Instant Pot Cauliflower Tikka Masala

Last Updated: Feb 21, 2022 by Sophie · This post may contain affiliate links · 42 Comments

Instant pot Cauliflower tikka masala is one of the easiest instant pot curries with a perfect balance of spices, creaminess, and sweetness. And it’s a great recipe to feed a large crowd.

Easy instant pot cauliflower tikka masala

When a recipe says “Tikka Masala” there has to be some tikka in it. That means if it’s cauliflower tikka masala, then the recipe should have a curry sauce and cauliflower tikka or grilled/broiled spiced cauliflower in it. To my surprise, many recipes that say cauliflower tikka masala actually don’t have any tikka. They just use cauliflower florets and cook in a creamy, tomatoey sauce.

Like many of you, I am in love with anything tikka masala. But cauliflower holds a special place. It’s chewy yet soft and it’s versatile for such curries. I have another tikka masala recipe here that is made from Seitan.

Lately, I have been experimenting a lot with cauliflower in many recipes. Here are some interesting recipes from the blog.

It’s quick to cook almost anything in an instant pot. Just sauté all the ingredients, add tomatoes and spices. Add in cauliflower tikka and cook. That simple!

If you have a Mealthy Instant Pot CrispLid, then you can bake and cook the same recipe in an instant pot. But don’t worry if you don’t have one. You can either pan cook, fry, air fry or bake your cauliflower tikka before adding to the sauce.

How to make instant pot Cauliflower tikka masala?

Ingredients for Instant Pot Cauliflower Tikka Masala:

For Tikka - 3 cups Cauliflower florets (washed and cleaned), Marinade - 1 tablespoon of coconut yogurt or 2 tablespoon aquafaba, 1 tablespoon Indian curry powder, ½ teaspoon garam masala, ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper, 1 teaspoon salt

Tikka Masala Ingredients- 4 tablespoon to ½ cup pre-cooked Indian curry paste or 1 medium onion diced, 3 cloves of garlic minced, 1 inch ginger grated, 3 cups of fresh or canned tomato puree, 1 teaspoon dried fenugreek leaves, 1 teaspoon curry powder, 1 teaspoon garam masala, 1 tablespoon coriander and cumin powder mixed, ½ teaspoon red chili powder, and salt to taste(1 tablespoon cooking oil or ¼ cup aquafaba to cook the veggies)

Other ingredients - ½ cup coconut cream or cashew cream or heavy cream(vegetarian)

How to Make Tikka Masala Sauce?

How to make instant pot tikka masala sauce

Roughly mince onion, ginger, and garlic and sauté in the instant pot by adding a tablespoon of oil. I use a food processor to mince coarsely.
Once the mixture looks slightly brown and translucent, add spices - turmeric, curry powder, cayenne pepper, salt, fenugreek leaves powder, and a pinch of stevia. Mix well.
Add two cups of fresh or canned tomato purée. Do Not Mix if using canned tomato purée.
Add water and pressure cook for 5 minutes and allow natural pressure release.

How to Make Cauliflower Tikka?

Meanwhile, prepare your cauliflower tikkas.
Just add all spices listed under the marinade and give cauliflower florets a good coat. Cook them in a cast iron pan (5 minutes) or bake them at 350F on a greased baking sheet until the edges are brown. (15-20 minutes).

NOTE: to avoid burning the sauce, scrape the bottom of the pan to remove any onion sticking to the pan. Use oil or water to for this step and always do it before adding tomatoes. After adding tomatoes, never mix the sauce. Just add water and close the lid.

Once the instant pot releases all steam(NPR) and the valve go back to its original position, change the valve position to vent and open the lid.
Now add cauliflower florets and bring the mixture to a quick boil by using the sauté mode. Seal the pot and set pressure cook for 0 minutes.
After the QPR, just give a good mix and add cashew purée, coconut milk/cream or heavy cream. I have added coconut cream here to make it Keto. But the vegan version with cashew purée works the best.
Now add cilantro, a tablespoon of the cream and serve warm with basmati rice or naan.
Enjoy your cauliflower tikka masala and refrigerate up to 3-days.

What is Tikka Masala?

Tikka masala is a British-Indian curry made from protein or veggies cooked in a tomato and cream-based sauce. Tikka masala has a very distinctive sweet and spicy flavor, very popular in the Western countries.

Is Tikka Masala Sauce Vegan?

Well, it depends if the recipe uses nut cream or dairy cream for the sauce. My version of Seitan Tikka Masala uses cashew cream whereas this Cauliflower Tikka Masala uses coconut cream.

How to Serve Tikka Masala?

Any tikka masala - Cauliflower or Tofu and even meat-based ones are served with Indian Basmati rice or naan. However, you can also serve this curry with rice, roti and/or any Indian bread.

Is Cauliflower Tikka Masala Keto?

My version of cauliflower tikka masala is vegan and keto. It has good fat from coconut cream and low-carb veggies like cauliflower. Also, it doesn't have any added sugar. Cauliflower is one low-carb vegetable, ideal for keto cooking. Here is a detailed article on the health benefits of cauliflower.

📖 Recipe