Black Bean Curry with Tomatoes and Cashew Cream

Black bean curry? Yes indeedy. This delicious vegan recipe began as an experiment a while back that turned out really, really well.

Instead of using coconut milk, simply stir in a bit of homemade cashew cream for an easy dinner recipe that's creamy, dairy-free, gluten-free, and high in protein.

Featuring store cupboard ingredients and flavourful spices, this curry is a great one to put together on a busy weeknight. While this recipe includes red pepper and spinach, you could swap these out for anything you like and add some chilli if you prefer a bit of heat.

For more legume-based curry recipes, check out this vegan chana masala (chickpeas), vegan rajma masala (kidney beans), sweet potato dal (red lentils), and chickpea biryani.

Can you make curry with black beans?

Absolutely. When you think about it, cooking with black beans is no different to using other legumes such as chickpeas, lentils, or kidney beans (all great sources of plant-based protein and popular ingredients in vegetarian curries).

While this recipe uses black beans, in reality you could swap these out for any tinned beans you like. Alternatively, try using black beans in soup, sweet potato and black bean chilli or jackfruit and black bean tacos.

Can I use dried beans?

Canned black beans are great for convenience as they are already cooked and can be stored for a very long time. However, dried beans offer up an even cheaper alternative and require just a couple of extra steps before making this curry.

If using dried beans, you'll want to soak and/or pre-cook these until soft before using in this recipe. For more info, check out my beginner's guide to pulses.

What is cashew cream?

Cashew cream is simply a blend of soaked cashew nuts and water. Different ratios will result in a slightly different consistency – see my cashew cream recipe for details.

It's a handy ingredient in a plant-based kitchen and I use it in several dishes:

• Ultimate Vegan 'Fish' Pie
• Creamy Mushroom Pasta
• Vegan Cranachan
• Creamy Tempeh Pasta
• Vegan Whisky Cream Sauce
• Vegan Cream of Mushroom Soup
• Creamy Beetroot Risotto

What you'll need

This black bean curry recipe uses an array of flavourful ingredients to create a well-rounded final dish. You'll need:

• Black beans as the star of the show
• Mixed spices in the form of cumin, turmeric, smoked paprika, fenugreek, and garam masala
• Homemade cashew cream to bring the curry together
• Lime juice and zest to really make it sing 🎵

How to make black bean curry

Heat the oil in a large pan on medium heat. Add the onion along with a pinch of salt and stir occasionally for 5-6 minutes or until soft and starting to turn golden.

Once the onion starts to soften, add the finely chopped garlic, ginger, and sliced pepper and cook for a couple of minutes (1).

Next, add the ground cumin, ground turmeric, smoked paprika, and fenugreek. Mix well and stir for a minute or so to help release the flavours of the spices (2).

After a minute, stir in the tinned tomatoes, drained black beans, and stock or water. You can also rinse the tomato can with a splash of water and add this to the pan. If using tinned whole tomatoes, break these apart with a spoon.

Cook for 10 minutes, adding as much extra stock as you want to maintain the desired consistency (3).

After 10 minutes, add the spinach, cashew cream, garam masala, lime zest, and lime juice (4). If using fresh coriander, chop some of the stems and throw these in as well.

Cook for a few minutes until the spinach has wilted, adding extra liquid as necessary (the cashew cream will really thicken the curry).

Once the spinach has wilted down and you're happy with the consistency, adjust the seasoning and serve.

Serving suggestions

• Boiled basmati/white rice
• Vegan pilau rice
• Brown rice
• Quinoa
• Roasted cauliflower with cumin
• Fresh lime juice
• Chopped fresh coriander
• Toasted almond flakes
• Sliced spring onions
• Fresh chilli

Variations and tips for black bean curry

• Other cream: If using a different plant-based cream, you probably won't need to use as much stock or water. If using coconut milk, add this at the same time as the tomatoes and simmer gently to thicken.
• Consistency: If you want the black beans to break down more, mash the curry lightly with a potato masher before adding the spinach.
• Frozen spinach: If using frozen spinach instead of fresh, add this at the same time as the tomatoes and beans to ensure it's cooked through.
• Other ingredients: Feel free to add other ingredients such as mushrooms, aubergine, or cooked potato cubes.
• Heat level: This recipe doesn't include chilli, but feel free to add this for a bit of a kick.

Hey you – let me know what you think

If you made this recipe and enjoyed it – or did anything differently – I'd love to hear from you down below in the comments 👇

You can also find me and let me know on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook @thepeskyvegan 🌿

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More vegan recipe ideas

If you liked this recipe, you may also enjoy:

• Creamy Jackfruit Curry with Coconut and Lime
• Vegan Biryani with Chickpeas
• Lemony Butter Bean Stew
• Easy Vegan Chana Masala
• Vegan Aubergine Curry
• Pinto Bean Soup with Chilli and Lime
• Aloo Palak (Spinach and Potato Curry)
• Crispy Roasted Black Beans

You can also check out my full list of vegan mains.