This Whole Roasted Tandoori Cauliflower is an impressive vegetarian Indian dish that comes together in 30 minutes! A whole head of cauliflower is marinated in yogurt and spices, cooked until tender in the middle and crispy on the outside, then served with homemade pickled red onions and gravy!
This vegetarian showstopper is perfect as an entree, or a side dish, for holiday parties and special occasions. Either way, it will wow your guests!
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This crispy tandoori cauliflower recipe is one that will turn even cauliflower skeptics into cauliflower lovers. Seriously!
A whole cauliflower head is slathered in a flavorful Indian marinade made with Greek yogurt and warm Indian spices, cooked in the instant pot until perfectly tender, then broiled in the oven for a golden-brown, crispy finish.
What is Tandoori Cauliflower?
Tandoori refers to a style of Indian cooking that usually involves a protein or vegetable that is marinated in yogurt and spices then roasted in a small clay oven called tandoor.
Whole Tandoori Cauliflower is an Indian dish that undergoes the same prepping process as other tandoori recipes. In this, a whole head of cauliflower is marinated in yogurt and spices, then roasted.
However, since most people do not own a tandoor, this cauliflower is cooked in the Instant pot first to create a delicious tender texture, then broiled in the oven to give it that crispy, browned finish.
Ingredients - Notes & Substitutions
Don't be deceived by the long list of ingredients. This recipe is super simple and made with ingredients that are pantry staples in most Indian kitchens!
There are three components to this dish- Cauliflower, Gravy, and Pickled Onions. All three come together in just 10-15 minutes of prep, all within 30 minutes!
Cauliflower
- Cauliflower Head: be sure to thoroughly clean the cauliflower head in a bowl of salt water to remove any dirt. I add a dash of vinegar to the water to get rid of any bugs.
- Marinade: The classic tandoori marinade consists of:
- Yogurt: Plain Greek yogurt is ideal since it's thick and has a low moisture content. If using regular yogurt, mix in 2 teaspoons of besan or corn starch.
- Garlic and Ginger: you can make both garlic paste and ginger paste at home, or buy them from the store. I prefer the frozen cubes in the store-bought options.
- Lime Juice: use fresh lime juice for the best flavor.
- Olive Oil: coating the head of cauliflower in oil helps create that golden-brown exterior when you broil it. Avocado oil is another great alternative.
- Seasonings: you'll use a blend of salt, turmeric powder, garam masala, coriander powder, ground cumin, and Kashmiri red chili powder. You can use paprika in place of the red chili powder for a more mild spice level.
Gravy
- Vegetable Stock: a flavorful base for the gravy that also keeps this recipe totally vegetarian.
- Aromatics: you'll use the classic onion and garlic combination to create a flavor base for the cooking liquid.
- Butter: I use unsalted so I can control the salt in this recipe.
- Garam Masala: you can use store-bought garam masala or easily make your own.
- Heavy Whipping Cream and Cornstarch: added to the gravy after cooking to help create a thick and creamy topping.
Picked Onions
- Red Onion: make sure to thinly slice the onion so it pickles faster.
- Water and Red Wine Vinegar: the acidity in the vinegar is what pickles the onions. The water helps tone that acidity down slightly.
- Sugar: this helps balance out the tart flavor of the vinegar.
- Salt: you can use Himalayan salt or kosher salt.
- Red Chili Powder: you can also use cayenne pepper.
How to Make Roasted Tandoori Cauliflower
Cauliflower
Prep the cauliflower: Clean the cauliflower head by submerging it in a bowl of saltwater. Dry completely, then use a pairing knife to cut off the leaves around the stem. Trim the bottom stem and tough core.
Marinate: Combine all ingredients needed for the marinade in a bowl, then use a pastry brush to spread the marinade all over the cauliflower. Wrap in foil and refrigerate for 15 minutes-2 hours.
Sauté Aromatics: Melt butter in the instant pot set to SAUTÉ. Add the onion and garlic and cook until softened. Pour in veggie stock and garam masala.
Cook: Place a trivet into the instant pot, then put the cauliflower on top. Pressure cook on high for 2 minutes, wait 5 minutes, then manually release the pressure.
Roast Cauliflower: Transfer the cauliflower to an oven-safe dish and broil on high for 5-7 minutes to brown.
Make the Gravy: Turn SAUTÉ back on. Mix in cornstarch in the heavy cream until dissolved. Add to the cooking liquid while stirring constantly. Simmer until thickened. Cancel saute.
Serve: Slice off wedges of cauliflower and cut into smaller slices for serving. Top with gravy and pickled onions.
Cook time adjustment: This pressure cook works for a 2-pound cauliflower head. Adjust the time to 1 minute for a 1-pound cauliflower head, or 3 minutes for 3-pounds.
Pickled Onions
I recommend whipping up the pickled onions while you wait for the cauliflower to marinate to save time!
- Prep the onions: Slice the onion thinly then separate into rings. Place them into a 16 ounce mason jar.
- Make the marinade: In a saucepan, combine the remaining ingredients needed and bring to a simmer.
- Combine and cool: Pour the liquid over the onions, close the lid, then let the jar sit on the counter for 30 minutes before transferring to the fridge to cool completely.
Alternative Method: Oven-roasted tandoori Cauliflower
If you don't have an instant pot, you can make tandoori cauliflower in the oven as follows:
- Prep the cauliflower and marinate as instructed.
- Place the marinated cauliflower head on a baking sheet.
- Bake at 375ºF for 50 minutes or until tender on the inside and crisp on the top.
How to Cut Cauliflower
You'll cut some of the cauliflower before cooking, but you'll leave the head intact until after cooking!
- Before cooking: Use a small pairing knife to cut off the leaves around the stem, cut off the bottom stem, and trim out the tough core, so all that's left is the cauliflower head.
- After cooking: Place the cauliflower head, bottom side down, on a cutting board and slice it into wedges like you would a cake. Take each wedge and cut them into smaller slices for serving.
Serving Suggestions
I love to garnish this roasted tandoori cauliflower topped with chopped fresh cilantro and toasted almond chips. Serve it alongside gravy and pickled onions for the best flavor combination.
You can serve it as part of a vegetarian meal next to jeera rice, boondi raita, chana masala, or saag paneer.
It is a great addition to holiday dinners. Serve it alongside any of these entrees: Saffron rice, Cranberry Chutney, Whole Tandoori Chicken, and Spicy Bombay Potatoes.
How to Store
Tandoori roasted cauliflower will last in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. I don't recommend freezing it.
To reheat, bake in a covered dish in the oven at 325ºF until warmed through. To re-crisp, I recommend removing the lid and broiling for 2-3 minutes.
Pickled onions will last for up to 3 weeks in the fridge in a tightly sealed jar.
Tips for Tandoori Cauliflower
- Wash the cauliflower. I definitely recommend cleaning the cauliflower head by submerging it in a bowl of salt water. This helps remove any dirt and grime that's tucked in the nooks and crannies.
- Marinate thoroughly. Make sure you liberally spread the marinade all over the cauliflower, even between the florets. You want that delicious flavor in every single bite, not just on the outside.
- Cook time: I know. Two minutes seems like a pretty quick cook time for a whole head of cauliflower-even for the instant pot. This isn't the time it's actually cooking through. The instant pot takes time to come to pressure before the timer starts counting down. In that time, the cauliflower is being cooked. That being said, adjust the pressure cook time to 1 minute for a 1 pound cauliflower head, or 3 minutes for 3 pounds.
- Spice level: you can adjust the spice level easily by adding more or less Kashmiri red chili powder. If you like a really mild flavor, swap the red chili powder for paprika.
Frequently Asked Questions
Definitely! Unwashed cauliflower has all sorts of crannies where dirt or even bugs can be hiding. You should absolutely wash it before you incorporate it into any recipe.
Since we're cooking the cauliflower in the instant pot initially, it will not be crispy due to the moist cooking environment. However, you'll broil the head of cauliflower in the oven for 5-7 minutes after it's cooked to give it that nice crispy finish!
Nope! The broiling step is what browns the outside of the cauliflower. If you cover it up, the exterior will remain soft and could become mushy.
More Tandoori Recipes You'll Love
These recipes are part of the Indian Recipes Collection on the blog:
📖 Recipe
Whole Roasted Tandoori Cauliflower
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Equipment
Ingredients
Cauliflower Marinade
- 1 medium cauliflower head around 2 pounds
- ½ cup greek yogurt
- 1 teaspoon garlic paste
- 1 teaspoon ginger paste
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
- 1-2 tablespoon olive oil use later for roasting
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1½ teaspoon garam masala
- 2 teaspoons coriander powder
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons Kashmiri red chili powder or regular paprika for mild
For the Gravy
- 1¼ cup vegetable stock for pressure
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 3 cloves garlic, minced or 2 teaspoons garlic paste
- ½ teaspoon garam masala
- ¼ cup heavy whipping cream
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
Pickled Onions
- 1 medium red onion, thinly sliced into rings
- ½ cup water
- ¼ cup red wine vinegar
- 1½ tablesoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon himalayan salt or kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon red chili powder or cayenne powder
Garnish
- 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro leaves
- 2 tablespoons toasted almond chips
Instructions
Whole Roasted Cauliflower
- Clean and trim Cauliflower: To clean the cauliflower head, submerge it in a bowl of water + ½ teaspoon salt. Remove and shake off any excess water. Using a pairing knife, cut off the leaves around the stem, trim the bottom stem and tough core, but keep the head intact.
- Prepare Marinade: In a small mixing bowl, combine all ingredients for the marinade. Mix well.
- Marinate Cauliflower: Using a pastry brush, liberally spread the marinade all over the cauliflower, going in between florets, under and over. Wrap it up in aluminum foil and refrigerate it upside down for 15 minutes, up to 2 hours.
- Saute aromatics: Turn on Saute. Melt butter and add chopped onion and garlic. Saute for 3 minutes until the onions soften. Cancel Saute. Add vegetable stock and garam masala.
- Pressure Cook: Place a high trivet with handles. Place the marinated cauliflower on top ensuring that it is not touching the water. Pressure cook on high for 2 minutes (see notes for timing adjustment). When the time is up, wait 5 minutes then manually release the pressure and open the lid after the pin drops.
- Brown cauliflower: Carefully transfer the cauliflower head to an oven-safe dish or tray. Brush the head with oil and broil it at high for 5-7 minutes, or until browned to your liking.
- Make Gravy: Turn on Saute to make gravy. Stir in cornstarch in the heavy whipping cream, and whisk until smooth. Add this mixture in slowly, while stirring the gravy. Continue to simmer for a few minutes until the gravy thickens. Check for taste, then cancel Saute and transfer to a gravy boat for serving.
- Garnish and Serve: Remove from oven and sprinkle chopped cilantro and sliced almonds. Slice off a wedge (like you would cut a cake)and cut that into individual slices for serving. Serve with gravy and pickled onions.
Pickled Onions
- Thinly slice onions and separate the rings. Add them to a 16-ounce mason jar. In a saucepan combine water, vinegar, salt, sugar, and red chili powder, and bring it to a simmer, then turn off the heat. Carefully pour over onions. Gently push down the onions to submerge them. Close the lid and leave it at the counter for 30 minutes. Refrigerate after cooling.
Notes
- Wash the cauliflower. I definitely recommend cleaning the cauliflower head by submerging it in a bowl of salt water. This helps remove any dirt and grime that's tucked in the nooks and crannies.
- Marinate thoroughly. Make sure you liberally spread the marinade all over the cauliflower, even between the florets. You want that delicious flavor in every single bite, not just on the outside.
- Cook time: I know. Two minutes seems like a pretty quick cook time for a whole head of cauliflower-even for the instant pot. This isn't the time it's actually cooking through. The instant pot takes time to come to pressure before the timer starts counting down. In that time, the cauliflower is being cooked. That being said, adjust the pressure cook time to 1 minute for a 1 pound cauliflower head, or 3 minutes for 3 pounds.
- Spice level: you can adjust the spice level easily by adding more or less Kashmiri red chili powder. If you like a really mild flavor, swap the red chili powder for paprika.
Emily says
This was really good! It took me more than half an hour to complete but I’m kind of slow on prep. I doubled the marinade recipe so there would be plenty to layer on the cauliflower. The flavor of the marinade and the gravy were both so tasty! Will definitely make again, thank you!
Aneesha says
Hi Emily, thank you so much. I'm glad you enjoyed this recipe. It's a favorite in my home too!