Tandoori gobi is a delicious and healthy Indian cauliflower appetizer we all love. Learn tips and tricks on how to make roasted tandoori cauliflower easily in the oven.
Why you’ll love this tandoori gobi recipe
If you’re looking for some tandoori vegetables, this Indian roasted cauliflower, aka gobi tikka will automatically be your first choice. Cauliflower lovers, this recipe is for you!
Even if you hate cauliflower, I suggest you try this recipe. You may change your mind. Tandoori roast cauliflower is the best way to enjoy cauliflower.
Tandoori gobi is one of my favorite North Indian cauliflower recipes and soon it can be yours too!
Tandoori cauliflower tikka is typically made in restaurants in a tandoor or clay oven at high temperatures.
Healthy baked “tandoori gobi” recipe sounds fancy (looks and tastes fancy, too) but is very easy to make at home. It’s even easier, hands-free cooking when you roast them in the oven.
Added bonus: easy clean up!
As with the tawa paneer tikka recipe, the magic is in the tandoori masala made with yogurt and a few Indian spices. Just marinate the cauliflower florets and pop them into the oven.
In 30 minutes, you can bite into these yummy, addictive and gluten-free tandoori cauliflower bites! Pair this yummy Indian dish with a simple raitha and you get a restaurant-style appetizer/snack.
This is an easy vegetarian recipe for your Meatless Mondays.
This roasted cauliflower with just 181 calories per serving, is one of the healthiest Indian cauliflower appetizers. Another one would be the spicy cauliflower soup.
If you’re a fan of tandoori dishes, you’ll love tandoori chicken legs, tandoori chicken tikka, easy tandoori prawn tikka and oven-roasted tandoori salmon, too. There are a few changes in the marinade ingredients and cooking time and temperature but the basic “tandoori” spices and marinade remain the same.
Chicken and fish take longer to absorb the spices and get tenderized by yogurt. But these cute little cauliflower bites take only a fraction of the time to prep and cook.
Video
Tandoori masala
Ingredients
- Make your own tandoori spice blend:
- Chilli powder (can be replaced with cayenne pepper or skipped entirely if you don’t like it spicy)
- Kashmiri chilli powder (can be replaced with smoked paprika)
- Coriander powder
- Ground cumin
- Garam masala
- Turmeric
- Chaat masala- for its characteristic spicy, sweet, tangy flavor.
- Yogurt: an important ingredient in tandoori masala. You can use store-bought Greek yogurt or homemade hung curd.
- Chickpea flour (besan): helps roast the cauliflower golden brown (as in the tandoori fish recipe).
- Ginger garlic paste
- Lemon juice
- Cooking oil: mustard oil is typically used for its smoky flavor but any vegetable oil is fine. I’ve used sunflower oil here.
- Himalayan pink salt: can be substituted with regular salt.
- Kasuri methi: dried fenugreek leaves. These are optional and can be skipped if you can’t find them. The tandoori cauliflower would still taste great, just a little different from the restaurant ones.
Don’t be intimidated by the long list of ingredients. The cooking method is as straightforward as it can get.
How to make tandoori cauliflower- step by step
(You can find the exact measurements and instructions in the printable recipe card at the end of this page.)
How to chop cauliflower
Rinse the cauliflower and wipe dry. Cut and discard the stem at the base. Chop the cauliflower into “wings”.
The trick is not to break into florets but rather chop the florets with the stems, keeping them as long as possible. This ensures that you don’t waste the stems which have flavor, too.
The long stem also helps hold the floret intact when cooked. They also look pretty!
Marinating the cauliflower wings
Place the cauliflower florets in a large bowl. Mix all the ingredients for tandoori paste in a small bowl.
Add tandoori masala to the chopped cauliflower and mix well until all the wings are covered. Let them marinate for 10 minutes.
Unlike chicken tikka, oven roasted hariyali paneer tikka and other tandoori recipes, gobi tikka doesn’t need to marinate for long.
How to bake gobi tikka
Preheat the oven to 400°F/ 200°C.
Place the marinated cauliflower florets in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Place them apart so they don’t touch each other. Roast the wings for 30 minutes.
Brush with oil, set the oven to “broil” and cook for 3 more minutes. This last step helps brown the wings.
What to serve with tandoori roasted cauliflower
Serve tandoori gobi paired with a simple raitha/yogurt sauce made with yogurt, sliced onions, coriander leaves and seasoned with salt, pepper and cumin.
On special occasions, garnish with shredded carrots, cabbage, fresh cilantro and lime wedges. Sprinkle with a dash of chaat masala and lemon juice before serving. It will look like you spent hours in the kitchen!
Optionally, add some shredded carrots, cabbage, coriander leaves. Sprinkle with a dash of chaat masala and lemon juice before serving.
Tandoori roasted cauliflower also tastes great with green chutney for tandoori and creamy avocado chutney.
Make it the best cauliflower recipe by replacing chicken tikka with tandoori cauliflower in chicken tandoori wraps.
It can also be served as a side dish with creamy bagalabath or rice and curries like
- Quick & easy chana masala
- Simple spinach dal
- Kerala dal curry
- Mung bean curry with coconut
- 5-ingredient chicken curry
- Creamy chicken kofta curry
- Mutton masala
Love cauliflower? Try these low-carb cauliflower rice options: coconut cauliflower rice and cauliflower rice with masala chicken.
Looking for another easy vegan starter recipe? Try these chickpea patties or baked beetroot cutlet next!
Common questions about tandoori gobi tikka
Why is my roasted cauliflower mushy?
Cauliflower turns soft when cooked at low temperatures or when there’s moisture. The solution:
1. Roast in the oven at a high temperature for a short time.
2. Wipe the cauliflower dry after rinsing. The presence of moisture will “steam” the florets, turning them mushy.
3. Place the florets apart from each other which helps brown the florets rather than “steam” if they are clumped together.
4. Adding chickpea flour in this recipe also helps absorb the moisture and helps the cauliflower brown.
Do you wash cauliflower before roasting?
Yes, the cauliflower has to be washed and dried thoroughly before roasting. The drier the florets, the crispier they will turn out when roasted.
Should I cover vegetables when roasting?
If you want browned vegetables, you should roast them uncovered, on a baking sheet or pan. Vegetables get steamed when cooked covered, making them soggy.
How long does tandoori cauliflower last in the fridge?
Tandoori gobhi stays fresh in the fridge for a couple of days. Reheat them in the preheated oven, the same way as you roasted, placing them apart and heating for 5 to 10 minutes.
I haven’t tried freezing tandoori cauliflower. If you want to know, please leave a comment. I’ll test it the next time I make the recipe and get back to you 🙂
If you have any other questions about the recipe, please feel free to ask in the comments section. I promise to help.
Looking for a salad with tandoori flavors? This paneer salad for weight loss would blow your mind!
More appetizers you may like
Easy Roasted Tandoori Cauliflower Recipe (Tandoori Gobi)
Ingredients
For tandoori cauliflower
- 1 large cauliflower (about 4 cups florets)
- 1 tablespoon oil to baste while broiling
For tandoori marinade
- 1/4 cup yogurt
- 1 teaspoon chilli powder (optional) (see notes)
- 1 teaspoon Kashmiri chili powder
- 1 teaspoon coriander powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons chaat masala
- 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon garam masala
- 3/4 teaspoon Himalayan pink salt (or regular sea salt)
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon ginger garlic paste
- 2 tablespoons chickpea flour (besan)
- 2 tablespoons oil (mustard oil or any other oil of preference)
- 1 tablespoon kasuri methi/ dried fenugreek leaves (optional)
To serve
Raitha
- 1 cup yogurt
- 1 onion thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons coriander leaves finely chopped
- salt, pepper and ground cumin according to taste
Garnish
- 1/2 carrot shredded
- 2 tablespoons coriander leaves finely chopped
Instructions
Tandoori marinade
- Thoroughly mix all ingredients for the marinade in a small bowl.
Tandoori cauliflower wings
- Preheat the oven to 400°F/ 200°C.
- Chop the cauliflower into florets or "wings". (See inside post above for tips on how to chop.)
- Add marinade to the florets and toss, ensuring that you cover all the florets. Let them marinate for 10 minutes.
- Place the marinated florets on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Place them apart so they don't touch each other.Roast in the oven for 25-30 minutes.
- After 30 minutes, brush the florets with oil and set the oven to broil. Cook for 3 minutes on broil mode. This helps brown the cauliflower.
To serve
- Make raitha with yogurt, sliced onions, coriander leaves and seasoned with salt, pepper and cumin powder.
- Serve tandoori cauliflower with shredded carrots and coriander leaves, sprinkled with chaat masala and lemon juice.
Video
Notes
- Chili powder: Can be replaced with cayenne pepper or skipped if you don’t want your cauliflower wings spicy.
- Kashmiri chili powder: Can be substituted with smoked paprika. It’s not traditional, but I use it often for its “smoky” flavor that mimics tandoor cooking.
- Himalayan pink salt: Sea salt can be used instead.
- Kasuri methi: These are dried fenugreek leaves, completely optional.
- Oil: Traditionally restaurants use mustard oil for tandoori recipes, but any cooking oil is fine. Here I’ve used sunflower oil.
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Turned out really good and crispy. Made it a meal by serving on a bed of noodles.
Thank you, Vijay! That meal sounds quite interesting!! I should try that next time I make it.
Tried this one. Really good recipe. Spice level is perfect!
Thank you, Patricia! I’m glad you liked it!!
Excellent recipe. I have tried twice and it’s a favorite in our household. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks, Arathy! I’m glad your family liked it. It’s an all-time favorite in our household, too!