Creamy Chickpea Cauliflower Curry (Vegan)
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This creamy Chickpea Cauliflower Curry is made in one pot and is so easy to prepare. It’s vegan, filled with warm spices and flavors and ready in under 30 minutes!
Who doesn’t love a warm bowl of cauliflower curry?! This dish couldn’t be easier to whip up, and it’s a delicious way to enjoy vegetables, and in this case specifically, cauliflower.
It kind of reminds me of my chickpea lentil curry. But, I really like that this uses cauliflower as the main ingredient, because hello, we could all use more vegetables in our diet.
This cauliflower curry is made with coconut milk and chickpeas, and without tomatoes, though it does use tomato sauce for optimal flavor.
Why you’ll love this recipe
- It’s made in one pot in under 30 minutes, making it a quick dinner recipe
- Loaded with cauliflower and chickpeas, making it nutritious and filling
- Vegan-friendly, and made with all of the classic Indian spices, like cumin, turmeric and garlic
Ingredients
- Vegetables – A combination of carrots, bell pepper, onion, and garlic works well in this recipe. You could also add or substitute mushrooms, potatoes or sweet potatoes if you prefer.
- Spices – A combination of curry paste, curry powder, cumin,
- Coconut milk – Canned is best, and you can use full fat or light. I almost always use full fat coconut milk because it’s more flavorful.
- Tomato sauce – Make sure to use canned tomato sauce (not jarred) and that the sauce has minimal ingredients in it, and NO basil. I use Muir Glen canned sauce, which is basically just tomatoes, salt, garlic powder, and onion powder.
- Cauliflower – Fresh or frozen cauliflower florets will work.
- Chickpeas – Canned, not dry. Make sure to rinse them beforehand, too! This is a vegetarian curry, but it’s still very filling thanks to the chickpeas, which are high in protein.
- Cilantro – A must-have for all curries!
Step-by-step instructions
First: Sauté the veggies. Heat the olive oil in a large, deep skillet or dutch oven over medium heat. Add the carrot, bell pepper, onion, and garlic and sauté for 5 minutes until soft.
Second: Add the spices. Next, add the red curry paste, curry powder, cumin, salt, coriander, and turmeric to the skillet and cook for 1 minute.
Third: Cook the cauliflower. Pour in the coconut milk, along with the tomato sauce and water and stir to combine. Add the cauliflower as well, pressing it down to make sure it’s covered in the sauce. Bring the curry to a boil, then cover and simmer for 10 minutes.
Fourth: Add the chickpeas. Remove the lid, add the chickpeas, then simmer uncovered for 10 more minutes until the cauliflower is tender and can easily be pierced with a fork. Serve it over rice with a sprinkle of fresh cilantro.
Expert tips and tricks
- Use canned chickpeas (not dry) and make sure to pour them in a mesh strainer and rinse them to remove any liquid from the can before incorporating them into the dish.
- Make sure to use canned tomato sauce (not jarred), and one with minimal ingredients. I used Muir Glen tomato sauce, and it worked perfectly.
- Full fat vs. light coconut milk: I almost always prefer full fat because it’s more flavorful, but you can use light and the recipe will still turn out.
- …Along those same lines, I would not recommend using coconut milk from a carton because the flavor is different (trust me I’ve tried, and it’s not as good).
- Love curry? Be sure to check out my butternut squash curry and my tofu curry!
Is this recipe healthy?
It really is! This cauliflower curry recipe is made with carrot, bell pepper, onion, cauliflower, and chickpeas, making it a delicious vegan dinner recipe. If you want to add even more to it, try adding shiitake mushrooms, diced sweet potato and/or frozen peas. Plus, it’s vegan and gluten-free!
What should I serve this with?
Ladle the curry over rice and enjoy with a side of naan! Or, simply enjoy it as-is.
Can you freeze cauliflower curry?
Yep! Wait for it to cool, then transfer it to a freezer-safe bag or container, labeling it, and placing it in the freezer for up to 3 months.
To reheat: Thaw it in the refrigerator overnight, then pour it into a large saucepan and reheat it on the stove.
More easy cauliflower recipes
If you made this recipe, be sure to leave a comment and star rating below. Thanks!
Creamy Chickpea Cauliflower Curry (Vegan)
Video
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 carrot, diced
- 1 red bell pepper, diced, with seeds removed
- 1/2 yellow onion, diced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tbsp red curry paste, make sure it's vegan to keep this recipe vegan-friendly
- 1 tbsp curry powder
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp coriander
- 1/4 tsp turmeric
- 14 oz. coconut milk, (1 can); full fat; see notes
- 14 oz. tomato sauce, canned, not jarred
- 1/2 cup water
- 4 cups cauliflower florets, from 1 large head cauliflower
- 15 oz. chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large, deep skillet or dutch oven over medium heat. Add the carrot, bell pepper, onion, and garlic and sauté for 5 minutes.
- Next, add the curry paste, curry powder cumin, salt, coriander, and turmeric and stir for 1 minute. Pour in the coconut milk, tomato sauce and water and stir to combine.
- Add the cauliflower, making sure it's coated in the sauce. Bring the curry to a boil, then place a lid on top, reduce heat to a simmer and simmer for 10 minutes. Then, remove the lid, add the chickpeas, and continue simmering for 10 minutes or until the cauliflower is tender.
- Serve over rice, then sprinkle with cilantro. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
It tastes great! Even my dad who is “meat and potatoes” only kind of a guy had seconds!
Thanks Iva! Glad you guys loved the curry!
I would not add the tomato sauce but chop up tomatoes instead. I did have to add curry leaves to give it more flavor.
Fast and easy! Would put less tomato next time and add more spice
I made this curry tonight and it’s tasty — however people should be told that red curry paste is not vegan unless you actively look for the brands that exclude the anchovies and shrimp. I enjoyed the recipe and will make it again but it is wrong to call it vegan without pointing out that people will have to look for special red curry paste.
My husband and I loved this recipe! It was nice and spicy, but not too spicy. I skipped the red bell pepper since bell peppers and I don’t get along, but followed the rest of the recipe as is. Plan to make again!
I’m so glad you liked the curry!