Butter bean curry

Creamy butter beans simmered in a rich Indian-style tomato onion gravy, flavored with warm spices, garlic, and ginger, this butter bean curry is pure comfort in a bowl. It’s cozy, filling, and surprisingly easy to make with simple pantry ingredients.

Butter beans may not be traditional in Indian household, but they work beautifully in Indian curries. Their soft, buttery texture absorbs spices so well and turns incredibly creamy when cooked in a masala based gravy.

This recipe is inspired by simple North Indian homestyle curries that are hearty enough for everyday dinners but still feel special. It’s naturally vegan, protein-rich, and a great way to use canned or home cooked beans in a flavorful way.

If you enjoy rajma curry or chole (chickpea curry), this butter bean curry gives you that same comforting feeling with a slightly softer, creamier bite.

Jump to:

• What's needed to make butter bean curry?
• Ingredient notes and substitute suggestions
• How to make (step-by step process)?
• Serving butter bean curry
• Storing, freezing, and reheating the leftover
• Recipe tips, tricks, and variation suggestions
• Frequently asked questions
• More easy vegan curry recipes from India:
• More Bean Recipes from around the world
• Recipe

What's needed to make butter bean curry?

To make curried butter beans, you only need a few simple ingredients that are easily available in most kitchens.

Ingredient notes and substitute suggestions

• Dried butter beans: I have used dry butter beans in this recipe, but cans of butter beans work perfectly too if you want to save time. Butter beans are actually mature lima beans and have a soft, creamy texture once cooked.You can also replace them with garbanzo beans, great northern beans, kidney beans, or black-eyed peas.
• Onion: Red onion is the best for Indian recipes but if that's not available, use white or brown onion.
• Tomatoes: Juicy red tomatoes are the best for making Indian masala base. You can also use canned crushed tomatoes or tomato puree.
• Garlic: Use fresh garlic in Indian recipes. Store bought garlic paste is fine too. You can also add fresh ginger. They make the curry taste fresh and homestyle.
• Green chilies: Skip if your heat tolerance is low.
• Cilantro (fresh coriander leaves): Most Indian dishes are incomplete without fresh cilantro. Skip if you don't like the taste.
• Whole spices: I have only used cumin seeds and bay leaf. You can add more like black peppercorns, black cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, etc.
• Powdered spices/ seasonings: I have used the spices that are used in daily Indian cooking like turmeric powder, Kashmiri red chili powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, kasoori methi. Garam masala and curry powder can be used too.
• Cooking oil: I use mustard oil in most of my North Indian recipes like this one. But any neutral cooking oil works.

Other ingredient details and nutritional information are shared in the recipe card.

How to make (step-by step process)?

To make butter bean in Indian style, just follow the following simple instructions:

Step 1: Rinse butter beans and soak in water for 8 hours or overnight.

Step 2: Switch on the instant pot and select sauté mode for 15 minutes. Add cooking oil and heat it for 1-2 minutes.

Step 3: Add cumin seeds and bay leaf. Sauté for a few seconds until fragrant.

Step 4: Add finely chopped onion and cook until it starts turning brown.

Step 5: Add minced garlic and sauté for a few seconds.

Step 6: Add chopped tomatoes, green chilies, turmeric powder, teaspoon of ground cumin, ground coriander, chili powder, and a pinch of salt.

Step 7: Cook until the tomatoes turn mushy.

Step 8: Drain the soaked beans and add them to the pot. Sauté for 1–2 minutes so they absorb all the flavors.

Step 9: Add 3 cups of hot water and mix.

Step 10: Seal the lid of the instant pot. Cook on high pressure for 20 minutes. Do a quick pressure release and open the lid.

Steps 11 and 12: Add crushed kasoori methi, and chopped cilantro. Mix.

Your delicious butter bean curry is ready!

Serving butter bean curry

Serve this butter bean curry piping hot. Like most Indian curries, it tastes best when freshly served and enjoyed with rice or Indian bread.

It can be served with rice dishes like plain steamed basmati rice, brown rice, jeera rice, tomato rice, curried rice, or cabbage rice.

You can also pair it with Indian flat bread like roti, paratha, naan or poori.

For a complete meal, serve it with an Indian salad like kachumber salad, spicy onion salad, Indian potato salad, masala corn salad. If you are not vegan also serve a raita like onion raita, cucumber raita, potato raita, or sprouts raita with it. 

A squeeze of fresh lemon juice or lime juice right before serving also tastes wonderful.

Storing, freezing, and reheating the leftover

Store leftover butter bean curry in an airtight container, refrigerate, it will be fine for up to 4 days. 

This curry also freezes well. Allow the curry to cool completely before freezing. Store in freezer-safe containers for up to 3 months.

Reheat in a pan on low heat or microwave until hot. The curry will thicken after storing, add warm or hot water while reheating to adjust the consistency.

Recipe tips, tricks, and variation suggestions

• To reduce soaking time, soak the beans in hot water instead of room temperature water.
• Use canned butter beans if you want a quicker version for busy weeknights.
• Slightly mash some of the large butter beans for the best result and a creamier consistency.
• If the curry looks too thin after pressure cooking, turn on sauté mode and simmer until it thickens. 
• Kashmiri red chilli powder adds color without too much heat. Add red chili flakes if you prefer a spicier curry.
• You can use a mix of beans to make a mixed bean curry using the same recipe. Slightly mash a few butter beans after cooking for a creamier texture. Add spinach or kale for extra vegetables and nutrition.
• Use vegetable stock instead of water more more flavor.

Frequently asked questions

More easy vegan curry recipes from India:

If you enjoyed this butter bean curry, don’t miss trying these comforting and flavorful Indian vegan curry recipes too:

• Rajma Masala
• Chana dal
• Pinto bean curry
• Dal palak
• Aloo Gobi
• Mixed Vegetable Curry
• Mushroom curry with coconut milk
• Kerala style pepper mushrooms
• Soya chunks curry
• Potato curry