Spicy Air Fryer Cauliflower Tacos

Air fryer cauliflower tacos with a spicy chipotle glaze and fresh toppings are the perfect vegetarian dinner for two! We love making these for a date night at home, paired with a cold margarita.

We’ve been wanting to make cauliflower tacos for a long time. So when we finally tried some at a local brewery (and they were amazing), it was the push we needed to get working on this recipe!

These tacos were inspired by our favorite combination of flavors, especially when it comes to Mexican food: citrus and spice. Bright and fresh pineapple pico with pickled red onion and lime crema are the perfect toppings for crispy cauliflower, which we toss in a spicy chipotle glaze. All in all, this might just be our new favorite taco recipe.

What This Recipe Entails

This is a great date night dinner to not just enjoy together but also to make together! Since this recipe does take a little longer, having two people working really helps to speed up the process. And that way you can spend extra time creating something delicious with a loved one.

• Ready in: 1 hour
• Serves: 2 people
• Great for: Nights when you’re craving Mexican flavors without the heaviness or greasiness of traditional meat-filled tacos
• Flavor profile: Spicy and smoky with fresh, zesty toppings
• Why we love it: Vegetarian, packed with flavor and heat, feels like a gourmet restaurant dish

Ingredients

• Air fryer cauliflower – To make crispy fried cauliflower in the air fryer, you’ll need to coat cauliflower florets in an egg and flour dredge. We like to season the flour with garlic powder, paprika, cayenne, and salt for extra flavor.
• Chipotle glaze – You’ll need water, distilled white vinegar, chipotle puree, light brown sugar, garlic, and salt to make a spicy glaze for the cauliflower. For the chipotle puree, we like to buy a can of chipotles in adobo and puree it in our food processor until it’s smooth. You can store this in the fridge for up to 2 weeks and use it for a spicy kick in tons of different recipes.
• Pickled red onions – You’ll need red onion, distilled white vinegar, water, and salt to make a quick cold pickle. Optionally, you could also use a combination of lime juice and salt for a more zesty option.
• Pineapple pico de gallo – We like to use fresh pineapple, jalapeno, lime juice, and salt to make the most delicious citrus salsa for these tacos! You can always look for a store bought tropical pico if you want a quicker option, but in our opinion, nothing beats fresh.
• Lime crema – Our go-to crema is a combination of plain Greek yogurt, lime juice, and salt. We’ve found that Fage works best as a sour cream alternative because of its super thick texture and tangy flavor.
• Corn tortillas – We always recommend making tortillas from scratch if you have the time – the flavor is so much better than anything you can find at the store! But if you want an easy taco night, store-bought works just fine. Look for small yellow or white corn tortillas, 4-inch or so, for an authentic taco experience.

How To Make Air Fryer Cauliflower

The secret to crispy, golden cauliflower in the air fryer is to coat the florets in an egg and flour dredge. Air fry them at high heat with a light spray of cooking oil, and you’ll get amazing results!

1. Dredge: Coat the florets in egg, then in the seasoned flour. Make sure to let any excess egg drip off before transferring the florets to the flour. Toss generously to make sure that each floret is completely coated.
2. Air fry: Grease the inside of the air fryer basket, then add the coated florets, making sure not to overcrowd the basket. Lightly spray them with cooking oil, then air fry at 400 degrees F for about 5 minutes. Give them a good shake, spray them again, and cook for another 5 to 7 minutes until crispy and golden.

How To Make Spicy Cauliflower Tacos

Now that you know how to make the crispy air fryer cauliflower, there are a few additional steps to build these delicious tacos:

1. Make the chipotle glaze: Combine the glaze ingredients in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium-low heat. Simmer the sauce until it’s thick and glaze-like, approximately reduced by two-thirds to three-quarters of its volume, stirring occasionally. This should take around 10 minutes once the sauce is simmering.
2. Sauce the cauliflower: Add the fried cauliflower to the chipotle glaze and stir to coat the florets in the sauce. Transfer to a serving dish to bring to the table for DIY taco assembly.
3. Warm the tortillas: If using store-bought, warm the tortillas on a large griddle over medium-low heat until soft and pliable, about 1 to 2 minutes per side.
4. Serve: Serve the tortillas and spicy cauliflower with pineapple pico de gallo, pickled red onions, and lime crema.

Serving Suggestions

Tacos are special. And therefore, deserve a full meal! Here are some of our favorite additions to taco night:

• Appetizers – There are so many different things you can serve with tacos, but our choice here is either southwest egg rolls, mango pico de gallo, or cottage cheese queso.
• Sides – We like to complete taco plates with some easy Mexican rice and Mexican bean dip, just like you’d get at a good Mexican restaurant. 
• Drinks – These tacos make us crave a tropical drink like our pineapple coconut margarita or our mango mai tai.

Storing, Reheating, and Tips For Using Leftovers

Store leftover taco ingredients in the fridge for up to 3 days. We recommend reheating the cauliflower in a frying pan over medium to medium-low heat so that it can crisp back up a bit.

If you’re looking for a way to use leftover spicy cauliflower that isn’t in more tacos, here are some of our favorite ideas:

• Spicy cauliflower rice bowl – We love how this spicy cauliflower goes with some jasmine rice, leftover pickled onions, toasted almonds, and salted cucumber.
• Serve as a side – Spicy cauliflower is a great veggie to serve with a protein and other sides, like grilled chicken and potatoes. 
• Turn it into nachos – We like to turn everything into nachos, and chipotle cauliflower is no exception. Add on some cheese, any other leftover fillings from taco night, and some guac, and you have some easy, amazing nachos.

Give these air fryer cauliflower tacos a try and let us know what you think by commenting, rating, and sharing below!

Love this recipe? You may enjoy these recipes, too:

• Spanish Fried Cauliflower (Coliflor Rebozada)
• Air Fryer Buffalo Cauliflower Bites
• Sweet Potato and Black Bean Tacos
• Cauliflower Tikka Masala
• Fish Tacos With Mango Salsa