Kidney Bean Curry (Oil & Coconut Milk Free)

Kidney bean curry and white rice in a black bowl.

5 from 1 vote

Kidney Bean Curry (Oil & Coconut Milk Free)

This oil-free kidney bean curry is rich, comforting, and full of bold Indian-inspired flavor. Made without coconut milk, it relies on toasted spices, tomatoes, and naturally thickened beans for a satisfying vegan dinner.

Prep Time20

Cook Time45

Total Time1 5

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Indian

Diet: Vegan

Servings: servings

Calories: 145kcal

Author: Denise Perrault

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)

US Customary - Metric

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