Potato Chickpea Cauliflower Paratha Tacos

Potato chickpea cauliflower paratha tacos are the quick, easy, 30-minute dinner you need. No mixing or kneading or rolling the dough with this easy and delicious shortcut method! 19g Protein, 12g fiber, 7g iron! (soy-free and nut-free with gluten-free option)

Paratha tacos are a super easy version of paratha(Indian stuffed flatbreads) . There are four ways they are much easier and more fun than making a full-fledged paratha: 

1. There’s no kneading involved, since you don’t have to make the dough.
2. You don’t have to be an expert at rolling and stuffing parathas. 
3. We make the same filling you’d use in a traditional paratha, but we stuff it into tortillas.
4. You can easily make it gluten-free by using gluten-free tortillas, since you don’t need the dough to be stretchy.

Instead of making dough from scratch, we start by making a paratha filling of potatoes, cauliflower, and chickpeas with the the same spices that I’d put into my favorite paratha. I add chickpeas for protein to make these more of a meal than a side. Then we cook this mixture, put it inside tortillas, seal them so they stick, and then pan fry, bake, or air fry. 

It’s super easy and quick. If you use a food processor, the filling comes together in about 15 minutes. If you don’t have a food processor, the prep time will take longer, but is still very easy. I include those directions in the recipe card below. 

It’s also a great make-ahead option. You can make the filling ahead and keep it in the fridge for up to four days. You can also fill and seal the tortillas and refrigerate, then pan fry just before serving.

I make a amazing, quick, cooling yogurt cucumber dip based on Indian raita, which pairs really well with the paratha tacos. You can also serve with mango chutney, cilantro chutney, or a side of Indian mango pickle. 

Definitely make these paratha tacos! They are very versatile. You can use different beans instead of chickpeas, use other veggies in place of potatoes and cauliflower, adjust the spices, and make these your own.

Why You’ll Love Paratha Tacos

• Delicious flavor and experience of parathas with much less work.
• Authentic Indian paratha filling, stuffed into tortillas for ease.
• Easy to make-ahead.
• Naturally soy-free and nut-free with easy gluten-free option!

Ingredients

• veggies – This paratha filling uses cauliflower, potato, ginger, cilantro, onion, and green chili. You can replace the cauliflower and potato with other less-moist veggies like carrots, sweet potato, or butternut squash. You also need to grate a cup of cucumber for the raita.
• chickpeas – For protein. You can use other beans of choice, if you prefer, canned or homemade.
• oil – To sauté the filling and to crisp up the paratha tacos.
• spices – We are seasoning the filling with cumin seeds, garlic powder, ground coriander, garam masala, and fenugreek leaves. You can also add in cayenne for heat and carom seeds for more flavor. The yogurt dip just needs some ground cumin and cayenne.
• optional additions – You can add hemp seeds to the filling for extra protein. For more citrusy flavor, add some lime zest, and you can also add more spices, to taste, if you like.
• tortillas – This is the replacement for the paratha dough. Choose gluten-free, if needed.
• non-dairy yogurt – For the yogurt dip. Choose nut-free and/or soy-free, if needed.
• garnishes – Garnish the yogurt dip with cilantro and pepper flakes or cayenne.

How to Make Paratha Tacos

Add the cauliflower, potatoes, ginger, and cilantro to a food processor, and pulse until evenly chopped into a coarse meal.

Remove them from the processor, then add the chickpeas and process those into a coarse meal (not a paste). Remove them from the food processor. If you’re not using a food processor, grate the cauliflower and potatoes, mince the ginger, chop the cilantro, and mash the chickpeas with a fork or potato masher. Then, mix those together well.

Heat a skillet over medium heat and add the oil. Once the oil is hot, add the cumin seeds and cook until they turn fragrant and change color.

Add the onion, green chilies, and a good dash of salt and cook until the onions turns translucent, about 4 minutes. Add the all of the ground spices. Mix well into the onion, then add the cauliflower and potatoes mixture and another good dash of salt. Mix, then cook for about 3 minutes.

Then, mix in the chickpeas. Mix well, add another dash of salt, then cover and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring once in between. When the potatoes and cauliflower are cooked, taste and adjust the flavor, adding more salt and/or spiced, if needed. Then, switch off heat and let sit, covered, for a few minutes.

To assemble, spread 2 to 4 tablespoons of paratha filling on one side of each tortilla, fold it over, and press so the sides stick together. Repeat for the remaining tortillas and filling

To bake, preheat oven to 415° F (213° C). Brush a baking sheet with oil, place the filled tortillas on it, then brush the tops with oil. Bake for about 15 minutes or longer, until golden. Serve these crispy paratha tacos immediately with the raita dip.

To pan fry, heat a skillet over medium-high heat and add about 2 teaspoons of oil. Once the oil is hot, place the filled tortillas in the skillet, and brush the tops with oil. Cook 3 to 4 minutes, until golden and crisp, then flip. Brush the other side with more oil, and cook another 3 to 4 minutes, until golden on that side, as well. Remove from the skillet, and repeat for the remaining paratha tacos.

To air fry, brush the tortillas with oil on both sides, and air fry at 370° to 380° F (188° C to 193° C) for 8 minutes. Then, flip and cook another 2 to 4 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine the yogurt, grated cucumber, salt, cumin, cayenne, and lime juice.

Mix well, then taste and adjust the flavor. Add more salt, if needed. If you want a slight sweet-salty balance, you can add 1/2 teaspoon sugar or maple syrup. Add cilantro and garnish with pepper flakes or cayenne. You may want to make a double batch of this delicious dip, because it’s just so addictive!

Serve the crispy filled parathas with the yogurt dip for a brunch or snack situation. For more of a lunch-type option, I open the cooked paratha tacos and stuff them with yogurt dip, greens, and seeds on top such as hemp seeds, pumpkin seeds, or sesame seeds. If adding the raita/yogurt dip inside, do it just before serving, so they won’t turn soggy.

Make-Ahead Directions

Store the filling or assembled uncooked tortillas in the fridge for up to 4 days, then assemble and cook as directed above. Cooked tortillas can be stored for up to 3 days and reheated on a skillet.

What to Serve with Paratha Tacos

Paratha tacos are a great meal or snack with raita dip. You can also serve them with mango chutney, cilantro chutney, or a side of Indian mango pickle.