This kidney bean curry is rich, comforting, with bold Indian-inspired flavor, satisfying fiber, and protein-packed kidney beans, and a rich tomato sauce made without oil or coconut milk.
With toasted spices, aromatics, fresh tomatoes, homemade garam masala or store-bought, and a long simmer, this traditional rajma curry is naturally creamy, deeply flavorful, and surprisingly light.
If you enjoy tomato-based curries, you’ll also love my vegan tomato veggie curry and cauliflower chickpea curry. Both recipes are simple, cozy, and built on the same oil-free, technique-driven approach.
A Quick Look At This Recipe
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes (30 minutes for simmering)
- Total Time: 65 minutes
- Servings: 6
- Nutrition: fiber = 14 grams / protein = 14 grams / fat = 2%
- Cuisine: Indian
- Flavor: Warm, savory, gently spicy
- Texture: Thick, stew-like curry with tender beans
- Diet: Vegan, oil-free, coconut-free, naturally gluten-free
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Table of Contents
Why This Curry Works Without Oil or Coconut Milk
Many vegan curries rely on oil or coconut milk for richness. This one doesn’t -and that’s intentional.
Here’s what makes it work:
- Whole spices are dry toasted at the start, unlocking their deep flavor.
- Fresh tomatoes simmer down into a thick, savory base.
- A few mashed kidney beans naturally thicken the sauce and add body.
The result is a curry that’s satisfying and full-flavored, but lighter than coconut-based versions and closer in style to traditional North Indian bean curries.
Ingredients & Substitutions
Whole spices. Cumin seeds, fenugreek seeds, and dried bay leaves. If you substitute with ground spices, skip the toasting.
Fresh tomatoes. I like using large Roma tomatoes for this recipe because they tend to have fewer seeds and a nice tomato flavor. Substitute with canned tomatoes if you don’t have fresh.
Jalapenos. I usually use 2 jalapenos, which I deseed before dicing. This is entirely up to your spice preference. You can also add half a green pepper for a mild curry, or a red chili if there’s one lurking in your crisper.
Kidney beans. This recipe is all about rajma (red kidney beans). 4 ½ cups – that’s 3 cans.
Maple syrup: Just enough to balance acidity. Date paste or another liquid sweetener works.
Garam masala: Homemade or store-bought - both are fine, but don’t skip it; it’s the warming spice that really delivers the flavor.
Please see the recipe card at the bottom of this post for the complete list of ingredients, measurements, and instructions.
How To Make Kidney Bean Curry
Step 1: Toast whole spices. Heat a Dutch oven or another heavy-bottom pot to medium-high heat. Toast the spices for 30 seconds.
Step 2: Add the onions and jalapenos, then add the garlic, ginger, and spices.
Step 3: Add diced tomatoes and maple syrup. Cook for 10 minutes to break down the tomatoes.
Step 4: Add the tomatoes, date paste, and the ground spices. Cover the pot and turn the heat to medium-low. Cook the tomatoes for 10 minutes.
Denise's Pro Tips
Only toast whole spices. Ground spices burn easily, and toasting does nothing to enhance their flavor.
Curry too thin? Mash a few kidney beans and simmer uncovered a bit longer. If that doesn’t work, add a tablespoon of tomato paste.
Like it extra thick? Start with less broth and add gradually.
Too spicy? Add extra tomatoes, a tablespoon of tomato paste, more maple syrup, or a squeeze of lemon juice to mellow the heat.
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Serving Suggestions
This curry pairs well with rice (brown basmati, jasmine, or brown rice). You can also get another protein hit with quinoa or whole grain bulgur.
For something special, side it with sweet potato flatbread, mashed potato tortillas, or baked vegetable pakoras.
Storage and Make-Ahead Tips
Refrigerator: Store in an airtight container for 3–4 days.
Freezer: Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw before reheating
Tip: Store cooked grains separately to avoid sogginess and food safety.
Make Ahead: This curry is even better the next day, so make it early. Another tip I use a lot is to prep the onions, jalapenos, tomatoes, ginger, and garlic, and store them in the fridge. I also measure out the spices so they’re ready to add.
Frequently Asked Questions
It’s moderately spicy, but easy to adjust. Remove the jalapeño seeds and white pith, reduce or omit cayenne for a milder version.
Making kidney bean curry using cooked kidney beans in the Instant Pot or another pressure cooker shaves a few minutes off the cooking time. After adding the ingredients, set the Instant Pot to high pressure and cook the curry for 5 minutes.
To make kidney bean curry using dried beans, soak 1 ½ cups of beans overnight. Drain and rinse the beans, and increase the liquid to 4 ½ cups of water or vegetable broth. Cook on high pressure for 15 minutes plus at least 10 minutes of natural pressure release. Unsoaked beans will take about 40 minutes plus time for natural steam release.
The easiest way to thicken curry sauce is to increase the cooking time by 5-10 minutes. You can also add a tablespoon of tomato paste (tomato puree). Mash some of the kidney beans against the side of the pan or remove a cup of the curry after cooking and puree it.
More Oil-Free Vegan Curry Recipes
If you enjoy this kidney bean curry, here are a few more oil-free curries to try next:
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👩🏻🍳 Recipe
Kidney Bean Curry (Oil & Coconut Milk Free)
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Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons cumin seeds - (1 ½ teaspoons ground cumin)
- 2 medium bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon fenugreek seeds - (½ teaspoon fenugreek powder)
- 1 medium onion - diced
- 2 medium jalapenos - diced, remove the core and seeds to keep the heat down
- 6 cloves garlic - minced or pressed
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger - grated (or 1 tablespoon ginger paste)
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
- 2 teaspoons garam masala
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper - optional, adjust for spice preference
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 4-5 medium tomatoes - diced, about 4 cups (see note 1)
- 2 teaspoons maple syrup - substitute with date paste or another liquid sweetener
- 4½ cups kidney beans - rinsed and drained, 3 regular cans (15-ounces/400-grams)
- 2½ cups vegetable broth
- ½ medium lemon - 2 tablespoons of juice (more if desired)
Instructions
- Heat a Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot to medium-high heat. Add the cumin seeds, fenugreek seeds, and bay leaves. Stir continuously for 30 seconds to toast the spices.
- Immediately add the diced onion and jalapenos. Cook for 1-2 minutes until the onions start to soften. Stir often. Lower the heat and add a tablespoon of water if they start to stick or get too brown.
- Add ginger and garlic. Mix them with the vegetables and toasted spices.
- Stir in the remaining spices (coriander, turmeric, garam masala, cayenne pepper, and salt).
- Add the chopped tomatoes and maple syrup. Lower the heat to medium, cover the pot, and simmer for 10 minutes. Mash a few of the tomatoes after they simmer to help thicken the sauce.
- Stir in the vegetable broth and kidney beans. Cover and cook for 30 minutes. Mash some of the beans to thicken the sauce if desired.
- Squeeze the juice of ½ a lemon over the top. Give it a last stir, remove the bay leaves, then taste and add more salt or adjust the spices as desired.
- Serve over rice, quinoa, or another grain. Garnish with lemon wedges and/or chopped cilantro.
Notes
- This recipe is traditionally made with fresh tomatoes; however, you can substitute with 2 cans of diced tomatoes.
- Only toast whole spices. If you make substitutions for cumin and/or fenugreek seeds, add them with the rest of the ground spices.
- The curry thickens the longer it simmers. If you find the curry too thin, mash a few more of the kidney beans and simmer for an additional 10-15 minutes. If you like your curries super thick, reduce the vegetable broth to 1 ½ cups and add more if desired.
- Store curry in an airtight container for 3-4 days or freeze for 3 months. Store cooked rice or grains separately.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimation only.
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Pam says
Thank you for the interesting post about layering flavors. Also for your advice on adding salt. I have kidney problems and never (almost) add salt while cooking. As you mentioned, there is sodium in many ingredients on their own. You mention a few ingredients I am unfamiliar with but would like to try. And adding lemon juice is interesting! Last but not least, thank you for not having a million pop up ads all over your page that so many food writers seem to love. Can't wait to try this recipe.
Denise says
I am so happy to hear that this post was helpful. I hope you enjoy this recipe. I advise adding salt at then end of recipes too. Too much salt can really ruin all our good cooking efforts. Enjoy!