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    Home » Asian

    Butter Cauliflower

    Published: Jan 22, 2023 by Larisha Bernard · This post may contain affiliate links · 24 Comments

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    This Vegan Indian Butter Cauliflower recipe is a fantastic spin on traditional butter chicken that’s just a full of vibrant flavors.

    butter cauliflower cooked in a skillet, topped with fresh herbs.

    Butter Chicken is one of the most popular Indian dishes and this Vegan Indian Butter Cauliflower is going to give you all the same flavors and vibes without the meat.

    Not only is this recipe full of flavor, but it’s also very easy to make and will be loved by all.

    If you serve this to others, they may even have a hard time believing that you made this dish!

    Never miss another post! Sign up for our weekly newsletter and get them all delivered easily! Plus, 15 easy recipes delivered immediately!
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    close up of cooked butter cauliflower and fresh herbs.

    Why You’ll Love This Dish

    Full of Flavor

    One of the hardest things to do is replicate flavors that you’ve had at a restaurant or that remind you of a favorite dish. There’s no problem with that here. The recipe isn’t lacking flavor at all!

    Simple

    It’s also hard to feel like you can get amazing flavor without spending a lot of time in the kitchen; however, this recipe gives you everything that you need easily and it’s not time consuming.

    ingredients to make butter cauliflower.

    Oven Roasted Cauliflower and Hummus Bowl Ingredients:

    Gather your ingredients!

    Below are notes about the ingredients before we get into the full recipe located lower in this post on how to make vegan dish:

    • Cauliflower – We are cutting a head of cauliflower into florets. You want to make sure that you try to get them into even sizes if possible so they cook in the same amount of time.
    • Onions and Garlic – our aromatics in the dish and really help to kick start our flavors
    • Fire Roasted Tomatoes – fire roasted tomatoes give a little more pizzazz to the dish and we really love using them in this dish
    • Sugar – optional, however, the sugar helps balance out the acidity of the tomatoes
    • Canned Coconut Milk – acts as a replacement for heavy cream that you may see in non-dairy versions
    • Apple Cider Vinegar – to help with the tanginess of the recipe and also help bring out the spice flavors
    • Ginger – we are using fresh ginger for this recipe for the best flavor
    • Spices – we are using a variety of spices for all the components of this dish. We really think the combination of all of these together really helps to heighten the dish and give that ultimate flavor.

    Substitutions and Variations:

    • Cauliflower – You could sub cauliflower with tofu, potatoes, chickpeas. Or get creative and do a combo of vegetables!
    • Fire Roasted Tomatoes – regular diced tomatoes will also work
    • Sugar – still optional, other sugar sources like coconut or date granulated sugar, agave, or maple syrup would also work
    • Canned Coconut Milk – vegan heavy cream would also work for this recipe
    • Apple Cider Vinegar – lemon juice, lime juice or white vinegar would be a sub
    • Ginger – ground ginger can also work. We recommend ½ teaspoon to start and then adjust to taste

    Step by Step Instructions:

    seasoned cauliflower coated in a glass bowl with a spatula on the side.

    To start you’re going to preheat the oven to 400°F.

    Grab a large bowl and add ½ cup coconut milk, vinegar, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder and salt, then whisk that together well. After mixed, add in your cauliflower florets and coat everything well.

    Let this marinate for 10 minutes, then in one even layer place on a baking sheet. Cook in the oven for 18-20 minutes.

    onions, garlic and ginger cooking in a skillet.
    onions, garlic and ginger with spices cooking in a skillet.

    While you wait for your cauliflower to cook, over medium heat in a large skillet add your oil. Add onions, garlic, and ginger and cook for 3-4 minutes until fragrant and onions have softened.

    Stir in your garam masala, curry powder, cayenne and salt. Let this cook for another minute to heat and activate your spices.

    fire roasted tomatoes cooking in a skillet.
    tomato sauce, spices and aromatics simmering in a large skillet.

    Then, add in tomatoes and stir to combine. Bring to a boil, then turn down to simmer. Let your sauce simmer and thicken (about 4-5 minutes). 

    blending sauce in a blender.
    sauce and seasoned cauliflower in a skillet.

    Turn off your heat, and carefully pour your sauce into a high speed blender. Blend until you have a smooth consistency. Pour sauce back into pan over low, add remaining coconut milk, and stir.

    Give it a taste, if you feel like you’d prefer a sweet or need more balance with the acidity of the tomatoes you can add in the sugar. Otherwise, omit.

    Once done, add your cauliflower and let cook until heated through and well combined (about 5-8 minutes). Top with cilantro. Serve.

    We prefer to serve with rice and naan.

    cooked butter cauliflower and fresh herbs in a large skillet.

    Frequently Asked Questions:

    Can I make this dish top 9 free?

    Coconut milk is the only top 9 allergen in this dish. Swap it for another non-dairy milk. You may want to let it reduce longer or add in a teaspoon of cornstarch to help thicken faster.

    Can I prep this dish ahead of time?

    Yes. Once cooled completely, you can store in an air tight container in the fridge for 2-3 days.

    Can I double this recipe?

    Yes. You’ll need to use two sheet pans to cook your cauliflower florets, but you can double the other parts of the recipe as written

    Can this be frozen?

    We wouldn’t recommend freezing this dish.

    cauliflower and hummus bowl with fresh herbs on top in a bowl.

    What other vegan cauliflower dishes could I make?

    If you love this cauliflower recipes, you may love these even more:

    • Oven Roasted Cauliflower and Hummus Bowl
    • Vegan Crispy Roasted Cauliflower
    • Oven Roasted Cauliflower Steaks with Pesto and Beans
    • Vegan Cheesy Cauliflower Taco Casserole
    • BBQ Cauliflower Wings
    • Spicy Vegan Cauliflower Burger

    Pin this Vegan Indian Butter Cauliflower for later!

    ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
    Did you make and love this recipe?
    Click the 5 stars in the recipe card above or below in the comment section! This is a great way to support us so we can continue to bring great recipes!

    cooked butter cauliflower and fresh herbs in a large skillet.
    Print Recipe
    5 from 21 votes

    Butter Cauliflower

    This Vegan Indian Butter Cauliflower recipe is a fantastic spin on traditional butter chicken that's just a full of vibrant flavors.
    Prep Time10 minutes mins
    Cook Time25 minutes mins
    Total Time35 minutes mins
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: Indian
    Servings: 4 people
    Calories: 319kcal
    Author: Larisha Bernard

    Ingredients

    Marinade

    • 1 large head of cauliflower, cut into bite size pieces
    • ½ cup canned coconut milk
    • 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
    • 1 teaspoon paprika
    • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
    • 1 teaspoon onion powder
    • ¼ teaspoon salt

    For the Butter Sauce

    • 1 tablespoon olive oil
    • ½ yellow onion, chopped
    • 4 cloves garlic, minced
    • 2 inches fresh ginger, grated
    • 1 tablespoon garam masala
    • 2 teaspoon yellow curry powder
    • ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper, more or less to taste
    • ½ tsp salt, more or less to taste
    • 2 15oz cans fire roasted tomatoes
    • ½ cup canned coconut milk
    • 2 tbsp vegan cane sugar, optional
    • ¼ cup fresh cilantro, roughly chopped, optional

    Serve With

    • cooked rice
    • vegan naan

    Instructions

    • Preheat the oven to 400°F.
    • Into a large bowl, add ½ cup coconut milk, vinegar, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder and salt. Whisk together well. Add in cauliflower florets and coat everything well.
      Let marinate for 10 minutes, then place in even layer on a greased baking sheet. Cook in the oven for 18-20 minutes.
    • While cauliflower cooking, over medium heat in a large skillet add your oil. Add onions, garlic and ginger and cooked for 3-4 minutes until fragrant and onions have softened.
    • Stir in garam masala, curry powder, cayenne and salt. Let this cook for another minute to heat and activate your spices. Add in tomatoes and stir to combine. Bring to a boil, then turn down to simmer. Let your sauce simmer and thicken (about 4-5 minutes). 
    • Turn off heat, and carefully pour sauce into a high speed blender. Blend until you have a smooth consistency. Pour sauce back into pan over low, add remaining coconut milk, and stir. Taste and add sugar if desired.
    • Add your cauliflower and let cook until heated through and well combined (about 5-8 minutes). Turn off heat and add cilantro. Serve with rice and naan.

    Video

    Notes

    *We encourage you to read the FAQs in the post 
    *See post for notes about Top 8 Allergy Free variation and substitutions
    *Nutritional facts are only estimates. Please utilize your own products for the most accurate information. 
     

    Nutrition

    Serving: 0.25dish | Calories: 319kcal | Carbohydrates: 35g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Sodium: 840mg | Potassium: 886mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 18g | Vitamin A: 1279IU | Vitamin C: 110mg | Calcium: 139mg | Iron: 4mg
    Tried this recipe? 🌟Share So We Can See! @makeitdairyfree or tag #makeitdairyfree!

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Quentin

      May 26, 2023 at 9:21 am

      5 stars
      Absolutely delicious! I’m sometimes too lazy to do the marinade and just coat the cauliflower with olive oil (+salt and pepper), still amazing. Thanks very much to you two!

      Reply
      • Larisha Bernard

        May 31, 2023 at 11:05 am

        So happy to hear that

        Reply
    2. Q

      May 06, 2023 at 12:01 am

      Score again! Thanks for this one. I omitted the cayenne spice for the kids and the whole family devoured this!Thank you again!

      Reply
      • Larisha Bernard

        July 10, 2023 at 2:02 pm

        So glad you enjoyed it!

        Reply
    3. Patrycja

      April 03, 2023 at 1:14 pm

      5 stars
      This is one of my favorite recipe EVER. Easy, quick and delicious! It’s my comfort food 🙂

      Reply
      • Larisha Bernard

        June 27, 2023 at 9:00 pm

        YAY!

        Reply
    4. Jeff

      March 03, 2023 at 10:31 pm

      5 stars
      Made this tonight. Delish recipe and definitely going to make again!

      Reply
      • Larisha Bernard

        July 03, 2023 at 11:28 am

        Great!

        Reply
    5. Lauren

      February 19, 2023 at 2:03 am

      Wow wow wow! I made this last night but with a mix of Cauliflower and vegan chicken pieces. Unbelievably delicious! My bf said it’s the best vegan butter chicken he’s ever had (he’s been vegan 7 years). It was really easy and inexpensive too. It will definitely become a regular meal in our house.

      Reply
      • Larisha Bernard

        July 11, 2023 at 1:47 pm

        awesome, so happy to hear that

        Reply
    6. Nessa

      February 14, 2023 at 11:20 pm

      5 stars
      SPECTACULAR!! This took me STRAIGHT to flavor town!! This is the first review I have ever left, BECAUSE IT WAS THAT DAMN GOOD!! Thank you Nard Dog for this rockin recipe 🌟🌟🌟

      Reply
      • Larisha Bernard

        July 03, 2023 at 11:31 am

        so so so happy you loved it!

        Reply
    7. Jules

      February 08, 2023 at 5:49 am

      5 stars
      This was lovely! Made it last night with chickpeas (like you mentioned in the video) to make it stretch that bit further. My youngest usually refuses to eat chickpeas, this time the plate was clean! Thank you for posting this!

      Reply
      • Larisha Bernard

        July 03, 2023 at 11:32 am

        That’s such a win!

        Reply
    8. Mattias

      February 05, 2023 at 6:10 pm

      5 stars
      O.k., this was just simply AMAZING 💪🏻. I’m a novice in the kitchen but the simple instructions led to a fantastic “lick the dish clean” meal. I’m ready to open an Indian restaurant now😎😂. Loving the recipes and this one has been voted a keeper in our family 👍🏻.

      Reply
      • Larisha Bernard

        June 27, 2023 at 10:01 pm

        hahhaha! Love this

        Reply
    9. Richard

      February 05, 2023 at 12:33 pm

      5 stars
      We really enjoyed this recipe. I marinated cauliflower and chicken separately, since there is still a carnivore in the house. I made the sauce and used half for the cauliflower and half for the chicken. Then rounded out the meal with rice, chickpea masala and a lentil dahl. Thanks for sharing.

      Reply
      • Larisha Bernard

        July 03, 2023 at 11:32 am

        So happy that it was a hit

        Reply
    10. Martha

      January 29, 2023 at 10:37 pm

      5 stars
      This is really good. This will stay on our rotation list. Yum! Thank you.

      Reply
      • Larisha Bernard

        June 27, 2023 at 10:04 pm

        Glad to hear it!

        Reply
    11. Judith

      January 25, 2023 at 3:26 pm

      5 stars
      This a very easy and quick meal for a weekday night. I made it today. It was soooo delicious. Thank you for that.

      Reply
      • Larisha Bernard

        January 29, 2023 at 8:14 am

        Glad you enjoyed it so much!

        Reply
    12. Renee

      January 23, 2023 at 5:27 pm

      I can’t wait to try this recipe! In the video, you mention adding chickpeas to bulk up the meal. Would you add them with the cauliflower? Is there enough sauce for both the cauliflower and chickpeas. And would this also work with additional tofu? Thanks!

      Reply
      • Larisha Bernard

        July 11, 2023 at 2:01 pm

        There’s enough sauce to add either! You can add to the pan with the cauliflower or you can add when you add it after the sauce is blended (either will work)

        Reply

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