Description

This vibrant Roasted Cauliflower & Chickpea Coconut Curry combines caramelized cauliflower and chickpeas with a fragrant blend of spices, creamy coconut milk, and fresh lime. Roasting the cauliflower and chickpeas brings a depth of flavor and texture, while the coconut curry base adds rich, warming notes. Perfect served with rice, poppadums, naan, or flatbreads for a hearty and satisfying vegetarian meal.

Ingredients

Scale

Vegetables & Wet Ingredients

1 large cauliflower, cut into florets
400g can chickpeas, drained
2 onions, finely sliced
5 garlic cloves, finely grated
Thumb-sized piece of ginger, finely grated
400g can coconut milk
300ml vegetable stock (vegan if needed)
1 lime, juiced
Handful of roughly chopped coriander
1 green chilli, sliced (optional)

Spices & Seeds

4 tbsp sunflower oil
2 tbsp black mustard seeds
1 tbsp cumin seeds
6 cardamom pods, seeds only
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tbsp ground coriander
2 tsp turmeric
½ tsp chilli powder (optional)

Accompaniments

Cooked rice, poppadums, naan, or flatbreads

Instructions

Preheat and Roast: Preheat your oven to 200C (180C fan)/gas mark 6. In a large bowl, combine the cauliflower florets, 1 tbsp sunflower oil, black mustard seeds, cumin seeds, cardamom seeds, and drained chickpeas. Season generously with salt and toss everything well to coat. Spread the mixture out evenly on a roasting tray and roast for 20 minutes, turning halfway through, until the cauliflower is nicely caramelized but still has some bite.
Sauté Onions and Spices: While the vegetables roast, heat the remaining 3 tbsp of sunflower oil in a shallow saucepan or wok over medium heat. Add the finely sliced onions with a pinch of salt, cooking them slowly for 10-15 minutes until they turn golden and soft. This process enhances the natural sweetness of the onions.
Add Aromatics and Spices: Into the golden onions, stir in the grated garlic, ginger, ground cumin, ground coriander, turmeric, and optional chilli powder. Cook this fragrant spice blend for 3-4 minutes to allow the flavors to develop fully and become aromatic.
Simmer the Curry Base: Pour in the canned coconut milk and vegetable stock. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer on medium heat, stirring occasionally to combine all the flavors.
Combine Roasted Vegetables and Simmer: Add the roasted cauliflower and chickpeas to the simmering curry base. Let everything cook together for an additional 5 minutes to marry the roasted flavors into the sauce.
Finish and Serve: Remove the curry from heat and stir in the fresh lime juice to add brightness. Garnish with the roughly chopped coriander and optional sliced green chilli for heat. Serve your roast cauliflower and chickpea coconut curry hot, accompanied by cooked rice, poppadums, naan, or flatbreads for a complete meal.

Notes

To make this recipe vegan, ensure your vegetable stock is vegan-friendly and serve with vegan naan or bread.
The chilli powder and fresh green chilli are optional; adjust according to your spice preference.
For extra texture, toast the mustard and cumin seeds briefly in the dry pan before mixing with the cauliflower and chickpeas.
Leftovers keep well in the fridge for up to 3 days and reheat beautifully on the stovetop or microwave.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Category: Main Course
Method: Roasting and Stovetop
Cuisine: Indian-inspired

Keywords: cauliflower curry, chickpea curry, coconut curry, roasted cauliflower, vegetarian curry, Indian curry, easy vegetarian dinner