This vegan butter bean curry is a bowl of pure comfort—rich, creamy, and packed with bold flavors! It’s hearty, satisfying, and incredibly easy to make, making it the perfect go-to meal for busy days.
Whether you’re meal prepping for the week or just craving a cozy, nourishing dish, this gluten-free and dairy-free curry has you covered.
I love curries so much! They're such a great healthy meal. Since I am a huge fan of butter beans and also curries, I wanted to create this recipe combining both.
This delicious vegan butter bean curry was inspired by my easy cauliflower mango and potato curry, and my award-winner chicken mango curry. It pairs great with some steamed rice or GF naan bread.
Jump to:
- Why you will love this Healthy Butter Bean Curry!
- Ingredients
- Substitutions & variations
- How to make this Easy Vegan Butter Bean Curry Recipe
- Serving ideas
- Equipment
- How to store the Vegan Butter Bean Curry leftovers
- Top tip to make The Best Curry!
- FAQ
- Other Curry Recipes you will love!
- Pairing
- Love this recipe? Let's stay connected!
- Easy & Creamy Butter Bean Curry Recipe (Vegan)
- See what other people think about this recipe!
Why you will love this Healthy Butter Bean Curry!
- This vegan curry is bursting with flavor in every bite! The creamy butter beans, tender veggies, and rich coconut curry sauce come together to create a dish that’s both comforting and delicious.
- Not only does curry powder add a warm, aromatic depth, but it also comes with amazing health benefits—my favorites being its anti-inflammatory properties and its potential to support brain health.
- Easy one pot meal, this easy recipe is a perfect weeknight dinner and works great for meal prep, saving you time while keeping meals tasty and nourishing.
- Butter beans aren’t just creamy and delicious—they’re also packed with plant-based protein, making this dish both satisfying and nutritious.
- Plus, it’s completely vegan, gluten-free, and dairy-free, so it’s a great option for a variety of dietary needs!
Ingredients
All you need to make this creamy butter bean curry is...
- Brown onion, diced
- Fresh garlic cloves, diced
- Fresh ginger, finely diced or grated
- Red apple or ripe mango, chopped
- Fresh tomatoes, (opt for ripe tomatoes) diced - alternatively you could use canned tomatoes
- Canned butter beans
- Green beans, halved lengthwise
- Full-fat coconut milk or cream
- Curry powder
- Fresh spinach (can be substituted for frozen spinach if fresh are not available)
- Sea salt
- Black pepper
- Olive oil or coconut oil for cooking
- Fresh cilantro for serving
See recipe card for quantities.
Substitutions & variations
- Mango - instead of red apple. Make sure it's a ripe mango!
- Use other veggies - like zucchini, bell peppers or kale.
- Add some heat - adding chili powder or cayenne pepper to it!
- Make it even heartier - adding some chunks of potato or sweet potato
- Lower-fat version - using low fat coconut milk instead of full fat coconut milk or cream.
How to make this Easy Vegan Butter Bean Curry Recipe
This dish is super easy to prepare. Once you have chopped & diced all the ingredients, follow the steps below.
Heat a drizzle of olive or coconut oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the diced onions, garlic, ginger, and a pinch of salt, then stir well to combine. Let it cook for about 5 minutes until the onions become transparent. Next, add the diced apple, stir, and cook for another 5 minutes.
Add the chopped tomatoes along with another pinch of salt, stirring well to combine. Let it cook for 7-10 minutes until the tomatoes and apple are soft. Before moving to the next step, make sure the tomatoes and apple have softened enough to blend into the sauce.
Pour in the butter beans, green beans, coconut cream, curry powder, and ground pepper, then stir well to combine. Add salt to taste, cover with a lid, and let it cook for ten minutes.
Stir in the spinach, cover the pot again, and cook for another two to four minutes until the spinach is wilted. Once done, it's ready to serve and enjoy!
Tip: before adding the butter beans, make sure that the tomatoes and apple are quite soft! You want the chunks of tomatoes and apple to blend with the sauce.
Serving ideas
This delicious curry is ideal to serve with fresh coriander on top and a side of rice, whether that's steamed basmati rice or fragrant coconut rice. The fluffy grains help soak up all the rich, creamy sauce, making every bite extra satisfying.
For a low-carb option, you can go for creamy cauliflower mash, which provides a smooth, buttery base to complement the curry’s flavors. Alternatively, serve it with warm naan or gluten-free flatbread to scoop up every bit of the sauce. If you prefer something extra light, a simple side of steamed green beans or your greens of choice, or roasted vegetables can also work beautifully.
Equipment
All you need to make this dish is...
- Chopping board & sharp knife
- Grater (optional for ginger)
- Large pot with lid
- Timber spatula
How to store the Vegan Butter Bean Curry leftovers
Leftover curry? Happy days! You are in for some delicious leftovers.
Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4-5 days. Or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Top tip to make The Best Curry!
A quality curry powder is key to success. Quality ingredients are key for everything, but when it comes to curry powder I would say is twice as important. An average curry powder will result in average overall flavour, a great curry powder will result in cracking flavour. Makes sense right? I use Keen's traditional curry powder which is easily accessible in any supermarket.
FAQ
Yes, butter beans are healthy! They’re packed with essential vitamins and minerals, including potassium, magnesium, iron, zinc, and calcium. They’re also a great source of plant-based protein, making them a nutritious addition to any diet.
Butter beans and cannellini beans are both white beans but differ in size and texture. Butter beans are larger, creamier, and softer, with a velvety, buttery texture that works well in creamy dishes like curries and stews. Cannellini beans, smaller and firmer, have a slightly nutty flavor and hold their shape better, making them ideal for salads, soups, and Italian dishes. While they can be used interchangeably, butter beans create a richer texture, while cannellini beans provide a firmer bite.
Other Curry Recipes you will love!
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Pairing
Love this recipe? Let's stay connected!
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Easy & Creamy Butter Bean Curry Recipe (Vegan)
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Main course
- Cuisine: Indian
- Diet: Vegan
Description
This vegan butter bean curry is a bowl of pure comfort—rich, creamy, and packed with bold flavors! It’s hearty, satisfying, and incredibly easy to make, making it the perfect go-to meal for busy days.
Ingredients
2 medium brown onion diced
5 garlic cloves diced
1 2cm x 2cm piece of ginger diced or grated
1 red apple or ripe mango chopped
3 medium ripe tomatoes diced
2 cans of butter beans
1 large handful (180 grams) of green beans halved lengthwise
1 can of coconut milk or cream
3 tbsp of curry powder
2 cups of spinach
Salt to taste
Pepper
Olive oil for cooking
Instructions
-
Heat a drizzle of olive or coconut oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the diced onions, garlic, ginger, and a pinch of salt, then stir well to combine. Let it cook for about 5 minutes until the onions become transparent. Next, add the diced apple, stir, and cook for another 5 minutes.
-
Add the chopped tomatoes along with another pinch of salt, stirring well to combine. Let it cook for 7-10 minutes until the tomatoes and apple are soft. Before moving to the next step, make sure the tomatoes and apple have softened enough to blend into the sauce.
-
Pour in the butter beans, green beans, coconut cream, curry powder, and ground pepper, then stir well to combine. Add salt to taste, cover with a lid, and let it cook for ten minutes.
-
Stir in the spinach, cover the pot again, and cook for another two to four minutes until the spinach is wilted. Once done, it's ready to serve and enjoy!
Notes
Important!! Before adding the butter beans, make sure that the tomatoes and apple are quite soft! You want the chunks of tomatoes and apple to blend with the sauce.
Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4-5 days. Or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Serve with fresh coriander on top and a side of rice, whether that's steamed basmati rice or fragrant coconut rice. For a low-carb option, you can go for creamy cauliflower mash.
Martha
I made this curry yesterday to meal prep for the week and it’s so good!! I love the combination of butter beans with greens. Super easy and very tasty. Will make it again! 😊