Butter Cauliflower and Chickpeas with Mint Cilantro Sauce
- Roasting some cauliflower
- Adding a jar of butter sauce
- And a can of chickpeas, lightly smashed
- Piling a steamy scoop on some rice
- And topping the whole thing with mint cilantro sauce
And it’s the easiest little veg-forward number that three out of four in my family love. (Toddler is the holdout.)
The cauliflower is roasty and seasoned to the max, and the chickpeas get just a little bit chunky and creamy when you give them a few good smashed. They’re just a bit TOO round sometimes, ya know?
You can make a butter sauce from scratch, or you can just do as I’ve been doing and buy the KFI brand butter chicken sauce from Costco which comes in a big jar and works like a charm. I’ve also heard via your DMs on Instagram that their Vindaloo sauce is even better. If you don’t have a Costco, any brand of tikka masala or Indian-spiced simmer sauces that you love would work just as well (and you can give it some love with a bit of extra cream or butter).
Nothing will beat a made-from-scratch sauce, I know, I know. But all I’m trying to beat with this recipe is myself from defaulting to a frozen pizza for dinner. End result: a veg-forward dish that makes the house smell great and that comes together effortlessly. That’s what I’m here for.
If you can swing it, a little tangle of pickled onions on top is very nice.
Season and Roast the Cauliflower.
Coat the cauliflower in spices and some avocado oil. Roast in the oven or air fryer till it’s roasty and yummy.
Activate Your Yummy Butter Sauce.
Homemade, with a pureed base of onions, garlic, ginger, spices, and tomato sauce plus cream and butter, is delicious. Or… just use a store-bought sauce! Costco sells KFI brand butter chicken sauce and I’ve been enjoying it as an SOS option.
Add Your Chickpeas and Mash.
Okay, you don’t have to mash them. But sometimes chickpeas are just a bit too round. If you can understand that weird sentiment, you’ll probably enjoy a bit of mashing for texture.
Add Cauliflower Back In.
Here she comes, looking nice and roasty!
You’re Done! Yum!
I love, love, love this with some kind of a cilantro sauce which is why you’ll see a waterfall of it on my bowl here.