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, cover and cook for 30 minutes. Allow to cool slightly.
3. Transfer the tinga sauce to a blender and add the orange juice. Blend until smooth, taste and season with more salt and pepper.
4. Return the tinga sauce to the braising pan and add the cauliflower florets. Bring to a simmer, partially cover and let cook for 10-12 minutes until the cauliflower is tender and cooked through.

Assemble the tacos

1. Spread a grilled tortilla with sour cream or cashew cream, top with cauli florets and a drizzle of tinga sauce. Top with slaw and pepitas. Serve immediately with lime wedges.

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