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    Hungry Healthy Happy » Recipes » Curry

    Easy Three Bean Curry

    Published: Nov 21, 2018 · Modified: Aug 4, 2021 by Dannii · This post may contain affiliate links · 35 Comments

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    Jump to Recipe
    Diet: Low Fat / Vegan
    Easy three bean curry with a text title overlay.

    * This is a sponsored post for Birds Eye *
    This Three Bean Curry is super easy, comforting and made using store cupboard and freezer ingredients. The ultimate kitchen raid meal, so it's perfect for a healthy meal on a budget. It's vegan, gluten-free and oh so delicious. What makes this bean curry so easy is the frozen Birds Eye Mexican Bean Mix we used in it - great for busy families.

    Two bowls of curry and rice with orange and purple towels.

    When it starts to get colder, a wholesome, comforting curry will always go down well. It's total autumn comfort food! This is a protein packed vegan curry that is so easy to adapt, so you can make this exact recipe as a base and then add in a few different ingredients to make everyone happy. That's better than making separate meals for everyone.

    You can add more or less chilli depending on how spicy you like it, or you could even throw some spinach or kale in a few minutes before it is finished for a green veggie boost.

    Jump to:
    • Why should you try it?
    • What you will need
    • Step by step
    • Using beans in curries
    • FAQs
    • Extra tips
    • More vegan recipes
    • Recipe
    • Feedback

    Why should you try it?

    • Vegan
    • Protein Packed
    • Easy to make
    • Under 300 calories
    • Easy to adapt
    • Freezes well

    What you will need

    • Bean mix - We used a frozen Mexican bean mix as it gives a good variety, Kidney beans, chickpeas and black beans, but you could use an mix of beans that you have. Butterbeansare one of our favourites to use.
    • Shallots, garlic and ginger - These are the base of the curry sauce.
    • Curry powder, chilli and cumin - These are what give the curry its spice and flavour. You can alter the amount of chilli to suit your taste. You can also use your favourite spice blend or just some simple Garam Masala.
    • Tomatoes - A tin of good quality chopped tomatoes is used here.
    • Coconut milk - Light coconut milk is perfect, but you can use full fat. It will change the nutritional values though.
    • Stock - We used a vegetable stock to keep this a vegan curry.
    Al the ingredients needed for this recipe on a wooden surface.

    Step by step

    One: Heat a little oil in a large pan and add the shallots. Cook on low for 2 minutes, stirring constantly.

    A large red pan with cooked shallots.

    Two: Add the garlic, ginger and chilli, stir and cook for 1 minute.

    A large red pan with cooked shallots, chopped red chili and minced garlic and ginger.

    Three: Add the curry powder, salt and pepper and cumin seeds and stir.

    A large red pan with cooked shallots, chili, garlic, ginger and curry powder.

    Four: Put the Birds Eye Bean Mix in the pan and mix well.

    A large red pan with cooked shallots, chili, garlic, ginger, curry powder and mixed beans.

    Five: Add the chopped tomatoes, coconut milk and vegetable stock.

    A large red pan showing chopped tomatoes and mixed beans.

    Six: Stir and simmer for 10 minutes.

    A large red pan containing three bean curry.

    Seven: Serve with rice (optional).

    A bag of Birdsey Mexican Bean Mix next to two bowls of curry.

    Birds Eye Mexican Bean Mix

    The star of the show in this curry is the 3 bean mix and instead of opening 3 different tins of beans we used the Birds Eye Mexican Bean Mix which is now a freezer staple for us and saves us so much time.

    A mix of red kidney beans, black beans and chickpeas, one portion of the bean mix provides one of your recommended 5 daily portions of fruit and vegetables. It is a rich source of protein and it contains plenty of fibre.

    Not only is the bean mix full of goodness, but it's really convenient too. You can just keep a bag in your freezer and add it to stews, chilli, casseroles and hearty salads.

    This Mexican Bean Mix is ready to cook from frozen in 4 minutes, so you can free yourself from soaking dry beans overnight or draining tins - perfect for a busy family that still wants healthy and protein packed meals.

    It's not just the Mexican Bean Mix that is available - Birds Eye have a whole range of convenient pulses including a Chickpea and Spinach Mix and Italian 3 Bean Mix (which is great in a spaghetti sauce) with a RRP of just £2 - you can find them in the frozen aisle at larger Tesco & Asda stores and Ocado.

    As they are poured straight from the bag in your freezer, you can use as little or as much as required and waste less compared to the tinned alternatives usually found on supermarket shelves.

    An open bag of Birdseye Mexican Bean Mix with contents spilled out.

    Using beans in curries

    We are big on beans in general. As we try to limit the amount of meat we eat, we turn to beans for a protein boost, to bulk out our meals and add lots of flavour. If you think beans are boring, then you haven't been eating them the right way.

    There is so much to love about beans beyond their versatility. They are high in fibre, potassium and can help to reduce cholesterol and blood pressure, so they are a must in a healthy diet in our opinion and they are the perfect addition to a vegan curry.

    We kept it pretty simple when it came to the herbs and spices, as I didn't want this to be a recipe that you had to buy new ingredients for. This is all about using up what is in your cupboard, so we tried to keep it to ones that you would probably already have. Feel free to switch and swap them though.

    In my opinion a bean curry with coconut milk is a must. Creamy curries are the best kind of curries and by using coconut you add a load of flavour, but you can keep it vegan.

    Sure, coconut milk is a little high in calories, but it's totally worth it in my opinion. We just used a little, as it goes a long way.

    A bowl of bean Curry with rice. Chopped coriander on top.

    What to serve with it.

    We served ours with some simple turmeric rice, which is just basmati rice boiled with a little turmeric in it. If you want some extra carbs, and something to mop up the extra curry sauce, then make some of our Easy 3 Ingredient Homemade Flatbreads.

    FAQs

    Can you freeze bean curry?

    Curry is the ultimate batch cook and freeze meal. We made a lot of them to freeze when I was pregnant and they were a life saver. Sure, we ordered a few takeaways during those first few sleepless nights, but they saved us from ordering every night. Curry freezes really well and you can even freeze some cooked rice with it so you have a meal ready to go.

    Extra tips

    • If you wanted to lower the calories and skip the coconut milk, add in some vegan cream fraiche (we love the Oatly brand) to keep it vegan and creamy.
    • You don't have to have this as a vegan curry. Make this recipe as a base and then add some leftover or freshly grilled chicken or even some halloumi or paneer.
    • Get your greens! Throw some spinach and kale in to this to give it a green veggie boost.

    More vegan recipes

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      Easy Vegetable Stir Fry
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      One Pot Orzo Soup
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      Ratatouille
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    If you’ve tried this or any other recipe on the blog then let us know how you got on in the comments below, we love hearing from you!
    Tag us in your creations on Instagram @hungryhealthyhappy - we love sharing photos when people make our recipes. You can use the hashtag #hungryhealthyhappy too.

    DON’T FORGET TO RATE THE RECIPE ↓

    Recipe

    A bowl of easy three bean curry in a light blue bowl. Two towels in the background

    Three Bean Curry

    By: Dannii
    This Three Bean Curry is super easy, comforting and made using store cupboard and freezer ingredients. It's vegan, gluten-free and perfect for a healthy meal on a budget.
    the words low fat in a white circle.
    Low Fat
    An illustration of a v-shaped plant in a pot.
    Vegan
    4.86 from 41 votes
    Pin Print Save recipe Recipe saved!
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: Indian
    Prep: 5 mins
    Cook: 14 mins
    Total: 19 mins
    Servings: 2 people
    Calories: 277kcal
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Ingredients

    • 1 tablespoon Olive oil
    • 3 Shallots - diced
    • 2 Garlic clove - crushed
    • 15 g (0.5 oz) Fresh ginger - finely chopped
    • 0.5 (0.5) Red chilli - small; finely chopped
    • 2 tablespoon Curry powder
    • 0.5 teaspoon (0.5 teaspoon) Cumin seeds
    • 1 pinch Sea salt and black pepper
    • 200 g (7 oz) Birds Eye Mexican Bean Mix
    • 400 g (14 oz) Chopped tomatoes - canned
    • 100 ml (0.5 cups) Light coconut milk
    • 100 ml (0.5 cups) Vegetable stock
    • Coriander and rice - for serving

    Instructions

    • Heat 1 tablespoon Olive oil in a large pan and add 3 Shallots. Cook on low for 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
    • Add 2 Garlic clove, 15 g Fresh ginger and 0.5 Red chilli, stir and cook for 1 minute.
    • Add 2 tablespoon Curry powder, 1 pinch Sea salt and black pepper and 0.5 teaspoon Cumin seeds and stir.
    • Put 200 g Birds Eye Mexican Bean Mix in the pan and mix well.
    • Add 400 g Chopped tomatoes, 100 ml Light coconut milk and 100 ml Vegetable stock.
    • Stir and simmer for 10 minutes.
    • Serve with Coriander and rice.

    Notes

    • If you wanted to lower the calories and skip the coconut milk, add in some vegan cream fraiche (we love the Oatly brand) to keep it vegan and creamy.
    • You don't have to have this as a vegan curry. Make this recipe as a base and then add some leftover or freshly grilled chicken or even some halloumi or paneer.
    • Get your greens! Throw some spinach and kale in to this to give it a green veggie boost.

    Nutritional Information

    Serving: 1portion | Calories: 277kcal | Carbohydrates: 40g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Sodium: 538mg | Potassium: 634mg | Fiber: 16g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 510IU | Vitamin C: 39.4mg | Calcium: 111mg | Iron: 4.7mg
    DisclaimerThe nutritional information provided is approximate and is calculated using online tools. Information can vary depending on various factors, but we have endeavoured to be as accurate as possible.

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Liz

      March 18, 2019 at 1:02 am

      5 stars
      You really can't go wrong with curry! I love that all these beans actually keep me full!

      Reply
    2. Cristie

      March 17, 2019 at 11:22 pm

      5 stars
      I love a good curry. So convenient to have in the freezer for those days when you don't feel like cooking. Cant wait to try this now.

      Reply
    3. Rosa

      March 17, 2019 at 10:52 pm

      5 stars
      This looks super hearty and delicious. Will definitely be giving this a try. Thanks for sharing.

      Reply
    4. Valentina

      March 17, 2019 at 9:37 pm

      5 stars
      I totally agree that curry is a great cold weather flavor. It's so warming, and with he beans it sound really delicious! (Love your brightly colored cloths in the pics!)

      Reply
    5. Mary

      March 17, 2019 at 8:49 pm

      5 stars
      I love cooking with beans! They're pack such a nutritious punch! This looks wonderful!

      Reply
    6. Beth Neels

      December 04, 2018 at 2:58 pm

      5 stars
      I just love the robust flavor of curries! I can literally smell this one through the TV screen! Those Bird's Eye beans are so convenient! I can't wait to try this whole meal!

      Reply
    7. Julia

      December 04, 2018 at 2:40 pm

      5 stars
      What a great recipe for winter! And so easy to make!

      Reply
    8. Mary Bostow

      December 04, 2018 at 1:45 pm

      5 stars
      Oh I adore curry! This looks absolutely amazing and definitely perfect for a cold day!

      Reply
    9. Sharon Chen

      December 04, 2018 at 1:36 pm

      5 stars
      Wow yummy, quick and easy! I'll try this soon :)

      Reply
    10. Cliona Keane

      December 04, 2018 at 1:15 pm

      5 stars
      This looks like perfect comfort food! I wouldn't have thought to use a bean mix like the one you've used here from Birdseye, what a great idea!

      Reply
    11. Ellen

      November 28, 2018 at 1:02 pm

      What a great way to warm up on a cold winter's day! Definitely putting this on the menu when temps drop.

      Reply
    12. Helen of Fuss Free Flavours

      November 28, 2018 at 12:09 pm

      5 stars
      I love the frozen bean mixes, so versatile and easy to control portion sizes. This is a great use of them, so easy and quick to make. Perfect for a mid-week meal.

      Reply
    13. kim

      November 28, 2018 at 12:08 pm

      5 stars
      What a delicious meal! I know my whole family will love this!

      Reply
    14. Bintu | Recipes From A Pantry

      November 28, 2018 at 11:23 am

      5 stars
      That frozen mix looks so handy to have for quick and easy weeknight recipes such as these. This curry looks so delicious!

      Reply
    15. Krista

      November 24, 2018 at 6:55 pm

      5 stars
      I love the three beans in here! I have to make this for my family very soon!

      Reply
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