Roasted Cauliflower and Chickpea Tikka Masala with Jasmine Rice

If you’ve ever been intimidated by making curry from scratch, this recipe is here to change that. With a handful of pantry spices and a prepared curry sauce base, you can have a deeply flavorful vegetarian tikka masala on the table in under 30 minutes. Roasted cauliflower brings a tender, caramelized bite, while chickpeas add heartiness and protein.

Serve this vibrant dish over fluffy jasmine rice, then finish with a cooling drizzle of yogurt and a sprinkle of fresh cilantro. It’s a quick, satisfying dinner that tastes like it simmered for hours-perfect for busy weeknights or when you’re craving something warm and comforting.

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Ingredients

10 ounce Cauliflower FloretsView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit Yellow OnionView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit ChickpeasView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

0.25 ounce CilantroView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 tablespoon Curry PowderView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

0.5 cup Jasmine RiceView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 teaspoon Garam MasalaView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

5 ounce Curry Sauce BaseView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 tablespoon YogurtView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 teaspoon Olive OilView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 teaspoon Cooking OilView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

0.5 teaspoon SugarView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 tablespoon ButterView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

SaltView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

PepperView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

Instructions

1. Adjust rack to top position and preheat oven to 425°F. Wash and dry produce. Cut cauliflower florets into bite-size pieces if needed. Halve, peel and finely dice half the onion (whole onion for 4 servings). Drain chickpeas, reserving ¼ cup liquid (½ cup for 4). Pick cilantro leaves from stems.
2. In a medium bowl, toss cauliflower with a large drizzle of olive oil, curry powder and a couple big pinches of salt until coated. Spread cauliflower out on a baking sheet; roast on top rack until tender, 20-25 minutes.
3. In a small pot, combine rice, ¾ cup water (1½ cups for 4 servings) and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce heat to low. Cook until rice is tender, 15-18 minutes. Keep covered off heat until ready to serve.
4. Heat a drizzle of oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add onion and a pinch of salt and pepper; cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, 4-5 minutes. Add chickpeas and half the garam masala (all for 4 servings); cook, stirring occasionally, until fragrant, 1-2 minutes.
5. Stir in curry sauce base, reserved chickpea liquid, ½ tsp sugar (1 tsp for 4) and ¼ cup water (½ cup for 4) to pan with chickpeas. Cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened, 1-2 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in 2 TBSP butter (4 TBSP for 4) until melted. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
6. Fluff rice with a fork; divide between one side of each bowl. Serve tikka masala next to rice. Arrange cauliflower in the middle. Drizzle with yogurt. Sprinkle with cilantro leaves and serve.

Recipe Tips

FAQ

Can I use frozen cauliflower instead of fresh?

Yes, but thaw and pat dry thoroughly before roasting to ensure it gets tender and slightly caramelized.

Is this dish spicy?

It has a mild warmth from the curry powder and garam masala. For more heat, add a pinch of cayenne or red pepper flakes.

Can I make this recipe vegan?

Absolutely. Substitute the butter with coconut oil or a vegan butter alternative and use a plant-based yogurt for drizzling.