Vegan Cauliflower Tikka Masala

A creamy, spicy and incredibly flavorful Vegan Cauliflower Tikka Masala that’s so much better than your favorite Indian takeout! This super easy recipe has all the authentic flavors and comes together in under 30 minutes.

I’ve been so so hesitant to attempt a classic Indian curry because I was always afraid.

Afraid it wouldn’t taste right.
Afraid there wouldn’t be a gravy/sauce.
Afraid of being judged for messing up the flavor in spite of growing up in India.

So when I did decide to start attempting curries, I went for those of other cuisines. I did a PB Chickpea Curry, a coconut milk based curry with Broccoli and Chickpeas, and then a West African Peanut Stew. And they were all successful.

Flavorful, yes. But there was also a sauce!

But now after these little achievements, I decided to finally dip my toes in the big pool.

The sauce

The secret – for me at least – tomato paste!

I used to previously chop up fresh tomatoes, and maybe I didn’t know how to do it right, but they’d just disappear..

Using tomato paste though – and some yogurt and coconut milk too – well you can see the result here yourself!

A thick and creamy sauce to coat every little piece of the 3 cups worth of cauliflower in there.

I am SO proud right now!

The taste

And even more because of how it tasted.

Such rich flavors in every spoonful, just like you’d expect. That list of spices in the ingredients is clearly long for a reason.

A truly authentic Indian curry recipe!

A Healthy Indian Curry

I know the original is a Chicken Tikka Masala, but I went for cauliflower instead so I could get quantity with fewer calories.

I also used light coconut milk instead of regular keep the fat a little low.

I just had a feeling I’d end up wanting to eat the entire yield in one go. Exactly what happened.

Vegan Cauliflower Tikka Masala

5 from 1 vote

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Prep Time5 minutes mins

Cook Time25 minutes mins

Total Time30 minutes mins

Servings: 4 cups

Calories: 167kcal

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Indian

A creamy, spicy and incredibly flavorful Vegan Cauliflower Tikka Masala that’s so much better than your favorite Indian takeout! This super easy recipe has all the authentic flavors and comes together in under 30 minutes.

Ingredients

Cauliflower:

• 3 cups Cauliflower, Chopped, 321g
• ½ tsp Olive Oil
• ½ tsp Lemon Juice
• ¼ tsp Garam Masala
• ¼ tsp Coriander
• ¼ tsp Paprika
• ¼ tsp Garlic Powder
• ¼ tsp Cumin
• ¼ tsp Salt

Sauce:

• ½ tsp Oil
• ⅓ small Onion, Chopped, 35g
• 1¼ tsp Minced Ginger, 6g
• 1¼ tsp Minced Garlic, 6g
• 1 tsp Garam Masala
• 1 tsp Coriander
• ½ tsp Cumin
• ½ tsp Turmeric
• ½ tsp Paprika
• ¼ tsp Red Chili Powder
• ¼ tsp Cayenne Pepper
• ¼ tsp Cardamom, Ground
• 3 Tbsp Red Bell Peppers, Chopped, 27g
• ¼ cup Tomato Paste, 66g
• ⅔ cup Water
• ¼ cup Coconut Yogurt, 50g, or whole milk for non-vegan
• ¼ cup Coconut Milk, Light
• ¼ tsp Salt

Instructions

Roast cauliflower:

• Preheat oven to 400°F.
• Chop cauliflower into bite-size pieces, about 1½” each.
• In a small bowl, combine spices.
• Toss cauliflower in oil, lemon juice and spices until coated evenly.
• Spread in a single layer on a baking sheet and roast for 12 minutes until lightly browned and cooked.

Cook Sauce:

• Pour oil over medium heated pot or saucepan and fry onion until translucent, about 2-3 minutes.
• Add ginger and garlic and fry another 30 seconds.
• Add spices, mix and fry for a minute until fragrant.
• Add bell pepper and mix.
• Stir in tomato paste and water, and simmer for about 5 minutes.
• Add in yogurt, milk and salt and simmer another 5 minutes.

Combine:

• Add roasted cauliflower, stir and cook another 3-4 minutes.
• Garnish with cilantro and serve!

Notes

Recipe adapted from Vegan Richa and Simply Delicious.

• Substitute cauliflower with chicken, tofu, chickpeas, any other protein source or veggies.

Nutrition:

• Servings: 4 cups | Serving size: 2 cups
• Calories: 167kcal
• Fat: 8g | Saturated fat: 2.9g
• Carbohydrates: 21.9g | Fiber: 7.2g | Sugar: 9.6g
• Protein: 7.5g