These vegan cauliflower tacos with bang bang sauce are my new favorite taco night obsession. Crispy roasted cauliflower, a spicy-sweet sauce, and fresh toppings all wrapped up in under an hour.
The cauliflower gets baked (not fried) so it’s a little lighter, but you’d never know it. The panko coating gets golden and crispy in the oven, and once you toss it in the bang bang sauce and bake it for a few more minutes, it gets this sticky, caramelized thing going on that is just unreal.
The slaw is what ties everything together. It’s simple: shredded red cabbage, carrots, and cilantro dressed in sesame oil, rice wine vinegar, agave, and lime. A little goes a long way with the sesame oil, so start small and taste as you go. You can also swap rice wine vinegar for apple cider vinegar if that’s what you have.
And the bang bang sauce takes about 30 seconds to make. Vegan mayo, sweet chili sauce, sriracha, and a squeeze of lime. That’s it. You’ll want to double it because you will put this on everything for the rest of the week.
I made two versions when I tested this: some cauliflower tossed in teriyaki sauce and some in the bang bang sauce. Both were incredible, but the bang bang is the star. Top everything with chopped peanuts, green onions, sesame seeds, and an extra drizzle of sriracha if you like heat.
What You’ll Need
For the vegan cauliflower tacos:
- 1 head of cauliflower, cut into florets
- 1 cup flour
- 1 cup non-dairy milk
- 1 1/2 cups panko breadcrumbs
- Garlic salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper to taste
For the slaw:
- Red cabbage, shredded
- Carrots, shredded
- Fresh cilantro, chopped
- Sesame oil (start with a small drizzle)
- Rice wine vinegar (or apple cider vinegar)
- Agave or maple syrup
- Juice of 1/2 a lime
- Salt to taste
For the bang bang sauce:
- 4 Tbsp vegan mayo
- 3 Tbsp sweet chili sauce
- 1 tsp sriracha (or more if you like heat)
- Lime juice to taste
Toppings:
- Green onions, sliced
- Chopped peanuts
- Sesame seeds
- Extra sriracha
How to Make Them
- Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. In one bowl, whisk together the flour, non-dairy milk, and spices (salt, garlic powder, black pepper, cayenne). In a second bowl, combine the panko breadcrumbs with your spices.
- Dip each cauliflower floret in the wet batter, let the excess drip off, then coat it in the panko mixture. Place on a greased baking sheet. Repeat until all your cauliflower is breaded.
- Bake for 30 minutes, flipping the cauliflower halfway through. While it bakes, make your slaw by combining the cabbage, carrots, cilantro, sesame oil, vinegar, agave, lime juice, and salt. In a separate bowl, mix together the bang bang sauce ingredients.
- When the cauliflower is done, toss it in the bang bang sauce (or teriyaki sauce if you want to mix it up) and return to the oven for 5 more minutes. For crispier results, skip this step and just drizzle the sauce over the tacos when you serve.
- Load up your tortillas with slaw, sauced cauliflower, and all the toppings. Serve immediately.
Tips
- A little sesame oil goes a long way in the slaw. Start with half a teaspoon and taste.
- Double the bang bang sauce. Trust me.
- These are best eaten fresh. The cauliflower loses its crunch if it sits, but you can store leftover components separately and assemble right before eating.
- Try this cauliflower on rice bowls, in lettuce wraps, or just eat it straight off the pan. It’s that good.
FAQ
Can I air fry the cauliflower instead of baking?
Yes! Air fry at 400 degrees for about 12–15 minutes, shaking the basket halfway through.
Is this recipe gluten-free?
Swap the flour for a gluten-free blend and use gluten-free panko breadcrumbs. Everything else is naturally gluten-free.
Can I make the slaw ahead of time?
Yes, the slaw actually gets better after sitting in the fridge for a few hours. Just hold off on adding the cilantro until you’re ready to serve.
How do I store leftovers?
Store the cauliflower, slaw, and sauce separately in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat the cauliflower in the oven or air fryer to re-crisp it.
More Easy Vegan Recipes
Also try my Vegan Teriyaki Tofu Tacos with Sesame Slaw or Teriyaki Tofu Rainbow Rolls with Thai Peanut Dipping Sauce.
Vegan Bang Bang Cauliflower Tacos
Ingredients
For the cauliflower:
- 1 head of cauliflower cut into florets
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup non-dairy milk
- 1 1/2 cups panko breadcrumbs
- garlic salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper to taste
For the slaw:
- 1 cup red cabbage shredded
- 1 cup carrots shredded
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro chopped
- 2 tsp sesame oil
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar or apple cider vinegar
- agave or maple syrup to taste
- 1/2 lime juiced
- salt to taste
For the bang bang sauce:
- 4 tbsp vegan mayo
- 3 tbsp sweet chili sauce
- 1 tsp sriracha plus more to taste
- lime juice to taste
Toppings:
- 4 green onions sliced
- chopped peanuts to taste
- sesame seeds to taste
- 8 flour tortillas warmed
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. In one bowl, whisk together the flour, non-dairy milk, garlic salt, black pepper, and cayenne. In a second bowl, combine the panko breadcrumbs with additional seasoning to taste.
- Dip each cauliflower floret in the wet batter, let the excess drip off, then coat it in the panko mixture. Place on a greased baking sheet. Repeat until all the cauliflower is breaded.
- Bake for 30 minutes, flipping the cauliflower halfway through. While it bakes, combine the cabbage, carrots, cilantro, sesame oil, rice vinegar, agave or maple syrup, lime juice, and salt to make the slaw. In a separate bowl, mix the bang bang sauce ingredients.
- Toss the baked cauliflower in the bang bang sauce and return it to the oven for 5 minutes. For crispier cauliflower, drizzle the sauce over the tacos at serving instead.
- Fill the 8 warmed tortillas with slaw and sauced cauliflower. Top with green onions, chopped peanuts, sesame seeds, and extra sriracha if desired. Serve immediately.
- Tips
- Use 2 teaspoons sesame oil for the full batch of slaw; its flavor is strong, so toss thoroughly before adding more.
- Double the bang bang sauce. Trust me.
- These are best eaten fresh. The cauliflower loses its crunch if it sits, but you can store leftover components separately and assemble right before eating.
- Try this cauliflower on rice bowls, in lettuce wraps, or just eat it straight off the pan. It's that good.
