Butter Bean Curry
This gorgeous butter bean curry is full of spicy, creamy flavor. It's a delicious one-pot vegetarian dinner that comes together in under 25 minutes and is so easy to adapt to what you have in the cupboards.
Love this recipe? Try my chickpea curry or this gorgeous vegetarian chicken curry. You might also like my spicy harissa butter beans recipe for more butter bean goodness! Try this coconut chickpea curry and this gorgeous red lentil curry soup too.
Pair your butter bean curry with basmati rice, garlic naan, or a warm roti. For added crunch, you could also add a side of cucumber raita or a fresh cabbage and carrot slaw. Yum!
Ingredient Notes
Scroll down to the recipe card at the bottom of the page for the full ingredient quantities and instructions. Below, I've provided some notes on the ingredients you'll need and potential substitutions.
Here's a bit more about the key ingredients:
- Butter Beans: I love using butter beans for this curry as they have a little more bite than smaller white beans, like cannellini beans.
- Coconut Milk: The creamy part gives the curry richness. You can use light coconut milk for a lighter sauce or even oat cream. Use canned coconut milk, and scoop out the creamy part of the milk - discarding the coconut water.
- Spices: A mix of turmeric, garam masala, and curry powder helps to build the base for our curry. I kept this recipe fairly mild, so feel free to add fresh chilies or chili powder if you prefer a spicier version.
- Chopped Tomatoes: I used canned crushed tomatoes to give the curry its deep, saucy flavor and texture. You could use fresh diced tomatoes plus about 1 cup of water, or canned plum tomatoes, crushing them with your spoon as an alternative.
Variations & Substitutions
- Make It Spicier: Add a chopped green chili or a pinch of cayenne pepper to the curry paste for more heat!
- Add Vegetables: Stir in some chopped spinach, cauliflower, diced potatoes, or green beans during the simmering stage for extra texture and to bulk up the nutritional value in this butter bean curry.
- More protein: This butter bean curry is also delicious if you stir in some cubed paneer or cubed tofu (I would opt to crisp it up in the air fryer or oven before adding it to the curry).
How To Make This Butter Bean Curry
Below are some process shots of making your bean curry - make sure you scroll down to the recipe card to see the exact ingredient quantities required!
Step 1. Prepare the Curry Paste
Add the onion, garlic, ginger, oil, and spices with a bit of water to a blender, and blitz to create a smooth curry paste. I use my NutriBullet for this, but any blender will work for this step!
2. Make the Curry
Pour the paste into a hot pan and sauté for a few minutes until fragrant.Then, stir in the chopped tomatoes, butter beans, and the cream from the coconut milk.
3. Simmer
Add water as needed to loosen the sauce (I don't add any to mine as I like a thick curry sauce, but if you've added more vegetables, you might want to add an extra ¼ cup (60ml). Simmer your butter bean curry for 10-15 minutes until the beans are tender.
5. Finish and Garnish
Top with chopped cilantro and a squeeze of lemon juice before serving.
Top Tips \ Chef's Notes
- Consistency: Adjust with extra water if the sauce gets too thick.
- Garnish: Try adding freshly chopped chili for extra heat or crushed roasted peanuts for a crunchier texture.
- Dried beans: If you want to use dried beans for this recipe, you'll need to factor in the time to soak and cook them before using them in the curry.
Serve with naan bread, fluffy rice, or even on toast for a fun alternative! A side of pickle or mango chutney complements the flavors well.
Storage
Store any leftover butter bean curry in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat gently on the stove, adding a splash of water or coconut milk if needed.
FAQs
Yes, use oat cream or cashew cream for a creamy texture without coconut.
Cannellini beans, chickpeas, or even lentils can be used as substitutes.
Yes, freeze in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight and reheat gently on the stove.
Butter Bean Curry
This creamy butter bean curry, with a homemade curry paste and coconut milk, is the perfect quick, easy, and flavor-packed one-pot dinner. Serve with naan or rice.
Ingredients
- 2 x 400g tin butter beans, drained
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 tablespoon ginger
- 1 white onion
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- 1 teaspoon medium curry powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander powder
- ½ teaspoon cumin powder
- 1 400g tin chopped tomatoes
- 1 400g tin coconut milk, cream only
- 1 handful cilantro, to garnish
- ½ lemon, juice
Instructions
- Start by adding the onion, garlic, ginger, oil, turmeric, garam masala, curry powder, coriander powder, and cumin powder to a blender. Add about 60ml (¼ cup) water, and blitz into a smooth paste.
- Tip all of the curry paste into your pan and cook on medium heat for 2-3 minutes, until the spices begin to turn fragrant. Stir often.
- Next, add the chopped tomatoes, mix these into the curry paste, and then add the butter beans and coconut milk.
- Stir everything together and, if needed, add about half a tin (~125ml) of water to loosen the sauce.
- Leave your butter bean curry to simmer for 10 - 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the butter beans have cooked through and the sauce is thick and creamy.
- Top with your chopped cilantro and perhaps a squeeze of lemon juice to finish!
Notes
This butter bean curry is so delicious and served with warm naan bread and fluffy rice. You could also serve it on top of toast for a fun alternative - perfect for a lighter lunch.
To bulk up your butter bean curry, you could add cauliflower and green beans to the curry, or add some crispy tofu or paneer to up the protein content.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 527Total Fat: 29gSaturated Fat: 21gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 8mgSodium: 615mgCarbohydrates: 54gFiber: 17gSugar: 10gProtein: 20g
