You’ve probably heard of chicken tikka masala, but did you know it’s possible to create an entirely plant-based version of this dish, without compromising on taste? By replacing chicken with butter beans, you’ll create a tasty, protein-packed curry that makes for a great weeknight meal.

Tikka curry, a beloved dish with roots in South Asian cuisine, is known for its rich, spiced tomato-based sauce. Traditionally, the term “tikka” refers to marinated and grilled chunks, often of meat or paneer, cooked in a spiced gravy. This vegan take on tikka curry transforms the classic, substituting butter beans to maintain a hearty texture while preserving the bold, aromatic flavors that define the dish. It’s perfect for those seeking a comforting evening meal.

This butter bean tikka curry comes from Sasha Gill’s cookbook East Meets Vegan. The spices really make this dish, so make sure to include all of them if you can.

Vegan butter bean tikka curry

Butter beans are one of my favorite beans. They are hearty and–for want of a better word–buttery. Their starchiness works well in this tikka curry, but if you prefer a different bean, feel free to substitute.

A bowl of vegan butter bean curry next to some naan

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Cook Time25

Prep Time20

Servings

Ingredients

70 g vegan yogurt
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 inch ginger, finely chopped
1/2 tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp garam masala
¼ tsp chili powder
½ tsp salt
Two 425g cans butter beans, drained

Tikka curry

1 tsp vegetable oil
1 large white onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 inches ginger, finely chopped
1 bay leaf
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
½ tsp ground cinnamon
1 tbsp plus 1 teaspoon garam masala
2 tsp smoked paprika
2 tbsp tomato paste
3 large tomatoes, chopped, or 1 cup (250 ml) tomato passata
25 g chopped cilantro stems
70 g vegan yogurt
1 tbsp plus 1 tsp rice syrup
1 tsp lemon juice
Naan breads or rice, to serve

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C) and grease a baking sheet. In a large bowl, mix together the yogurt, garlic, ginger, turmeric, garam masala, chili powder and salt. Add the butter beans and stir to coat well, then transfer onto a baking sheet and bake for 15–17 minutes, until the beans start to look dry and a bit crisper.
Meanwhile, for the tikka curry, heat the oil in a large nonstick saucepan over medium heat. Fry the onion, garlic and ginger for about 2 minutes, until fragrant and the onions have softened. Add the bay leaf and spices and fry for another minute until aromatic. Next, add the tomato paste, chopped tomatoes and cilantro stems, then cover and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and let it simmer, covered, for 5 minutes.Add the beans when they’re ready, along with the yogurt, syrup and lemon juice. Bring back to a boil, then remove from the heat.
Serve warm, with naan breads or rice.

Recipe from East Meets Vegan: The Best of Asian Home Cooking, Plant-Based and Delicious © Sasha Gill, 2019. Reprinted by permission of the publisher, The Experiment. Available everywhere books are sold. experimentpublishing.com.