Tandoori Cauliflower delivers all the flavors of tandoori chicken but made lighter, low carb and vegetarian friendly. It is incredibly tasty, easily made in oven or air fryer and delicious served as an appetizer or made into wraps for dinner. A must have recipe!
It's spicy cauliflower day, which means a big platter of super flavorful tandoori roasted cauliflower served with a delicious herby mayo! It's tender with charred edges, spicy, tart and so so delicious served as an appetizer for parties or made into wraps or salads.
What is tandoori cauliflower?
Also known as tandoori gobi, it is a vegetarian version of the popular tandoori chicken. It is a great low carb alternative or if you are just looking into including more cauliflower into your diet. My favorite part of this recipe is that it can be made in both oven and air fryer.
If you have followed us for any length of time, then you know that we love all things tandoori like this Tandoori chicken salad, Roasted chickpeas that tastes like tandoori chicken, Naanwich and tandoori sandwiches.
Main ingredients
Cauliflower – A medium to large head of cauliflower, cut into about 1 and ½ inch florets.
Yogurt – Plain yogurt
Chickpea flour - Use besan instead
Lemon juice - or use lime.
Spices – Coriander and cayenne pepper powder
Ginger & Garlic – Freshly grated or use ginger garlic paste
Orange food color – It is used to give the tandoori gobi recipe the iconic deep orangish – red color. This is purely optional.
Method
Toast Chickpea flour - Cook chickpea flour and vegetable oil in a small skillet over medium heat, for a minute or two or until toasted. Transfer to a bowl.
Make tandoori gobi marinade - Mix the toasted chickpea flour-oil mixture, yogurt, ginger, garlic, lemon juice, coriander, cayenne, salt and food color, until mixed thoroughly.
Marinade - Toss cauliflower florets with the marinade, until every part of the floret is coated with the mixture. Cover and set aside for 15 to 30 minutes.
Cook - Broil in oven or air fry until cooked through and slightly charred.
Expert tips
Chickpea flour or besan helps in giving a sealed coating to the cauliflower.
Make sure to transfer all the chickpea flour and oil mixture to the bowl (a rubber spatula comes handy.
If pressed for time, then you can cook right away.
Food color - Orange food color is used to mimic the iconic orange colored tandoori chicken. But, it is purely optional.
If using greek yogurt, then use ¼ cup + 2 tablespoons greek yogurt plus 2 tablespoons water.
Use 2 teaspoons ginger garlic paste instead of ginger and garlic.
More Cauliflower recipes: Air Fried Cauliflower Wings, Sriracha Cauliflower and Cashews, Bang Bang Cauliflower, Thai Cauliflower Soup, Deep Fried Cauliflower, Baked chicken Burger and Bang Bang Cauliflower Tacos.
Serving suggestions
Serve as an appetizer with the herby mayo or make into tandoori wraps, a tandoori cauliflower salad (simply replace the tandoori chicken with cauliflower in the tandoori chicken salad recipe) or with accompaniment to Indian rice dishes.
More Air fryer appetizers: Air Fryer Stuffed Mushrooms, Chicken Loaded Nachos, Breaded Shrimp, Homemade lemon pepper wings recipe, Garlic Bread, Garlic Parmesan Wings, Breaded Mushrooms, Garlic Shrimp, tandoori gobi in air fryer and chicken nuggets.
More creative Indian recipes:
Chicken Tacos <-- Indian style
Butter Chickpeas <--- Vegetrian Butter Chicken
Tandoori Cauliflower
Tandoori Cauliflower delivers all the flavors of tandoori chicken but lighter, low carb and vegetarian friendly. It is incredibly tasty, easily made in oven or air fryer and delicious served as an appetizer or made into wraps for dinner. A must have recipe!
Ingredients
- 1 head cauliflower (medium to large)
Marinade
- 1 and ½ tablespoons chickpea flour (or besan)
- 1 and ½ tablespoons vegetable oil
- ½ cup plain yogurt
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 2 cloves garlic, grated
- ¼ inch piece ginger
- 2 teaspoons coriander powder
- 1 and ½ teaspoons salt or to taste
- 1 teaspoon cayenne powder
- 1 or 2 pinches orange food color, optional
Instructions
1. Cut cauliflower into 1 and ½ inch size florets and set aside.
2. Heat a small skillet over medium heat, add chickpea flour and vegetable oil, cook stirring continuously for about 1 minute or until it toasted. Remove from heat as soon as you see it beginning to change color. Transfer to a large bowl (make sure to remove all the flour and oil mixture).
3. Add all remaining marinade ingredients and stir well until thoroughly mixed. Stir in cauliflower florets and toss well, until the marinade is coated all around the florets. Let it marinade for 15 to 30 minutes.
Oven method
1. Position an oven rack about 6 inches from heat element and turn on broil.
2. Spray a large baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray, place cauliflower in a single layer (don't overcrowd, spread out them), spray again with a coating of non-stick spray.
3. Place baking sheet in the oven (6-inches from heat element) and broil for 25 to 30 minutes, until slightly charred and cooked. Remove baking sheet from oven and place on a wire rack to cool completely.
Air Fryer method
1. Pre heat air fryer to 400°F for 12 minutes.
2. Place half the cauliflower in a single layer (spreading them out), spray a coating of non-stick cooking spray, cook for about 12 minutes, or until cooked. Remove cauliflower onto a plate.
3. Repeat process with remaining cauliflower.
Serve tandoori cauliflower with herby mayo for appetizer or make into wraps.
Notes
Chickpea flour or besan helps in giving a sealed coating to the cauliflower.
Make sure to transfer all the chickpea flour and oil mixture to the bowl (a rubber spatula comes handy.
If pressed for time, then you can cook right away.
Food color – Orange food color is used to mimic the iconic orange colored tandoori chicken. But, it is purely optional.
If using greek yogurt, then use ¼ cup + 2 tablespoons greek yogurt plus 2 tablespoons water.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 92Total Fat: 3gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 2mgSodium: 318mgCarbohydrates: 13gFiber: 5gSugar: 7gProtein: 6g
I am not a certified dietician or nutritionist. The information is a product of online calculator such as Nutrifox.com, although Kitchen at Hoskins attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates and not be construed as a guarantee. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the nutritional information in any recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their fact algorithms. Under no circumstances will Kitchen at Hoskins be responsible for any loss or damage resulting for your reliance on the nutritional information. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator. You are solely responsible for all decisions pertaining to your health and ensuring that any nutritional information provided is accurate.
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