This delicious bowl of masala chickpeas with roasted cauliflower and fresh, zesty salad is a delicious vegan-friendly lunch.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Flavor Combo: Enjoy the mix of masala chickpeas, roasted cauliflower, and a zesty cucumber salad for a tasty vegan lunch.
- Efficiency: Ready in 35 minutes, a quick dinner option for busy weekdays.
- Budget-Friendly: At $12, it’s an affordable yet wholesome meal.
- Simple Preparation: Few steps, basic ingredients, and a satisfying taste.
- Versatile: Suitable for both experienced cooks and beginners, offering the goodness of Indian cuisine without complexity.
Ingredients
Here are some of the key ingredients for this recipe that add flavor and a healthy balance to the meal 🙂
- Cauliflower: Roasted in curry powder, cauliflower is one of those vegetables that is transformed by roasting! It turns sweet, tender, lightly charred and caramelized. If you’ve been put off by boiled cauliflower in the past (like me) then you definitely need to try it roasted – it has a totally different slightly nutty flavor! Plus the combination of curry powder makes it even more exciting – yum!
- Cucumber Salsa: Offers a fresh and zesty element to balance the heaviness of the spiced roasted cauliflower and chickpeas. Don’t skip this!
- Chickpeas: Masala-seasoned and absolutely delicious, chickpeas are a wholefood plant-based protein to add balance to the dish. Remember – when it comes to healthy vegan meals (or any meal) we always want to include lots of veggies, a protein, healthy fats and some carbs. Chickpeas tick the protein and carb boxes for this meal!
- Tamarind Chutney: Drizzled on to garnish for a sweet and tangy finish.
There’s a detailed list of ingredients in the recipe card at the bottom of this post with specific quantities, but here’s a shopping list of everything you’ll need for your convenience 🙂
Shopping List
- Curry Powder
- Cauliflower
- Garlic
- Ginger
- Spring Onion
- Lime
- Lebanese Cucumber
- Coriander
- Canned Chickpeas
- Garam Masala
- Tamarind Chutney
- Light Olive Oil
How to Make This Recipe
The great thing about this recipe is that it is on the table, start-to-finish in less than 40 minutes. Check out the recipe card for detailed instructions, but here is a step-by-step guide on how to make Roasted Cauliflower with Chickpeas, Cucumber Salsa and Tamarind Chutney:
Step One: Prepare the cauliflower. Break into florets, coat with curry powder, salt, and oil, then roast until tender.
Step Two: Make the cucumber salsa. Combine garlic, ginger, cucumber, coriander, spring onion, lime zest, salt, and oil in a mixing bowl.
Step Three: Cook chickpeas. Sauté garlic and ginger, add chickpeas, garam masala, salt, and water. Cook until water reduces.
Step Four: That’s it – assemble and serve! Place chickpeas in bowls, top with roasted cauliflower and cucumber salsa. Drizzle tamarind chutney over the top. Enjoy!
Substitutions
- Curry Powder: Swap with garam masala or your preferred spice blend for varied flavors.
- Cauliflower: You could experiment with broccoli or even Brussels sprouts, as these are also both part of the cruciferous family of veggies. They will yield a stronger flavor though than cauliflower, but it could be delicious, give it a try and test it out for yourself 🙂
- Chickpeas: Can be substituted with lentils or white beans for an alternative protein source.
- Tamarind Chutney: Replace with mango chutney or a balsamic glaze for a unique sweet-tangy touch.
- Light Olive Oil: Any neutral flavor cooking oil can be used as a substitute based on your preference.
Storage Instructions
- Refrigerator: Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days to maintain freshness.
- Freezer: You could freeze the cauliflower and chickpea portions of this dish for up to 2-3 months. However, I don’t recommend freezing the salsa or tamarind chutney as they will not thaw well. Especially the salsa – it will go gluggy and gross! Always prepare this element of the dish fresh for the best texture and taste 🙂
Well, that’s it! Another easy balanced plant-based meal with lots of veggies and chickpeas for protein. I hope you love this recipe and if you’re looking for more meal ideas, check out my Thai Peanut Chickpea Curry, Vegan Shakshuka (it’s technically breakfast but I could eat this ANY time of day), my viral TikTok Healthy Instant Noodle Soup or a recipe of my friend lentil soup from Lebanon. Let me know what you think of this one in the comments below, or tag me on Instagram and I will repost your photos to stories – I always love to see what you’re making 🙂
Roasted Cauliflower with Chickpeas, Cucumber Salsa and Tamarind Chutney
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp curry powder
- 1 head cauliflower small
- 4 cloves garlic
- 2 cm ginger
- 4 stalks spring onion
- 1 lime
- 2 lebanese cucumber
- 6 stalks coriander
- 800 g canned chickpeas drained and rinsed
- 1 cup water
- 2 tsp garam masala
- 60 g tamarind chutney
- 6 tbsp light olive oil extra virgin
Instructions
Cauliflower
- Preheat oven to 220C. Break cauliflower into florets and coat with curry powder, a good pinch of salt and 2 tbsp of oil. Place cauliflower on oven tray and roast for 12-15 minutes until tender.
Salsa
- Finely mince garlic and ginger. Set half the ginger aside. Slice cucumber into 1/2 cm cubes. Thinly slice spring onion, and roughly chop coriander including stems. Zest and juice lime.
- Add to a mixing bowl: ginger, cucumber, coriander, spring onion, lime zest, good pinch of salt and 2 tbsp of oil.
Chickpeas
- Place frypan on medium heat. Add 2 tbsp of oil, garlic and remaining ginger. Cook for 2 minutes. Add chickpeas and garam masala and stir for 1 minute. Season with salt and add 1 cup of water, cook for 3-5 minutes until water reduces.
- To serve, place the chickpeas into bowls, top with cauliflower and cucumer salsa. Drizzle the tamarind chutney over the top.
sarah says
This was a hit.
Hong Nguyen says
One of the yummiest things I’ve made. Thanks for all the recipes