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Vegan Black Bean Curry and Basmati Rice in Serving Bowl

Black Bean Curry with Tomatoes and Cashew Cream

The Pesky Vegan
Featuring store cupboard ingredients and flavourful spices, this creamy black bean curry is a quick vegan dinner recipe that's high in protein and gluten-free.
5 from 4 votes
Print Recipe
Prep Time 10 mins
Cook Time 20 mins
Total Time 30 mins
Course Main Course
Cuisine Gluten-free, Vegan
Servings 4
Calories 407 kcal

Ingredients
 

  • 1 tablespoon coconut oil (or other cooking oil)
  • 1 medium onion, finely chopped
  • 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
  • 2 inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped
  • 1 red bell pepper, deseeded and finely sliced
  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1 teaspoon fenugreek
  • 2x 14 oz (400 g) tins tomatoes
  • 2x 14 oz (400 g) tins black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 cup (240 ml) vegan stock or water (plus more if necessary)
  • 3 oz (100 g) fresh spinach (approx. 3 cups)
  • 1 cup (240 ml) cashew cream ('single' cream – see notes)
  • 1 teaspoon garam masala
  • Zest and juice of 1 lime
  • Small handful fresh coriander (optional)
  • Salt to taste

Instructions
 

  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • After 10 minutes, add the spinach, cashew cream, garam masala, lime zest, and lime juice. 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 with chopped fresh coriander leaves. This curry is great alongside boiled basmati rice or vegan pilau rice.
    📸 Recipe steps >
    📖 Table of contents >

Notes

Cashew cream: You can use homemade cashew cream to make a 'single' cream or 'double' cream. In this recipe, the thickness doesn't really matter as you can thin out the sauce as needed with stock or water. If you only want enough cashew cream for this black bean curry, you'll want approx. ½ cup (75 g) raw cashews to ½ cup (120 ml) water, blended thoroughly until very smooth.
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.
Gluten-free: This curry is gluten-free provided you use a vegan stock that is certified or labelled as such (or just use water).
Storage: Store in the fridge for up to four days or freezer for up to six months.
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* The nutrition info below is for one serving, based on a total of four servings.

Nutrition

Calories: 407kcalCarbohydrates: 60gProtein: 20gFat: 13gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gSodium: 874mgPotassium: 1480mgFiber: 18gSugar: 13gVitamin A: 3885IUVitamin C: 72mgCalcium: 165mgIron: 9mg
Nutrition Facts
Black Bean Curry with Tomatoes and Cashew Cream
Amount Per Serving
Calories 407 Calories from Fat 117
% Daily Value*
Fat 13g20%
Saturated Fat 5g31%
Polyunsaturated Fat 2g
Monounsaturated Fat 5g
Sodium 874mg38%
Potassium 1480mg42%
Carbohydrates 60g20%
Fiber 18g75%
Sugar 13g14%
Protein 20g40%
Vitamin A 3885IU78%
Vitamin C 72mg87%
Calcium 165mg17%
Iron 9mg50%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Keyword black bean recipe, vegan curry, vegetarian curry
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