Tandoori Cauliflower (Tandoori Gobi)

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If you’re a fan of tandoori flavors, you’re going to fall in love with this fragrant, spiced, roasted tandoori cauliflower. It’s naturally gluten-free and low carb, great as a healthy appetizer, side dish or snack. Marinated in an aromatic blend of Indian spices mixed with tangy Greek yogurt, this dish takes cauliflower from mundane to mouthwatering!

Rich tandoori spices, combined with hearty healthy cauliflower, might be my new favorite cauliflower recipe. While cauliflower often takes the backseat when it comes to dinnertime – usually relegated to the role of a side dish – you may just want to make this version the star of the show on the dinner table. This Indian tandoori cauliflower recipe makes for a tasty main dish all on its own, or you can whip up easy sides to go with it while it cooks. 

Served with a savory dressing, this crispy gobi is not just for cauliflower lovers, because everyone is guaranteed to love it! Feel free to serve this creamy dressing spooned over this tandoori gobi tikka, or on the side for dipping.

Whether you’re looking for a new dish to make on Meatless Monday, trying to work more veggies into your diet, or you regularly eat a plant-based diet, you are definitely going to want to add this delicious recipe to your regular rotation!

👩🏽‍🍳 Why You’ll Love Roasted Tandoori Cauliflower

• It’s So Flavorful: With a blend of warm and complex spices, this tandoori gobi recipe is packed with flavor!
• Super-Easy: The marinade does most of the work in the recipe – just whisk it together and let it work its magic, infusing the cauliflower with savory flavor. Plus, with minimal dishes used, there’s easy clean up, too.
• Low Carb, Vegetarian, & Gluten Free: If you’re trying to watch your carbohydrates or sugar, this tandoori gobi recipe may become your new best friend. There’s also no need to make adjustments to this simple recipe to accommodate a gluten-free diet!
• Kid Friendly: This is the best cauliflower recipe to get your kids to eat their veggies! If your kids are sensitive to spice, feel free to reduce the spices as needed.

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🥘 Ingredients

These ingredients are easy to find at the grocery store and come together to make the most mouthwatering cauliflower!

• For The DIY Tandoori Paste: You will need Greek yogurt, smoked paprika, ground coriander, garam masala powder, salt, turmeric powder, cumin powder, garlic, ginger and fresh lime juice. These come together in a flavorful marinade that you will add to your cauliflower before roasting.
• Large Head Of Cauliflower: You will need one large whole cauliflower. Before marinating, cut into even-sized florets.
• For The Dressing: This recipe tastes amazing served with a tangy Greek yogurt dressing! You will need Greek yogurt, garlic, fresh mint, cumin, salt and lime juice. This dressing is creamy and bright and perfectly complements the warm and smoky flavors of these easy tandoori cauliflower bites.

🍲 Ingredient Substitutions

• Marinade: If time is short, or you don’t have all of the spices on hand, use 2-3 tbsp of store-bought tandoori paste instead of making the marinade. You can also use lemon juice instead of lime juice if needed. I don’t recommend using ginger garlic paste, as you can’t control the ratio of ginger to garlic as well as when you add them separately.
• Yogurt: Instead of Greek yogurt, try sour cream for this Indian marinated cauliflower recipe.
• Fresh Herbs: Substitute some or all of the mint for fresh cilantro or Thai basil.
• Paprika: If you don’t prefer a smoky flavor, use regular paprika instead.

🔪 How To Make Tandoori Cauliflower Bites

Here’s how to make this easy baked tandoori cauliflower recipe. For more detailed instructions and nutrition facts, see the recipe card below.

Make The Cauliflower Yogurt Marinade: In a large bowl, mix together all of the tandoori marinade ingredients.

Marinate Cauliflower: Add the cauliflower to the mixing bowl and completely cover the florets with it. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a lid and allow the cauliflower to marinate with the tandoori masala for at least 30 minutes, or overnight.

Prepare To Roast: When ready to cook, transfer the marinated cauliflower florets to the prepared baking tray lined with parchment paper. 

Roast Indian Cauliflower: Transfer the sheet pan with cauliflower to your preheated oven (at 350 degrees F / 180 degrees C). Bake the tandoori gobi in the oven until it is a light golden brown and tender when pressed.

Make The Dressing: To prepare the yogurt sauce, add all of the ingredients to a small bowl and stir together until completely combined. 

Serve: Place the marinated roasted cauliflower on a serving dish immediately with the dressing.

✔️ How To Make Tandoori Gobi In The Air Fryer

It’s super easy to make air fryer tandoori cauliflower tikka! Here’s how:

1. Follow steps for the marinade above (make marinade, toss with cauliflower, marinate in the fridge).
2. Add the marinated florets to your air fryer basket in a single layer. You may need to do this in multiple batches depending on the size of your air fryer.
3. Spray the florets with olive oil cooking spray. Air fry at 360 degrees F (or 180℃) for 14-19 minutes. Shake the healthy tandoori cauliflower wings at around the 8-10 minute mark. Check for doneness at 15 minutes.

💭 Expert Tips

• Slice Cauliflower Evenly: To prevent uneven cooking, cut the florets so that they are similar in size.
• Marinate For A Short or Longer Time: While you can marinate the cauliflower for as little as a half hour, it can be left in the fridge for up to 24 hours, making it perfect for meal prep. The longer you leave the cauliflower to marinate the more intense the flavor will be!
• Keep An Eye On The Cauliflower: For best results, check throughout the cooking process to ensure that your healthy tandoori gobi is at the doneness that you prefer. The cooking time can vary depending on how large the florets are.

📖 Variations

• Steaks: Make tandoori cauliflower steaks instead and marinate in a casserole dish. You can also make a tandoori whole roasted cauliflower with yogurt marinade, and cut into steaks once it’s cooked through.
• Seasonings: Try using chaat masala, curry powder, or a tandoori masala blend instead of the included spices in this Indian baked cauliflower recipe.
• Spiciness: To add more heat, consider shaking in some red chili powder, black pepper, cayenne pepper, or crushed red pepper flakes.

🍽 Serving Suggestions

This Indian cauliflower appetizer can be turned into a light lunch or dinner, especially when you serve it with other dishes! Here are some of our favorite ways to serve this gobi tikka recipe:

• Sauces: Swap out the dressing in this recipe for any sort of dressing that you enjoy. Try a green chutney or your favorite dip.
• As Part Of A Bigger Spread: We love to serve this roasted Indian cauliflower as a side dish alongside this tomato avocado cucumber salad, traditional Indian samosas, slow cooker yellow dal, or Indian fried rice. You can also serve it alongside a lentil cauliflower curry or, for a lighter meal, with fresh vegetables and butter bean hummus.

🙌 Dietary Adaptations

Dairy Free And Vegan Version: To make a dairy free and vegan tandoori cauliflower, simply replace the Greek yogurt with vegan sour cream or coconut yogurt.

🫙 Storage Directions

This delicious cauliflower tandoori recipe can last for several days, so make sure to prepare plenty to eat throughout the week!

• To Refrigerate: After it cools to room temperature, place leftover cauliflower in a resealable plastic bag or airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. The dressing can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week.
• To Reheat: Reheat this yogurt roasted cauliflower briefly in the oven or the microwave until warmed through.
• To Freeze: Freeze Indian roasted cauliflower for up to 3 months in a freezer-safe container or resealable freezer bag. To prevent the florets from sticking together, flash-freeze them on a lined baking sheet in a single layer.

❓Recipe FAQs

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