Cauliflower steaks marinated and grilled, topped with tangy and peppery arugula chimichurri – all wrapped up into a taco.
In honor of Cinco de Mayo tomorrow, I have put a bit of a twist on the traditional Mexican taco with these grilled cauliflower tacos. And in the spirt of shaking things up, I also put a twist on a traditional Argentinean olive oil and herb sauce similar to a pesto – chimichurri – by making it with spicy arugula and using it to top my grilled cauliflower tacos.
Cauliflower gets all smokey and charred on the grill.
Tacos are one of my favorite foods in the world; they’re easy to eat, even easier to make, and because of that I find myself craving them more often than might actually be healthy (haha). My dad and I used to frequent this awesome tiny little taco spot in Bushwick, complete with a garage on site where the tortillas were pressed fresh every day. But recently I’ve been making tacos myself, not only because it saves me the trip to Bushwick but also because I can feel less guilty when my tacos are made with ingredients as healthy as cauliflower and arugula.
Not only are my grilled cauliflower tacos healthy, but they are also an awesome vegetarian spin on a dish that normally contains meat. There are a few vegetarians in my life that I hold very near and dear to my heart – my cousin Dana and my dad’s girlfriend Nicole to name a few – and even when I’m not cooking for them, I always think of them when I trade out meat for vegetables in traditional dishes. And that’s exactly what I did when I chose to grill cauliflower “steaks” for these tacos instead of an actual steak, or any other kind of meat, but I guarantee you won’t notice the difference.
By cutting the cauliflower into “steaks”- basically 1 inch thick slices (check out this article on the proper cauliflower steak cutting technique) – the cauliflower retains its meaty texture. And by brushing it with the tangy arugula chimichurri sauce before grilling, it picks up tons of spicy and herby flavor. Plus the grill gives is the perfect smoke and char, and I guarantee that even the biggest meat lovers won’t mind the substitution in these grilled cauliflower tacos.
- Arugula Chimichurri:
- 1 bunch arugula (about 3 oz, 4 cups)
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 clove garlic
- ¾ cup olive oil
- ½ teaspoon salt
- Pulse garlic cloves in food processor. Add in arugula and pulse a few times to chop. Add remaining ingredients and pulse to combine. Reserve half for basting cauliflower and half for topping tacos.
- arugula chimichurri (see recipe above)
- two small heads cauliflower
- 1 avocado, sliced
- 2 tomatoes, diced
- ¼ cup shredded manchego cheese
- 12 small flour tortillas
- Preheat grill or grill pan. Slice cauliflower into “steaks;” 1 inch thick slices. Brush both sides with arugula chimichuri. Grill over medium heat on grill about 3-5 minutes per side or over medium-high heat on grill pan 5-7 minutes per side, until cauliflower is tender and slightly charred.
- Heat tortillas on grill, 30 seconds per side.
- Crumble or chop cauliflower steaks into bite sized pieces. Assemble tacos: star with cauliflower, add shredded cheese, tomatoes, slides avocado, and top with a drizzle of arugula chimichurri.
Exquisite! Can’t wait to try this recipe as I’m already a fan of cauliflower tacos from Diego’s Taqueria, Kingston!