Description
These Curried Butter Beans are creamy, cozy, and packed with warm curry flavor. Tender butter beans simmer in a rich coconut milk sauce with garlic, ginger, tomato puree, and spinach, then finished with lime and chili flakes for a bright kick. This easy one-pan recipe comes together in about 30 minutes and is perfect served over rice or piled onto crunchy sourdough bread for a comforting plant-based meal.
Ingredients
For the Curried Butter Beans
1 tablespoon coconut oil
2 shallots, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 thumb-sized piece fresh ginger, finely chopped
400 g (1 can) butter beans, including the liquid
70 g fresh spinach, chopped
250 ml coconut milk
2 tablespoons tomato puree
1 tablespoon curry powder
Salt, to taste
For Topping
Juice of ½ lime
1 teaspoon chili flakes
Optional for Serving
Steamed jasmine or basmati rice
Toasted sourdough bread
Warm naan or flatbread
Instructions
Heat the coconut oil in a large skillet or pan over medium heat. Add the chopped shallots and cook for about 2–3 minutes until softened. Stir in the garlic and ginger and sauté for another minute until fragrant.
Add the tomato puree and a splash of water to loosen the mixture. Stir in the curry powder and cook for about 1 minute to toast the spices.
Pour in the butter beans along with the liquid from the can. Stir well so the beans are coated in the curry mixture.
Add the coconut milk and season with salt. Let the mixture gently simmer for 4–5 minutes so the sauce thickens slightly and the beans heat through.
Stir in the chopped spinach and cook until wilted. Squeeze in the lime juice and sprinkle with chili flakes.
Serve the curried butter beans hot over rice or spooned onto crispy sourdough bread. Garnish with extra herbs if desired.
Notes
Adjust the spice level: Add extra chili flakes or fresh chili for more heat.
Make it thicker: Simmer the sauce longer if you prefer a thicker curry.
Add vegetables: Bell peppers, mushrooms, or sweet potatoes work beautifully in this recipe.
Storage: Leftovers keep well in the fridge for up to 4 days and reheat easily.
Meal prep tip: The flavor actually deepens the next day, making it great for batch cooking.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Indian-inspired
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl
- Calories: 320 kcal
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 420 mg
- Fat: 15 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 34 g
- Fiber: 9 g
- Protein: 11 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg