Our Mouthwatering Cauliflower Tacos Feature An Unexpected Flavor Booster

If you think there's no way meatless tacos could be as satisfying and delicious as your favorite chorizo street tacos, think again. Our recipe for roasted cauliflower tacos with the works is jam-packed with lots of bright, zesty flavor from poblano peppers, garlic, and red wine vinegar; an almost meaty texture from the combination of nutty roasted cauliflower and chopped walnuts; and a gorgeous burst of salty, tangy acidity from the addition of capers. Yes, you read that correctly. We put capers in our cauliflower tacos, and we're definitely bragging about it. 

Anyone who's ever thought capers look like little green berries is actually correct, as they're made by pickling young, tender berries plucked from caper bushes, which are native to the Mediterranean and the Near East, and appear throughout cuisines local to both areas. It may seem strange, then, to include this ingredient in a Mexican-style dish, but the combo most definitely works. Since the capers are baked with the walnuts and cauliflower in this recipe, they offset the rich nuttiness of both ingredients with a beautifully salty tang.

Folded into the veggie- and walnut-loaded taco filling partway through roasting, the capers enter a playfully tasty game of push and pull with the poblano peppers, hints of lime, and chile pepper seasoning. They brighten each ingredient with a burst of salt, complementing even the crumbled queso fresco atop each taco and marrying the flavors with tart, briny goodness. You can skip them if you want, but your cauliflower tacos will be missing the unexpected nuance capers bring to the dish. 

Though our cauliflower tacos are filling and flavorful enough to tempt most palates, they'll be especially tasty for those who enjoy fish tacos. Capers' oceanic flavor brings an umami flavor bomb similar to anchovies, making them a suitable substitute for the controversial tinned fish in vegan recipes, or if you dislike anchovies but need a strong foundational flavor. For this reason, they make an excellent addition to homemade salad dressings, such as a vegetarian Caesar dressing or herby green goddess blend. Both styles of dressing would also be delicious on our tacos as well as most others.

Capers are also the pantry staple Bobby Flay always includes in his chicken piccata, where their briny goodness leans citrus rather than fishy, enhancing the buttery lemon sauce crucial to this dish. As chicken has a reputation for being a bit bland (especially the white meat cutlets typically used in piccata), the capers also boost the poultry's flavor without overshadowing it. In fact, some claim that capers are just as important to chicken piccata as the chicken itself.

Since most recipes only call for a small amount of capers, you'll have plenty left in the jar to experiment with in your favorite dishes. They're the perfect enhancement for egg and potato salads, hummus, and various pasta dishes. Try tossing a spoonful into your homemade marinara sauce to help bring it to life, or sprinkling some into an Italian-style hoagie to intensify the other flavors.