This curry is not spicy. If you want a spicier dish, add some cayenne, starting with 1/8 teaspoon when you add the other spices. At the end, taste and add more if desired.

Butter Bean Curry

Name: Butter Bean Curry
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 25 min
Ingredients: 1 Large Yellow Onion (chopped); 4 Cloves Minced Garlic; 2 Teaspoons Minced Ginger ( or ½ teaspoon Dried Ginger); 2 Teaspoons Turmeric; 1 ½ Teaspoons Ground Cumin; 1 Teaspoon Ground Coriander; 1 Teaspoon Salt; 1/4 Teaspoon Black Pepper; 1 13.5 Ounce Can Unsweetened Coconut Milk; 1 14 Ounce Can Crushed Tomatoes; 4 Ounces Spinach (fresh or frozen); 2 15 Ounce Cans Butter Beans; To serve: lime wedges, fresh cilantro, pita, white rice

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This Butter Bean Curry is a flavorful curry with soft, tender butter beans simmered in curry sauce. Make this weeknight friendly dish in 25 minutes.

A bowl of rice and butter bean curry, with a lime wedge.

I am absolutely obsessed with curry recipes. Reasons I love curry:

it's so quick and easy
you can use any ingredients you have on hand
it's cheap and nutritious
it's so incredibly flavorful, with minimal effort

This Indian-style butter bean curry is all of those things. The soft, tender butter beans create a delightful texture. And veggies like onion, tomatoes, and spinach add a great nutritional profile.

Butter bean curry is weeknight friendly and great for creating leftovers!

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Why this recipe works
Why I love this Vegan Butter Bean Curry
Ingredient Notes
Step-By-Step Instructions
FAQ & Expert Tips
Recipe Prayer
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Tried this recipe?
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A skillet of freshly cooked butter bean curry.

Why this recipe works

Curry spices like turmeric, cumin, and coriander come together to create a deep, rich flavor. Then a sauce of coconut milk and crushed tomatoes creates a thick and creamy base, with a hint of sweetness and tang. Add the butter beans as the star. And spinach for some freshness.

The dish is a combination of deep flavors, with lightness and tang in just the right amounts. Great over rice or with naan/pita to soak up all the sauce!

A bowl of rice, butter bean curry, and pita, with a lime wedge.

Why I love this Vegan Butter Bean Curry

Dietary needs - this recipe is gluten-free, dairy-free, plant-based, oil-free, and refined sugar-free
Quick and easy - this curry comes together in less than 30 minutes, perfect for weeknight dinner
Hearty, healthy dinner - spinach and butter beans are both super healthy foods, serve with rice for a delicious dish

Ingredient Notes

Yellow Onion: you can also use a white or red onion if you want
Garlic
Ginger: fresh ginger is ideal for that bite of ginger flavor. But if you don't have fresh, a bit of dried ginger will work just fine
Turmeric, Cumin, Coriander: curry spices
Salt & Pepper
Coconut Milk: This is the canned coconut milk, not the stuff you buy from a carton. The canned milk is much thicker and creamier. This is the key ingredient for the deliciously rich flavor of this curry.
Crushed Tomatoes: instead of vegetable broth that I'd usually use in a curry, I like the extra sweetness and texture from tomatoes
Spinach: fresh or frozen spinach both work. The cooking time will be the same
Butter Beans: canned butter beans are ideal here because they are super soft
To serve: lime wedges, fresh cilantro, pita, white rice

Step-By-Step Instructions

Step 1. Sauté the onion in a large saucepan over medium-high heat for about 5 minutes, until the onion starts to turn translucent.

Butter bean curry step 1 - sauté the onion.

Step 2. Add the garlic, ginger, turmeric, cumin, coriander, salt, and pepper. Cook for 30 seconds.

Butter bean curry step 2 - add the spices.

Step 3. Add the coconut milk, tomatoes, spinach, and butter beans. Bring to a boil and cook 5 minutes.

Butter bean curry step 3 - add the coconut milk, tomatoes, beans, and spinach.

Step 4. Serve over rice, with cilantro, pita, and a squeeze of lime juice.

Butter bean curry step 4 - serve with rice and lime juice.

FAQ & Expert Tips

Can I use dry butter beans?

Yes! Dry beans take a bit more prep time. Start with 12 ounces of dry beans. Soak them overnight, then drain the water and boil in fresh water until tender, about 1 - 1.5 hours.

Add more protein

Seitan chicken, tofu, tempeh, edamame, or store-bought vegan chicken or sausages are all great options!

Add spice

This curry is not spicy. If you want a spicier dish, add some cayenne, starting with ⅛ teaspoon when you add the other spices. At the end, taste and add more if desired.

Storage

Store this dish in the fridge. It will last up to a week.

A bowl of rice and butter bean curry, with a lime wedge, garnished with cilantro.

Recipe Prayer

Thank you God for delicious meals that are quick and easy to make. Let us enjoy the amazing flavors of the food you give us. Amen.

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