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This Indian style butter cauliflower recipe is the ultimate plant based twist on the classic butter chicken! You can roast the cauliflower in the air fryer or oven, whichever is easier for you. This vegan curry comes together in just 25 minutes, and it is bursting with warm, rich, authentic Indian flavors!!
My love affair with Indian food is still going strong. This comforting, creamy vegan cauliflower curry was actually inspired by a reader who loved my Chicken Tikka Masala but wanted a fully plant based option. I’m always happy to bring more cauliflower recipes to life in my kitchen. Whether it’s Indian Biryani with Cauliflower Rice or Chicken Vindaloo, I simply can’t get enough!!
As a nutritionist, I love creating meals that are quick, nourishing, and full of veggies. Cauliflower is a favorite because it takes on flavor beautifully and works so well in Indian dishes. And this recipe is proof that you can make a deeply flavorful curry without spending all day in the kitchen.
How to Make Indian Butter Cauliflower
- Marinate the cauliflower
Toss cauliflower florets with coconut milk, ginger, and a pinch of salt. Let it marinate for at least 15 minutes for maximum flavor. - Coat and roast
Lightly coat the cauliflower with arrowroot starch for that perfect “sticky” texture. Roast at 450°F in the oven or pop into the air fryer. You want those florets browned and crispy!! - Make the sauce
In a large skillet, heat ghee or coconut oil over medium high heat. Sauté onion until soft, then add garlic. Pour in the coconut milk marinade, a little extra coconut milk, spices, and diced tomatoes. Let it simmer, then blend until silky smooth. - Combine and serve
Add roasted cauliflower into the sauce and simmer for a few minutes so every floret soaks up the flavor.
Tips for Success
- Marinate for deeper flavor: Even 15 minutes makes a big difference, but if you have extra time, go longer.
- Choose your cooking method: The air fryer gives a slightly crispier texture, but the oven works beautifully too.
- Adjust the spice: For more heat, add extra curry powder or a pinch of cayenne.
- Make it ahead: The flavors deepen after a day or two, making this a fantastic make-ahead meal.
Variations:
- Chicken: Add chicken for extra protein or swap it entirely for the cauliflower.
- Butter: Use butter instead of ghee or coconut oil for a richer flavor.
- Starch: Swap arrowroot starch for tapioca or corn starch if that’s what you have.
Serving/Storing:
Serve over rice or Cilantro Lime Cauliflower Rice. It’s also amazing with Easy Oven Roasted Potatoes or my Easy House Salad.
Store leftovers in the fridge for up to a week or freeze for later. It tastes even better after a day or two!!
25 Minute Indian-Style Butter Cauliflower (Vegan)
Ingredients
- 2 large heads of cauliflower
- 2 cups Full fat canned coconut milk*, divided
- 2 tbsp lime juice
- 2 tbsp finely chopped fresh ginger
- 2 tbsp arrowroot starch
- 1 tsp kosher salt, divided
- 3 tbsp coconut oil or ghee, divided
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tbsp garam masala
- 2 tsp curry powder
- 1 tsp turmeric
- 1 14 oz can diced tomatoes
- 1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
Instructions
- Begin by prepping the cauliflower. Chop into florets, place in a large bowl. Add 1 cup coconut milk, lime juice, and ginger. Let sit and marinate for at least 15 minutes. If using the oven, heat to 450 degrees. You can also use the air fryer.
- After marinating, pour the liquid in a separate cup and save. Toss the cauliflower with the arrowroot and 1/2 tsp kosher salt. If using the oven, place the cauliflower on a baking sheet and spread out (be sure to use a non-stick spray or parchment paper so the cauliflower doesn't stick). Bake for 7-10 minutes or until golden and cripy. If using the air fryer, fill the basket in one even layer (may need to do 2 separate batches). Set the air fryer to 390 and cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring halfway to ensure even cooking.
- Meanwhile, make the butter sauce. Heat a large skillet to medium heat. Once hot, add 1 tbsp of the coconut oil or ghee, then add the onion. Saute for 3-4 minutes, then add the minced garlic. Cook for another 1-2 minutes, or until fragrant.
- While onion is cooking, mix together the spices: garam masala, curry powder, turmeric, and 1/2 tsp kosher salt.
- Pour in the reserved marinade to the onion mixture, then add the remaining 1 cup coconut milk. Stir in the spices, and finally add in the diced tomatoes with their juices. Let simmer over medium low heat for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, then melt the remaining ghee or coconut oil. Remove from heat.
- Pour the sauce into a blender or food proccessor, and blend until smooth and creamy. Pour the sauce back into the skillet, and add the cauliflower. Cook for few minutes, coating the cauliflower with the sauce.
- Serve hot over rice or cauliflower rice with chopped fresh cilantro. Salt and pepper to taste.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
So simple and so incredibly good. The young people in the house were very surprised that a vegan dinner actually tasted so good. I want to eat less meat and less carbs and when I tasted this delicious Indiana Butter cauliflower it gave me a boost to continue. Thanks!
Hello! I made this last night with a couple of substitutions. I didn’t have coconut milk so used one can of coconut cream. I don’t have an air fryer so just roasted my cauliflower in the oven with some salt and pepper and a drizzle of olive oil. This was so yummy I did not even miss the chicken! LOL. And my teenage daughters who are very picky eaters, loved it! This will be a regular on our menu. Thank you!
If you’re not using an air fryer for this recipe and instead using an oven, I suggest skipping the marinade part and increasing the cooking time. The “marinade” just seeps onto the parchment leaving nothing on the cauliflower and the florets are not properly roasted after just 10 mins. The curry itself is absolutely flavorful, the recipe just needs a bit of tweaking for the oven method.
Thank you for the tip, Victoria!
Yum!!! This was amazing. One of the best recipes I’ve made in a long time!! I added a can of chickpeas for protein. Otherwise, perfect.
So happy to hear that! Thank you for the review.
I made this for my non-vegetarian family tonight and they all ate it! I chose to use coconut oil instead of ghee and air-fried the cauliflower. Everything turned out great! My family put some chicken in their extra sauce but I was absolutely thrilled that they all ate some of the cauliflower. 10/10! I’ll be making this again!
Delicious! my first time cooking an indian recipe and this was a good first.
So glad you loved it!
Love this. It’s going into the recipe box.
Delicious!
I made this last night and both my husband and I loved it! It was a slight bit spicy for me (I am total opposite of my husband who still added some jalapeños to his). I will definitely make this again and again! I did add both full cans of the coconut milk as it was easier than saving! Thank you for posting this awesome recipe! And I did serve over cauliflower rice and it was wonderful.
This was seriously my favorite vegan meal yet! Recently, my husband I have gone all plant based. Many times we’ve been left somewhat unsatisfied. But not with this dinner!!! Definitely going in the rotation. I can’t thank you enough!
I am so happy to hear! We love this Indian Butter Cauliflower version also.
Don’t get me wrong with the 4 stars; this recipe is wonderful/outstanding/delicious. However, there’s a flaw. I did NOT use an air fryer, so after the cauliflower “marinates” and is then spread out on a baking sheet, it needs a layer of avocado oil or olive oil to roast in the oven. I did this and had a very sticky mess sprinkling the arrowroot onto the baking sheet with absolutely nothing to prevent the sticking. I should have realized this but it didn’t get ruined, just an annoying mess. Thanks for reading.