These creamy curried butter beans are packed with protein, fiber, and flavor. The comforting spices in this Indian butter beans recipe will make you want to go back for seconds. If you love Indian flavors, check out red lentil dal and aloo gobi.
Jump to:
This butter beans recipe makes 4 entrees or 6 side dish servings. It's gluten-free, soy-free, nut-free, oil-free, low-fat, and vegan.
Curried Butter Beans Ingredients
- Butter beans (large lima beans), dry
- Onion
- Sweet red bell pepper
- Garlic
- Yellow curry powder
- Garam masala
- Cayenne
- Coconut aminos
- Plain, unsweetened coconut milk (NOT the full-fat can)
- Lemon
- Fresh cilantro
How to make these butter beans
This dish comes together quickly after the dried beans are cooked. So, you'll need to start by cooking the dry butter beans (large lima beans).
Prepare the dried beans
These butter beans are cooked in the Instant Pot. Sort, rinse, and strain the large dry lima beans in a colander.
Add beans to the Instant Pot with 6 cups of water. Cook the beans at high pressure for 40 minutes, and allow for natural release. This process takes about an hour. If you don't have an Instant Pot, you can cook these beans on the stovetop or in a slow cooker. Check out this article on how to cook dried beans with different cooking methods.
Next, you'll want to make a bean slurry. This is what gives it that wonderful creamy, saucy consistency. Take 1 cup of cooked butter beans plus 1 cup of plain unsweetened coconut milk (NOT the full fat can, but the one you buy in the tetra pack carton), and blend it in a mini blender until smooth and creamy. Set the creamy bean slurry aside. [Note: If you don't have unsweetened coconut milk, then substitute with either unsweetened plain soymilk or water.]
Prepare the veggies and assemble
Preheat a large saute pan or skillet over medium heat. Add chopped onion, bell pepper, and garlic, and dry saute for 2 to 3 minutes. The water from the veggies should release, keeping them from sticking to the pan.
Add spices, stir to combine, and continue to cook for another minute.
Pour the coconut aminos and bean slurry mixture into the pan with cooked veggies.
Then add cooked and partially drained butter beans—no need to rinse the cooked butter beans when cooking from scratch since it's naturally salt-free. Plus, adding a little bit of the cooking liquid adds to the creaminess of this dish.
Stir in the fresh lemon juice and lemon zest (optional). Top with fresh chopped cilantro, salt to taste, and enjoy!
Cook This Recipe With Me
Ways to Enjoy These Indian Butter Beans
These curried butter beans are wonderful on their own. For a complete meal, pair this with sauteed kale and mushrooms and your favorite whole grain of choice. It's delicious with brown and red rice, or on top of whole-grain pasta.
Other Healthy Comfort Food Recipes
We hope you love this curried butter beans recipe as much as we do. Please rate and leave a comment below. Be sure to share a picture on Instagram and tag us @danielsplaterecipes so we can see your creation!
SAVE THIS RECIPE!
We'll email this post to you, so you can come back to it later!
We'll also send you other yummy recipes. No worries! You can unsubscribe at any time. 💙
Curried Butter Beans
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 ½ cups of butter beans large lima beans, dry
- 6 cups water
- 1 cup unsweetened plain coconut milk NOT the full fat can, but the tetra pack carton; okay to substitute with soymilk or water
- 1 cup chopped onion
- 1 cup chopped red bell pepper
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 Tbsp yellow curry powder
- ½ tsp garam masala
- ¼ tsp cayenne or more for extra heat
- 1 Tbsp coconut aminos
- 1 tsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 tsp lemon zest optional
- ¼ cup fresh chopped cilantro or parsley
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- How to make these butter beans
- This dish comes together quickly after the dried beans are cooked. So, you'll need to start by cooking the dry butter beans (large lima beans).
- Prepare the dried beans
- These butter beans are cooked in the Instant Pot. Sort, rinse, and strain the large dry lima beans in a colander.
- Add beans to the Instant Pot with 6 cups of water. Cook the beans at high pressure for 40 minutes, and allow for natural release. This process takes about an hour. If you don't have an Instant Pot, you can cook these beans on the stovetop or in a slow cooker. Check out this article on how to cook dried beans with different cooking methods.
- Next, you'll want to make a bean slurry. This is what gives it that wonderful creamy, saucy consistency. Take 1 cup of cooked butter beans plus 1 cup of plain unsweetened coconut milk (NOT the full fat can, but the one you buy in the tetra pack carton), and blend it in a mini blender until smooth and creamy. Set the creamy bean slurry aside.
- Prepare the veggies and assemble
- Preheat a large saute pan or skillet over medium heat. Add chopped onion, bell pepper, and garlic, and dry saute for 2 to 3 minutes. The water from the veggies should release, keeping them from sticking to the pan.
- Add spices, stir to combine, and continue to cook for another minute.
- Pour the coconut aminos and bean slurry mixture into the pan with cooked veggies.
- Then add cooked and partially drained butter beans—no need to rinse the cooked butter beans when cooking from scratch since it's naturally salt-free. Plus, adding a little bit of the cooking liquid adds to the creaminess of this dish.
- Stir in the fresh lemon juice and lemon zest. Top with fresh chopped cilantro, salt to taste, and enjoy!
Notes
- Equipment: Instant Pot and mini bullet blender.
- Serving Suggestions: These curried butter beans are wonderful on their own. For a complete meal, pair them with sautéed kale and mushrooms and your favorite whole grain of choice. They're also delicious with brown and red rice, or on top of whole-grain pasta.
- Left Overs/Meal Prep: Leftovers keep well in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Freeze in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months.
Jerrelyn Gaines says
What I love most is how nourishing this dish feels. It’s hearty, soulful, and full of flavor, yet still light enough to leave you feeling good afterward. Nothing feels rushed or flat—the spices are layered, the texture is just right, and the beans truly shine as the star. It’s the kind of meal that comforts the body while delighting the palate, reminding you that simple ingredients, when treated well, can be absolutely exceptional.
Gigi & Sersie says
Yay! We're so glad you enjoyed this Jerrelyn.
Pam says
So yummy and easy. I added some spinach. It was great.