In my continuing quest to eat as many vegetables as possible in a day, please welcome the delicious Cauliflower and Chickpea Coconut Curry—it’s crazy good! I pretty much love everything with this spice profile, so if you’ve made one of my Indian-inspired recipes before, you’ll already have these spices on hand.
I’m not vegan, but I enjoy making vegan dishes. I think it’s the challenge of making something that will taste amazing without the use of my comfort ingredients, like cheese or cream, which tend to find their way into even the healthiest vegetarian dish.
These are the kinds of recipes I like to make for myself…mainly because I have one kid who would look at me like I have two heads if I made this for dinner. As I mature, I’d much rather just make it for myself than have to please the teenage crowd in my house. I’m just waiting for one of them to mature in their taste buds, and I’m hoping it happens soon.
Why You Should Make This
If you love veggies and are on the fiber boat with me, then you should try this. I roast the cauliflower in the oven and everything else is done in a skillet. It really does come together in 30 minutes, which makes it a perfect weekday lunch or quick dinner. It’s also great for meal prep; cauliflower is one of the best veggies for meal prep, in my opinion, because it keeps its texture and doesn’t leach water, like cucumbers or tomatoes. It actually develops more flavor as it sits. Also, the chickpeas soften as they sit in the coconut milk, so eat it for a meal, but save some for later—it will be worth it.
Cauliflower and Chickpea Coconut Curry
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 5 servings 1x
Ingredients
3 cups cauliflower florets, in bite sized pieces or smaller
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
1/2 cup diced red onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
Spice Blend: 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 1 teaspoon turmeric, 1 teaspoon garam masala, 1/2 teaspoon paprika, 1/2 teaspoon coriander, 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1, 15 ounce can chickpeas, drained
1, 15 ounce can full fat, unsweetened coconut milk
Juice and zest of 1 lemon
Garnish: red pepper flakes, cilantro, pickled red onions
Instructions
Preheat oven to 425°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Add cauliflower florets and 1 tablespoon of olive oil onto the parchment, toss to coat and roast for 20 minutes or until the edges of the cauliflower start to get brown, but the cauliflower is soft.
In a large skillet over medium heat, add the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil and onions and saute for 3 minutes or until translucent. Add the garlic and spice blend and stir for a minute.
Add the chickpeas and coconut milk and bring to a simmer and simmer for 5 minutes or until the cauliflower is done. When cauliflower is done, add it to the skillet with the chickpeas and sauce.
Turn off the heat and stir in the lemon zest and half of the lemon juice. Save the other half of the lemon juice to add right before serving.
Let the skillet sit for 5 minutes to allow the coconut milk to thicken back up slightly.
Garnish with fresh cilantro, a splash of lemon juice, pickled onions, and red pepper flakes.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 25