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Cauliflower Nachos with Walnut Taco Meat
5 from 30 votes

Cauliflower Nachos with Walnut Taco Meat

Cauliflower Nachos with Walnut Taco Meat combine roasted cauliflower florets as a low-carb chip base topped with a spiced walnut and carrot mixture that mimics taco meat. A creamy cheese sauce made from soaked cashews, nutritional yeast, lemon juice, and optional turmeric adds richness. Optional toppings like salsa and fresh vegetables enhance the flavor and texture diversity.

Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
20 mins
Total Time
30 mins
Servings: 2 people
Calories: 403 kcal
Course: Main Course, Snacks
Cuisine: Mexican

Ingredients

Roasted Cauliflower Base
  • 1 cauliflower 2 pound head
  • extra-virgin olive oil
  • salt fine sea salt
Walnut Taco "Meat"
  • 1/2 cup walnut pecans work well, too, raw
  • 1 carrot peeled and diced (about 1/2 cup diced, medium
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • 3/4 teaspoon cumin ground
  • 1/4 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice freshly squeezed
Cheese Sauce
  • 1 cup cashews , soaked in water for 2 hours
  • 1/2 cup water , plus more to thin
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice freshly squeezed
  • 3 tablespoons nutritional yeast
  • 1/4 teaspoon Turmeric (optional)
Optional Toppings
  • salsa
  • bell pepper diced
  • red onion diced
  • cilantro fresh

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Preheat your oven to 400ºF and chop the cauliflower into small florets. (I like to make sure the stems are at least cut in half for more-even baking, as they tend to take the longest to get tender.) In a large rimmed baking sheet, drizzle a little bit of olive oil over the top of the cauliflower and toss directly in the pan to coat evenly. Arrange the cauliflower florets into a single layer on the baking sheet and sprinkle generously with salt. Roast until tender, about 25 minutes at 400ºF. The smaller you cut the florets, the faster they will cook, so you might want to keep an eye on them at the 20-minute mark if you cut them into bite-sized pieces.
  2. While the cauliflower is in the oven, prepare the Walnut Taco "Meat." Place the walnuts, or pecans if you prefer, in a small food processor and briefly pulse to break down the nuts into fine meal. Add in the diced carrots, salt, cumin, chili powder, and lemon juice and process again until a crumbly mixture is formed, somewhat resembling ground taco meat. Adjust any seasoning to taste and set aside.
  3. Next, make the "cheese" sauce. Drain and rinse the cashews well, then combine all of the ingredients in a high-speed blender until smooth and creamy. If the sauce is too thick, add one or two tablespoons of extra water to thin. Set the sauce aside.
  4. Once the cauliflower is tender, remove it from the oven and immediately add you toppings. Drizzle the cheese sauce over the top, sprinkle on the taco "meat," and add any other nacho toppings you like. You can return the pan to the oven to heat everything through for a few minutes more, but I prefer to serve it immediately and enjoy the contrast of hot and cold, and tender and crunchy vegetables.
  5. Leftovers can be stored in the fridge in an airtight container for up to one week.

Nutrition Information

Calories 403kcal (20%) Carbohydrates 24g (8%) Protein 17g (34%) Fat 28g (43%) Saturated Fat 5g (25%) Sodium 1324mg (55%) Potassium 650mg (14%) Fiber 4g (16%) Sugar 3g (6%) Vitamin A 75IU (2%) Calcium 31mg (3%) Iron 5.6mg (31%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 2 people

Amount Per Serving

Calories 403

% Daily Value*

Calories 403kcal 20%
Carbohydrates 24g 8%
Protein 17g 34%
Fat 28g 43%
Saturated Fat 5g 25%
Sodium 1324mg 55%
Potassium 650mg 14%
Fiber 4g 16%
Sugar 3g 6%
Vitamin A 75IU 2%
Calcium 31mg 3%
Iron 5.6mg 31%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.