Cauliflower and chickpea curry with spinach
45 min · 15 g protein · 349 cals / serving
Golden cauliflower and chickpeas simmered in a fragrant tomato curry with ginger, garlic, garam masala and just enough light coconut milk to make it silky, with a big handful of spinach folded through at the end. Warming, deeply spiced and plant-based, with lemon and cilantro to finish.
Ingredients
- 2 tsp canola oil
- 1 very large onion, finely chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp ginger, grated
- 1 green chili pepper, slit, optional (optional)
- 2 tsp garam masala
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 2 tsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp turmeric
- 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes
- 2/3 cup light coconut milk
- 1 cup vegetable broth
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 medium head cauliflower, bite-size florets
- 2 cans (15 oz each), drained chickpeas
- 5 oz baby spinach
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
To serve
- 1 handful fresh cilantro, chopped
Steps
- Heat the oil in a large, deep pan over medium heat. Cook the onion for 10 minutes, stirring often, until soft and golden at the edges; this is where the curry gets its sweetness.
- Add the garlic, ginger and chili and stir for 1 minute, then add the spices and tomato paste and fry, stirring, for 1 minute until the paste darkens and the spices smell toasty.
- Add the tomatoes, coconut milk, broth and salt, then the cauliflower and chickpeas. Bring to a simmer, cover and cook 15 minutes, stirring once or twice, until the cauliflower is tender to a knife. Uncover for the last 5 minutes if the sauce needs thickening.
- Fold in the spinach until it wilts, then stir in the lemon juice. Taste for salt and heat.
- Serve in deep bowls with the cilantro on top.
Good to know
What do I serve it with?
A little basmati rice, a warm chapati, or cauliflower rice to keep it light. A spoonful of plain yogurt on top is lovely if you eat dairy.
Can I roast the cauliflower first?
Yes, and it is worth it if you have time: roast the florets at 425°F for 20 minutes with a teaspoon of oil, then simmer them in the sauce for just 5 minutes. They keep their charred edges, and it's about the same score.
Does it freeze?
The sauce and chickpeas freeze well; the cauliflower softens a bit on thawing but still tastes great. Freeze up to 3 months.
Per
- Calories
- 60
- Protein
- (19%)
- 3 g
- Fat
- (31%)
- 2 g
- Carbohydrates
- (50%)
- 8 g
- of which sugar
- 3 g
- Fiber
- 3 g
- Sodium
- 195 mg
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Computed from the ingredients with our published formula, not yet kitchen-tested. How
As written, 1396 kcal goes into the pot and 2460 g of ingredients comes out as about 2310 g of food: 60 kcal per 100 g. Cooking moves water and energy density is the score's biggest lever, so the dish is scored as cooked, not as an average of its parts. Every ingredient links to its food page, with the same data and score. The label's percentages are each macronutrient's share of the calories. The full formula.