When we decided to stop eating meat, one of the most popular meals I made in those first few months was this curry. This Cauliflower and Chickpea Curry is a warming, comforting curry, perfect for when the weather turns and you need a quick tasty dinner after work or school. My family loves this and even though it was little more on the spicy side they still couldn’t get enough of it.
This cauliflower and chickpea curry is ready in under an hour and can be made the day before if you need a super quick dinner. This tastes even better the next day, so making it a day head can actually be a good idea. Just store it in the fridge in an airtight container. Make sure you heat it fully before serving. We like to have this with basmati rice, however, I have had this with quinoa too. If you want to go all out, naan and popadom with a good mango chutney is the way to go for a better than take out weekend treat.
So this curry is full of warming spices with a little kick of heat, you can adjust the heat if you wish by adding more or fewer chilli flakes. If you are serving this to the kids then a little less heat is best. I always use full fat coconut milk for this recipe as it results in a nice and creamy curry if you wish to go low fat then please be aware you may not get the same results. You may also add in more veggies if you wish, spinach works great, but anything bulkier and you will need a bigger pan.
What’s so great about this cauliflower and chickpea curry?
- It’s creamy, tasty and full of warming flavours
- This is naturally gluten-free
- Vegan
- High in fibre
- Chickpeas – good fats, protein and heart healthy
- Cauliflower – high in vitamin C, vitamin K, heart healthy
- Ready in under 1 hour
- Family friendly
Can I freeze this curry?
Yes! You can. Don’t add the fresh coriander, then leave the curry to cool completely. Once cooled pour the curry into freezer proof bags or containers, label then freeze for up to a month. Thaw fully before reheating then add the coriander before serving.
Cauliflower and Chickpea Curry
Ingredients
- 1 medium onion (160g) chopped finely
- 1 tbsp coconut oil
- 3 cloves of garlic minced
- 1 piece of ginger (36g) peeled and finely grated
- 10 green cardamom pods optional
- 1 medium head of cauliflower (460g) leaves and stalk removed then cut into medium size florets
- 1 green bell pepper (160g) pith and seeds removed then roughly chopped
- 1/2 heaped tsp dried red chilli flakes
- 2 heaped tsp ground cumin
- 1 1/2 tsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
- 2 heaped tsp garam masala
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1 15.5oz can of cooked chickpeas (1 x 400g can) rinsed and drained
- 1 14 oz can of chopped tomatoes (1 x 400g can)
- 1 13.66 fl oz can of full fat coconut milk /(1 x 400ml can)
- A small handful of fresh cilantro/coriander, leaves removed and chopped plus more for serving
Instructions
- Heat the coconut oil in a large saute pan over a medium heat. Use a pan with a tight-fitting lid. Add the onion and cardamom pods and cook for about 10 minutes. Until the onion is translucent and a little springy and the pods have popped open.
- Add the garlic and ginger and cook for about 2 minutes, then add the spices and salt. Stir well and cook for about a minute, until the spices release their flavour.
- Now pour in the chopped tomatoes plus about 50 ml of water added to the empty can. Stir well, then add in the chickpeas, cauliflower and pepper. Cover the pan, reduce the heat then simmer for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally so the sauce doesn't stick to the bottom of the pan. This will also steam the cauliflower.
- After 10 minutes, pour in the coconut milk stir well then simmer over a medium heat for 10 minutes, until the sauce reduces and thickens. Check the seasoning.Finally, stir in the chopped coriander and serve immediately.
- Serve with basmati rice, toasted flaked almonds, more coriander leaves and naan.
Notes
- Nutritional Information is approximate and does not include rice or naan. It is calculated by using an online nutrition tool
- Coconut Milk. I always use full fat coconut milk for this recipe. If you want to use reduced fat coconut milk please be aware you may not achieve the same results. The sauce may be thinner.
- Cardamom Pods. If serving this to small children you may want to fish out the cardamom pods before you add the tomatoes.
- Heat. You can adjust the heat of this curry to suit your own tastes, by adding more or less of the chilli flakes. This curry was made as a family-friendly meal, suitable for children.
- Freezing. This curry can be frozen. Don’t add the fresh cilantro/coriander, then leave the curry to cool completely. Once cooled pour the curry into freezer-proof bags or containers, label the bag or container then freeze for up to a month. Thaw fully before reheating then add the coriander before serving.
- Cauliflower. I always use fresh cauliflower. The smaller the cauliflower florets are the quicker they will cook, I like to keep them small.
- Stir. Stir often to make sure the sauce doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan and that the coconut milk doesn’t split.
Nutrition
More tasty veggie curries:
- Mushroom Curry with Spinach and Chickpeas
- Aubergine, Spinach and Chickpea Curry
- Vegetable Korma
- Butternut Squash and Chickpea Curry
- Thai Red Curry with Veggies and Crispy Tofu
If you’ve tried this or any other recipe on the blog then don’t forget to rate the recipe. Let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you! You can also FOLLOW ME on Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest to see more delicious food.
Mary Bostow says
October 19, 2018 at 8:01 amWhat a great idea! Love this Wow and wow, this is so delicious and it makes my mouth watering.
Michelle Alston says
October 19, 2018 at 9:16 amThank you so much Mary 🙂
Shinta Simon says
October 19, 2018 at 8:26 amThis looks incredible! I am a life-long curry lover and I’ve bookmarked this to make very soon. Thank you for sharing.
Michelle Alston says
October 19, 2018 at 9:16 amThank you so much Shinta, I hope you enjoy it Xx
Danielle says
October 19, 2018 at 9:05 amThis is one of our favourite curries and we make it at leats once a week. It’s so comforting.
Bintu | Recipes From A Pantry says
October 19, 2018 at 9:28 amThis looks like such a delicious curry! We are trying to reduce our meat consumption throughout the week so I will definitely be adding this curry to the meal plan.
Michelle Alston says
October 19, 2018 at 12:39 pmThank you so much Bintu, it’s great for a weeknight dinner. I hope you enjoy it Xx
Adrianne says
October 19, 2018 at 10:27 amI love a good vegetarian recipe and this looks like it would hit the spot. Mmmmm Hmmm Great work and your photos are clear and bright and look great!
Michelle Alston says
October 19, 2018 at 12:39 pmThanks so much Adrianne, that’s very kind of you Xx
Elaine Benoit says
October 23, 2018 at 12:48 pmI love curry and your cauliflower and chickpea version looks stunning and delicious!! Beautiful photos!!
Analida Braeger says
October 24, 2018 at 2:30 pmMmmm! A vegan curry to warm the senses and soul during the chilly months. The photos are absolutely beautiful, too.
Emily Leary says
October 25, 2018 at 2:21 pmYour Cauliflower and Chickpea Curry sounds just the thing for a tasty mid-week meal and your lovely photos demonstrate beautifully how appetising it looks too!
Anne Lawton says
October 28, 2018 at 6:06 pmYum! A brilliant way to serve a vegan curry! And those photos are beautiful! I want a bite of this curry right now!
Tammy says
October 28, 2018 at 9:04 pmI LOVE cauliflower and I’m always looking for new ways to use it. Your curry looks amazing and the photographs are just fantastic. This looks so good, I’m craving some right now!
Jagruti Dhanecha says
October 28, 2018 at 9:26 pmWe love cauliflower and chickpea curry, flavourful and robust. Perfect for chilly nights.
Amanda Mason says
October 29, 2018 at 1:00 amThis looks amazing! What a great vegetarian meal! I can see myself eating this for lunch and dinner! I want to slop it up with a piece of naan bread!
Jenni LeBaron says
October 29, 2018 at 3:02 amThis looks absolutely delicious and simple to throw together! Great option for meatless monday, especially with this fall weather!
Nicoletta Sugarlovespices says
October 29, 2018 at 4:26 amCurry dishes taste so good the next day when all flavors have settled and intensified. This is a wonderful curry, I can imagine why it is a family favorite.
Michelle Alston says
November 1, 2018 at 1:36 pmThank you so much Nicoletta x
Chef Markus Mueller says
October 29, 2018 at 10:34 amO yum! This looks tasty… perfect timing actually because it’s Monday, and I’ve been meaning to do more meatless Monday dishes! Gonna make this for supper tonight!
Michelle Alston says
November 1, 2018 at 1:35 pmThanks Markus, I hope you enjoyed it 🙂
Ashley @ Big Flavors from a Tiny Kitchen says
October 29, 2018 at 12:41 pmI love hearty dishes like this that hold up well for leftovers. I make several dishes that taste better leftover, too. And it’s fun to look forward to the leftovers! I haven’t tried quinoa with my curry before, but I’m inclined to give that a try soon. Looks delicious!!
Michelle Alston says
November 1, 2018 at 1:35 pmThank you Ashley, leftovers are the best!
Michele says
October 29, 2018 at 2:07 pmLoving everything about this gorgeous dish! This is a great recipe to make for my daughter who just stopped eating meat. I think we would all love it, too!
Michelle Alston says
November 1, 2018 at 1:34 pmThank you Michele, I hope your daughter enjoys it Xx
Nicola Williams says
March 21, 2019 at 9:33 pmIt’s amazing how quickly children start tucking into a bowl full of cauliflower and spinach curry with genuine delight when they stop eating meat. This is a really good recipe. I was already in the midst of making a cauliflower and chickpea curry when I came across it (wondering about whether to add mushrooms – slightly different recipe I landed on and then had to browse). The addition of the coconut milk works really well. Loved it.
Michelle Alston says
March 22, 2019 at 8:30 amHi Nicola, I’m so glad you loved it! My daughter loves this one. We cooked a lot of curries when we first gave up meat, I was really surprised by daughter’s love for them! Mx
Amelia says
April 13, 2019 at 1:46 pmSo delicious!