Creamy Cauliflower Curry in the Pressure Cooker

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This creamy cauliflower curry has an amazing butter chicken style sauce but switches out the meat for a great vegetarian meal. You can make it in the pressure cooker or Instant Pot in a matter of minutes!

We are so into the pressure cooker. Around Christmas I was desperate for an Instant Pot but they were sold out in basically the whole country so Will got me a Pressure King Pro instead and we’ve been making plenty of recipes in it. If you’ve got one too then make sure you grab all my favourite pressure king pro recipes!

Without really planning it we’ve ended up making several curries in it including a pressure cooker curry with potato and aubergine and pressure cooker saag aloo. They’re both cooked in a ridiculously short amount of time and the pressure cooker locks in all that amazing curry flavour!

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So let’s talk about butter chicken (chicken makhani) for a minute. It’s my all time favourite curry to order when we go out for Indian food. It’s so creamy and comforting.

I originally had butter chicken at a curry restaurant near my parent’s house and theirs is still probably my favourite version. With this recipe I wanted to get the flavours of butter chicken but keep it vegetarian. Of course it’s not authentic but I promise it tastes really good!

WHAT’S SO GOOD ABOUT THIS CREAMY CAULIFLOWER CURRY RECIPE?

Ok, so first off, it uses a classic butter chicken style sauce recipe which has butter as a base (and therefore is obviously a winner) followed by plenty of seasoning and flavour and is finished off with a hearty helping of double cream.

Secondly, cauliflower is almost as good as chicken would be in this curry. I mean it, it’s a delicious chicken alternative and, bonus, it’s good for you!

Finally, it’s made in the pressure cooker so it’s just 3 minutes until you’ve got curry ready to go.

So butter chicken always reminds me of being at home and going out for curry with my parents >>> two of my favourite things.

I love how a particular recipe can remind you so vividly of a particular time or certain people, it’s one of my favourite things about food, eating and getting to share recipes right here on this blog 💕

INGREDIENTS YOU NEED TO MAKE THIS CREAMY CAULIFLOWER CURRY:

• Butter: I like to use unsalted so that I can control the seasoning in the rest of the dish
• Garlic & Ginger: I’ve been into using pastes recently, they just make cooking that bit quicker on a weeknight
• Tomato Puree: Helps to add that richness to the dish
• Spices: Coriander, cumin, smoked paprika, curry powder  and turmeric all go into this curry to add so much flavour
• Diced Tomatoes
• Cauliflower: Cut into florets
• Double Cream: Or you could use coconut milk if you prefer

Keep scrolling to get the full recipe for this creamy cauliflower curry in the pressure cooker…

I still eat butter chicken on a pretty regular basis since curry is one of my favourite things to get as take away. That and a little saag aloo is pretty much my dream night in.

I’ve tried making butter chicken a couple of times and this sauce is just something else. Ultimate comfort food.

I really love that this recipe is so similar to butter chicken but it’s vegetarian. The cauliflower in this curry is cooked for just the right amount of time that it retains a little bite while still being cooked through and a bit creamy.

It’s coated in all that creamy curry sauce and tastes amazing served with basmati rice, nigella seeds and coriander (cilantro) leaves. It’s honestly the best cauliflower curry!

Another thing about this recipe?

It makes GREAT leftovers.

Will and I pretty much always cook double portions of dinner because we need lunches for the next day. I cannot be doing with London lunchtime prices, you can easily spend well over a fiver everyday on lunch and that just seems like such a waste when I can cook something better at home!

Curry usually makes amazing leftovers because all those spices just develop more and more the longer you leave it. Making for some pretty excellent lunchtimes.

TIPS FOR MAKING THIS CREAMY CAULIFLOWER CURRY IN THE PRESSURE COOKER:

• It’s a good idea to take a look at your pressure cooker manual to see how long to cook this for. In my pressure cooker it took 3 minutes to cook the cauliflower perfectly but yours might differ slightly.
• I’ve got really into using garlic and ginger pastes recently. They really cut down on prep time so give them a go in this recipe if you’re short on time. So easy!
• Once you’ve released the pressure and added the cream I like to turn the saute setting back on for a minute to heat it through before serving.

CAN YOU MAKE THIS CAULIFLOWER CURRY RECIPE ON THE HOB/STOVETOP?

Definitely! Just follow the steps but cook in a big pot over a medium heat. Add 200-300ml of water (about a cup) and cook until the cauliflower is tender.

Once it’s finished cooking add the cream as stated in the instructions then heat through for another minute before serving.

CAN YOU MAKE THIS CAULIFLOWER CURRY IN THE SLOW COOKER?

Add all of the ingredients up until the cauliflower to your slow cooker then pour over 200ml (0.8 cups) of water and cook on medium for 4 hours. Add the cream and cook for another 15 minutes.

Can you freeze cauliflower curry?

This curry freezes really well. We’ve made a few batches and frozen it for quick lunches and dinners throughout the week. When you’re ready to eat just defrost thoroughly and pop in the microwave until heated through. 

Want more? Get all my other vegetarian recipes before you go or try these healthy curry recipes:

• Vegan Yellow Curry with Tofu
• Chickpea Curry with Coconut
• Masoor Dal Tadka
• Pressure Cooker Vegetable Curry
• Vegan Jackfruit Curry
• Spicy Halloumi Curry with Potato

Creamy Cauliflower Curry in the Pressure Cooker

This creamy cauliflower curry has an amazing butter chicken style sauce but switches out the meat for a great vegetarian meal. You can make it in the pressure cooker or Instant Pot in a matter of minutes!

5 from 6 votes

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Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Indian

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 3 minutes

Total Time: 13 minutes

Servings: 4 servings

Calories: 299kcal

Author: Amy

Ingredients

• 3 tbsp Unsalted Butter
• 1 Onion chopped
• 8 cloves Garlic crushed
• 2 tsp Ginger Paste
• 1 tbsp Tomato Puree
• 1 tbsp Curry Powder
• 1 tbsp Ground Coriander
• 1 tsp Cumin
• 1 tbsp Smoked Paprika
• 1 tsp Turmeric
• 1 tsp Salt
• 1 400g tin Chopped Tomato
• 1 large Head of Cauliflower cut into florets
• Water as needed
• 200 ml Double Cream
• Fresh Coriander/Cilantro to serve
• Nigella Seeds to serve

UK Measures - US Measures

Instructions

• Put your pressure cooker on the saute setting. Add the butter and let it melt then add the onion, garlic and ginger and cook for a couple of minutes.
• Add the tomato puree, all of the spices and the salt and stir to coat. Cook for a minutes until the spices become super aromatic then pour in the chopped tomatoes, add the cauliflower florets and add enough water to reach the minimum line in your pressure cooker.
• Cook on the stew setting for 3 minutes. Release the pressure then add the cream to the pot and put the saute setting back on for a minute to make sure it's hot. Serve with rice and topped with fresh coriander leaves and nigella seeds.

Nutrition Facts

Creamy Cauliflower Curry in the Pressure Cooker

Amount Per Serving

Calories 299 Calories from Fat 252

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 28g 43%

Saturated Fat 17g 85%

Cholesterol 91mg 30%

Sodium 759mg 32%

Potassium 454mg 13%

Total Carbohydrates 11g 4%

Dietary Fiber 2g 8%

Sugars 3g

Protein 3g 6%

Vitamin A 40.8%

Vitamin C 33.1%

Calcium 10.5%

Iron 15.8%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Notes

Nutrition information is an estimate and will vary depending on the exact ingredients used.

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