This Tandoori Cauliflower recipe features tender cauliflower florets marinated in a flavorful, authentic Indian marinade. It makes a tasty appetizer with cashew mint chutney, or turn it into a veggie-packed dinner - Make it in the air fryer or oven!
These tandoori cauliflower bites are one of my favorite Indian cauliflower dishes! They’re super convenient — easily made in the air fryer or oven — and packed with bold, authentic tandoori flavor. Enjoy them as a flavorful appetizer or turn them into a delicious Indian vegetarian meal.
Jump to:
- Reasons to love it
- What is the role of chickpea flour in a tandoori cauliflower recipe?
- Tandoori Cauliflower
- Ways to Serve Tandoori Cauliflower Bites
- How to make tandoori cauliflower?
- How to Make Tandoori Cauliflower Bites in the Oven:
- How to Make Tandoori Cauliflower in Air Fryer:
- Success Tips
- Best Tandoori Recipes — Spicy, Flavorful & Easy
Reasons to love it
- Cooks perfectly in the oven or air fryer
- Tossed in a bold, authentic Indian tandoori marinade
- Delicious as an appetizer with cashew mint chutney
- Easy to turn into wraps, grain bowls, or a hearty salad
- Naturally vegetarian and gluten-free
- Great for meal prep — leftovers reheat beautifully
What is the role of chickpea flour in a tandoori cauliflower recipe?
Chickpea flour, also known as besan in Hindi, is made from ground split Bengal gram or chana dal — a type of dried chickpea.
Cauliflower has about 90% moisture, and a binding agent like chickpea flour helps seal in that moisture and allows the marinade to stick better to the cauliflower bites.
However, it's important to note that raw besan has a strong, uncooked taste. Since the gobi doesn't cook long enough to toast the flour during roasting or air frying, I like to lightly toast the chickpea flour in a bit of oil before adding it to the tandoori marinade. This simple step removes the raw flavor and adds a wonderful nutty aroma to the Indian cauliflower dish.
Tandoori Cauliflower
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 ½ tablespoons chickpea flour or besan
- 1 ½ tablespoons vegetable oil
- ½ cup plain yogurt
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 to 3 cloves garlic grated
- ½ inch piece ginger grated
- 2 teaspoons coriander powder
- 1 teaspoon salt or to taste
- 1 teaspoon Kashmiri chili powder (skip it and use more cayenne)
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper powder
- 1 large cauliflower
Instructions
Toast Chickpea Flour (Besan)
- Heat a small skillet over medium heat, add chickpea flour and vegetable oil, and stir continuously for about 1 minute or until the flour begins to toast and release a nutty aroma.
- Remove from heat immediately once you notice the color starting to change (don’t let it burn).
- Transfer the mixture to a large bowl, making sure to scrape up all the flour‑and‑oil bits from the pan.
Marinade
- Add all remaining ingredients (except the cauliflower) and stir until everything is completely combined.
- Cut the cauliflower into 1½‑inch florets. Add it to the marinade and toss well so each piece is fully coated. Let it marinate for 15 to 30 minutes to allow the flavors to penetrate (or proceed cooking if short on time).
Oven method
- Preheat your oven by turning on the broiler and positioning a rack about 6 inches from the heat source. Spray a large baking sheet with cooking spray.
- Arrange the marinated cauliflower in a single layer, making sure not to overcrowd. Lightly spray the tops with cooking spray as well.
- Broil for 25–30 minutes, or it is slightly charred and cooked through.
Air fryer method
- Preheat your air fryer to 400°F (200°C).
- Place half of the marinated cauliflower in a single layer in the basket (don’t overcrowd). Lightly spray with cooking spray and cook for about 12 minutes, or until golden and cooked through.
- Repeat with the remaining gobi, then serve hot.
- To make bowls, serve the cauliflower with cumin (or plain) rice, chopped tomatoes, cucumber slices and top with cashew mint chutney.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information, based on third-party calculations, should be seen as estimates, not guarantees, as various factors like product types, brands, processing methods, and more can alter the nutritional content in recipes.
Ways to Serve Tandoori Cauliflower Bites
- As an appetizer or snack — Arrange the crispy bites on a platter and serve with a bright, creamy cashew mint or a green chutney.
- Build a meal bowl — Layer jeera (cumin) rice, the tandoori cauliflower florets, crisp cucumber slices, chopped tomatoes, and finish with a drizzle of the chutney.
- Make a wrap — Lay lettuce onto naan or your favorite flatbread, top with gobi, fresh tomato, and a swipe of the mint sauce to tie it all together.
- Turn it into a salad — Toss the bites with mixed greens, cucumber, some toasted nuts (almonds or cashews work great), and the chutney dressing.
How to make tandoori cauliflower?
You can find full printable recipe below, but here is a quick overview of the procedure along with step-by-step photos.
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How to Make Tandoori Cauliflower Bites in the Oven:
- Marinate the gobi with the tandoori marinade as directed in the recipe.
- Preheat your oven by turning on the broiler and positioning a rack about 6 inches from the heat source.
- Prepare a large baking sheet by spraying it with cooking spray. Arrange the marinated cauliflower in a single layer, making sure not to overcrowd. Lightly spray the tops with cooking spray as well.
- Broil for 25–30 minutes, or until the gobi is slightly charred and cooked through.
- Remove from the oven and let cool on a wire rack for a few minutes before serving.
How to Make Tandoori Cauliflower in Air Fryer:
- Marinate the gobi with the tandoori marinade as instructed.
- Preheat your air fryer to 400°F (200°C).
- Place half of the marinated gobi in a single layer in the basket (don’t overcrowd).
- Lightly spray with cooking spray and cook for about 12 minutes, or until golden and cooked through.
- Repeat with the remaining gobi, then serve hot.
Success Tips
- Besan is also called chickpea flour or gram flour. If you don’t have it, you can use 1 tablespoon all‑purpose flour instead—but skip the toasting.
- For the best flavor, marinate for about 30 minutes. If you’re short on time, you can cook immediately, but longer marinating helps the seasoning really soak in.
- Kashmiri chili powder gives that signature vibrant red color seen in tandoori dishes without overwhelming heat. If you don’t have it, you can skip it or use more cayenne pepper powder.
- Use 1 tablespoon of ginger‑garlic paste instead of the grated ginger and garlic.
Best Tandoori Recipes — Spicy, Flavorful & Easy
If you love bold Indian flavors and spiced marinades, you're going to enjoy these authentic and unique tandoori dishes.
- Spicy tandoori chicken sandwich is one of the best Indian chicken sandwiches you'll ever make!
- Tandoori chicken wings are bursting with authentic, mega flavor, thanks to a two-step marination process using our homemade tandoori marinade.
- Tandoori chickpea crostini is the ultimate party appetizer, delivering an explosion of flavor in every bite!
- Air fryer tandoori chicken are authentic and mega flavorful with a two-step marination.
- Tandoori chicken salad is one of the best Indian chicken salad recipes you'll taste. It is healthy with an explosion of flavors and textures!
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