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Cauliflower Chickpea Curry

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This wonderful cauliflower chickpea curry recipe is total comfort food. It's a well-spiced, warming meal.

This dish is naturally vegan and gluten-free. It keeps well in the refrigerator for several days - it's perfect for leftovers. Enjoy it for dinner tonight and eat it for lunch tomorrow!

Cauliflower chickpea curry with rice in a white bowl.

You're going to love the rich flavors of this vegan cauliflower chickpea curry. It's a sensational blend of spices and is such a cozy meal.

While it does take some time to roast the cauliflower you can simmer the rest of the meal while it cooks, so overall it only takes a little over an hour to make. This is one of my favorite weekend meals - it's great to make on a Sunday afternoon.

This dish saves well in the refrigerator and will develop even more flavor over time, making this a great recipe for meal prep.

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Ingredients

Here's what you'll need to make this delicious cauliflower chickpea coconut curry.

Ingredients for cauliflower chickpea curry on a marble background.
  • Cauliflower
  • Olive Oil
  • Kosher Salt
  • Paprika
  • Garlic Powder
  • Onion Powder
  • Black Pepper
  • Yellow Onion
  • Garlic Cloves
  • Curry Powder
  • Turmeric Powder
  • Ground Cinnamon
  • Diced Tomatoes
  • Coconut Milk (low fat or full fat coconut milk both work)
  • Chickpeas
  • optional - top with chopped fresh cilantro or parsley and some lime wedges

See the recipe card for quantities.

Optional sides - serve with a side of naan, jasmine rice, basmati rice, or brown rice. Or, if you want to double up on cauliflower, you can serve it with cauliflower rice.

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. 

Remove the greens from the head of the cauliflower and cut the cauliflower into small florets.

Slicing cauliflower on a cutting board.

Toss the cauliflower with 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 teaspoon of kosher salt, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and black pepper. 

Spread the cauliflower evenly across a parchment lined baking sheet. Roast for 45 minutes, until crispy and golden. 

Spiced cauliflower florets on a baking sheet.

Meanwhile, in a large pan, heat the remaining olive oil, and once hot, add the onions and sauté for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. 

Chopped onions and garlic in a frying pan.

Then add the garlic and sauté for 1 minute. Add in the curry powder, turmeric, and cinnamon. Stir continuously for 30 seconds. 

Browned onions and garlic in a frying pan with spices.

Then add in the can of tomatoes, scraping up any of the spices on the bottom of the post.

Increase the heat till the tomatoes are gently boiling. Then reduce to medium heat and simmer for 5 minutes. 

Chickpeas, tomatoes, onions, garlic, and spices in a frying pan.

Add in the coconut milk, chickpeas, and roasted cauliflower and simmer for another 5 minutes. 

Roasted cauliflower added into the chickpea curry mixture.

Serve immediately or save for up to 4 days in the refrigerator.

Serve with rice or naan and top with optional chopped fresh herbs if you'd like.

Cauliflower chickpea curry in a large frying pan.

More Tasty Curry Recipes

If you love a quick curry recipe, try some of our other favorites!

  • Chickpea Spinach Curry - this cozy vegan curry recipe is ready in about 30 minutes.
  • Chicken Curry with Coconut Milk - this creamy chicken curry with coconut milk is a lush dinner recipe
  • Coconut Lentil Curry - This coconut lentil curry is ready in 30 minutes and tastes amazing!
  • Thai Curry with Fish - This flavorful Thai fish curry recipe is the best! The zesty Thai red curry paste and creamy coconut milk combine to form a delicious base for the fresh fish and chopped veggies.

Substitutions & Variations

Want to make some changes or swaps to this recipe? Here are some suggestions.

  • Spices - you can swap the curry powder for garam masala. If you'd like to increase the spice level of this dish, I'd recommend adding ½ teaspoon of chili powder.
  • Onion - the yellow onion can be substituted for a red onion or two shallots.
  • Pepper - if you want to add a bit more heat, you can add in a chopped serrano pepper or one chopped cayenne pepper. Add this in to simmer with the garlic.

Storage

This recipe saves well in the refrigerator. You can keep it for up to 4 days in an airtight container.

You can freeze this dish for up to 3 months in a freezer-safe container.

If the curry sauce is too thick when you are reheating it, add ¼ cup of water, vegetable broth, or coconut milk to loosen it up.

Tips for Making this Recipe

Cooking Tips - Make the base of the curry (simmer the onions, spices, tomatoes, etc) while the cauliflower is roasting in the oven. This will save you lots of time!

Recommended Tools - I recommend using a heavy-bottomed, large saucepan or dutch oven for this recipe. This will keep the sauce simmering at a more consistent temperature.

If you try this recipe, let us know! Connect with us on Instagram and share your photos or leave us a rating.

Yield: 6 servings

Cauliflower Chickpea Curry

A white bowl with rice and cauliflower chickpea curry.

This richly flavorful cauliflower chickpea curry is a delicious vegan dinner recipe. It's bursting with spices and rich flavors.

Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 head of cauliflower, cut into 1 inch pieces
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon onion powder
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 yellow onion, diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 teaspoon curry powder
  • 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 can (14 ounces) diced tomatoes
  • 1 can (13.5 ounces) of coconut milk
  • 1 can (14 ounces) of chickpeas
  • optional - top with parsley or cilantro

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. 
  2. Toss the cauliflower with 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 teaspoon of kosher salt, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and black pepper. 
  3. Spread the cauliflower evenly across a parchment-lined baking sheet. Roast for 45 minutes, until crispy and golden. 
  4. Meanwhile, in a large pot, heat the remaining olive oil, and once hot, add the onions and sauté for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. 
  5. Then add the garlic and sauté for 1 minute. Add in the curry powder, turmeric, and cinnamon. Stir continuously for 30 seconds. 
  6. Then add in the can of tomatoes, scraping up any of the spices on the bottom of the post. Increase the heat till the tomatoes are gently boiling. Then reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes. 
  7. Add in the coconut milk, chickpeas, and roasted cauliflower and simmer for another 5 minutes. 
  8. Serve with rice or naan. 

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

6

Serving Size:

1

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 221Total Fat: 16gSaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 444mgCarbohydrates: 17gFiber: 6gSugar: 5gProtein: 6g

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