Vegan Butter Cauliflower
Indian butter chicken has been veganized! I present you Vegan Butter Cauliflower. A fraction of the calories and fat, but tastes even better. Super easy and quick to make, making a perfect weeknight meal.
Indian butter chicken has been veganized! I present you Vegan Butter Cauliflower. A fraction of the calories and fat, but tastes even better. Super easy and quick to make, making a perfect weeknight meal.
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- cooked rice
- 1 yellow onion (chopped)
- 4 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 tablespoon garam masala
- 2 3/4 cups water
- 1/2 cup raw cashews
- 1 156ml can tomato paste
- 1/2 teaspoon powdered ginger
- 2 tablespoons vegan butter
- 1/2 head cauliflower (cut into florets (about 6 cups))
- naan bread
- 1 handful cilantro (roughly chopped)
- Carbohydrate 32.1828546775365 g
- Cholesterol 0 mg
- Fat 8.39581414039684 g
- Fiber 3.63147823086111 g
- Protein 6.16841019687793 g
- Saturated Fat 1.64592518854158 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (340g)
- Sodium 41.4764226332418 mg
- Sugar 28.5513764466754 g
- Trans Fat 0.464005022882892 g
- Calories 216 calories
Step-by-step
- For the sauce, add all of the ingredients to a high-powered blender and blend until smooth and creamy. If you do not have a high-powered blender, you may want to soften the cashews first by boiling them in water for 10 minutes, draining, and then adding to the blender with all of the remaining ingredients. This will ensure a smooth sauce.
- For the butter cauliflower, melt the vegan butter in a large pan or pot. When melted add the onion and garlic and sauté until the onion turns translucent and just begins to brown.
- Pour in the prepared sauce, and stir in the cauliflower florets.
- Cover and bring to a simmer.
- Stir the cauliflower often so the sauce doesn't burn on the bottom of the pan.
- Cook until the cauliflower is fork tender, about 10 minutes.
- Serve over rice with a side of naan and a garnish of cilantro.
Failing to achieve a completely smooth sauce ruins the velvety texture required for this style of dish, usually resulting from under-processed cashews. Raw nuts require mechanical pulverization or thermal softening to break down fully into a dairy-free emulsion. Boiling the cashews for 10 minutes prior to blending eliminates the grit that standard blenders often leave behind in thick purées.
Building on the rich tomato and spice base popularized by northern Indian makhani dishes, this plant-based adaptation swaps heavy cream and butter for raw nuts and vegan fat. Cashews contribute natural starches and healthy fats that thicken the mixture organically when combined with concentrated tomato paste. Spices like cumin, garam masala, and chili powder bloom directly in the aromatic onion and garlic base to replicate traditional depth.
Simmering the cauliflower florets directly in the blended sauce requires consistent monitoring over medium heat. Covering the pan traps steam to cook the vegetable quickly, but sugars in the tomato paste scorch easily on the bottom if left unstirred. Stir the mixture every minute or two until a fork pierces the center of the florets with minimal resistance.
Removing the pan from the heat precisely at the 10-minute mark prevents the florets from turning mushy and absorbing too much liquid. Serve immediately alongside cooked rice and torn pieces of fresh naan to soak up the spiced sauce.
