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Tandoori Cauliflower with Cashew-Cilantro Sauce

Tandoori Cauliflower with Cashew-Cilantro Sauce

By Lawman JohnsonJanuary 21, 2026

  • Makes
    4-8 servings
  • Cook Time
    1¼ hours
  • Active time plus cooling
    50 minutes active

London-based cookbook author Meera Sodha taught us her tandoori cauliflower from her book “Dinner.” Inspired by classic tandoori chicken, she gave cauliflower “steaks” a yogurt treatment before cooking, which protects the spices in the seasoning mixture, allowing them to bloom without burning. The yogurt itself caramelizes, developing deep flavor. We adapted her recipe, making a few minor tweaks. Most notably, we opted for cauliflower wedges instead of steaks, which eliminates the odd bits that result from slicing a head into slabs. We also scaled up the yogurt mixture so it coats two 2-pound heads of cauliflower. Kashmiri chili powder has a vivid red hue. It’s used as much for color as for spice; a mixture of sweet paprika and cayenne is a decent stand-in. Serve as a vegetarian main or as a side dish to just about anything.

Tip

Don’t use roasted cashews to make the sauce. They will not puree to a perfect smoothness, leaving the sauce with a grainy texture. Use raw cashews, soak them in boiling water and allow them to soften for at least 30 minutes so they blend to a creamy consistency.

Ingredients
  • ⅓

    cup plus 2 tablespoons neutral oil, divided, plus more for greasing the baking sheets

  • ½

    cup raw cashews (see headnote)

  • ⅔

    cup boiling water

  • ½

    medium red onion, thinly sliced

  • 7

    tablespoons lemon juice, divided

  • Kosher salt and ground black pepper

  • 2½

    cups plain whole-milk Greek yogurt

  • 3

    medium garlic cloves, minced

  • 1

    tablespoon finely grated fresh ginger

  • 1

    tablespoon Kashmiri chili powder or 2½ teaspoons sweet paprika plus ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper

  • 1

    tablespoon dry mustard

  • 2½

    teaspoons garam masala

  • 1

    teaspoon ground turmeric

  • 2

    2-pound heads cauliflower

  • 2

    cups roughly chopped fresh cilantro

  • 1

    serrano chili, stemmed and roughly chopped

  • ½

    teaspoon white sugar

  • Warm naan, to serve

Step 1

Heat the oven to 475°F with racks in the upper-middle and lower-middle positions. Lightly oil 2 rimmed baking sheets. In a blender, combine the cashews and boiling water; set aside for 30 minutes to soften. In a small bowl, combine the onion, 2 tablespoons lemon juice and ½ teaspoon salt. Gently massage the onion slices to wilt them; set aside.

Step 2

In a large bowl, whisk together the yogurt, ⅓ cup oil, 3 tablespoons of the remaining lemon juice, the garlic, ginger, chili powder, mustard, garam masala, turmeric, 2 teaspoons salt and ¼ teaspoon black pepper. Set aside.

Step 3

Cut 1 of the cauliflower heads in half from pole to pole. Trim the base from each half, removing and discarding any leaves. Turn each half cut side down and cut each half into 4 wedges. Repeat with the second cauliflower head.

Step 4

One or 2 at a time, dip the cauliflower wedges in the yogurt mixture, coating even the nooks and crannies. Allow the excess to drip back into the bowl, then set the wedges, a cut side down, on a prepared baking sheet, 8 wedges per sheet. Spread any remaining yogurt mixture onto the wedges. Roast until well browned, the edges begin to char and a skewer inserted into the core meets no resistance, 25 to 30 minutes; rotate the sheets and switch their positions halfway through.

Step 5

Meanwhile, to the cashews and water in the blender, add the cilantro, serrano chili, sugar, the remaining 2 tablespoons oil, the remaining 2 tablespoons lemon juice and ½ teaspoon salt. Blend on high until smooth, 1 to 2 minutes. Taste and season with salt. Transfer to a small serving bowl.

Step 6

When the cauliflower is done, use a wide metal spatula to transfer to a platter. Serve with the cilantro sauce, pickled onion and warm naan.

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