Cauliflower Cashew Curry (20 minute recipe!)

Creamy, hearty, and spicy, this cauliflower cashew curry is a great way to eat seasonally and enjoy the otherwise neutral cauliflower as a quick side dish. While aloo gobi may be South Asia’s gift to the culinary world, this cauliflower cashew curry is a fusion of the same Pakistani/Indian spices in a rich, creamy cashew sauce.

If you’ve been around a while, you know I am always looking for ways to save time in the kitchen while keeping the flavors of my recipes authentic. Like my popular Tandoori Chicken Curry, I’ve left out the onions that are an integral part of South Asian curries, but I find that this dish is much faster without them and so much less work!

Why you’ll love this cauliflower side dish

• It comes together in 20 minutes. Similar to lauki ki sabzi and khagina. Such a bonus on weeknights! Amirite?
• It doesn’t require adding onions, unlike many Pakistani and Indian curries, which reinforces my point above. Plus, your kitchen and clothes won’t smell of onions!
• It lends an otherwise bland vegetable a rich, creamy, and spicy flavor.

What you will need:

• Cauliflower – 1 large head/ About 2 pounds in weight.
• Olive oil – You can use avocado oil instead.
• Garlic – Minced or paste, both work.
• Spices: salt, red chili powder, and cumin powder.
• Cashews – Plain, pre-soaked for optimal results (see more information below)

How to make it

• Soak your cashews (overnight preferably) on the countertop. Sauté the cauliflower in oil with the garlic, salt, and turmeric. Add water to the pan and cover to let the cauliflower cook. About 5-7 minutes.

• While the cauliflower is cooking, make the cashew sauce. In a food processor, add the presoaked cashews, water, salt, garlic, red chili powder, and cumin powder. Blend till fully incorporated and smooth.

• Pour the sauce into the pan and stir until well combined. Add the garam masala and garnish with cilantro. Cover and simmer on low heat for an additional 2 minutes.

Some helpful tips

• Presoak your cashews. However, if you don’t have the time, pour boiling water into a bowl with the cashews and cover for 10 minutes. Continue to use as instructed.
• Roasting the cashews – You can roast the cashews for an added depth of flavor, but it is optional. I have tried it both roasted and plain, and don’t find it to be a deal breaker if you don’t.
• Roasting the cauliflower – Unlike my oven-roasted baingan bharta recipe, this dish will be drier if you roast the cauliflower, which will also increase the cooking time for this dish.
• If you do want to roast it, coat it with oil and sprinkle with salt, then roast it in a preheated oven at 425°F/220 °C. Once roasted, add the roasted cauliflower to the pan with the cashew sauce.
• Using frozen cauliflower. I prefer using fresh cauliflower, especially when it’s in season; however, you can also use frozen cauliflower. Note, however, that the frozen variety is flash-frozen, so it will cook more quickly.

Storage

• Refrigerate – This dish will last up to 3 days in the fridge.
• Freeze – You can certainly freeze this curry for future meals. Don’t add the garnish and let the curry come to room temperature. Store in an airtight freezer-friendly container for up to a month. Once ready to eat, thaw completely and reheat on the stovetop. Garnish and serve.

More Cauliflower recipes you’ll love

Spicy Cashew Butter Dressing

Cauliflower Fried Rice

If you try this recipe, I’d appreciate it so much if you would rate it ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️! And let me know in the comments how it worked out for you. I love hearing feedback and the recipe rating helps others find this recipe!