Cauliflower curry

Cauliflower curry is so easy and satisfying you'll want to make it every week. We couldn't believe that a few simple ingredients and spices yield such a tasty dish when simmered together in a pot.

This recipe has a rich, well-developed flavor and a creamy texture thanks to our creaminess-boosting trick, yet, it requires minimal effort on your part.

Once you've toasted the spices with garlic, ginger, and onion, you can literally add all other ingredients to the pot and wait for them to cook. In less than 30 minutes, you'll have a delicious homemade cauliflower curry that is flavorful and nutritious.

We love vegetable curry as a weeknight dinner served with rice, but it's also a wonderful meal-prep recipe as it stores well in the fridge and freezer.

Our cauliflower curry recipe is a gluten-free and naturally vegan curry.

Cauliflower

We use a large cauliflower head that we cut into florets. Fresh cauliflower is best because it keeps more bite. However, frozen cauliflower works too.

Chickpeas

Canned chickpeas allow you to make this recipe in less than 30 minutes. In addition, they add a pleasant nutty taste and wholesome plant protein.

If you use dry chickpeas, soak them overnight first, then boil them for about 2 hours (or until tender) in a pot with plenty of lightly salted water.

You can substitute lentils, beans, and peas for the chickpeas.

Onion, Garlic, and Ginger

Gently fried in a little olive oil, garlic, onion, and ginger are the flavor base of this cauliflower curry and add a ton of flavor to the dish.

We use white or yellow onion, freshly grated garlic, and freshly grated ginger.

Olive oil

Although this is an Indian-inspired curry, we use extra virgin olive oil because that's the healthiest oil with the most antioxidants.

You can substitute avocado oil, or any other vegetable oil, for olive oil.

Tomatoes

You can use canned crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes, tomato puree, or whole peeled tomatoes.

Coconut milk

We love full-fat coconut milk in a curry. It adds a creamy, velvety, and slightly coconutty taste that it's irresistible with cauliflower, chickpeas, and spices.

You can substitute reduced-fat coconut milk for the full-fat one.

If you decide not to use coconut milk, you need to reduce the amount of spices in the curry.

Spices and Salt

The combination of spices is what makes this curry special. To make a basic curry, you can use yellow curry powder, cumin seeds or ground cumin, and red pepper flakes.

To make the best cauliflower curry, also add turmeric, coriander, and garam masala.

We also add sea salt and black pepper to make the flavor of the spices pop.

Note: remember to add garam masala at the end, with the heat off, and not at the beginning with the other spices.

Vegetable broth

We use vegetable broth to cook the cauliflower and produce a more flavorful curry than if you used water.

Fresh herbs and lemon

Fresh herbs are optional; however, you can top your cauliflower curry with cilantro (fresh coriander leaves) or fresh flat-leaf parsley.

We also recommend adding a squeeze of lemon juice (or lime juice) on top of your curry just before eating it. The acidity is a welcome flavor booster and prepares your taste buds for the beautiful symphony of spices.

Cut the cauliflower into small florets of the same size and rinse the chickpeas. Set aside.

Add oil and finely chopped onion to a large pot or dutch oven. Fry on low heat for 3 minutes, add grated garlic and ginger and fry for another minute.

Add curry powder, cumin, red pepper flakes, ground coriander, turmeric powder, and black pepper, and toast the spices while stirring for about a minute until you can smell their fragrant aroma.

Add cauliflower florets and rinsed chickpeas to the pot, and stir with the spices for about 1 minute.

Now add vegetable broth, crushed tomatoes, and salt. Simmer on medium heat for 15 minutes with a lid on.

Take the lid off, add coconut milk and simmer uncovered for 10 more minutes, or until the cauliflower is fork tender.

To make the curry extra creamy, blend some of it (not much) with an immersion blender.

Alternatively, blend 2 cups of it in a regular blender, then add it back to the pot.

Simmer and stir for a few more minutes, then turn the heat off, and add the garam masala. Taste and adjust for salt and spices.

Note: if you are using old spices, they might have lost potency, so you might need to add more of them.

Note: we add garam masala at the end to make the cauliflower curry more aromatic.

Serve on basmati rice with chopped cilantro or parsley, a pinch of garam masala, and a wedge of lemon to squeeze on top.

Typically, we serve our curry with basmati rice or brown rice, but you can also pair it with naan bread or one of these side dishes.

• Flatbread pizza with brushed olive oil and grated garlic (similar to Naan bread)
• Piadina (an Italian flatbread similar to Indian roti) is made with three ingredients, and no proofing is required!

Serve with salad or sauces and get an extra dose of greens:

• Tomato cucumber salad: an easy side dish that brings crisp and freshness to your curry
• Shirazi salad: this Mediterranean salad is beautifully paired with curry and flatbread
• Cucumber yogurt sauce with grated garlic, a quick and light white condiment to soften the curry spices
• Avocado spread: a surprisingly strong pairing with its green color and fresh flavor!

Other dishes that go well with curry are mango chutney, jeera rice, aloo gobi, Indian yogurt sauces such as Raita, and mint or onion paste.

Cauliflower curry with spinach

Want to add more greens to this delicious curry recipe? You can easily add your favorite frozen or fresh veggies such as spinach, kale, Swiss chard, and more. Put them in at the same time you add coconut milk.

Tofu curry with cauliflower

Want to add even more plant protein to the curry? Try adding small cubes of firm or extra firm tofu. That's one of our favorite ways to incorporate this wholesome and healthy food into our diet.

Check out our recipe for tofu curry recipe with cauliflower.

Lentil curry with cauliflower

Red lentils are another great source of protein, fiber, and minerals and are an excellent substitute for chickpeas.

In addition, they produce an even creamier curry that is reminiscent of a Nepalese Dal.

Check out our recipe for red lentil curry with cauliflower.

Chickpea curry

If you don't have cauliflower or any other veggies, you can still make a creamy, tasty, and wholesome curry with chickpeas.

Check out our creamy chickpea curry recipe.

Sweet potato curry

Making sweet potato curry is easy! Tasty, rich, nourishing, and family-friendly, it's a great way of eating sweet potatoes, and we are sure you'll love it too.

Store cauliflower curry in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat in the microwave or a small pot on the stove, adding a dash of water if necessary. Do not reheat multiple times.

You can freeze the curry for up to 3 months. Then, let it cool down completely, transfer it into a freezer-friendly container, and freeze it.

Thaw in the refrigerator overnight or the microwave with the thawing function.

Get ahead

The flavor of this cauliflower curry improves on the second and third day as the ingredients have time to meld and so it's perfect as a meal prep recipe that you can make a few days ahead.

For more cozy and nourishing recipes, check out our best stews and soups:

• Italian bean stew with authentic Italian flavor and rich tomato sauce
• Chickpea stew: a one-pot meal-prep-friendly meal with sweet potatoes
• Creamy broccoli soup that tastes like there's cheese in it, but there isn't
• Lentil pasta: an earthy Italian curry-like recipe with lentils and pasta (pasta e lenticchie)

For more curries, stews, and soups, check out our soups category page.

If you love cauliflower as much as we do, try these fall-friendly dishes that we cook on repeat in our home:

• Cauliflower rice with fresh herbs, a light vegetable side with curries and stews
• Lentil salad with cauliflower: a protein-packed lunch idea for fall and winter
• Velvety smooth cauliflower soup, a cheesy soup ready in just 30 minutes
• Roasted cauliflower: one of our favorite vegetable side dishes for weekends
• Cheesy cauliflower pasta with parmesan cheese and fresh herbs
• Roasted broccoli and cauliflower: an excellent vegetable addition to holidays meals and celebrations
• Cauliflower salad with a creamy tahini dressing and roasted chickpeas
• Red pepper pasta with roasted cauliflower