A PWWB Reader Fave, these Easy Vegan Tacos are Flavorful, Hearty, and Full of Texture!
Ever since we first shared them back in 2019, these vegan Sweet Potato and Cauliflower Tacos have been one of PWWB’s biggest hits. Literally thousands of readers have made and loved them over the years, which makes our hearts happy for a number of reasons, namely 1.) you all clearly share our obsession with tacos, and 2.) this is a vegan recipe that even meat lovers can’t get enough of. 🙌🏼
In my experience, the secret to making irresistible plant-based meals – especially if you’re accustomed to cooking with animal protein – is to focus on building tons of flavor and texture into every component. You see this in action in our Cauliflower Lentil Tacos, Crispy Black Bean Tacos, and Vegan Pasta with Lemon Basil Cashew Cream Sauce, and these Roasted Cauliflower and Sweet Potato Tacos seriously nail it too.
Every bite absolutely explodes with layers of flavor and texture: spiced roasted sweet potatoes and cauliflower, hearty black beans, bright smashed avocado, and irresistibly smoky vegan chipotle lime crema, all nestled into a charred tortilla. The combination results in a vegetable taco recipe that’s absolutely killer, not to mention super satisfying, totally good-for-you, and seriously easy to make any night of the week. No wonder it’s one of our most popular recipes ever! 🌮🙌🏼
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Buy Now → Meal Prep Tip!
This recipe is already a super quick sheet pan dinner, but a little meal prep can make dinner even easier on a rushed weeknight. Feel free to chop the cauliflower, dice the sweet potatoes, and blend the cashew crema in advance. At dinnertime, it’s as simple as getting everything into the oven – easy! Check out the Recipe Notes, below, for more guidance.
Mega-Flavorful Plant-Based Eating Is Easier Than You Think!
Learn how to make 25+ hearty, satisfying, plant-based recipes (loved by vegans and meat lovers alike!)
Step-by-Step Video
How to Make Roasted Veggie Tacos
These tacos are filled with roasted sweet potatoes, cauliflower florets, and black beans. So much flavor and texture with really minimal effort – aside from tossing everything together in a homemade taco spice blend, the oven does all the work! 🙌🏼
Season the cauliflower and sweet potatoes. Toss the chopped veggies with the spices and some olive oil in a large mixing bowl, then spread them out on a large sheet pan. Don’t cram the veggies in! Why? ⇢ Giving the veggies room to breathe allows steam to escape as they bake. This helps ensure the cauliflower and sweet potatoes get nice and crispy rather than soggy.
Roast in the oven. Roast the cauliflower and sweet potatoes for about 25 minutes, or until they’re tender through the center and beginning to get crispy around the edges. Roasted veggies tip! ⇢ Be sure to shake the pan halfway through to ensure everything gets evenly charred.
Cook the black beans. Just before the veggies finish roasting, add the drained black beans to the pan and pop it back in the oven. Why? ⇢ Since canned black beans are already fully cooked, the goal is just to warm them through, which takes a couple minutes, tops.
How to Make Smoky Cashew Crema
The best part of this veggie tacos recipe is drenching the tacos in smoky chipotle lime crema, which is completely vegan and dairy-free, thanks to cashews!
If you’re new to the world of plant-based cooking, cashews are an awesome solution to creating irresistibly creamy vegan sauces like cashew crema. When blended with a liquid like water, the rich fats in cashews transform into a beautifully thick, smooth sauce. As a bonus, cashews also have a pretty neutral taste, making them the perfect vehicle for other flavorful ingredients.
Smoky Chipotle Cashew Crema. ⇢ Simply combine unsalted cashews, chipotle pepper, garlic, chili powder, smoked paprika, lime juice, and water in a high-speed blender, blending until the mixture is totally smooth and creamy – easy! A few tips…
- A high-speed blender is a must for a super smooth cashew crema. We love the Zwilling Enfinigy Personal Blender, which is the perfect size for whipping up a small-batch sauce!
- Blend the crema longer than you think you need to. We’re after a totally smooth and creamy sauce, which is achieved after a good 45 seconds – 1 minute of blending. If you notice bits and pieces of cashews in your crema, let the blender go a little longer, until the sauce is totally smooth.
- Adjust to your liking. The measurements included in this recipe yield my ideal consistency – seriously creamy but easy to drizzle over the roasted vegetable tacos. If you prefer a thicker crema, blend in some extra cashews. Or if you prefer a thinner sauce, add a little more water.
- Allergic to cashews? ⇢ No worries! Feel free to prep your crema using dairy-free yogurt (to keep the tacos vegan) or creamy Greek yogurt.
No high-speed blender? No problem! ⇢ If you do not have a high-speed blender, soak the cashews in boiling-hot water for 10-15 minutes, which helps them break down much more easily in a less powerful blender. Learn More! ⇢ Easy Vegan Cashew Crema.
How to Char Corn Tortillas
One of our favorite taco night tricks is taking plain ol’ store-bought tortillas to the next level with a light char over the flame of a gas burner. The edges of the tortilla get a little crispy – a fantastic contrasting texture for the tender roasted veggies and creamy cashew crema – and the littlest bit of char creates an extra layer of smoky flavor for these cauliflower and sweet potato tacos.
Plus, it makes the tortillas pretty picture-perfect, and it couldn’t be easier. Here’s what you’ll do…
Pop a tortilla directly over the open flame of a gas burner. Once you see a little smoke coming off the edges, carefully rotate it with tongs. While you can toast up flour tortillas using this method, I suggest opting for corn tortillas.
Continue until both sides are evenly charred, but be careful not to overdo it. Too much cooking will completely dry the tortillas out. All you need is a little color!
Repeat with more tortillas, until you have enough for your taco feast. To keep your charred tortillas pliable and warm for taco assembly, pop them into a handy tortilla warmer until you’re ready to serve. If you do not have a tortilla warmer, try wrapping the tortillas with a damp paper towel. When you’re ready for taco assembly, simply pop them in the microwave for 30-40 seconds. The moisture in the paper towel steams the tortillas so they stay nice and pliable.
No gas burner? No problem! ⇢ Many PWWB readers have replicated this charred effect by toasting their tortillas on a griddle or a hot heavy-bottomed pan, such as a large skillet. Follow the same process laid out above, toasting until your tortillas have as much char as you like – easy!
Taco Assembly + More Easy Topping Ideas
One of the best parts about making tacos is assembling them – it’s when all of the flavorful components come together to create a bit of magic. ✨ Try to assemble only as many tacos you know you’ll eat – leftovers keep very well, but ideally need to be stored separately.
Assembling the ideal roasted veggie taco. ⇢ Grab a charred corn tortilla (don’t forget to reheat them so the tacos aren’t too dry – see above!), then smear it with mashed avocado (I.e. a little avocado with some lime juice). Next, pile on a big hearty spoonful of smoky black bean and roasted veggie taco filling. All that’s left to do? Finish it off with a generous drizzling of chipotle cashew crema (trust us, you’ll want a big spoonful here!).
More Easy Taco Topping Ideas
Of course, a few extra toppings never hurt on taco night! 🥰 If you feel like finishing your roasted veggie tacos off with a little something extra, try…
- Finely chopped cilantro for a little extra freshness or an extra squeeze of lime juice for a little brightness
- Pickled red onions for bright acidity, plus the most gorgeous bright pink pop of color.
- Our favorite simple Everyday Slaw provides tons of texture and flavor from cabbage, peppers, and fresh herbs. Plus, it’s made with minimal mayo (or fabanaise, if made vegan) – easy!
We can’t wait for you to try these Sweet Potato and Cauliflower Tacos! We love how much you love this vegetable taco recipe and it’s safe to say it’s here to stay for many more Taco Tuesdays to come. 🌮
If you do give it a try, be sure to let us know! Leave a comment with a star rating below. You can also snap a photo and tag @playswellwithbutter on Instagram. We LOVE seeing your PWWB creations! ♡ Happy cooking!
Print
Roasted Sweet Potato and Cauliflower Tacos with Chipotle Cashew Crema
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: serves 4
- Category: Tacos, Burritos & Enchiladas Recipes
- Method: Roasted, Sheet Pan
- Cuisine: Mexican & Tex-Mex, American
- Diet: Vegan
Description
Ever since publishing this recipe in 2019, this Roasted Sweet Potato and Cauliflower Tacos recipe has earned its spot in over thousands of PWWB readers’ regular dinner rotation. Whether you’re a longtime vegan, new to a plant-based lifestyle, or you’re simply a meat eater looking to add a few more veggie-forward recipes into your meal plan, you’re in for such a treat!
What makes this recipe so special is how its components come together to create layers of flavor and texture that make for a particularly satisfying meal: spiced roasted veggies, hearty black beans, irresistibly creamy dairy-free crema, and smoky charred tortillas.
A few tips to keep in mind along the way…
- Roast the veggies on a large sheet pan. Giving the individual pieces a little breathing room allows steam to escape as they cook, resulting in perfectly tender-yet-crisp texture.
- For best results, blend the cashew crema in a high-speed blender until it’s totally smooth and creamy, which takes a good 45 seconds – 1 minute. Our preferred blender is linked below.
- Don’t skip charring your tortillas! All the how’s and why’s are detailed in the blog post, above, along an alternate method if you don’t have a gas stovetop.
As one of PWWB’s first ever recipes to “go viral,” this roasted veggie tacos recipe holds an extra special place in my taco-loving heart. I hope you love it just as much as we do. ♡
Ingredients
- 1 small head cauliflower, cut into bite-sized florets (approx. 1 ½ pounds or 6 heaping cups florets)
- 1 large sweet potato, diced into ½-inch cubes (approx. 1 pound or 3 heaping cups diced)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- one 14-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 lime, juiced
- kosher salt and ground black pepper, to season
- for serving, as desired: charred corn tortillas, mashed avocado (1 medium avocado + juice of 1 lime) or guacamole, vegan sour cream cashew crema (below), pickled red onions, chopped fresh cilantro, cotija cheese or vegan cheese of choice, salsa of choice, lime wedges, etc.
for the chipotle cashew crema:
- ⅓ – ½ cup roasted unsalted cashews (see Recipe Notes)
- 1 chipotle pepper and/or 2 teaspoons adobo sauce (from a can of chipotle peppers in adobo sauce)
- 1 clove garlic
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ cup water
- 1 lime, juiced
Instructions
- Prep: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F, ensuring a rack is positioned in the center of the oven. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or foil for easy clean-up as desired. Gather and prep all ingredients according to Ingredients List, above (e.g. break down the cauliflower, dice the sweet potato, measure the spices, etc.).
- Season the cauliflower and sweet potatoes: Place the cauliflower florets and sweet potato in a large bowl or on the prepared baking sheet. Drizzle the olive oil over top, then season with the chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, garlic powder, dried oregano, 1 teaspoon kosher salt and ground black pepper as desired. Toss to combine well, then arrange in a uniform layer on the baking sheet, giving the individual veggies plenty of breathing room to roast up nicely.
- Roast the cauliflower and sweet potatoes: Transfer the sheet pan to the preheated oven. Roast 30 minutes, giving the pan a good shake halfway through to promote even browning, or until the veggies are tender throughout and crispy at the edges. In the last 5 minutes of roasting, place the drained black beans on the sheet pan, allowing them to warm up as the veggies finish cooking. Remove from the oven. Squeeze the lime juice over the surface of the sheet pan and set aside.
- Prepare the cashew crema and other taco fixings: Meanwhile, as the veggies roast, prepare the cashew crema. Combine all listed ingredients in a high-speed blender. Blend until smooth and creamy, about 1 minute, stopping to scrape down the sides of the blender canister as needed. Transfer to a bowl and set aside, or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. (At my house, we like to enjoy these tacos with a simple smashed avocado (avocado + lime + salt) and charred tortillas (more notes on this in the Recipe Notes, below) – this is a great time to prepare both of these components as well.)
- Assemble and serve: Pile the roasted veggies and black beans into a tortilla, with smashed avocado and a good drizzle of cashew crema as desired. Finish with any other toppings of choice – cashew crema, chopped cilantro, lime juice, salsa – whatever your taco-lovin’ heart desires. Enjoy!
Notes
- Ingredient Notes:
- Cashews: If you cannot find roasted, unsalted cashews, feel free to use raw cashews for your cashew crema. The consistency of your cashew crema will depend on how much juice your lime yields, so feel free to adjust as needed to reach your desired consistency (i.e. blend in more cashews for a thicker sauce, stir in a little more water for a thinner sauce). If you do not have a high-speed blender, you may want to soak your cashews for 10-15 minutes in boiling-hot water, which helps them break down much more easily in a less powerful blender. More tips and tricks! ⇢ Easy Vegan Cashew Crema.
- Charred corn tortillas: To char corn tortillas on the stovetop, pop a tortilla directly over open flame on a gas burner. Once you see a little smoke coming off the tortilla, then continue to rotate it until it’s lightly charred. Continue until both sides of the tortillas are evenly charred. It’s very important not to over-do it as this will completely dry the tortillas out – just aim for a little color! Once it’s as charred as desired, transfer to a tortilla warmer or wrap it in a damp paper towel to prevent it from drying out until you’re ready to serve.
- Storage and Reheating: Leftover roasted sweet potatoes and cauliflower will keep, stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator, for 3-5 days. Reheat leftovers in the microwave until warmed through, or under the broiler for 3-4 minutes if you like a little extra crispy-char. Leftover chipotle cashew crema will keep, stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator, for up to 1 week. Enjoy leftovers with more roasted veggie tacos, or use it as an all-purpose sauce for any other meals or salads.
- 15-Minute Meal Prep: One of our favorite things about this roasted cauliflower sweet potato tacos recipe is how easy it is to throw together – especially if you’ve done a little bit of meal prep ahead of time. By chopping the veggies in advance, you can jump right into cooking during the week – easy! Here’s what you’ll do…
- Roasted veggie prep: Chop the cauliflower and dice sweet potato according to the Ingredients List, above. Transfer to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. (10 minutes active prep)
- Prepare the chipotle cashew crema according to Step 4 of Recipe Directions, above. Transfer to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. (5 minutes active prep)
Follow along with Plays Well With Butter on Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, and Pinterest for more unfussy recipes that pack a big punch of flavor!
Words cannot describe how flavorful this dish is, amazing!! My husband wouldn’t stop saying how phenomenal it was! Since we are in quarantine, I tripled the recipe and made some for my daughter and her family and also my sister in law. They all loved it!!
Gladys, so glad to hear that you & your family enjoyed! We love this one since it is simple but also MEGA flavorful!
Made this last night for dinner and had leftovers again today for lunch. It was a really easy recipe to follow and had a ton of complex flavors. Even as people who generally eat meat we didn’t find this dish was missing anything! We still have a ton of the filling and crema left so we might have it for breakfast tomorrow and add a fried egg.
Stacey! So glad you enjoyed – the filling & crema leftovers would be perfect with a fried egg for breakfast. YUM!
Hi Jess,
This recipe sounds amazing!
I was going to try it for tonight’s dinner but have couple of ingredients missing:
-lime/juice- will lemons do the same?
-chipotle pepper- what could I use instead?
Thank you very much!
Hey Sara! I hope you get this in time =)
1. Lemons will for sure work in place of lime!
2. The smoky flavor of chipotle is a little tricky to replicate. I say omit it & use a little extra chili powder & smoked paprika in its place. If you like spicy food, you could use 1-2 tablespoons of your preferred hot sauce (Tabasco, sriracha, gochujang, harissa, etc.). Doing so will obviously change the flavor of the crema a little bit, but if you’re the type of person who loves hot sauce, you’ll probably like it that way! =)
Let me know if this helps! xx
Great recipe and so easy. I haven’t had the avocados or cashews so we’ve had a simpler sauce both times we’ve had this but the base recipe (sweet potatoes, beans & cauliflower) is so good it still works.
Beyond delicious I have been eating this for almost two weeks now omg !!!!! Me and hubby are obsessed !!!!!!!
I have never left a comment on a recipe before and usually I end up butchering even the easiest recipes but this was delicious, easy even for me and bonus easy clean up! Loved it thank you for sharing, I plan on sharing with all my friends especially the cashew crema.
Do you have a suggestion for how to prep the corn tortillas if you don’t have a gas stove?
Hi Amy! You could toast them up in a heavy-bottomed skillet (like a cast iron), or I’ve had readers also write in and say that they just popped them straight onto the burner of their electric stovetop & it worked like a charm. Either way, transfer the toasty tortillas to a plate, wrapped in a damp paper towel & then give them a quick go-round in the microwave just before serving to make sure they’re soft & pliable.
This recipe is great! Not too hard to make & the leftovers are amazing. I added some lemon juice, extra spices, and some more cashews to my sauce to make it thick/spicy.
This is seriously so good. Total perfection, wouldn’t change a thing. Thank you!!
I’m SO glad you loved them, Jenna!
These are so freaking tasty. I meal prepped them for lunch with some rice and it has been the best all week. Sometimes after eating the same thing for a few days I get worried it won’t be as good but these are so good every time and that chipotle cashew crema is to die for! Thanks for helping me make the transition to plant based a little easier!
I am fixing this for some of my horse friends, because it is my absolute favorite. My question is, what would you do for an appetizer or dessert?
Oooh, the best question!
For appetizers, you can’t go wrong with guac. 7-Layer Dip is always a hit, too, & this recipe is plant-based! This creamy salsa verde is also amazing if you wanted to do some chips & dips.
For dessert, these bars are an absolute favorite & they’re allergy-friendly.
Be sure to let me know how it all goes! I can’t wait to hear what you think!
How many tacos does this make? I saw the recipe says yields 4 but what is considered a serving? Just want to make sure I have the appropriate amount to feed the family! Thanks!
Hey Jessica! You’ll get 4 generous servings from this recipe, at least 3 tacos each. You may have leftover veggies or crema & they make for a wonderful taco bowl to enjoy for lunch the next day! Let me know when you try the tacos – I hope you love them as much as we do!
I can’t wait to make these! I don’t need to soak the cashews though?
Hi Mary! You will LOVE them! They’re a total favorite around here. =)
For cashews!: if you have a high-speed blender (such as a Vitamix or Nutribullet), there’s really no need to soak the cashews; the blades of the blender will be powerful enough to break them down. If you do not have a high speed blender (or want to soak them, just in case), you have 2 options: soak overnight at room temperature or soak in hot water for 15-20 minutes prior to making the crema. Drain & discard the soaking liquid, then proceed with the recipe.
I hope this helps – definitely feel free to let me know if you have any other questions!
This. Was. Bomb. I thought I was going to overwhelmed with all of the components but PWWB’s step by step made the work flow through the kitchen super easy. And they were sooooo good! I didn’t miss meat or cheese in this taco and have since used the sauce on so many other things.
YAY!!! This totally makes my day, Ashley, thank you so much for sharing!!! The cashew crema is a staple in my fridge too, I swear it makes pretty much anything better. Try this creamy pasta recipe next for some more flavorful plant-based goodness. =)
THESE WERE SO DELICIOUS! Sweet potato + black beans are in our regular taco rotation because my fiancé is a vegetarian, but the cashew creama took these over the top and made them AMAZING! I will 100% be making these again and again
YES! The cashew crema is really the magic touch. I’m so glad you & your fiancé loved them!!!