Cauliflower and Chickpea Curry in a white bowl with rice, with a spoon nearby
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This not-so-authentic take on a vegetarian Thai red curry is an EXPLOSION of awesome flavor. And the best part? It comes together in less than 20 minutes. You typically wouldn’t pair hot-off-the-presses naan with a Thai curry, but I love serving some up with this. In no time at all, you’ve got yourself an amazing healthy dinner that the whole family will love.

If you’ve never made curry before, it’s nothing to be afraid of. The best way to get the curry flavor you’re used to from your favorite South Asian restaurant is to use curry paste. Yes, they sell curry powder at most grocery stores, but the flavor of typical curry spices tends to fade very quickly after grinding—so powder form isn’t the best way to get robust flavor.

Spoon full of white rice and chickpea and cauliflower curry on a spoon that is resting on the edge of a white bowl of curry.
White bowl full of chickpea and cauliflower curry and white rice, with a torn piece of naan tucked into the rice.

Curry paste is the wet version of curry powder, and you can probably find it at your regular supermarket in the international foods aisle. Because it is wet, it keeps the flavor of the spices nice and robust, and having a bottle of curry paste in the fridge makes it a BREEZE to make a simple curry like this one.

For this recipe, you’re looking to pick up red curry paste—Mae Ploy brand is one that a lot of folks like, but I can’t find it at my supermarket, so I usually just use Thai Kitchen. If you’re a little more advanced, you can also make your own curry paste at home—here’s a great how-to from Hot Thai Kitchen.

Spoon full of Cauliflower and Chickpea Curry resting on a bowl of curry, rice, and naan
Red curry paste on a spoon, on a marbled background

This recipe also makes an awesome make-ahead meal prep recipe, if you’re so inclined. Just pre-cook the curry and your rice, pop them into meal prep containers, and stash them in the fridge until you’re ready to microwave. Enjoy!

 
Chickpea and Cauliflower Curry

Chickpea and Cauliflower Curry

Yield: 6 servings
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes

This Chickpea and Cauliflower Curry is packed with bold flavor, but only takes about 20 minutes to come together from start to finish thanks to using curry paste. You can find curry paste in the international food section of most supermarkets!

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons coconut oil
  • 2–4 tablespoons red curry paste
  • 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
  • 1 large white onion, diced
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 large red bell pepper, diced
  • 1 14-ounce can coconut milk
  • 1 15-ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
  • 1 15-ounce can diced tomatoes
  • 1 small head cauliflower, broken into small florets
  • 1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro
  • Salt and pepper, to taste
  • Rice, cauliflower rice, and/or naan for serving

Instructions

  1. Heat the coconut oil and curry paste in a large skillet over medium-high heat, until the oil is melted and the curry paste is fragrant.
  2. Add in the ginger, onion, garlic, and bell pepper. Cook until the veggies are tender and fragrant, about 5 minutes.
  3. Add in the coconut milk, chickpeas, diced tomatoes, and cauliflower. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer until the cauliflower is tender and the sauce is thick and bubbly, about 10 minutes.
  4. Stir in the cilantro and season with salt and pepper. Serve over top of cooked rice with a side of hot naan for serving. Serve over cauliflower rice to keep it grain-free.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1 serving
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 480Total Fat: 22gSaturated Fat: 17gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 1924mgCarbohydrates: 62gFiber: 11gSugar: 11gProtein: 14g

At Wholefully, we believe that good nutrition is about much more than just the numbers on the nutrition facts panel. Please use the above information as only a small part of what helps you decide what foods are nourishing for you.

© Cassie Johnston
Cuisine: Thai-Inspired / Category: Dinner

Cassie is a holistic nutritionist, cookbook author, and all-around food lover. She grew up cooking dinner with her parents every evening, and her passion for home cooking has been strong ever since. Cassie is the author of two published cookbooks (Cooking with Greek Yogurt and Chia, Quinoa, Kale, Oh My!) and dozens of recipes published in major magazines and newspapers. Cassie has been sharing her award-winning recipes on Wholefully since 2010. She loves dark chocolate, homegrown tomatoes, motorsports, and anything that sparkles. She lives in Indiana with her family on a small homestead.

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86 Comments

  1. Awesome dish. Tried it for.lunch. Along with roti, tasted wonderful. Veggies and proteins in shot. Kids digged them.

    Reply

    1. Were you using a lid? I left mine off the last 15 mins or so which let it thicken (see my steps for cooking which are more elaborate than Cassies.)

      Reply

  4. This curry was devine. I was so surprised that even my 3 year old ate it. Im new to a plant based diet so finding a recipe that the kids actually like is like gold to me.

    Thanks!

    Reply

  5. Delicious recipe. I added a bit of cumin and coriander. I think the coriander picked up sweetness in cauliflower. Also needed to add a second can of coconut milk; thinking I had a rather large head of cauliflower.

    Thanks

    Reply

  6. This sounds amazingly delicious!!! I only have a VH red curry (which I think is a sauce?) in my pantry for some reason, but I am dying to make this! Do you think I can sub this even though it has more ingredients and isn’t a paste?

    Reply

  7. Hi! Really, really excited to try this recipe, but am really considering just using dry curry. I have a really great batch of it right now that holds its flavor very true, so I think it would be a good candidate for trying it. The thing is, though, I’m not sure how much curry powder would be equivalent to the amount of curry paste you’ve recommended? I’m guessing I would need more powder to equal the power of the paste.

    Has anyone tried this with curry powder, and if so, how much did you use?

    Reply

    1. I would be cautious. A good curry powder can pack more punch than a curry paste. I would under add at first, then taste test after the coconut milk has been added. Adjust your flavours before adding the cauliflower. Just a suggestion – my experience is not broad.

      Reply

  8. I’ve followed your blog for awhile and have a few fave recipes I use over and over (your enchilada sauce, for one!). I made this last night and it was a hit!! My husband didn’t even mind that it was “meatless!” Will add this one to our “favourites!”. Thanks for sharing!

    Reply

  9. I just found your blog site by accident and love how you write. I raised two kids and this blog brought back a typical day, week, etc. with a wistful smile. Thank you for your candor and enjoy the ride. BTW making this curry tonight. ?

    Reply

  10. This recipe sounds delicious! I’m trying hard to make one meatless meal a week(much to my husbands chagrin). This recipe sounds so good that even my hubby won’t miss the meat, maybe. I’ve never cooked with coconut oil before or coconut milk. So I have a question. Does coconut oil and coconut milk make the dish sweet at all? Also, can you recommend a good brand of coconut oil? Thanks.

    Reply