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Crispy Southwest Cauliflower Taco Bar

Crispy Southwest Cauliflower Taco Bar

with Pickled Veggies, Corn Esquites & Cilantro Lime Rice
4.0(409)98 Reviews
Recipe Development Team
Recipe Development TeamUpdated on June 01, 2026
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Calories
1440 kcal
Protein
25g protein
Total
45 minutes
Difficulty
Hard
Allergens:
  • Milk
  • Eggs
  • Wheat
  • Soy

Whether you’re plant powered or a major meat lover, you’re bound to love these crispy cauliflower tacos! Florets are coated in a zesty tempura batter, then fried until golden and crispy. And since taco bars are all about the toppings, you’ll serve ‘em up with cheesy corn esquites, cilantro-lime rice, pickled radishes and cabbage, and red pepper crema for drizzling. Here’s to setting the (taco) bar high!

Produced in a facility that processes eggs, milk, fish, peanuts, sesame, shellfish, soy, tree nuts, and wheat.
Serving amount

2 tablespoon

Smoky Red Pepper Crema

(Contains: Milk)

4 ounce

Red Cabbage and Carrot Mix

1 tablespoon

Fajita Spice Blend

4 tablespoon

Mayonnaise

(Contains: Eggs)

82 g

Tempura Batter Mix

(Contains: Milk, Wheat, Eggs)

3 unit

Radishes

¼ cup

Monterey Jack Cheese

(Contains: Milk)

10 ounce

Cauliflower Florets

2 unit

Lime

6 unit

Flour Tortillas

(Contains: Wheat, Soy)

¾ cup

Jasmine Rice

1 tablespoon

Southwest Spice Blend

¼ ounce

Cilantro

1 teaspoon

Hot Sauce

1 unit

Corn

Not included in your delivery

2 tablespoon (tbsp)

Cooking Oil

teaspoon (tsp)

Salt

teaspoon (tsp)

Black Pepper

1 teaspoon (tsp)

Cooking Oil

½ tablespoon (tbsp)

Sugar

1 tablespoon (tbsp)

Butter

(Contains: Milk)

per serving
Calories1440 kcal
Fat65 g
Saturated Fat19 g
Carbohydrate178 g
Sugar28 g
Dietary Fiber11 g
Protein25 g
Cholesterol90 mg
Sodium1820 mg
Potassium1080 mg
Calcium240 mg
Iron2.5 mg
Due to the different suppliers we purchase our products from, nutritional facts per meal can vary from the website to what is received in the delivered box, depending on your region.
Zester
Strainer
Paper Towel
Small pot
Medium Bowl
Plastic Wrap
Small Bowl
Large Pan
Whisk
Slotted Spoon

Cooking Steps

Prep
1

• Wash and dry produce. • Trim and thinly slice radishes. Zest and quarter limes. Roughly chop cilantro. Cut cauliflower florets into bite-size pieces if necessary. Drain corn, then pat very dry with paper towels.

Cook Rice
2

• In a small pot, combine rice, 1 1⁄4 cups water (2 1⁄4 cups for 4 servings), and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce heat to low. Cook until tender, 15-18 minutes. • Keep covered off heat until ready to serve.

Pickle Veggies & Make Crema
3

• Meanwhile, in a medium microwave-safe bowl, combine cabbage and carrot mix, radishes, juice from one lime (two limes for 4 servings), 1 tsp sugar (2 tsp for 4), a big pinch of salt, and pepper. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and microwave for 30 seconds. Set aside, stirring occasionally, until ready to serve. • In a small bowl, combine smoky red pepper crema, half the mayonnaise, 1⁄4 tsp Southwest Spice (1⁄2 tsp for 4), and 1⁄4 tsp sugar (1⁄2 tsp for 4). Add water 1 tsp at a time until mixture reaches a drizzling consistency. Season with salt and pepper.

Make Corn Esquites
4

• Heat a drizzle of oil in a large pan over high heat. Add corn; cook, stirring, until golden brown and lightly charred in spots, 3-5 minutes. (TIP: If corn starts to pop, cover pan and shake to toss.) Turn off heat; transfer to a second medium bowl. Wipe out pan. • Add hot sauce, half the cilantro, half the lime zest, remaining mayonnaise, 1⁄2 tsp Fajita Spice (you’ll use the rest later), 1⁄4 tsp sugar, and a squeeze of lime juice to bowl with corn. (Use 1 tsp Fajita Spice and 1⁄2 tsp sugar for 4 servings.) Stir to combine; season with salt and pepper.

Batter Cauliflower
5

• In a third medium bowl (large bowl for 4 servings), whisk together tempura mix, remaining Southwest Spice, remaining Fajita Spice, 1⁄3 cup cold water (2⁄3 cup for 4), and a pinch of salt and pepper. TIP: If needed, add more water 1 TBSP at a time until it reaches a pancake-batter- like consistency. • Stir cauliflower into batter until fully coated.

Cook Cauliflower
6

• Heat 1⁄3-inch layer of oil in a large, heavy- bottomed pan over medium-high heat. • Once oil is hot enough that a drop of batter sizzles when added to the pan, working in batches, use tongs to add coated cauliflower to pan in an even layer. (TIP: Don’t crowd the pan!) Cook until golden brown and crisp, 2-3 minutes per side. TIP: Lower heat to medium if cauliflower begins to brown too quickly. • Using a slotted spoon, transfer cauliflower to a paper- towel-lined plate. Season with salt.

Finish & Serve
7

• Wrap tortillas in damp paper towels. Microwave until warm and pliable, 30 seconds. • Fluff rice with a fork; stir in remaining cilantro, remaining lime zest, 1 TBSP butter (2 TBSP for 4 servings), and a squeeze of lime juice. Season with salt and pepper. TIP: The rice is delicious as a side dish or taco filler! • Add Monterey Jack to bowl with corn esquites; toss to combine. • Serve cauliflower, corn esquites, rice, tortillas, red pepper crema, and remaining lime wedges in separate bowls or plates for a build-your-own taco bar!

Customer reviews

Review summary

Updated on Dec 2025
  • Flavor: Many loved the delicious blend of flavors, especially the crispy tempura cauliflower and tasty corn esquites 🌽.
  • Ease of prep: Some found it time-consuming with many steps and dishes, but others felt the effort was worthwhile for the result.
  • Suggestions: Consider roasting the cauliflower instead of frying for easier prep and a lighter option.
  • Portions: Several mentioned large portion sizes, with some finding it too much food for two people.
  • Texture: A few had issues with the batter not sticking well; ensure cauliflower is very dry before coating.
AI-generated from customer reviews

Reviews from our home cooks

A
AnonymousCooked for 4 people
|Jun 30, 2022

Absolutely stunning! This dish was my introduction to HelloFresh and what a warm welcome it was! This taco bar was a delicious birthday dinner. The cauliflower turned out crispy, the corn was simply huge, and I learned new techniques for speed pickles and tasty rice. If HelloFresh offered this all the time I would seriously order it EVERY WEEK for as long as I subscribe! Outstanding option.

A
AnonymousCooked for 2 people
|Jun 29, 2022

This was absolutely delicious! The ingredients and recipe were certainly premium. The batter on the cauliflower was surprisingly light, crisp, and easy to manage. Loved this and will order again!

A
AnonymousCooked for 2 people
|Jun 30, 2022

This was so crazily involved, I was telling myself I'd never order it again, but then the tempura cauliflower was so good, I may have changed my mind. It needed more cheese, though (for the actual taco).

A
AnonymousCooked for 2 people
|Jul 9, 2022

So good! I've tried lots of fried cauliflower recipes and the batter never sticks - this was perfect!

A
AnonymousCooked for 2 people
|Jul 10, 2022

This was such a great recipe. My teenage son prepared it and was able to make subs or omit the mayo, sour cream. Wondering if there's a way to add more creativity to the protein sources and other ways to round out veggie meals that aren't so reliant on dairy. The pattern is starting to make us question our use of the service, and whether or not there's an interest to more plant based options

A
AnonymousCooked for 2 people
|Jun 28, 2022

The cauliflower batter didn't stick very well when cooking. The batter would clump up to the bottom of the pan and fall off leaving cauliflower naked. It was delicious however

A
AnonymousCooked for 2 people
|Jun 26, 2022

It was really good! Only thing that sucked was the slaw and carrots were bad so we couldn't eat them with our meal. Still good though! We improvised with leftover onion we had in the fridge and pickled that instead

A
AnonymousCooked for 2 people
|Jun 25, 2022

This was amazing! Took a little longer to make everything but it was well worth it. Delicious and the portion sizes were excellent.

A
AnonymousCooked for 4 people
|Jul 6, 2022

Amazing flavor combinations. A little bit more work to cook, but so much fun to eat!

A
AnonymousCooked for 2 people
|Jul 13, 2022

This is a must try!! It takes some time to prep and cook, but is well worth it and would do it again!

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