Tandoori Cauliflower

This Tandoori Cauliflower is made with cauliflower florets tossed in homemade tandoori marinade and cooked to crispy golden perfection in the air fryer or oven. It’s a simple, delicious appetizer that pairs wonderfully with green chutney. A great addition to any meal!

When we think of tandoori dishes, they’re usually cooked in a traditional tandoor (that big, clay oven), but here’s the thing—I don’t have a tandoor at home, and I’m guessing you don’t either.

So, I’ve adapted the recipe so you can make it in your kitchen using an air fryer or oven just like I make air fryer paneer tikkas. And trust me, you won’t miss the tandoor at all.

This roasted tandoori cauliflower is just as flavorful, amazing, and satisfying as what you'd find in an Indian restaurant!

A Simple, Flavor-Packed Recipe

What I really love about this recipe is how easy it is. You only need three ingredients: cauliflower, my homemade tandoori marinade, and a little oil.

If you’ve already tried my tandoori marinade recipe (which I shared recently), you know how good it is! All you need to do is coat the cauliflower florets in that delicious marinade, let them soak up the flavors for at least 30 minutes (or longer if you can), and then cook in your air fryer or oven.

The crispy texture of roasted cauliflower is so good, and they’re absolutely delicious with coriander mint chutney.

What’s in the Tandoori Marinade?

I have a detailed recipe for the homemade tandoori marinade, but if you’re curious about how to make it from scratch, you’ll need Greek yogurt, ginger-garlic paste, lemon juice and spice blend like garam masala, chaat masala, cumin, coriander, cardamom, cinnamon, Kashmiri red chili powder (for spice and color), and kasuri methi(dried fenugreek leaves).

Just mix everything together, and you’ve got a homemade tandoori marinade ready to go!

This marinade works well for making tandoori broccoli, tandoori tofu or tandoori chicken too. 

Marinate the Cauliflower

Cut the cauliflower head into large florets. No need to parboil them unlike in my gobi manchurian recipe. I find parboiling unnecessary for tikkas as they cook really well in the air fryer/ oven.

Step 1-4: Simply toss the florets in the tandoori marinade, and I prefer using my hands to ensure they’re coated really well. Cover the bowl with clingfilm and let the cauliflower soak up all those flavors for at least 30 minutes, or even overnight if you have the time.

Now, you might wonder if you can cook them right away—and yes, you can! But, based on my experience, I find that letting them sit for a bit really makes a difference. If you cook them right after marinating, the flavors tend to stay on the surface, but when you let them rest, the marinade seeps into all the crevices, giving you even more flavor in every bite.

How to Make Air Fryer Tandoori Cauliflower

To air fry, set the temperature to 200°C, place the marinated cauliflower in a single layer in the air fryer basket, and cook for 10-12 minutes. Halfway through, I like to spray a little oil to help them crisp up nicely—though this step is optional. I find the oil spray makes the tandoori gobi even richer in flavor and gives it that perfect golden color. Keep an eye on them, and once they’re golden and crispy, you’re all set!

If you have a smaller air fryer, you may need to cook them in batches. But if you’re using a large air fryer - something like the Vortex VersaZone with an 8.5L basket, you can cook them all at once, which is super convenient!

How to Make Tandoori Cauliflower in the Oven

For baking them, line a baking tray with parchment paper, arrange the marinated cauliflower florets on the tray, and bake at 200°C for 20-25 minutes or until crispy and golden.

Brush with a little oil at half time. It helps in crisping the cauliflower well.

Serving Suggestions

I love serving tandoori cauliflower tikka with a sprinkle of chaat masala, garnish of chopped fresh coriander and coriander mint chutney as a delicious appetizer. But here’s another idea—try serving them in an open-faced wrap made with chapatis, green chutney, Indian mint sauce, and pickled onions. Its one of my favourite ways to serve.

Storing leftovers

I doubt there will be any leftovers, but if you do, store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. To reheat, place them back in the air fryer at 180°C for 4-5 minutes until crispy.

Tips and Substitutions for the Best Tandoori Cauliflower (Gobi) Tikka at Home

• Let the marinated cauliflower rest: Giving the florets enough time to rest allows them to absorb the flavors, resulting in a more authentic, restaurant-style taste.
• Use homemade tandoori marinade: Freshly made tandoori sauce always beats the store-bought version in flavor and quality. Plus its simple to make at home.
• Spray or brush with oil halfway through cooking: This step ensures the tikka turns crispy and golden. Otherwise, I find it can come out a bit dry.
• Don’t skip the chickpea flour (besan): It helps make the tikka crispy. If you don’t have besan, rice flour or cornflour works as a great substitute.
• Don't reheat the tikkas in the microwave - they will be soggy and soft. I highly recommend using air fryer or oven for this.

Recipe FAQs

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