This delicious and savory vegan cauliflower tikka masala is inspired by the traditional Indian tikka masala. It’s made with roasted cauliflower combined with a savory and spicy plant-based sauce. Serve it with your favorite grain or naan and it’s sure to become a family favorite.

A bowl of vegan cauliflower tikka masala on a bed of Indian Basmati rice, topped with fresh cilantro and a wedge of lemon.

Whenever I go out to eat at an Indian restaurant, one of my favorite dishes to order is a paneer tikka masala. If made well, it’s usually exploding with flavor and taste, but usually leaves me feeling sleepy and bloated.

This cauliflower tikka masala is a plant-based version of one of my favorite Indian dishes and so easy to make at home.

What is tikka masala?

Tikka masala is a spiced Indian curry sauce. It’s creamy and has a vibrant orange color. and made with a cream base, ghee or oil, a medley of spices, and usually combined with paneer, an Indian cheese, or chicken.

This recipe uses coconut milk as the base instead of a dairy base. It’s just as delicious but also adds a subtle sweetness. The spices overpower the taste of the coconut so you’ll enjoy this combination even if you’re not a huge fan of coconut milk.

The roasted cauliflower makes a delicious substitute for the traditional paneer or chicken.

A bowl of tikka masala on a bed of Indian Basmati rice, topped with fresh cilantro and a wedge of lemon.

Ingredients you’ll need

When it comes to any kind of tikka masala, spices are important. The combination of spices is what brings this dish to life.

For this cauliflower tikka masala, I picked Indian spices that easy to find in most grocery stores:

Cumin: A spice found in most Indian dishes. Use either ground cumin or cumin seeds.
Coriander: This aromatic spice add flavor and more healing properties to this dish. I remember when I first learned that coriander is the same as cilantro. It’s easy to find in the spice section.
Turmeric: Not only known for its healing properties, but turmeric also gives this dish a beautiful and vibrant color. Always be careful handling turmeric because it stains everything it touches, including your nails.
Garam masala: Garam masala can be a little harder to find and while it’s not necessary, it adds a little more to this dish. So if you have it on hand, use it. Otherwise, don’t worry about it as your tikka masala will still taste delicious.

How to make a cauliflower tikka masala

Once you have all of the ingredients, this dish comes together in less than an hour.

1. Prepare the cauliflower and onions: In a bowl, toss the cauliflower, onion, oil, salt, and pepper. Spread the cauliflower and onion mixture in a single layer on a baking sheet. Roast for about 30 minutes, or until golden brown.

2. Prepare the tikka masala: While the cauliflower is roasting, prepare the tikka masala sauce. In a blender, combine the coconut milk, tomatoes, water, garlic, ginger, and spices. Blend until smooth and creamy. Transfer to a large pot over medium heat. Bring the mixture to a slight boil and immediately reduce the heat to low, cover, and let simmer for about 15 minutes.

Pro tip: If you don’t like a subtle taste of coconut milk, substitute the coconut milk with cashew cream by blending 3/4 cup of raw cashews with 1/2 cup of water.

3. Add roasted cauliflower and onion mixture: Add the roasted cauliflower and onion mixture and stir until coated. Simmer for a couple more minutes and turn off the heat.

4. Garnish and serve: Serve with Indian Basmati rice, brown rice, quinoa, or naan.

Serving suggestions

Once your tikka masala is ready, you have a few options on how to serve this delicious dish. Here are my favorites:

Naan: Dipping some warm delicious naan is some cauliflower tikka masala is one of my favorite ways to enjoy this dish.
Rice: Cook a batch of brown rice, jasmine rice or white Basmati rice and serve the cauliflower tikka masala on a bed of rice. Delicious, savory, and comforting.
Quinoa: An alternative to naan or rice is quinoa, which can be cooked on the stovetop or a pressure cooker.

Storing for later

Store leftovers in an air-tight glass container. Be sure to cool the tikka masala down before doing this. When you’re ready to enjoy it, just warm it up in a pot.

The sauce may have thickened so feel to add a few tablespoons of water to bring it back to life.

More Indian recipes

I hope you love this cauliflower tikka masala recipe as much as I do. Sign up for email updates to receive new recipes delivered to your inbox or check out my new cookbook Plant Power Bowls.

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