If I had to choose my favourite spice, smoked paprika would definitely be a contender. I love how it bring the most amazingly deep smoky, slightly sweet flavour to everything that crosses its path.
As my friend Clotilde says, it’s like the phantom of chorizo.
I also adore cauliflower.
So it was only a matter of time for me to come up with the idea to roast cauliflower with some smoked paprika and finish it all with Mexican accompaniments.
And call it a taco bowl. It’s hard to go past a good bowl. This one is especially delicious.
Smoky Cauli Taco Bowls
Ingredients
- 1/2 large cauliflower 800g / 28oz
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1 large avocado or 8 tablespoons sour cream
- 1 bunch coriander (cilantro) or parsley
- hot sauce eg. Tabasco to taste
- 1 handful roast hazelnuts or cashews
Instructions
- Turn your oven on to 220C (430F). Chop cauli into bite sized pieces and place in a large baking tray. Combine smoked paprika with 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil in a small bowl. Season extra generously with salt (cauli loves salt). Drizzle the spiced oil over the cauliflower and toss to coat (hands work best here).
- Roast cauliflower for 20-25 minutes, stirring after 15 minutes.
- When the cauliflower is browned around the edges and no longer crunchy, divide between two bowls.
- Top with avocado / sour cream, herbs, hot sauce and nuts. Enjoy asap. If you feel like getting cheffy like I did for the photo shoot, spread the sour cream or avocado over the base of your bowls before topping with the cauliflower and flavourings.
Nutrition
WINE MATCH: A crisp dry Pinot Gris or Soave or a cold Dos Eqquis beer.
Variations & Substitutions
pantry-friendly – cauliflower = cooked chickpeas or beans (2 cans drained) and reduce cooking time to 10-15 minutes. Skip herbs. Avocado / sour cream = hummus or cashew sauce.
Keto / ultra low carb – skip the nuts and serve with extra avocado. Replace 1/2 the cauli with baby spinach.
dairy-free – choose the avo option.
nut-free – replace nuts with cooked lentils, beans or chickpeas. Or some crumbled feta or goats cheese.
more substantial (carb lovers) – serve with warm tortillas or pita bread.
more substantial (low carb) – extra avo, use avo AND sour cream, more nuts.
Low FODMAP – replace cauliflower with diced sweet potato. Take the sour cream option. And use macadamias as your nuts.
different vegetables – add a sliced onion to the cauliflower (I usually do when I’m not counting the number of ingredients I use). Root veg would all be good, broccoli, zucchini or eggplant. Some red capsicum (bell peppers) would also work.
different protein – this is a fairley low protein dish. Feel free to add cooked beans, chickpeas or lentils. Cooked chorizo or sausages will be lovely. Or some cooked chicken or fish.
Waste Avoidance Strategy
cauliflower – cauli will keep for weeks in a plastic bag in the fridge. Can be frozen but the texture isn’t as good when defrosted.
smoked paprika / hot sauce / hazelnuts or cashews – keep them in the pantry.
avocado – use for another meal. Don’t freeze.
sour cream – keeps for weeks in the fridge.
coriander – best to use for another meal. Can be frozen but will wilt when defrosted.
parsley – will keep in the fridge wrapped in a plastic bag for a few weeks. Can be frozen or make a parsley oil by packing the leaves into a clean jar and covering with extra virgin olive oil.
Problem Solving Guide
bland – more salt. more hot sauce or a squeeze of lime (or lemon).
too dry – drizzle with a little extra virgin olive oil or more sour cream. Next time check the cauliflower the earlier.
no oven – pan fry the cauliflower (without the paprika) in a little oil on a medium high heat until the cauli is browned and no longer crunchy. If it’s starting to burn,
cauli burnt / bitter – when cooking at super high temps like this, it’s important to check and stir the cauli after 15 minutes. This stops it burning around the edges. For now just add more sour cream / avo and discard any really burnt bits.
cauli too crunchy – next time cook it longer. And don’t open the oven too often because each time you open the door the temperature drops and your cooking time increases. For now, just get your chewing muscles on, if it’s really unpleasant you could return it to the oven.
Prepare Ahead
Yes! Just cook as per the recipe but keep everything separately. Leftover roast cauliflower will keep in the fridge for up to 2 weeks or can be frozen. To serve, warm cauli in a pan with a little oil. Then serve as per recipe.
Add to my Old Favourite Recipes
Made this tonight and thought it wouldn’t be filling enough. To our surprise it was very filling and now it will be one of our favorite recipes. Yeah Cauliflower!
Yeah Cauliflower exactly Patti!
Jules,
didn’t know how good cauliflower could tasted.
So happy to hear that Amanda!
Making veggies taste amazing is one of my favourite favourite things to do 🙂
#4 of the challenge (2 more to go) delicious, very moreish.. with salad and sunflower seeds also and have saved some for lunch – YUM!
Yay Ethel!
I cooked this today and found it another easy and tasty recipe. I added 1/2 red capsicum, 1/2 red onion and 1/2 large zucchini to the cauliflower(were in the frig to be used!)I cut all these in large slices or chunks before I mixed the oil and smoked paprika in a bowl to coat all the vegies. I had a cooked chicken thigh so chopped it and added towards the end of roasting time. I served these lovely things on a bed of avocado and natural yogurt topped with the roasted cashews and coriander. I didn’t think we needed any sauce on this. My husband is keen to have this again – Hurray!!
Hurray indeed Margot! Well done on your additions 🙂
I I made this to take to lunch – used some taco seasoning & leftover feta instead of nuts. Didn’t feel the urge to add sour cream as quite rich. Very nice, even at room temperature & a day after cooking
I love roast cauli at room temp too Emma!
10 Day Challenge #7 (of 6 ?). I stone-souped, as it were, the cauliflower a bit. Having decided to roast a chopped sweet potato with the cauli rather than instead of it, I added 8 halved button mushrooms for extra protein. I didn’t have any smoked paprika, so spiced the oil with some sweet paprika, cumin, ginger and chilli . At the first stir, I also added a tin of kidney beans and the last of some passata – twice now I’ve cooked one of your recipes that called for half a bottle of passata, then not had another for weeks. My avocados, bought last Sunday, were still rock hard, so I had the mix with sour cream, and also grated cheddar and hummus because nothing succeeds like excess. ?
Man they sound like some serious bowls Mark!
With leftover passata – you can always freeze.
Challenge meal #5 for lunch with my Dad. Served with almond hummus instead of sour cream.
Another easy and satisfying recipe – I love roast cauliflower and in combination with creamy avocado and the addition of spiced black beans was delicious and filling.
Yay for cauli Deveri!
Number 6 for the Challenge – a big hit in our household. Had some smoky chipotle sauce which was a winner. And added a few cashews and a tortilla and it was deemed better than any restaurant we’d been to!
Wow high praise Jennifer! Wonderful!
Who would have thought that a one vegetable dish would be so satisfying? This was delicious and easy. Thanks Jules for another winner
Glad you enjoyed MArtina!
Not sure if it was using a higher temperature than normal, or the addition of the paprika, but this was one of the tastier roasted cauli dishes I’ve had in a long time. Will definitely make this again.
So glad you enjoyed Julie!
A family favorite with sliced onions, salt, fresh ground pepper,and a dash of garlic powder instead of the nightshades
Nice substitutes Debbie 🙂
I made this for dinner last night with only a couple minor modifications. It was so close to Keto and my tastes; I drizzled some spicy salsa on the sour cream topping and changed the nuts to macadamias b/c that’s what I keep on hand. I also used some guacamole I always have at the ready instead of fresh avocado. Excellent! This will become a fixture in my meal rotation.
Yum Linda!
Macadamias would be even better.
I made this last night as part of my commitment to the 10 day challenge & we loved it! I sat the roasted Cauli on Rocket & julienned Carrot, plus some Avo & Sour cream on the side & sprinkled some cashews over the top. It was yumMM – thank you for your easy and inspirational ideas! I would do this again, and consider other opportunities with any veg or protein.
Excellent Deb! I’m having this next week and can’t wait.
I roasted brussels sprouts with smoked paprika like this on the weekend – so good!
Has these today with walnuts instead of the hazelnuts and almond hummus instead of the sour cream.
Used Plain pre roasted cauli and just warmed in a pan with a little oil and the smoked paprika. Served with a big squeeze of lime. So delicious! I could eat this every day