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!
I think I’ll actually use a chipotle pepper next time and not just the sauce to add more spice to it and use a bullet instead of the food processor. My sauce was also runny I’ll have to add more cashews next time. My who household loved these! They were so flavor packed it was impressive!
Hi Autumn! The crema will typically set up & naturally thicken quite a bit as it sits, but if you want it really thick & creamy, feel free to add in another small handful of cashews to create a thicker consistency. & let us know how the chipotle pepper goes if you opt to add a little more heat! Thank you for sharing & we are SO glad you & your family enjoyed!
This was excellent! Because of GI issues I don’t eat beans or grains, so I omitted beans, substituted carne asada, and used butter lettuce instead of tortillas. I also topped the taco off with some thinly sliced radishes. Yum! Thank you!
Hey KT! So glad you were able to adjust to what works best for you & that you enjoyed!!
Wow. I have tried a number of vegan recipes and wow. Half way through the taco you realize you’ve forgotten it is vegan! Honestly love this more than meat/dairy filled tacos.
Aubrey! Thank you for sharing – we hear that so often with these tacos & we couldn’t agree more! SO glad you enjoyed!! 💜
This was our first vegan meal and it was fabulous! Gave my husband and kids a belief that this new healthy habit won’t kill us. They all gave it thumbs up! Great flavor, texture and the charring of the tortillas is a must. Thanks
Tracy, so so glad to hear that your whole family approved – this is such a great recipe when trying to work in more plant-based meals! You should also try the Veggie Burrito Bowls – I bet you would love those too!
Hello! These were amazing! (Definitely making again). I was wondering if you had any nutritional information for his recipe? Thanks again!
Hi Abby! We’ve recently added some estimated nutrition facts for this recipe you can check them out at the end of the recipe card section here!
So much easier than you think and very good! I did do a but more cashews and reduced the water in the sauce a bit.
Hi Kate! Thank you so much for sharing! Absolutely feel free to adjust to reach your desired consistency, otherwise the crema will tend to thicken a bit as it sits as well!
Such a fun meal to make and so delicious! Thank you for this recipe! I can’t wait to try your other recipes!!!
Thank you, Leah! That means so much to us – definitely check out our Quinoa Black Bean Tacos for more plant-based taco goodness!
The recipe is tasty. I would recommend doing 1/2 of the water or 2x the cashews for the crema. It’s super watery otherwise. It’s also not quite spicy enough for my taste so I’ll add some spice next time! Yummy!
Hi Arin! The sauce tends to naturally thicken as it sits but always feel free to add more cashews if you want a thicker sauce right away & definitely amp up the heat by adding 1-2 more chipotle peppers if you like more heat. So glad you enjoyed!
Excellent! So, so, so good!!! Thank you! My cashew creama wasn’t as creamy, delicious still, but a bit runny. I made it in a food processor. Any suggestions?
Hey Johnna! I’m so glad you enjoyed! The crema will set up quite a bit as it sits, but if you want it really thick & creamy, feel free to add in another small handful of cashews – it’ll do the trick easily!
Made for the first time last week and immediately became an all time favorite. And that CREMA! Almost didn’t make it because cashews are a bit expensive for my college budget, but I’m so glad I did because I’ve used that sauce on about every meal I’ve had since. Pretty sure I sent this to every friend the night I made it encouraging them to make it ASAP! Excited to continue making this and trying more of your recipes!
I’m so glad you loved them, Maggie!!! Yes, the crema is the real star of the show, I’m glad you were able to give it a try. =) You can also create a similar sauce using nut butter, if that’s something you’re more likely to keep on hand. Thank you for sharing & for leaving a comment! xx
Hands down the best tacos I have ever eaten. I will never go back to plain tortillas after charring them on the stove.
RIGHT?! The littlest bit of char adds the perfect finishing touch. I’m so glad you loved the tacos so much, Rebecca! Thanks for dropping a comment!
We LOVE this taco recipe. The only thing is I always follow the creme recipe but then need to add a lot more cashews because it’s very watery.
I’m so glad you love them, Jess! The crema is meant to be a little runny upon blending because it thickens up quite a bit as it sits, but certainly add more cashews if you want a thicker sauce!
I made for me and hubby – a home run!
So glad you both enjoyed, Lindsey! This one is definitely a PWWB community fave!
This recipe is amazing. I’ve made it 5-6 times in the past couple of months. We got our hands on purple cauliflower last week and Made it with that. It was next level delicious! Thank you!
Hi Eli! So glad you enjoyed & oh the colors would have been awesome with the purple cauliflower!
Can I substitute the cashews with some other nut? Peanuts_ walnuts
Hi Jasmine! You could try almonds instead. We have not tested it, but they should work! If you are ok with including dairy, you could also swap out the cashews with some sour cream or yogurt, minding that you’ll want to probably reduce the amount of water. We’d recommend just add a few tablespoons at a time until you get the consistency you like. If you try either one, let us know what you think!
Could I substitute the chipotle pepper with anything else? I have poblano peppers . It’s hard to get hold of chipotle in the UK
Hey Luisa! Instead of substituting, might I recommend trying a cilantro-lime cashew crema? It’s a little brighter + lighter in flavor, but you can use your poblano pepper and it’ll be delish! The recipe is included in this recipe on PWWB. Just click to see the full recipe – you should have all ingredients on hand since you were planning to make the chipotle crema. If that’s not your jam, I think you could use the poblano as a substitute – the flavor will be different as chipotles offer smoky heat but you could also add some extra smoked paprika to add smoky flavor.
Great thankyou!
What can I substitute for the cashews? My daughter is allergic to cashews.
Hi Kayla! If they are safe for your family, you could try almonds instead. We have not tested it, but they should work! If you are ok with including dairy, you could also swap out the cashews with some sour cream or yogurt, minding that you’ll want to probably reduce the amount of water. We’d recommend just add a few tablespoons at a time until you get the consistency you like. If you try either one, let us know what you think!
These tacos are absolutely delicious! They are in regular rotation at our house. We are not vegan, so I use sour cream for the crema, but still add in the spices, and for the easy button, I use Tabasco brand chipotle sauce as a stand in for adobo. Yum!
Heidi, so glad you enjoyed! & love your customizations!
Can not get the recipe to print
Hi Anita! The print functionality seems to be working just fine for me. You can use this link to get straight to the printable recipe: https://playswellwithbutter.com/roasted-sweet-potato-cauliflower-tacos/print/5724/
It’s a good thing these are easy to make… cause I’m in love. These are supper yummy!! Thanks for sharing. The cashew sauce is also fantastic!!
Yes the cashew crema absolutely takes these over the top!!
These were the best homemade tacos I’ve ever had!
So glad you enjoyed, Kat!!
This is on repeat for us! We just love it and it really gives a new perspective on cauliflower. The cashew crema is life! All my neighbors are making it too!
I can’t wait to try this recipe! What would you recommend for making these on the stovetop? I would love to give these a try but my oven is currently out of commission.
Thank you!
Hi Kayla! These may be quite a bit different on the stove top as they won’t be able to achieve the same roasted flavor & texture. While it may be tough on the stovetop, if you have a grill available you could try grilling instead, perhaps using a grill pan. Just be sure to prep the veggies in uniform pieces so they have a chance to cook throughout! If you do use another method – let us know how it goes!
These look amazing! I’m making them tonight for dinner! Although I don’t have a chipotle pepper on hand for the sauce… can you think of a good substitution?
Hi Kelley! The Chipotle Cashew Crema really relies on the smoky flavor that the chipotle pepper provides. If you have adobo sauce available, you can substitute with 2 teaspoons of adobo sauce. Otherwise, we’d recommend checking out one of our other Cashew Crema recipes here: Cashew Crema (Easy Vegan Crema Recipe) to see if you have ingredients for either of these simple sauces on hand instead!
I don’t normally leave comments on recipe but this one is SO good I just had to say thank you!! I’ve been in a rut of alternating like 3 recipes and wanted to try something new. This was so easy, so healthy, and so delicious!!! My husband added steak to his but when he wanted another he ate it as is and said it might be better without steak. I think this will be #4 in my rotation from now on 🙂
Dena! So glad you & your husband enjoyed this recipe & it is on regular rotation – it is such a good one to have on hand!
I’m really excited to make this tomorrow for dinner, but I have a question. About how many cups/pounds/grams of sweet potato should I use? The only sweet potatoes I could get at the store this week was a bag of these really small sweet potatoes, not the big ones that I can usually get.
Hey Kristin! I would say you’ll want 3-4 cups of diced sweet potatoes! Let me know how it goes! xx
I really appreciate you answering my question so quickly about how much sweet potato to use. Thank you. 🙂 I ended up using 4 cups, since that’s about how many little potatoes I peeled.
I think these tacos are really delicious. This was full of flavor, and I loved the chipotle cashew crema. When I was making my crema, it seemed really thin, SO, I ended up putting in an extra 1/4 cup of cashews (I made a double batch of sauce, so I used 3/4 cup cashews total.) It helped thicken the sauce, and I just hoped as it chilled, it would thicken some more. It seemed just right, and I felt it made these tacos really delicious. Thanks for a great recipe!
Of course, Kristin! So glad it worked out for you! The crema blends up pretty runny, but will for sure continue to thicken. Double batch is always a good idea – it seriously goes well with everyyyything! xx