Curried butter beans

I’m a fan of butter beans 🫘 for more than one reason. And if you are looking for a plant based satisfying meal this is it: creamy curried butter beans, warming you up from the inside out. Forget bland beans! These beans take on the aromatic spices, the coconut sweetness and carry these flavors so well, keep reading for my secret to the creamiest beans 😜!

I grew up with butter beans, but the dry beans kind. I remember not too fondly, sitting around the table with mum, grandmother and even the men would chip in to speed up the beans sorting. It was an event to cook butter beans, mainly because it would take forever to soak then boil a few rounds, draining them and bringing them up to boil again. All in all, it was the work of a few full days and a steamy kitchen until a beautiful creamy bowl of butter beans would be in front of me.

What you’ll love about this curried butter beans recipe

At any given time, I have at least four different kinds of legumes and beans in my pantry, all canned. They are such a staple, so healthful and a real fast food.

1. Quick and Easy: Ready in under 30 minutes, this beans curry recipe is perfect for those busy days when you crave a homemade, fuss-free meal.
2. Versatile Ingredients: With pantry staples like canned cooked butter beans, coconut milk, and a few staple spices, you can whip up this dish anytime, anywhere.
3. Aromatic Explosion: The blend of garam masala, turmeric, and ginger creates an aroma that takes you to a spice bazaar, awakening fond memories of homemade comfort food.
4. Balanced Flavors: The combination of creamy coconut milk, tangy lime, and earthy spices strikes a perfect balance, making every spoonful an experience. I could hear myself growl with enjoyment after each forkful LOL 😂!
5. Healthy Twist: Packed with protein, fibre and nutrients, this dish can be customized with the addition of fresh spinach for a nutritious boost.
6. Leftover makeover: I would use leftovers to spread on toast or load tortillas for a moreish brunch or next evening’s dinner.
7. Gluten free and vegan: although do check the spice labeling.

Watch how to make butter bean curry

Ingredients you’ll need

• Butter beans – I used cooked jarred Queen butter beans, they are plump and meaty, but ordinary canned beans will do. If you use dry butter beans, you will have to use this method to cook them first (be prepared to soak overnight then cook, drain, cook, drain, cook for approximately an hour). That’s right! Just get a jar or a can! LOL 🤣
• Olive oil
• Large onion and optional a shallot, finely chopped
• Garlic cloves, minced
• Garam masala powder – I use ready made store bought but if you want to make your own, this homemade garam masala recipe is pretty straight forward.
• Turmeric powder
• Fresh Ginger, finely grated, or ginger paste
• Lime (zest and juice)
• Coconut milk – I don’t care much about reduced fat foods, but reduced fat coconut milk. It’s a personal preference to use the reduced fat one, simply because otherwise I find the dish gets a little heavy.
• Tomato passata (puree) or finely chopped tomatoes
• Water
• Baby spinach (optional)
• Salt and black pepper, to taste
• Fresh chili and herbs (coriander or parsley), optional, for garnish

How to make butter bean curry (step-by-step)

Pro Tips

• Watch the beans closely when they dry fry because you want to avoid burning them. A little charring and browning is okay though, just keep that heat to medium low.
• Once you add the coconut milk, you may think the curry is quite watery, but it will absorb slowly and you end up with a creamy deliciousness. It will also thicken more if you have some left over, so don’t reduce it too much.

What to serve with curried butter beans

• Fluffy basmati rice – I served this with a simple steamed basmati rice, topped with fresh sliced chili, shallots and parsley (I’m not a fan of coriander, but if you love it, add copious amounts).
• Naan bread – I make a pan toasted garlicky Naan bread sometimes using my sourdough pizza recipe (just use half of the recipe to make two large naans). I brush it with a little butter or olive oil and toasted Nigella seeds! Absolutely lush!
• Curried butter beans on toast! Just because! You get to enjoy it the next day and I kid you not: it tastes even better! You can use my easy sourdough recipe, trust yourself!

variations and substitutions

• VEGAN – This recipe is vegan, so feel good about yourself eating it! 😜
• Replace the onion with shallots for a milder sweeter and more garlicky twist. Just add a few larger ones, that’s the base of your curry after all.
• Herbs subs – As I have mentioned, I am not a coriander fan, so that’s why this recipe calls for parsley, but I tell you what: coriander totally makes sense here, but I would also suggest a little fresh mint sliced in thin ribbons.
• If you don’t have garam masala, you can add curry powder, although it will change the flavor in my opinion.
• If you are not a fan of coconut milk, just skip it.
• Seeds – scatter some toasted seeds such as nigella seeds or mustard seeds.
• I made this recipe with both fresh ginger and ginger paste and it worked well, so feel free to swap to what you have around.
• For even more nutrition, serve with brown rice. The difference is that you can quickly cook a bunch of white basmati while you are cooking your curried butter beans.
• Add a few handfuls of baby spinach leaves or even chard or kale, they all add up to that magic 30 plants a week for a wonderful gut health. If you are a kale fan, I dare you to try this gorgeous Tuscan kale (Cavolo Nero) risotto. You’re welcome 😉!

How do I describe this dish to you? Picture velvety richness of the curry-infused butter beans, the warmth of spices with a subtle nuttiness of the butter beans and that luxurious creaminess leaving you utterly satisfied. Which can double up as next morning’s breakfast! WHAAAT? Happy cooking my lovelies! 🥰

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Curried butter beans FAQ

Curried butter beans recipe

Flossie

Turning the humble beans into a delicious and creamy butter beans curry, packed with complex flavors yet fresh and zingy.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Veggie preparation while you cook the beans 5 minutes mins

Total Time 30 minutes mins

Course Main Course

Cuisine Indian

Servings 4

Equipment

• frying pan
• Chopping board or dicer
• can opener optional
• measuring jug for liquids (or just use a glass)
• wooden or silicon spoon or spatula for stirring

Ingredients

  

• 1 jar of queen butter beans 400 g drained weight or 2 cans of 400 g of regular ones
• 2-3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 large onion finely chopped
• 3 large garlic cloves
• 2 tsp garam masala powder
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
• 1 knob ginger finely grated or 1 tsp ginger paste
• 1 lime zest and juice
• 1 can coconut milk 400 ml
• 200 ml tomato passata or finely chopped tomatoes
• 200 ml water
• 200 g baby spinach optional
• salt and black pepper to taste
• fresh chili and coriander or parsley to garnish

Instructions

 

Dry fry the beans

• Dry fry the beans in a frying pan over medium heat to low for 5 minutes until they bloom or pop.
• Meanwhile, peel and chop the onion and prep the aromatics.

Saute with onions, spices and aromatics

• Add 2 tbsp of olive oil in the same pan and sauté the finely chopped onion for 5-7 minutes until soft and translucent.
• Create space in the pan, add one more tbsp of olive oil and gently toast the garam masala powder, turmeric powder, grated ginger, and garlic cloves for 1 minute. Mix everything in the pan. Add half of the water to prevent the pan from catching too much.

Soften the onions

• Add the remaining water to avoid any mishaps in the pan. Continue to sauté the the mixture for 5 minutes until soft and thick.

Add more liquids

• Introduce tomato passata, and let it simmer for 2-3 minutes, allowing the flavors to meld.
• Pour in the coconut milk and continue to simmer for another 10 minutes or until the mixture thickens but remains slightly runny.

Freshen it up!

• Add the 🍋‍🟩 lime zest and juice for a zesty kick.
• If you opt for more nutritious goodness, stir in the baby spinach and let it wilt in the yummy luscious butter bean curry.

Serve and enjoy!

• Garnish the beans with fresh herbs and chili, adding an extra layer of flavor and nutritional goodness.
• Serve over or next to a bowl of fluffy basmati rice or sop it up with warm naan bread.

Video

Notes

Watch the beans closely when they dry fry because you want to avoid burning them. A little charring and browning is okay though, just keep that heat to medium low.

Once you add the coconut milk, you may think the curry is quite watery, but it will absorb slowly and you end up with a creamy deliciousness. It will also thicken more if you have some left over, so don’t reduce it too much.

Keyword butter bean curry, creamy bean curry, vegan bean curry

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