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High protein, bold chili ginger garlic beans with cumin tofu and spicy onion salad. 30 minutes recipe, serve on toast, fries, baked potatoes, in smashed tacos, wraps or bowl. nut-free and gluten-free, 22 grams protein and 10 grams of fiber)

chili garlic beans, onion salad, and whipped tofu in bowls on a black table
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When weeknight dinners feel a little same-old, these chili ginger garlic beans are about to wake things up. They’re saucy, punchy, and layered with heat, balanced by creamy cumin-lime whipped tofu and a quick spicy onion salad. It’s bold, high-protein, and done in about 30 minutes.

Pile them on toast, tuck it into a baked potato, a dip platter, over roasted veg, in a wrap or go full comfort mode over crispy fries. One recipe, many moods. I prepped these and my garlic vinegar chickpeas and serve them in so many ways – watch on my YouTube channel !

dip platter made with the chili garlic beans


We are reimagining Indian food today with beans majestic, a plant-based spin on chicken majestic. If you want a more traditional vegan version of Indian chicken majestic, check out my tofu majestic recipe. It’s super easy and full of flavor!

When people think of Indian food, they tend to think of Indian curries. But Indian cuisine that goes so far beyond curries and other saucy dishes served with flatbread and rice. There are so many creative ways that you can serve classic Indian dishes!

These saucy, chili garlic curry leaf beans are basically taking the sauce inspired from my tofu majestic, simplifying it, and adding beans to it. And it works so beautifully! It’s saucy, spicy, delicious, and pairs really well with lots of different components.

beans on toast made with the chili garlic beans

We make the beans along with a creamy, whipped tofu and pair these with a quick onion ring salad. Then, we’re going to pair these components in lots of different ways: on toast, as a dip, over baked potatoes or crispy potatoes(chili cheese fries style), or as crispy tacos!

chili fries made with the chili garlic beans

Why You’ll Love Chili Garlic Beans

  • 1-pan white beans packed with amazing Indian flavors
  • creamy, curry-inspired, blender tofu whip takes only minutes to make
  • quick pickled onion salad adds tang and crunch
  • versatile! 1 dish can be served 4 or more ways
  • naturally nut-free with easy gluten-free option
baked potatoes topped with the chili garlic beans
crispy tacos made with the chili garlic beans

Chili Garlic Beans (Majestic Beans) with Whipped Tofu and Onion Salad

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By: Vegan Richa
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 20 minutes
Total: 30 minutes
Servings: 4
Course: dinner, Main, Main Course
Cuisine: Indian Fusion
High protein, bold chili ginger garlic beans with cumin tofu and spicy onion salad. 30 minutes recipe, serve on toast, fries, baked potatoes, in smashed tacos, wraps or bowl. nut-free and gluten-free, 22 grams protein and 10 grams of fiber)
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Equipment

Ingredients 
 

For the Chili Garlic Curry Leaf Beans

  • 2 teaspoons oil
  • 1 cup chopped onion
  • 2 hot green chilies, julienned, such as Serrano or Indian chili
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
  • 12 to 14 curry leaves, chopped (fresh or frozen)
  • 1 tablespoon minced garlic
  • 1 tablespoon minced ginger
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons Kashmiri chili powder
  • 2 teaspoons ground coriander
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/2 to 1 teaspoon garam masala
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce, or use tamari for gluten-free
  • 1 tablespoon sambal oelek, or other Asian chili garlic sauce
  • 1 tablespoon lime juice
  • 1/4 cup non-dairy yogurt
  • 15 ounce can white beans, such as cannellini, great northern, navy beans or other beans of choice or use 1 1/2 cups cooked beans
  • 1 cup water, or stock
  • cilantro and lime juice, for garnish

For the Whipped Tofu Cream

  • 14 ounces firm or extra firm tofu, drained
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin, preferably roasted (see notes)
  • 5 to 6 mint leaves, or curry leaves, or basil, or a handful of cilantro
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 tablespoons tahini
  • 2 tablespoons lime juice
  • zest of 1 lime
  • 2 teaspoons maple syrup

For the Onion Ring Salad

  • 1 cup sliced red onion, sliced into rings
  • 1/4 teaspoon Kashmiri chili powder
  • dashes of salt and black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons lime juice
  • 1/2 green chili, minced

Instructions 

Make the beans.

  • Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the oil. Once the oil is hot, add in the onion, green chilies, curry leaves, garlic, ginger, and a good dash of the salt, and mix in. Cook, stirring every minute or so, so the garlic doesn’t turn too brown, until the onion starts to turn golden. 7 to 10 minutes. Add 2 tablespoons of water to bring the temperature of the pan down, then mix in all of the spices for the beans. Then, mix in the soy sauce, sambal oelek, lime juice, and non-dairy yogurt, and bring that to a boil, about a minute.
  • Then add in the 1 cup of water and the beans and the remaining salt. Mix really well, then cover and cook for 10 minutes or longer until the sauce thickens a little bit and the beans pick up some of that flavor from the sauce. Taste and adjust the flavor by adding more salt or more heat if needed. If you want it hotter you can add in some cayenne, because sometimes green chilies aren’t always that hot. Then switch off the heat, garnish with cilantro, and your beans are ready.

Meanwhile, make the whipped tofu cream.

  • Add all of the whipped tofu ingredients to a food processor and process. If the processor needs more liquid, add in some more water 1 to 2 tablespoons at a time until everything starts to move along and the tofu gets whipped and super creamy. It will take about a minute or two of continuous processing to get the tofu really creamy and whipped up. Taste and adjust the flavor, add more salt if needed. You can also add in a little bit of garam masala or cayenne for added flavor to the tofu. Set this aside.

Meanwhile, also make the onion ring salad.

  • Slice up the red onion into rings, and add them to a bowl. Add in the minced green chili, salt, Kashmiri chili powder, black pepper, and lime juice, and toss really well to coat with the spices. Let the onion rings sit. To make them more pickled, you can add in 1 tablespoon of vinegar as well.

Serving Suggestions

  • For beans on toast: toast up some bread, spread a good helping of the whipped tofu cream, top it with some of the chili garlic beans, then some of the onion rings and some crunchy sprouts or chopped nuts or cilantro.
  • As a spread or dip platter: take a good helping of the tofu cream, spread that on a plate, top it with the beans majestic, the pickled onion, some chopped roasted cashews / pumpkin seeds, and a squeeze of lime juice. You can also add pepper flakes or Aleppo pepper flakes on top.
  • On a baked potato: scrub the potatoes really well, poke holes, rub with oil and salt, and bake at 400° F (205° C) for 40 to 45 minutes. Once done, slice them open, and squeeze some of that nice, warm potato out of the skin. Add a little vegan butter, then top with the beans, pickled onion, green onion, and a dollop of whipped tofu. Add chili crisp, as well, if you like.
  • Over crispy potatoes, like chili cheese fries: Top crispy potatoes (recipe in notes) or oven fries with the saucy beans, a good dollop of tofu cream, the onion salad, and some chili crisp. It’s just fabulous and delicious!
  • For crispy tacos: warm some tortillas in the microwave for 10 seconds or so, so that they are pliable. Mash some of the beans, and add them to one side of each tortilla, then fold over so they stick. Brush with oil, then pan fry or bake using the directions from my ricotta tacos. Serve with pico de gallo, whipped tofu cream, or hot sauce.

Video

Notes

Chili garlic beans are naturally nut-free, as long as you use nut-free non-dairy yogurt, and easily made gluten-free with gluten-free tamari instead of soy sauce. 
Nutrition includes the whipped tofu and the beans.
For the crispy potatoes: Scrub and chop 3 russet potatoes into thin strips. Wash and soak them in cold water while you finish chopping. Rinse well to remove excess starch, then drain and dry thoroughly. Transfer to a bowl, add 2 teaspoons oil, and toss well to coat. Mix 2 teaspoons of cornstarch and dashes of salt and black pepper together in a small bowl, and sprinkle that over the potatoes, tossing to coat again. Air fry at 370° F (188° C) for about 8 minutes, then stir and continue for another 4 minutes or longer until crispy. Or bake at 375° F (191° C) for 15 minutes, stir, and bake for 8 to 10 more minutes, or longer, until crispy.
Make your own roasted ground cumin: Toast cumin seeds on a skillet for 2-4 min until they change color significantly, then grind them in a spice grinder. 

Nutrition

Calories: 348kcal, Carbohydrates: 44g, Protein: 22g, Fat: 11g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g, Monounsaturated Fat: 4g, Sodium: 845mg, Potassium: 751mg, Fiber: 10g, Sugar: 8g, Vitamin A: 458IU, Vitamin C: 81mg, Calcium: 289mg, Iron: 6mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Did you make this recipe? Rate and comment below!
beans majestic ingredients

Ingredients

  • oil – To sauté.
  • aromatics – Onion, hot green chilies, garlic, and ginger add a ton of flavor to the beans! Onion is also the base for the crunchy salad, and some hot green chili adds heat and flavor.
  • herbs and spices – For the beans, you need curry leaves, Kashmiri chili powder, coriander, black pepper, and garam masala. The tofu whip uses ground cumin and mint leaves, curry leaves, basil, or cilantro. For the onion salad, you need Kashmiri chili powder, salt, and black pepper.
  • sauces – The beans get even more flavor from soy sauce, Asian chili garlic sauce, and lime juice. For the tofu cream, you need tahini, lime juice, and maple syrup. For gluten-free, use gluten-free tamari or coconut aminos. The onion salad gets tang from lime juice and optional white vinegar, if you want them to have more of a pickled flavor profile.
  • non-dairy yogurt – Makes the chili garlic sauce for the beans creamy. Choose nut-free, if needed.
  • white beans – Use canned or homemade white beans of choice.
  • garnishes – Garnish the beans with cilantro and lime juice.
  • tofu – This is the base for the whipped tofu cream.
  • lime zest – Deepens the flavor of the whipped tofu cream.

💡Tips

  • While the beans simmer in the covered pan, make the tofu cream and the onion ring salad.
  • Depending on your tofu and your food processor, you may need to add some water to get the tofu cream to whip up nice and smooth.
  • The onion ring salad’s flavor deepens as it sits, so you can make it first and set aside, if you prefer.

How to Make Beans Majestic

Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the oil. Once the oil is hot, add in the onion, green chilies, curry leaves, garlic, ginger, and a good dash of the salt, and mix in. Cook, stirring every minute or so, so the garlic doesn’t turn too brown, until the onion starts to turn golden. Add 2 tablespoons of water to bring the temperature of the pan down, then mix in all of the spices for the beans.

adding aromatics to the pan
adding spices to the pan

Then, mix in the soy sauce, sambal oelek, lime juice, and non-dairy yogurt, and bring that to a boil, about a minute.

adding sauces to the pan
adding yogurt to the pan

Then add in the 1 cup of water and the beans and the remaining salt. Mix really well, then cover and cook for 10 minutes or longer until the sauce thickens a little bit and the beans pick up some of that flavor from the sauce. Taste and adjust the flavor by adding more salt or more heat if needed. If you want it hotter you can add in some cayenne, because sometimes green chilies aren’t always that hot. Then switch off the heat, garnish with cilantro, and your beans are ready.

adding chickpeas to the pan
adding whipped tofu ingredients to the food processor

Meanwhile, add all of the whipped tofu ingredients to a food processor and process. If the processor needs more liquid, add in some more water 1 to 2 tablespoons at a time until everything starts to move along and the tofu gets whipped and super creamy. It will take about a minute or two of continuous processing to get the tofu really creamy and whipped up. Taste and adjust the flavor, add more salt if needed. You can also add in a little bit of garam masala or cayenne for added flavor to the tofu. Set this aside.

adding whipped tofu ingredients to the food processor
whipped tofu in the food processor after running it

Slice up the red onion into rings, and add them to a bowl. Add in the minced green chili, salt, Kashmiri chili powder, black pepper, and lime juice, and toss really well to coat with the spices.

adding onion salad ingredients to a bowl
onion salad after mixing

Let the onion rings sit. To make them more pickled, you can add in 1 tablespoon of vinegar as well.

chili garlic beans, onion salad, and whipped tofu in bowls on a black table

How to Serve Chili Garlic Beans

For beans on toast: toast up some bread, spread a good helping of the whipped tofu cream, top it with some of the chili garlic beans, then some of the onion rings and some crunchy sprouts or chopped nuts or cilantro.

beans on toast made with the chili garlic beans

As a spread or dip platter: take a good helping of the tofu cream, spread that on a plate, top it with the beans majestic, the pickled onion, some chopped roasted cashews, and a squeeze of lime juice. You can also add pepper flakes or Aleppo pepper flakes on top.

dip platter made with the chili garlic beans

On a baked potato: scrub the potatoes really well, poke holes, rub with oil and salt, and bake at 400° F (205° C) for 40 to 45 minutes. Once done, slice them open, and squeeze some of that nice, warm potato out of the skin. Add a little vegan butter, then top with the beans, pickled onion, green onion, and a dollop of whipped tofu. Add chili crisp, as well, if you like.

baked potatoes topped with the chili garlic beans

Over crispy potatoes, like chili cheese fries: Top crispy potatoes (recipe in notes) or oven fries with the saucy beans, a good dollop of tofu cream, the onion salad, and some chili crisp. It’s just fabulous and delicious!

chili fries made with the chili garlic beans

For crispy tacos: warm some tortillas in the microwave for 10 seconds or so, so that they are pliable. Mash some of the beans, and add them to one side of each tortilla, then fold over so they stick. Brush with oil, then pan fry or bake using the directions from my ricotta tacos. Serve with pico de gallo, whipped tofu cream, or hot sauce.

crispy tacos made with the chili garlic beans

Frequently Asked Questions

Is this recipe allergy friendly?

The garlic beans recipe is gluten-free and nutfree. It can be made soyfree by omitting soy sauce

About Richa

Hi, I'm Richa! I create flavorful plant based recipes that are inspired by my Indian upbringing, including many gluten-free, soy-free, and oil-free options.

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