Easy Creamy Black Bean Curry

Black beans simmer in a spiced tomato sauce with coconut milk until thick and creamy, then finish with garam masala and fresh cilantro for an extra burst of flavor. Serve it over rice or scoop it up with naan for an easy, hearty, plant-based dinner that tastes even better the next day.

It's not a traditional Indian curry, but it's inspired by Indian spices and layered with flavor so every bite is savory, cozy, and satisfying. It's vegan, dairy-free, oil-free, and easy to customize.  Adjust the heat, add extra veggies, or use whatever you have on hand.

For more flavor-packed curry dishes, try easy butter bean curry, vegan potato curry, red lentil dahl, vegan yellow chickpea curry, or squash chickpea curry.

Recipe features

• A creamy, cozy, and comforting curry with rich coconut milk
• Weeknight-friendly and ready in about 40 minutes
• Vegan, dairy-free, plant-based, and oil-free
• Great for meal prep (leftovers taste even better)
• Easy to customize with extra veggies or your preferred spice level

Ingredient notes and substitutions

Please see the vegan black bean curry recipe card below for the full list of ingredients and exact measurements.

Black beans - Two cans of black beans are needed for the recipe.  If you want to cook beans from scratch, use 3 cups of cooked black beans.  Make sure the beans are cooked before adding them to the recipe.  In place of the black beans, try chickpeas or kidney beans.  For more black bean recipes, try vegan fajita bowls or crispy tofu bowls. 

Diced tomatoes -  Don't drain the can of tomatoes; some of the liquid for the recipe comes from the tomatoes.  I didn't test with crushed or fresh tomatoes, so I can't say for sure how well they'd work.

Jalapeño pepper - To make the dish less spicy, remove the seeds and ribs of the pepper.  To make it spicier, try a Serrano pepper.

Onion, garlic, and fresh ginger - Any type of onion should work fine; we typically use a yellow onion.  If you're not a big fan of garlic, use fewer garlic cloves.  If you don't cook with fresh ginger often, you can freeze it to keep it longer.  Peel the ginger root, stick it in a freezer-safe bag, and freeze.  Then, when you're ready to use it, grate it with a microplane.  There's no need to thaw.

Tamari- The tamari adds a nice depth of flavor, but it can be substituted with a low-sodium soy sauce.  Regular soy sauce may be too salty.

Coconut milk - Full-fat coconut milk will give the curried black beans a richer, creamier texture, but light coconut milk can also be used for a lighter version.

Cumin seeds - This adds a more distinctive flavor to dishes than its ground form.  

Garam masala - If you can't find garam masala, it can be purchased online.  Some brands vary their spice blend, but it usually includes cinnamon, mace, peppercorns, coriander seeds, cumin seeds, and cardamom pods.  Finishing the dish with garam masala adds a lot of flavor; it's best not skip it.

Smoked paprika - This adds a hint of smokiness to the dish.

Ground coriander- Don't skip this; a lot of the flavor will come from this ground spice.

Turmeric - I opt for ground turmeric for convenience.  If you don't have it on hand, it can be left out.

Fresh cilantro - Chop a handful of fresh cilantro to make a few tablespoons.  Only use the tender parts of the stems and leaves; discard the woody ends.

How to make black bean curry

1. Start the creamy bean curry recipe by dicing the onion, jalapeños, and prepping the garlic and ginger.  Measure out the spices to make the cooking process go more smoothly. For oil-free cooking, keep a small glass of water nearby to deglaze the pan if ingredients are sticking too much during cooking.

2. In a large sauté pan with a lid, cook the diced onion with a pinch of salt over medium heat.  Once the onion is translucent, add the cumin seeds and cook for about 1 to 2 minutes.  For oil-free cooking, add a splash of water if the onion starts sticking, and turn down the heat if needed.  (Or cook the onion in a neutral-tasting oil.)

3. Add garlic, chili, and fresh ginger, then cook for about 30 seconds to 1 minute.

4. Add the ground coriander, smoked paprika, and ground turmeric, and stir into the onions.  Cook for about 30 seconds to 1 minute.

5. Add the can of diced tomatoes (do not drain) and scrape up any cooked-on bits at the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon or silicone spatula.

6. Add the drained black beans, coconut milk, tamari, and salt.  Bring to a boil and lower to a simmer.  Cook covered for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

7. If the curry is too watery, remove the lid and cook for another 5 minutes.  Lite or reduced-fat coconut milk can create a thinner curry than full-fat.  In this case, to make the curry thicker, blend roughly ¼ to ½ cup of the curry using an immersion blender or regular blender (if using this method, add back to the curry once blended).

8. Add the garam masala, then taste and adjust. Top with chopped fresh cilantro and serve.

Variations

Pops of brightness - Add a splash of lemon or lime juice once the curry is done cooking.

Thicker curry - Use an immersion blender to blend a small amount of the curry and stir to combine.  Start with ¼ to ½ cup.

Fresh spinach or shredded kale - Stir in at the end of cooking until the greens have wilted.

Roasted vegetables - Add at the end of cooking, such as roasted cauliflower florets or roasted cubed sweet potatoes.

Sweet potatoes - Stir in 2 cups of uncooked, peeled, ½-inch-cubed sweet potatoes after you add the spices, then continue with the recipe.  They'll take around 15 to 20 minutes to cook.

Fresh cauliflower - Add a handful of fresh cauliflower florets, cut into bite-sized pieces, after you add the black beans and coconut milk.

Storage

Refrigerator - Store leftover curry in an airtight container for about 5 days in the refrigerator.  

Freezer - It can also be frozen for about 3 months in a freezer-safe container.  If you serve it with rice, don't freeze it with rice. 

Reheat - Thaw overnight in the refrigerator (if frozen) and warm through in the microwave or in a saucepan on the stovetop.  While reheating the leftover curry on the stovetop, keep the lid on to help prevent excessive liquid evaporation.  If it does become too thick, add a little water or vegetable broth to thin it out.

Serving suggestions

This black bean curry is cozy, filling, and easy to build into a meal. Serve it with basmati rice, jasmine rice, brown rice, cilantro lime brown rice, cauliflower rice, or naan.  As a side, try roasted cauliflower or steamed broccoli.

Related recipes

• Curry butternut squash chickpea soup
• Creamy butter bean curry

I hope you enjoy the recipe!  If you did, feel free to rate it and leave a comment.