Cauliflower Curry

Fragrant and comforting, my cauliflower curry is a deliciously spiced vegetarian dish featuring lots of hearty ingredients such as potatoes, chickpeas, carrots and onions. Brimming with aromatic spices plus a splash of coconut cream, this cauliflower curry recipe is a filling meal that both vegetarians and non-vegetarians will find cozy!

Cauliflower Curry, a Fragrant and Warming Vegetarian Delight

When a vegetarian dish is prepared with a lot of love, care, and delicious hearty ingredients, I find it an absolute pleasure to enjoy, and never miss the meat.

Vegetarian curry dishes are among my favorite, because for my taste, they're the most satisfying, the most flavorful, and the most interesting.

Spices such as curry, garam masala and turmeric, plus fragrant aromatics such garlic and ginger bring lots of bold flavor to this colorful vegetarian curry dish, while other ingredients such as tender diced potatoes, carrots, onions and protein-rich chickpeas offer lots of hearty and earthy texture.

Cauliflower curry is probably my most beloved vegetarian recipe to prepare when I'd like to take a little break from meat, as all of those flavorful ingredients seem to sort of “melt” together in the pan as the curry simmers away, creating a wonderfully saucy result.

Finished with a little splash of coconut cream, then spooned over top of hot basmati rice, I find this delicious curry recipe not only utterly irresistible, but also a comforting and invigorating delight that's both healthy for my body and nourishing for my soul.

How to Make Cauliflower Curry That's Filling and Flavorful

Whenever I prepare a tasty little curry recipe at home like this one, I always like to think in terms of flavor and texture.

It's about building layers of flavors when it comes to cauliflower curry, and I find that adding in some bold aromatics such as onions, garlic, and ginger, plus those classic curry flavors from yellow curry powder, turmeric, and a sprinkle of garam masala (a nice warming mix of spices), really forms the base of this recipe.

Because I personally like a bit of texture to my finished sauce, I like to add some diced potatoes into the mix here. They break down as they cook, releasing some natural starch that acts as bit of a thickener, which is something that cauliflower itself doesn't have too much of and can benefit from here.

I also opt for some carrots for added veg, plus a couple of handfuls of chickpeas to create even more texture and heartiness, and then add the cauliflower florets in at the end to gently simmer for a few minutes just until softened.

Here's a glance at my cauliflower curry recipe: (or just jump to the full recipe below...)

1. To a large heavy-bottom pan or skillet, I add in some ghee (clarified butter); and once hot, add in my onions. When the onions have cooked for a few moments, and have softened, I add in my aromatic ingredients, including spices, and allow those to cook and “open up”, releasing their fragrance.
2. Next, I add in my carrots, potatoes and chickpeas, and add a bit of vegetable stock to create a sauce, allowing the veggies to gently simmer until tender, stirring occasionally.
3. Then, I add in my cauliflower florets along with some coconut cream, stir to incorporate those, and allow things to gently simmer for a few moments until the cauliflower is tender.
4. Finally, once all the veggies are tender, I finish things up with some cilantro for fresh flavor, then serve my cauliflower curry with hot basmati rice and perhaps some naan bread on the side.

Recipe

Cauliflower Curry

by Ingrid Beer

Print Recipe

This cauliflower curry kissed with coconut cream is fragrant and warming, and makes for a deliciously comforting vegetarian meal!

Category: Entree
Cuisine: Indian

Yield: Serves 6

Nutrition Info: 341 calories

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 40 minutes
Total time: 1 hour

Ingredients:

• 3 tablespoons ghee, or coconut oil
• 1 large onion, quartered and sliced
• Salt
• Black pepper
• 2 teaspoons yellow curry powder
• 1 teaspoon turmeric
• ½ teaspoon garam masala
• ⅛ teaspoon ground white pepper
• 6 cloves garlic, pressed through garlic press
• 1 teaspoon freshly-grated ginger
• 2 russet potatoes (about 1 pound), peeled and diced into medium-small cubes
• 2 medium carrots, peeled and sliced to medium thickness
• 1 can (15 ounce) chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained and rinsed
• 2 cups vegetable stock
• 1 ½ pounds cauliflower florets (24 ounces)
• ½ cup coconut cream (not milk), the thick creamy part at the top of the can, melted
• 1 tablespoon agave or honey
• Cilantro leaves, for garnish
• Crushed cashews, sriracha sauce, optional garnishes
• Rice and/or naan, to serve on the side

Preparation:

1. Place a large, heavy-bottom pan or skillet over medium-high heat, and add in the ghee or coconut oil; once hot, add in the onions, along with a hefty pinch of salt and black pepper, and saute those for about 3-4 minutes, until softened and translucent.
2. Add in the curry powder, the turmeric, the garam masala and the white pepper, along with the garlic and the grated ginger, and stir together for about 30 seconds to 1 minute, until everything is very aromatic.
3. Next, add in the diced potatoes, the carrots and the chickpeas, and carefully stir those into the onions and spices, coating them; add in the vegetable stock, and stir to incorporate.
4. Bring the mixture to the boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low and cover the pan or skillet; allow the mixture to simmer gently, stirring often, for about 15-20 minutes, or until the diced potatoes and carrots are fairly tender.
5. Next, carefully nestle the cauliflower florets into the mixture, and pour in the coconut cream (it will seem like not enough liquid, but don't worry—the cauliflower will release quite a bit of extra water); cover the pan once again, and continue to simmer the mixture for about 10-12 more minutes, until the cauliflower is tender yet still has a bit of “bite” to it, stirring every now and again.
6. Once the cauliflower is tender, stir in the agave or honey, and check to see if any additional salt is needed; serve the cauliflower curry over rice and with naan, if desired, garnished with cilantro; sprinkle over some crushed cashews and sriracha as well, if desired.

Tips & Tidbits for my Cauliflower Curry:

• Cauliflower florets for convenience: If you have a head of cauliflower at home, then feel free to cut it into large, bit-size florets; but for convenience sake, if you can find the packaged cauliflower florets, then it's a bit of a short-cut.
• Russet potatoes for a bit of starch: I like to use peeled and diced russet potatoes in this curry dish, as russets contain a bit more starch than red or yellow potatoes. Those are fine in a pinch, but won't create that more “velvety” consistency to the finished sauce as do the russets when they break down a bit while simmering.
• Other great add-ins: Other tasty options to add into this cauliflower curry are a handful of green peas, or even a small amount of firm tofu, or even cashews.
• Make it vegan cauliflower curry: If you'd like to prepare this cauliflower curry so that it's completely vegan, substitute coconut oil for the ghee—it's a delicious choice!

Craving more spiced and warming recipes? Check out this Cashew Chicken, this Spiced Chickpea Soup, this Cauliflower Steak with Harissa Chickpeas, or this Curried Lentil Soup!