Gochujang Cauliflower Tacos

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These were the tacos I made for my final dish in culinary school! These Gochujang Cauliflower Tacos are heavily inspired by Korean, Japanese, and Mexican flavors. I also really love making fried cauliflower, which I have done in a few recipes in the past, so when we were tasked to create a final dish with different elements for our final plate in school and chef said to make something we enjoy cooking, I knew I wanted to make a twist on something I love to make.

gochujang cauliflower tacos on corn tortillas

These cauliflower pieces are battered and double fried until they have a very crisp exterior before being coated in the sweet, savory, spicy gochujang-based glaze. These are then paired with a refreshing cabbage slaw with ginger, yuzu, and sesame as well as some pickled onions plus a scallion cashew cream for some richness. The blue corn tortillas are also homemade with a simple mix of masa harina and water but you’re free to use ready made tortillas if your choice. You’ll have a burst of different flavors and textures with each bite.

crispy fried cauliflower with cabbage slaw, cashew cream

INGREDIENTS YOU’LL NEED

PICKLED ONIONS

1 medium red onion , thinly sliced
1/2 cup apple cider or distilled white vinegar
3 tbsp sugar , or more to adjust sweetness
1/2 cup water
4-5 whole peppercorns
Pinch salt

TORTILLAS (makes 10-12 six inch tortillas)

1/2 lb blue masa harina or regular masa harina
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 to 3/4 cup warm water (120 mL to 180 mL warm water)

CRISPY CAULIFLOWER

1 lb cauliflower florets (1 small to medium head )

BATTER

1/2 cup all purpose flour , plus more as needed
1/2 cup potato starch
1.5 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
Pinch ground white pepper
2/3 cup water room temperature

GLAZE/SAUCE

2 tbsp neutral cooking oil
1 small shallot finely minced
5 cloves garlic minced
1.5-2 tbsp gochujang
1.5-2 tbsp soy sauce , adjust to taste
2 tbsp water or more to adjust thickness
2/3 cup hon mirin
2 tbsp sugar adjust to desired sweetness
1.5-2 tbsp yuzu juice or sub lime juice

SCALLION MISO CASHEW CREAM

1 cup roasted cashews
3 scallions roasted
1 small white onion peeled and sliced into big squares
3 tbsp lime juice , 2 limes
1/2 to 1 tbsp white miso paste or more to taste
1/2 cup water , or more to adjust consistency

SESAME-GINGER YUZU SLAW

2 cups shredded cabbage
Pinch salt , to salt cabbage
1 small carrot , finely shredded
1 tbsp maple syrup
1-2 tsp soy sauce to taste
1/2 tsp grated ginger
1 tbsp sesame oil
1 clove garlic grated
1 tbsp yuzu juice

TO FINISH/FOR GARNISH

Toasted sesame seeds
Fresh ilantro
Lime wedges

TO MAKE THESE TACOS

START WITH THE PICKLED ONIONS

Place the sliced onions in a heat proof jar or container.
In a small pot over medium heat, add the vinegar, sugar, water, and peppercorns. Allow the mixture to simmer for the sugar to melt. Leave to come to a boil then turn off the heat. Pour the pickling mixture over the onions. Allow to sit and cool completely. You can prepare these pickle onions a few days before because these store well in the refrigerator.

FOR TORTILLA DOUGH

In a large mixing bowl, add the masa harina and salt. Create a well in the center and slowly pour the water. You can start with 240mL first. Mix well until the water is absorbed and you have a dough. The dough should be a play-dough consistency that’s not too wet but also not too dry, and holds up well.
If the dough is still too dry and grainy, add more water until you achieve the play dough consistency. The type of masa harina used can also play a factor – some may be more dry and absorb more water than other brands.
Cover the bowl with dough inside. Leave this to rest at room temperature for at least 30 minutes. The masa harina will continue to absorb water as it sits.

ROLLING & COOKING THE TORTILLAS

Before you start rolling out/pressing tortillas, preheat a cast iron pan or the back side of a grill over medium heat, or lower. Drizzle some neutral oil then wipe away with a paper towel to create a very thin layer.
After the dough has rested and you’re ready to use it, you can test out a small ball and flatted it using a tortilla press or roll it. I like to use a medium ice cream scoop to portion the tortillas but you can also create golf ball-sized pieces.
For rolling, I like to use a thick plastic lining (like a cut open Ziploc bag) and placing a ball of dough in the middle before pressing on the tortilla press or rolling it out for easier clean-up. You can also coat a very thin layer of oil on the plastic to prevent the tortilla from sticking.
Cook the tortillas over low medium to mediun heat in the skillet until these start to change color. Flip over then repeat to cook the other side. Do note that cooking time will depend on your heat. Be sure not to let the tortillas brown.
Once cooked, stack these tortillas and cover with a towel to prevent from drying. These are best consumed the same day since these easily dry out when refrigerated.

GOCHUJANG SAUCE/GLAZE

Heat a small sauce pot over medium heat. Add the oil.
Once hot, sauté the minced shallots until translucent and aromatic. Add the garlic and sauté until aromatic. Add the gochujang and stir in the oil for 30 seconds. Add the soy sauce, water, mirin, and sugar. Mix well until dissolved and lower the heat. Taste the sauce and feel free to adjust depending on your desired taste. You can also add more water for a thinner consistency, if desired. Turn off the heat and add yuzu juice or lime juice.
The sauce will slightly thicken as it cools. You can set this aside while you prepare the cauliflower.

FOR THE CAULIFLOWER

Separate the cauliflower into small florets. You’ll want bite-sized pieces for the tacos.
Prepare the batter by mixing everything together until well-combined and there are no signs of dry flour. This will be a pancake batter consistency that will easily coat the cauliflower florets. Do not over mix.

Heat a small pot with enough oil to completely submerge the battered cauliflower.
For the first fry, heat the oil at medium to 275F to 300F (135C to 150C). Carefully dip each floret into the batter then shake off any excess batter before adding into the hot oil. Add enough pieces of cauliflower at a time to have these spaced apart from each other in the pot of oil.
Fry the cauliflower until the batter turns into a golden yellow color, but not golden brown. If they turn brown, lower the heat of the oil. Drain from the oil and place on a cooling rack. Sprinkle some salt over the cauliflower while still hot. This will allow for excess moisture to draw out of the cauliflower from the first fry, so these will turn out crispier after the second fry. But note, if you want to just fry once, you can. You can simple fry the cauliflower once at 325F but it won’t be as crispy.
For the second fry at 325F to 350 F (160C to 175C) , carefully add the fried cauliflower in batches. Fry at 325F for 2-3 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from the pot to drain excess oil.

first fry for the cauliflower — First fry

PREPARE SLAW

In a colander with a catch basin, add the cabbage, carrot, and salt. Lightly massage and set aside for at least 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, prepare the dressing by mixing all the ingredients together. Feel free to adjust this to your taste.
Pat the cabbage and carrot dry. Mix with the dressing and allow to sit for 5-10 minutes.

MAKE THE SCALLION MISO CASHEW CREAM

Chop the green parts of the scallion off to separate the white and green parts. Toss the scallions and onions in a light coating of oil and a pinch of salt.
On a sheet tray with foil, place the white parts of the scallion and onion. Drizzle with some oil and a pinch of salt. Roast the scallions and onions at 400F or over the broiler until slightly charred.
Blend everything together with the green parts of the scallion, miso paste, cashews, lime juice, and water until very smooth. You can add more water as needed to adjust the consistency.

COAT THE CAULIFLOWER IN THE SAUCE/GLAZE

I like to do this last so the cauliflower stays crispy. Simple pour the sauce over the cauliflower and toss to coat.
If you’re saving some for leftovers, I recommend to keep the cauliflower and sauce separate so the cauliflower can get crispy when reheated.

coating crispy cauliflower in gochujabg glaze

ASSEMBLING THE TACOS

On a tortilla, place some of the slaw, pickled onions, cashew cream, and the fried cauliflower. Finish with sesame seeds, cilantro, and a squeeze of lime juice if desired. Enjoy!

THE FINISHED TACOS

Gochujang Cauliflower Tacos (Vegan Recipe)

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These Gochujang Cauliflower Tacos are heavily inspired by Korean, Japanese, and Mexican flavors. These cauliflower pieces are battered and double fried until they have a very crisp exterior before being coated in the sweet, savory, spicy gochujang-based glaze.

These are then paired with a refreshing cabbage slaw with ginger, yuzu, and sesame as well as some pickled onions plus a scallion cashew cream for some richness. The blue corn tortillas are also homemade with a simple mix of masa harina and water but you’re free to use ready made tortillas if your choice. You’ll have a burst of different flavors and textures with each bite.

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Prep Time 45

Cook Time 1

Total Time 1 45

Course Appetizer, Finger Food, Main Course, Salads, Sauces, Side Dish, Sides, Snack, Snacks, Starters

Cuisine Asian, East Asian, Fusion, Korean, Mexican

Servings tacos

Calories 217 kcal