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Cauliflower and Chickpea Curry

Posted: , Updated: / Dinner, Most Popular, Recipes, Vegan

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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.

cauliflower and chickpea curry - onion
cauliflower and chickpea curry - cooking
cauliflower and chickpea curry - sauce

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.

cauliflower and chickpea curry - 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 - close up cauliflower and chickpea curry - overhead cauliflower and chickpea curry - full

cauliflower and chickpea curry - overhead

Cauliflower and Chickpea Curry

Warming and easy to make this vibrant Cauliflower and Chickpea Curry is packed with flavour. Perfect for a tasty weeknight dinner.
5 from 18 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Indian
Keyword: cauliflower and chickpea curry
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Servings: 4
Calories: 568kcal
Author: Michelle Alston

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 400g can of cooked chickpeas drained weight 240g
  • 1 400g can of chopped tomatoes
  • 1 400ml can of coconut milk
  • A small handful of fresh 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

  • Calories are approximate and do not include rice or naan.
  • If you want to use reduced fat coconut milk please be aware you may not achieve the same results. The sauce may be thinner.
  • If serving this to children you may want to fish our the cardamom pods before you add the tomatoes.
  • 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.
  • This curry can be frozen, please see post for directions.

Nutrition

Calories: 568kcal
Did you make this recipe?Mention me on Instagram at @thelastfoodblog or tag #thelastfoodblog!

More tasty veggie curries:

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Reader Interactions

Comments


  4. This 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.

    Reply


  10. I 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!

    Reply


  12. This 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!

    Reply


  17. Loving 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!

    Reply


  18. It’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.

    Reply

    • Hi 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

      Reply

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