My vegan aloo gobi is a delicious north Indian style potato and cauliflower curry. It's easy to make and is extra tasty when served with chapattis or other flatbreads.
Curries are perfect vegan food - herbs, spices and seasoning make all the difference to meat free eating.
If you're a new vegan and you're missing the meat here's my suggestion: don't try to replace it. Just make the vegetables delicious instead.
See more of my tips for new vegans or for people doing Veganuary.
A delicious plant-based curry
This easy aloo gobi recipe is a great place to start with making vegetables delicious. You won't miss the meat at all in this mouth-watering curry.
Potato and cauliflower curry (aloo is potato in Hindi and gobi is cauliflower) is ubiquitous in north India. It's said to come from the Punjab region but you'll find it on most restaurant menus, both vegetarian and non-vegetarian, across the sub-continent.
Back in my twenties I spent two glorious three month periods backpacking in India. Unfortunately I thought I didn't like cauliflower back then so I didn't try aloo gobi many times. I'm doing my best to put that right now!
Roast cauliflower for maximum flavour
Trying roasted cauliflower was an absolute game changer for me. It's now it's right up there as one of my favourite vegetables. Read more about how to roast cauliflower
When paired with potatoes in a deliciously spiced tomato sauce cauliflower really comes into its own.
What to serve with this curry
This aloo gobi is delicious served with my vegan flatbreads or homemade vegan naan breads.
Rice, vegan yoghurt (I like coconut yoghurt) and mango chutney also goes well.
Make a vegan curry feast
Fancy a feast? Try one or more of my other vegan curry recipes alongside your aloo gobi.
- Green bean curry with coconut
- Aubergine and chickpea curry
- Potato and spinach curry (saag aloo)
- Sri Lankan okra curry
- Tandoori cauliflower curry
- Afghan pumpkin curry
- Sweet potato and beetroot curry
- Red lentil dhal with aubergines and chickpeas
- Indian-spiced root vegetable curry
- Easy one pot carrot curry
If you love cauliflower you might like my roasted cauliflower and pomegranate salad.
Pin vegan aloo gobi for later
How to make vegan aloo gobi
I prefer to roast my potatoes and cauliflower when I'm making potato and cauliflower curry. If you prefer, or if you want to speed things up, you can steam or boil them instead (add the cumin seeds with the mustard seeds before frying the onion instead).
If time permits however, do try roasting them as you'll get a much better flavour and texture.
Vegan aloo gobi
Ingredients
For the roasted potatoes and cauliflower
- 5 small potatoes cut into bite sized pieces (you don’t need to peel them unless you want to)
- 1 medium cauliflower broken into florets
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 tablespoon sunflower oil
For the curry sauce
- 1 tablespoon sunflower oil
- 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
- 1 onion peeled and chopped
- 2 cloves garlic peeled and chopped
- 1 inch chunk of ginger peeled and chopped
- 1 small red chilli deseeded and chopped
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- 400 g tin of chopped tomatoes
- 1 tablespoon tomato puree
- 1 tablespoon garam masala
- salt and pepper to taste
- small handful fresh coriander chopped, to serve
Instructions
For the roasted potato and cauliflower
- Preheat the oven to 180°C (fan)/200°C/gas mark 6.
- Place the prepared potatoes and cauliflower into an ovenproof dish. Add a teaspoon of cumin seeds and a tablespoon of sunflower oil and stir well.
- Roast in the oven for 40-50 minutes, or until the potatoes and soft and the cauliflower is turning golden brown.
- Stir several times to stop the potatoes sticking. When done set aside.
For the curry sauce
- Heat a tablespoon of sunflower oil in a large saucepan. Add a teaspoon of mustard seeds and as soon as they begin to pop (around a minute or less) add the chopped onion and stir well. Reduce the heat a little and sauté for 10-15 minutes until soft, stirring often.
- Add two cloves of chopped garlic, a one-inch chunk of chopped ginger and a chopped chilli and cook for a further minute.
- Stir through 1 teaspoon of ground turmeric then add the tin of chopped tomatoes and a tablespoon of tomato purée.
- Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes. Stir through the garam masala and season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Once the sauce is cooked add the cooked potatoes and cauliflower and stir through.
- Sprinkle with chopped coriander to serve.
- Serve with rice, chapatti or naan, coconut yoghurt and/or mango chutney.
Nutrition
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Jere Cassidy
I love cauliflower and all your spices sound so wonderful in this dish. This is a must try.
Cook Veggielicious
Thanks so much Jere - it really is a great dish.
Choclette
This sounds so delicious. I love curries and many of them have the added bonus of being naturally vegan. You're so right about not trying to replace meat. Vegetables are fantastic, especially when well seasoned with herbs and spices. Yum. Pinned.
Cook Veggielicious
Thanks so much Choclette - hope you make it and enjoy it one day!
Cat | Curly's Cooking
I've pinned this along with your dal recipe to try. Although I'm not doing Veganuary, we are trying to eat less meat this year. I completely agree with what you said about not trying to replace meat. The meat substitutes really put me off and I would much rather have recipes like this.
Cook Veggielicious
Thanks so much Cat - I really hope you like them both!
Anna | Serving Dumplings
this is such a delicious dish, I love cauliflower
Cook Veggielicious
Thanks Anna!
Corina Blum
I also thought I didn't like cauliflower when I was younger - such a shame as I love it now and this recipe sounds so tasty!
Cook Veggielicious
Thanks Corina - all those years missing out!