Serves 6 to 8 | Prep time: 20 minutes | Total time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Tikka masala is the tart, creamy tomato curry you find at every British curry house, usually served with chicken, but come on, people don’t still eat chicken, do they? This vegan tikka masala recipe gives cauliflower the full tikka treatment. The florets are cut into big, meaty slabs and roasted until browned and caramelized at the edges, giving them a firm bite that stands up to all that sauce.
And the sauce is everything. It starts with onions cooked down until soft and lightly sweet, then garlic, ginger, and fresh cilantro bloom in buttery coconut oil to build that warm, aromatic base. The cilantro goes into the sauce itself here, not just the garnish, adding depth and freshness. The spice blend is classic and fragrant: cumin, cardamom, paprika, fennel, and cayenne, all working together, creating a balance of smoky, spicy, and slightly sweet. Fire-roasted crushed tomatoes are worth tracking down here, they add a smokiness that regular crushed tomatoes don’t, and it pushes the sauce somewhere deeper. Coconut milk makes it rich and velvety, and a squeeze of lime at the end keeps everything bright. It’s creamy, tangy, a little spicy, and very, very saucy.
Roasting the cauliflower first keeps it from going mushy and gives you those browned edges that soak up the sauce without disappearing into it. Then everything gets baked together casserole-style, which isn’t traditional for tikka masala but works beautifully here. The cauliflower on the bottom soaks up the sauce, the top layer gets a little more concentrated, and the whole dish comes together into something cohesive and scoopable. It will smother rice or any carb that comes its way.
If you want a little protein boost (and who couldn’t use more chickpeas in their life) stir a drained can of chickpeas right into the sauce before assembling. They soak up all that flavor and make the dish even heartier.
The most time-efficient way to make this: get the cauliflower in the oven first, then start the sauce. By the time the sauce is ready the cauliflower is done and you’re straight into assembly.
The toasted almonds at the end aren’t just garnish. They add a toasty, fragrant crunch and a subtle richness that plays really well against the creamy sauce. And of course you can’t forget fresh cilantro to serve.
This recipe uses two heads of cauliflower and serves 6 to 8 depending on what you’re serving alongside it. Great for a dinner party, great for meal prep, and the leftovers are excellent. Finish with toasted almonds for crunch and fresh cilantro for brightness. Serve over rice or with naan to catch every drop of that sauce.
You can make a really simple chutney with this recipe — it’s for pear, but stonefruit or apples work well too. A nice raita would be perfect alongside as well. You don’t even need a recipe — here’s what I do: grate about ¼ cup cucumber and a tablespoon of chopped fresh mint into 1 cup coconut yogurt, then add salt and lime to taste. So refreshing.
This recipe is from Superfun Times Vegan Holiday Cookbook.
VEGAN CAULIFLOWER TIKKA MASALA FAQ
Can I use a different vegetable or protein? Here are some things I have tikka masala-ed with great results. Eggplant — slice it into 1-inch rounds, salt it for 20 minutes to draw out moisture, pat dry, toss in oil, and roast at 425°F for about 20 minutes until golden. It soaks up the sauce beautifully. Replacing half the cauliflower with slabs of roasted tofu is a great move if you want more protein — press the tofu well, slice into thick pieces, toss in oil and a pinch of salt, and roast alongside the cauliflower until golden. Or stir a drained can of chickpeas straight into the sauce before assembling. And who couldn’t use more chickpeas in their life.
Can I use regular crushed tomatoes instead of fire-roasted? For sure. Add an extra pinch of smoked paprika to compensate and you’ll get close to the same depth.
Can I use light coconut milk? You can but the sauce will be thinner. Full fat is what gives this vegan tikka masala that velvety texture. So kinda’ no?
Is this recipe spicy? Medium heat. Want more, add cayenne. Want less, reduce it to a pinch or skip it entirely.
What cut of cauliflower works best? Slabs rather than florets. Cut the cauliflower into ½-inch thick steaks so you get maximum surface area for browning. The flat edges caramelize better than rounded florets and hold up in the sauce without falling apart.
Can I make this ahead of time? Hells yeah. This is actually better the next day. Make the whole thing, refrigerate, and reheat gently on the stovetop or in the oven with a splash of coconut milk if the sauce needs loosening.
Does this freeze well? Yup yup yup. Freeze in portions for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat gently.
What do I serve with vegan tikka masala? Basmati rice is the classic move. Naan if you’re feeling ambitious. Both if you’re going all in. A simple raita or chutney rounds it all out.
How did I end up here? You were probably searching for “vegan tikka masala recipe,” or “cauliflower tikka masala.” Maybe “British curry vegan” or “vegan cauliflower curry.” Bookmark this. The search is over.
Cauliflower Tikka Masala
Ingredients
For the cauliflower:
- 2 medium heads cauliflower
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ teaspoon salt
For the sauce:
- 3 tablespoons refined coconut oil
- 2 medium yellow onions thinly sliced
- 2 teaspoons salt plus a pinch
- 6 garlic cloves minced
- 2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
- ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
- 1 teaspoon fennel seeds crushed
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
- ½ teaspoon ground cardamom
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 24-ounce can crushed fire-roasted tomatoes
- 2 14-ounce cans coconut milk
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
For the garnish:
- ¼ cup sliced almonds toasted
- Chopped fresh cilantro
Instructions
Roast the cauliflower:
- Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line two large rimmed baking sheets with parchment.
- Remove the leaves from one head of cauliflower and trim the stem. Cut the cauliflower in half lengthwise and lay both sides flat on the cutting board. Cut the halves into ½-inch-thick pieces. Put the pieces on one lined baking sheet and toss with 2 tablespoons of the oil and ¼ teaspoon of the salt. Arrange in a single layer. Repeat with the other cauliflower and remaining oil and salt.
- Roast, rotating and swapping the pans halfway through, until the cauliflower is browned, about 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside.
Make the sauce:
- Preheat a 4-quart pot over medium heat. Heat the oil, then sauté the onions with a pinch of salt until lightly brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the garlic and ginger and sauté for a minute more. Add the cilantro and stir until wilted.
- Add the fennel seed, cumin, paprika, cardamom, and cayenne and stir to toast for about 30 seconds. Stir in the tomatoes, coconut milk, tomato paste, lime juice, and remaining 2 teaspoons salt. Cover and bring to a simmer. Once simmering, lower the heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
Assemble:
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Pour some sauce into a 9-by-13-inch casserole. Layer in half of the cauliflower and cover with half of the remaining sauce. Layer in the remaining cauliflower and pour on the remaining sauce. Bake for 20 minutes.
- Remove from the oven, scatter the almonds and cilantro over the top, and serve.
