30-Minute Cauliflower Chickpea Curry (Vegan)

Sep 10, 2020 (Last updated Aug 8, 2023) by Hannah Sunderani

30-Minute Cauliflower Chickpea Curry (Vegan)

Lately I’ve been craving wholesome curry bowls like this vegan Cauliflower Chickpea Curry. This 30-minute recipe is cozy, comforting and warming. All-in-all, it’s the perfect dinner to tuck into and warm the soul.

This cauliflower chickpea curry is made by simmering roasted cauliflower, zucchini and chickpeas in a creamy spiced coconut milk, and served overtop of rice, quinoa or with naan bread. It’s vibrant, flavourful, and beautifully spiced using Indian spices like turmeric, curry powder, cumin, cinnamon and ginger. It’s well spiced, but not spicy. Making it a delicious dish for all eaters.

If you know my recipes then you know that I’m a big fan a simple plant-based curry recipe! I’m half Indian and having a simple weeknight curry for dinner was part of my upbringing! Recipes like my 30-Minute Dal Palak or my Vegan Butter Chicken are recipes that have become weeknight staples that remind me of my childhood.

What I love about this curry recipe is that it’s loaded with veggies like cauliflower, zucchini and carrot, and makes it so easy and tasty to add colourful vegetables to your diet.

This cauliflower chickpea curry is a recipe that my friends and family adore and one we often have on weekly rotation! So, let me tell you exactly how to make this Indian vegan curry so that you can enjoy it pronto.

The ingredients:

The key to a delicious curry is a well stocked spice rack. So although this recipe is easy to make, you’ll need a few spices on hand to achieve optimal flavour.

Fortunately, you can find all of the spices in this recipe at your local grocery store. They are staple spices that can be used for many other recipes, so they won’t go to waste.

For this recipe you will need:

• coconut oil
• yellow onion
• carrots
• cauliflower
• zucchini
• coconut milk
• chickpeas
• turmeric
• curry powder
• cumin
• cinnamon
• ginger
• sea salt

Given the number of spices, you can see that this recipe is still pretty minimal! (But if you’re looking for a super quick curry recipe than I recommend my Instant Pot Dal).

And rest assured, I’m not a fan of buying spices just to use them once. The spices in this recipe are kitchen staples, which will be useful in other recipes. You can use them to make vegan curry recipes on my blog, and even lattes like my golden turmeric latte.

How to make Cauliflower Chickpea Curry

Making this cauliflower chickpea curry couldn’t be easier! I think this is part of the reason why curry’s are so popular! Not only do they taste delicious but they’re simple to make, ready in 30 minutes and can be meal prepped frozen and reheated whenever you like!

To make this cauliflower chickpea curry, preheat oven to 400F/200C. Add the chopped cauliflower and zucchini to a baking tray and drizzle with 2 tablespoons of avocado oil. Mix to combine. Cook for 25 to 30 minutes, or until cauliflower is fork tender.

Meanwhile, add the onion and carrots in a large deep skillet with 1 tablespoons of avocado oil. Cook on medium heat to soften (about 10 mins). Mix in the turmeric, curry powder, cumin, cinnamon, ginger and sea salt. Pour in the coconut milk. Mix to combine.

Add the cooked cauliflower and zucchini and pour in the chickpeas. Stir everything to combine. Optional to add more salt to taste. I like to serve my curry with rice, quinoa or naan bread.’

Cook this vegan cauliflower curry with me!

Make this vegan cauliflower chickpea curry with me on my latest episode, 4 Healthy Vegan Cauliflower Recipes on YouTube!

Cauliflower Chickpea Curry: Tips & Notes

This recipe is pretty straight forward, but a few tips will help you master it. So, I’ve listen them below.

Roast the veggies

The first tip is to roast the veggies before adding to your saucepan. Cauliflower is a cruciferous vegetable, which means it takes a long time to cook merely in a saucepan.

I like to roast my cauliflower and zucchini in the oven first before simmering in the curry sauce to speed up cook time.

Stock your spice rack

Now, I’ve reiterated this from above, but it’s an important tip! When making curry, you’re going to want to ensure that you have a well-stocked pantry.

For this recipe you’ll need curry powder, turmeric, cumin, cinnamon and ginger. They are good ingredients to have in your pantry, and will be useful for many other recipes from curries to lattes, and even baking.

No doubt, this curry is well spiced. But, it’s not spicy. So if you like spicy food then feel free to add cayenne pepper. However, this curry blend is perfect for kids and skeptics.

What is curry served with?

Traditionally, curry is served with rice or naan bread. I also really like to serve this curry with quinoa.

However, if you’re carb free you can absolutely enjoy this curry on its own like a stew, or serve with cauliflower rice. Minimalist Baker has a great tutorial for how to make cauliflower rice.

Other recipes you might like:

If you’re digging this warming dinner recipe, you might also like these:

• Vegan Mushroom Risotto
• Lentil Bolognese
• 20 minute Miso Veggie Stir Fry
• Stuffed Zucchini Pizza Boats

So there we have it! A wholesome cauliflower chickpea curry recipe that’s warm, comforting, and cozy! Everyone can get on board with this curry, young and old, vegan or not.

I think you’re going to love this curry as much as we do. And, if you do make this recipe please let me know in the comments below what you think! I love hearing from you. And of course, tag me on Instagram with the hashtag #twospoons. Nothing makes me happier than to see your recreations.

See more step-by-step instructions by visiting the recipe story here!