Alice Zaslavsky’s tacos with roasted celeriac and pickled jalapeño sauce offer a surprising, flavourful twist on traditional tacos, perfect for cooler months. The recipe showcases celeriac, a gnarly root vegetable that, when peeled and roasted, develops a meaty, almost carne asada-like flavour. This dish is low-cost, easily veganised, and packed with taste.
Why Celeriac Works in Tacos
Celeriac is firm and fibrous, holding its shape under heat while caramelising beautifully. Its centre becomes creamy and fluffy, similar to mashed potato. The flavour intensifies with roasting, offering parsley and liquorice notes that mimic a steak with herby sauce or carne asada with salsa verde. Zaslavsky notes, “To me, celeriac looks like the baby from Eraserhead … I can’t tell you how delicious they are as the hero in a soft taco.”
Preparation Tips
The major challenge is the skin. For wedges, peel using a chef’s knife, treating it like an orange: slice off top and base, then cut away pockmarked areas to reveal pale flesh. Zaslavsky recommends roasting under foil first to steam and soften, then uncovered for a gnarly burnish. Leftover wedges keep well in the fridge and can be used as roast potatoes or in salads.
Recipe Details
Serves 4, makes 12 tacos. Ingredients include 2 medium celeriacs (1.2kg total), olive oil, salt, pepper, and optional manchego cheese. For the pickled jalapeño sauce: sour cream, Kewpie mayo, coriander, pickled jalapeños, garlic, brine, tomato sauce, smoked paprika. Cabbage slaw uses red cabbage, lime, and salt. Serve with white corn tortillas, Tajín seasoning, extra jalapeños, and coriander.
Preheat oven to 220C/200C fan with a baking tray inside. Peel celeriac, cut into 1.5cm wedges, toss with oil, salt, and pepper. Arrange on hot tray lined with baking paper, cover tightly with foil, roast 35 minutes. Remove foil, increase heat to 240C/220C fan, roast 15 more minutes until charred. Meanwhile, whisk sauce ingredients. In reserved bowl, combine cabbage, lime zest, juice, and salt. Grate manchego over hot celeriac, keep warm in residual heat. Cook tortillas, assemble with all components.
Vegan and Customisation Options
Manchego is optional; swap for plant-based cheese or omit. Replace sour cream with Tofutti, use vegan mayo. The sauce can be adjusted for spice—this version is mild. The recipe is flexible for dietary needs.
