Korean-Inspired Cauliflower Tacos with Kimchi Ranch Slaw
In Honor of…
When I first moved to Chicago, there was a restaurant down the street from my apartment that served tacos and burritos with Korean-inspired fillings. It was my absolutely favorite place on my street and I frequented it enough that I could walk in and the guy behind the counter would ask if I wanted “the usual”. It was such a special place, and although it closed years ago, it will always have a place in my heart! These Korean cauliflower tacos give me a similar feeling to eating at that restaurant.
They didn’t serve a cauliflower taco, but the flavors in this taco feel reminiscent of items they did serve. Maybe someday I’ll try to recreate my favorite burrito from the restaurant, but for now I’ll stick with this vegetarian option that is jam-packed with Korean-inspired flavors. The cauliflower is coated in a sauce with gochujang (a fermented Korean chili paste), soy sauce, rice vinegar, honey, garlic, and ginger, giving each bite a subtly spicy, yet sweet, flavor. The kimchi ranch is a mix of the fermented cabbage in kimchi with raw cabbage found in a typical slaw. The sauce that coats the slaw is creamy, tangy, and has just a tad of spice from the kimchi. The crunch in this taco is next level from all the vegetables and I just know you’ll love the flavors!
Tips for Making these Korean-inspired Roasted Cauliflower Tacos
When you make these spicy roasted cauliflower tacos with kimchi ranch slaw, here are a few tips to make them extra delicious:
- It’s important that the pieces of cauliflower in this recipe are cut into small pieces. This helps with three things: they will roast faster, are easier to fit into your taco, and you’ll get more sauce per bite (the most important point in my opinion). If you buy pre-cut cauliflower instead of an entire head, be sure to take a few minutes to cut the pieces down smaller as they usually come on the larger size when you buy them in a package.
- If you’ve never purchased gochujang before, get ready to taste your new favorite condiment. It’s a Korean fermented chili paste that’s a bit spicy, a bit tangy, and almost a bit smokey. It’s a great paste to stir into sauces or to marinate foods in. You can typically find it in the refrigerated section or as a shelf-stable option near the Asian foods in major grocery stores. Or even better, check your local Asian or Korean food market as they’ll most likely have it in stock! As a last resort, you can always order a container from Amazon.
Recipe Details
Roast the Korean-inspired Cauliflower
These tacos break down into two primary components: the baked cauliflower and the kimchi ranch slaw. When you make this recipe, you’ll start with baked cauliflower so it can get into the oven while you assemble the rest of the ingredients. The cauliflower is cut into small, bite-sized pieces and then tossed in a Korean-inspired marinade. This marinade is made with gochujang, a Korean fermented chili paste, soy sauce, rice vinegar, honey, garlic, and ginger. This creates a flavor that’s spicy, a bit sweet, and a tad bit tangy. When it bakes, the sauce soaks into the cauliflower pieces and creates a slightly thick, sticky coating. In the last couple minutes, you’ll turn the broiler on in your oven, to help crisp the top side of the cauliflower. It adds a nice crunch and concentrates the sauce even more.
Make the Kimchi Slaw
While the cauliflower roasts in the oven, you’ll whip up the kimchi ranch slaw. The basis of the slaw is a basic ranch dressing that’s then seasoned with chopped kimchi. The kimchi adds a slight spice and tang to the dressing, making it pair perfectly with the roasted cauliflower. To this dressing, you’ll toss it with shredded cabbage to create the slaw! The consistency is something to celebrate in this slaw. It’s a great combination of raw, shredded cabbage with chopped fermented cabbage, which has softened during the fermentation process. You get cabbage two ways and you’ll love both!
Finish and Serve
Once the cauliflower is roasted and the slaw is made, grab the last few things you’ll need to build your tacos. Pop your tortillas in the microwave to soften them slightly, chop a few chives, and thinly slice an avocado. To assemble each taco, add a scoop of the cauliflower to the middle of the softened tortilla. Spoon a big scoop of slaw on top, followed by a couple avocado slices, and a sprinkling of chopped chives. Enjoy right away or save any leftovers in separate containers. Reheat the cauliflower when needed and assembling the tacos fresh. I hope you love these Korean cauliflower tacos as much as I do!
Spicy, sweet cauliflower is roasted in the oven until nice and crisp on the outside, but tender on the inside and then stuffed into a taco with crunchy, creamy kimchi ranch slaw and a slice of fresh avocado. These tacos are a flavor explosion and a super satisfying bite.
- 1 large head of cauliflower, cut into ½ inch pieces
- 1/4 cup grapeseed oil, or other another subtly flavored oil
- 2-3 tbsp gochujang
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 2 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 tbsp honey
- 2 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1/2 tsp ginger powder
- Chopped fresh chives, for garnish
- 1 avocado, thinly sliced
- 8 taco-sized soft tortillas
- 1/2 cup mayo
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 2 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- Zest of 1 lemon, plus the juice of ½ a lemon
- 1/2 cup kimchi, roughly chopped
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh chive
- 2 cup shredded cabbage
Preheat the oven to 400°F, place a rack in the center of the oven, and set out a large baking tray.
In a small bowl or glass measuring jar, mix the grapeseed oil, gochujang, soy sauce, rice vinegar, honey, garlic, and ginger until evenly combined.
Place the cauliflower in a large mixing bowl and pour the gochujang sauce over the top. Toss cauliflower in the sauce until each piece is evenly coated.
Transfer the cauliflower onto the large baking tray and roast in the oven for 10 minutes, stir the cauliflower and then roast for another 5 minutes. After roasting, turn the oven’s broiler onto high and broil for 2 minutes to crisp up the tops of the cauliflower.
While the cauliflower roasts, add the mayo, sour cream, onion powder, garlic powder, and the lemon zest and juice into a large mixing bowl. Stir to combine.
Add the chopped kimchi and chives to the mixing bowl and stir until all of the ingredients are equally combined.
Pour the shredded cabbage into the bowl and toss to coat in the kimchi ranch. Set aside until the cauliflower is finished roasting.
Microwave the tortillas for 15 seconds to soften them slightly.
Add a spoonful of the roasted cauliflower to the center of each tortilla. Top with a large spoonful of kimchi ranch slaw, a slice of avocado and a pinch of chopped fresh chives. Enjoy!
