This Vegetarian Tikka Masala is made with cauliflower instead of chicken! This delicious Indian cauliflower recipe is perfect for vegetarians, but it’s also great for usual meat-eaters. The texture of the cauliflower masala (or Gobi Masala) is perfect, and the flavor of the homemade tikka masala sauce is absolutely delicious! Serve it on basmati rice with naan to complete the dish.
Vegetarian Tikka Masala Recipe
Vegetarian Tikka Masala (cauliflower or gobi masala) is the perfect Indian dish for meat-free dinners. There’s so much flavor in this Indian cauliflower recipe!
Cauliflower Tikka Masala is such an amazing dish. It’s pieces of roasted cauliflower mixed into a tomato-based curry, served with basmati rice and naan bread. YUM!
This Indian cauliflower recipe is a great meat replacement with all of the flavor and texture you would expect from chicken tikka masala. I made my own homemade tikka masala sauce with the perfect level of spice to cover the roasted cauliflower. And it is GOOD if I do say so myself. Indian food is such a fun thing to make (and to eat), and this dish makes for a tasty, healthy dinner.
Whether you eat meat or not, you have to try this vegetarian tikka masala recipe (aka Gobi Masala, aka Cauliflower Tikka Masala). Whatever you call it, it is absolutely delicious!
Vegetarian Tikka Masala made with cauliflower is a super rich and flavorful vegetarian Indian dish you’re sure to love!
Cauliflower Tikka Masala (Gobi Masala)
Chicken is the most well-known version of this dish, but it can be made with vegetables instead. Cauliflower is used in this vegetarian tikka masala recipe as a substitute for meat. Since there is no meat, a more accurate name would be cauliflower masala, or Gobi Masala as it would be called in India.
This Indian cauliflower recipe is cooked in a tomato-based curry sauce, and served with basmati rice and naan bread. It’s so flavorful and the texture of the cauliflower is just perfect. This cauliflower tikka masala is great for vegetarians, but it’s also just as good for usual meat-eaters. You won’t miss the chicken with this texture and taste!
How to Make Tikka Masala Sauce
Masala is a tomato-based curry sauce used in many Indian dishes, but it’s probably most known for being used in tikka masala here in the U.S. There isn’t a standard tikka masala sauce recipe, as it can vary drastically and still be considered masala. But I am very happy with the recipe I created for this vegetarian tikka masala. You could use this same sauce recipe to make with chicken instead.
What’s in Tikka Masala Sauce:
- Tomato Sauce
- Onion
- Garlic
- Butter
- Olive Oil
- Garam Masala
- Cumin
- Ginger Cinnamon
- Turmeric
- Cayenne Pepper
- Sweet Paprika
- Sugar
- Heavy Whipping Cream
It’s a wonderfully spicy, flavorful sauce. I’m kind of obsessed with it! It tastes so good in this Indian cauliflower recipe (gobi masala).
What does tikka masala mean?
Tikka refers to pieces of meat, while masala refers to the curry sauce. More literally, masala just means a mixture of spices, but in this case it is referring to the sauce portion of the dish. So Chicken Tikka Masala is pieces of chicken in a curry sauce. However, in this recipe there is no meat, just pieces of cauliflower.
What spices are in Garam masala?
Garam masala is a mixture of spices intended to heat or warm the body. This spice blend varies depending on where you buy it, but you can expect it to include all or some of the following spices:
- Cloves
- Cinnamon
- Cardamom
- Bay leaf
- Cumin
- Coriander
- Peppercorns
This vegetarian cauliflower tikka masala is going to blow you away! The spicy curry sauce, roasted cauliflower, and basmati rice make one delicious dinner that everyone will love. If you need a little something extra to serve alongside it, try our favorite naan rolls.
See the recipe card below for details on how to make Vegetarian Tikka Masala. Enjoy!
If you like this recipe, you’ll love these recipes too:
- Thai Peanut Roasted Cauliflower Steaks
- Vegetable Curry recipe
- Garlic Mashed Cauliflower
- Curry Chicken Hand Pies
- Cauliflower Crust Pizza
- Roasted Cauliflower with Chimichurri Sauce
Cauliflower Tikka Masala
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Ingredients
For the Roasted Cauliflower:
- 1 head cauliflower washed and cut into bite-size florets
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon Garam Masala
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- 3 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
For the Tikka Masala Sauce:
- 1 cup sweet yellow onion minced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger or 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/8 teaspoon turmeric
- pinch of cayenne pepper
- ½ teaspoon Garam Masala
- 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
- ½ 6-7 ounces can tomato sauce
- ½ cup heavy whipping cream
- 2 teaspoons white granulated sugar
For Serving:
- Basmati Rice
- Chopped fresh parsley or cilantro
- Lemon wedges
Instructions
For the Roasted Cauliflower:
- Heat oven to 450°F and line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Lightly spray the foil with nonstick cooking spray.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine all ingredients and toss to combine.
- Pour the seasoned cauliflower onto the prepared baking sheet and place on the center rack of the oven.
- Roast 10-12 minutes or until cauliflower is golden and just tender.
- Transfer cauliflower to a cooling rack until ready to use.
For the Tikka Masala Sauce:
- Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add the butter and olive oil. When the oil shimmers, add the minced onions and cook until translucent. Add the minced garlic and cook 30 seconds, stirring often.
- Add cumin, salt, ginger, cinnamon, turmeric, Garam Masala and paprika and cook 1 minute, stirring often.
- Add tomato sauce, reduce heat to low and allow sauce to thicken 5-7 minutes, stirring often.
- Add cream and sugar and bring sauce to a low boil. Cook another 8-10 minutes, over low heat, until sauce has thickened a bit.
- Add the roasted cauliflower to the sauce, mix well and serve.
For the Basmati Rice:
- Cook according to package directions. Keep warm until ready to serve.
To Serve:
- Spoon basmati rice down the center of a serving plate/platter and top with Roasted Cauliflower Tikka Masala. Serve with naan, a side of sour cream or Greek yogurt and garnish with chopped fresh parsley or cilantro and a lemon wedge.
Last step! Don’t forget to show me a pic of what you made! Upload an image or tag me @thecookierookie on Instagram!
Nutrition Information
I followed this recipe precisely as written only omitting the Cayenne as my wife and kids can’t tolerate any heat. Everyone raved about how amazing it was, and that it tasted just as good as any Indian takeout we’ve gotten over the years!
Loved this recipe, very easy and tasty..used tomato puree, not sure if this was correct. Left overs made great veggie pies…
We think tomato puree would work just fine! Glad you enjoyed it!!
Glad you enjoyed it, Renee!
Hi <3 Can I make this day before?
It’s best when it’s fresh but you can!
My only recommendation is to double the sauce because it is so amazing! This has been added to our regular rotation.
Thanks for sharing, Karen!
so goood it brings good things into my mind it is: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Thanks for stopping by!
Need to amend my review. I added 7 oz. tomato sauce, not 1/2 of a can, as directed. Misread the recipe. However, it was divine. I would make it the same way again.
Made this Cauliflower Tikka Masala today. It was superb. Followed recipe exactly…only added some peas. Highly recommend. Very easy.
I am sorry to hear it wasn’t up to your taste, David.