Buffalo Cauliflower + Chickpea Tacos with Vegan Ranch Dressing
An easy and unbelievably delicious gluten-free and plant based meal. Spicy Baked Buffalo Cauliflower and Chickpeas paired with a creamy Vegan Ranch Dressing, shredded cabbage and avocado in a gluten-free flour tortilla. Just the right amount of spicy, perfectly balanced and packed with nutrients. Leftovers are great heated up or cold.
Servings: 4 -6 servings
Ingredients
Buffalo Cauliflower
- 1 head cauliflower cut into 1 1/2 inch florets (about 5-6 cups)
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil avocado oil or neutral oil of choic
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 6-7 tablespoons hot sauce (we used Frank's Red Hot Original)
- 3 tablespoon butter or dairy-free butter melted
- 3 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Buffalo Chickpeas
- 1 15.5 oz can chickpeas well rinsed, drained and dried
- 1/4 cup Hot Sauce we used Frank's Red Hot Original
- kosher salt to taste
- dash avocado oil
Vegan Ranch (recipe adapted from Minimalist Baker)
- 1 cup raw cashews soaked in hot water 30 minutes
- 2/3 cup unsweetened almond milk
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 3/4 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- just under 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- 1/2-1 teaspoon maple syrup
- 1 Tablespoon fresh minced dill optional
- 1 Tablespoon fresh minced parsley
- 1 teaspoon fresh chives optional
Gluten-free flour tortillas (we used Siete Almond Flour Tortillas)
3 cups shredded cabbage
1 - 2 avocado, diced
Instructions
Buffalo Cauliflower
- Preheat oven to 450°F and line a large rimmed baking sheet with foil.
- In a large bowl, toss cauliflower with oil, salt, pepper and garlic powder in a large bowl. Place cauliflower in a single layer on prepared baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes until it's starting to soften and brown on the bottom.
- Meanwhile, while cauliflower bakes, combine hot sauce, butter and lemon juice in the large bowl. Pour hot sauce mixture over roasted cauliflower on the baking sheet and gently toss to cover. Bake an additional 10 minutes.
Buffalo Chickpeas
- Preheat over to 450 degrees F and line a baking sheet with foil.
- Toss chickpeas with a touch of oil, sprinkle with salt and spread in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet Bake for 10 minutes.
- Remove from oven, pour hot sauce over chickpeas, toss to cover chickpeas evenly with sauce. Then bake another 10 minutes.
Vegan Ranch Dressing (adapted from Minimalist Baker) (takes 35 minutes to make because of soaking cashews --can be made ahead)
- If you haven't already, soak cashews in very hot water for 30 minutes - 1 hour.
- While cashews are soaking, measure out almond milk and add lemon juice and set aside to curdle (this makes your vegan “buttermilk”).
- Drain and rinse cashews several times and drain again. Then transfer to a small blender (a blender is preferred over a food processor for achieving a smooth texture) and add almond buttermilk, garlic, salt, pepper, onion powder, vinegar, and maple syrup. Blend on high for 1-2 minutes or until very creamy and smooth.
- Add whichever herbs you are using and pulse several times to incorporate (you don’t want it fully puréed).
- Taste and adjust flavor, as needed.
- Use immediately at room temperature or make ahead and chill in the refrigerator. Note: It will thicken in the refrigerator, so you can add more almond milk or water later on to thin if needed.
- Save extra dressing for dipping with vegetables or a salad.
Assemble
- In each tortilla place shredded cabbage, top with roasted buffalo cauliflower and roasted buffalo chickpeas. Then top with avocado and drizzle with ranch dressing. Enjoy!
Tried this recipe?Mention @HealthyGFFamily or tag #HealthyGFFamily!
I made these for my friend last night and she’s now a cauliflower convert! She’s eating super healthy so she used gem lettuce to wrap hers up but I stuck with the wraps. Both were delicious! Had some leftover hot sauce coated chickpeas and had them with some feta and leaves for lunch today. Loved cauliflower coated in hot sauce before, but adding it to chickpeas is a revelation!
Thanks for the lovely recipes ? would definitely recommend
Yay! So happy you both loved them! Lettuce wraps are always a good option too! I need to make these again soon — I love eating those leftover chickpeas too!
I meant to write a comment on this recipe ages ago. Better late than never. I daydream about this recipe. Like, mouth watering, accidentally saying “mmmmm” out loud daydreaming. I’ve made the recipe twice now and hardly strayed from the ingredients/ instructions at all. As mentioned in other comments, the dish is very left-over friendly. The cabbage or some other crunchy veg is a must for layering of textures. The creamy cashew ranch and the bite of the buffalo sauce. I mean, it’s what dreams are made of! -@movelearnlivevibe
This surpassed my expectations!! Honestly, this was so stinking good!! I can’t wait to make it again! Thank you 🙂
Thank you! So happy you loved it as much as I do!