Black bean curry is full of irresistible flavors from the fragrant warm spices that envelop the black beans in a sauce made of tomato and coconut milk.

I absolutely love a homemade curry that is quick, hearty, nutritious, and filling. This easy black bean curry is exactly that. I've made it several times over the last couple of weeks to ensure that I give you the best recipe. Each time, I've received comments like "that was epic" or "that is so good". Those words are music to my ears.
I usually serve it on a bed of basmati rice with peas or with turmeric and a side of cucumber onion salad.
The whole meal is indeed epic. In fact, I now do these pairings with most of my other vegan curries, such as my peanut butter and coconut milk curry, lentil chickpea coconut curry or my sweet potato spinach chickpea curry, all of which are so flavorsome. I'm trying to stick to one weeknight where curry is served.
Key Ingredients

The complete list of ingredients with measurements, can be found in the full recipe card below.
I didn't have any dry black beans, so I used two cans of organic black beans. I rinsed and drained them before adding them to the curry, which equals 2¾ cups. This homemade black bean dip is also a great way to use up this ingredient.
I diced fresh onions and tomatoes small, and crushed fresh garlic, which I softened in water instead of oil (you can use oil if you prefer). I don't miss it in this curry recipe.
To reduce the acidity of the tomatoes and tomato paste, I added a little coconut sugar, but any type of sugar will work.
The creamy component is from the addition of a whole can of coconut milk to the sauce.
The Spices
As mentioned, I love making weeknight curries, so ground spices are my go-to and these include:
Ginger, cumin, coriander, turmeric, chili flakes and garam masala.
I do love to see some specks of green in this dish as I feel the color needs a little contrast, so I also use a few sprigs of cilantro (fresh coriander) - oh yum!
The Steps
Over medium-high heat, add a couple of tablespoons of oil in a pot and add the diced onions, sweat until lightly golden, then add in the diced tomatoes and soften until most of the tomatoes are mushy.
Add a few more tablespoons of water as needed to avoid dryness.
Stir through the crushed fresh garlic for about a minute then add the tomato paste, sugar, salt and spices.
Continuously stir these for another minute, if you need to add more spoonfuls of water do so.
Add the black beans, chopped cilantro (fresh coriander) water and coconut milk.
Give it a stir, cover and bring it to a soft boil, then turn the heat down to medium-low and simmer for 15-20 minutes.
The sauce will thicken slight whilst simmering. Serve warm over a bed of rice.
Janelle’s Tips
The coconut milk is added last when making this black bean curry and should not curdle.
Did you make this? I'd love to know! Leave me a comment below with a ★★★★★ star rating or tag @plantbasedfolk on social media.
Recipe
Black Bean Curry
Ingredients
- 1 medium Onion finely diced
- 3 medium Tomatoes finely diced
- 4 cloves Garlic crushed
- 3 tablespoons Tomato paste
- 2 cans Black Beans
- 4 sprigs Cilantro chopped (fresh coriander)
- 2 cups Water
- 1 can Coconut milk
Spices and Seasonings
- 1 teaspoon Sugar I used coconut sugar
- 1 teaspoon Ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon Ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon Ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon Garam masala
- 1 teaspoon Ground Turmeric
- 1 teaspoon Chili flakes
- 2 teaspoon Salt or to taste
Instructions
- Heat a couple of tablespoons of water (see below note #1) in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add diced onions and sauté until they turn golden. Next, add diced tomatoes and cook until they soften and become mostly mushy, adding a splash of water if necessary to prevent sticking.1 medium Onion, 3 medium Tomatoes
- Stir in crushed garlic and cook for about a minute before adding tomato paste, sugar, salt, and spices. Keep stirring for another minute, adding a little more water if needed to ensure no sticking occurs.4 cloves Garlic, 3 tablespoons Tomato paste, 1 teaspoon Sugar, 1 teaspoon Ground ginger, 1 teaspoon Ground cumin, 1 teaspoon Ground coriander, 1 teaspoon Garam masala, 1 teaspoon Ground Turmeric, 1 teaspoon Chili flakes, 2 teaspoon Salt
- Now, add the black beans, chopped cilantro (fresh coriander), water, and coconut milk. Stir everything together, cover, and bring the mixture to a gentle boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and let it simmer for 15-20 minutes until the sauce thickens slightly. Serve this creamy black bean curry warm over a bed of rice for a satisfying and hearty meal.2 cans Black Beans, 4 sprigs Cilantro, 2 cups Water, 1 can Coconut milk
Video
Notes
Nutrition
N.B., nutrition info is an estimate based on an online nutrition calculator. This will vary based on the specific ingredients you use.
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