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A bowl of kidney bean curry in a black bowl with white rice and a lemon slice.
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5 from 1 vote

Easy Vegan Kidney Bean Curry

Easy vegan kidney bean curry (rajma masala) is a tasty recipe made with Indian spices in tomato sauce prepared without coconut milk or added oil.
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time45 minutes
Total Time1 hour 5 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Indian
Diet: Vegan
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 236kcal
Author: Denise Perrault

Ingredients

  • 2 teaspoons cumin seeds or 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 2 medium bay leaves
  • 1 teaspoon fenugreek seeds or 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 peeled and minced
  • 1½ inch fresh ginger peeled and minced, 1 tablespoon
  • 1 teaspoon ground coriander
  • ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
  • ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper optional
  • 2 teaspoons garam masala
  • 4 medium tomatoes diced, about 4 cups
  • 2 teaspoons date paste or maple syrup
  • 4½ cups kidney beans 3 cans, drained and rinsed
  • 2½ cups vegetable broth
  • ½ medium lemon 2 tablespoons of juice
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • In a medium pot, add the cumin seeds, fenugreek seeds and bay leaves . Toast them over medium heat, stirring them constantly for 1-2 minutes until they becom fragrant, but not brown.
  • Add the diced onions and jalapenos and sauté for about 3-5 minutes until they soften.
  • Stir in the garlic and ginger for 30 seconds. Adjust the heat if necessary so they don't stick or burn.
  • Add the remaining spices (coriander, turmeric, cayenne and garam masala), the tomatoes and date paste. Mix everything, cover the pot and simmer the tomatoes for 10 minutes to allow them to break down. Mash a few of the tomatoes after they simmer to help the sauce thicken. 
  • Stir in the vegetable broth and beans. Cover the pot and simmer the curry for 30 minutes. Mash a few of the beans to help thicken the sauce if desired.
  • Remove the curry from the heat and squeeze the juice of ½ a lemon over the top. Give it a last stir, add salt or additional spices as desired.
  • Serve over cooked rice. Garnish with additional lemon wedges or chopped cilantro if desired.

Notes

  • If you use cumin powder or ground fenugreek instead of the whole spices, add them with the rest of the spices when adding tomatoes. 
  • If you want a thicker chili texture or the curry is too thin for your liking, increase the final simmering time with the beans and vegetable broth. Another solution is to remove a cup of the curry, blend it, and return it to the pot. 

Nutrition

Calories: 236kcal | Carbohydrates: 45g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 0.2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.3g | Sodium: 980mg | Potassium: 888mg | Fiber: 14g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 1025IU | Vitamin C: 26mg | Calcium: 100mg | Iron: 4mg