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Saag butter beans — creamy spinach curry with melt-in-your-mouth beans and lots of amazing Indian spices — is a hearty, veggie-forward main dish that’s just got an incredible flavor and texture! What makes it really special is the crispy garlic chili oil tempering that you drizzle on top. Serve with rice, naan, flatbread, or sourdough for an easy, flavorful meal. Gluten-free soyfree and nutfree

saag butter beans in the pan after cooking
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I finally got some butter beans to use in this simple saag. Saag basically means greens, and the most common saag uses mustard greens. For this saag we use spinach to make a really flavorful spinach curry with a set of spices for the authentic flavor. If you don’t have every single spice listed here, use whichever spices you have, and it will still turn out amazing. 

close-up of the saag so you can really see the tempering

To get the right texture for the greens, use frozen spinach and pulse it in the food processor while it’s still frozen. That gives it this coarsely chopped texture which I really love in my saag. If you don’t like any texture in your saag, you can puree the spinach with some water or non-dairy milk and use that mixture.

Choose whichever method you like for preparing your saag. Whether the texture is chunky, chopped, or smooth, it will taste amazing, especially with these creamy butter beans and savory tempering!

saag butter beans in the pan with a piece of flatbread

Why You’ll Love Saag Butter Beans

  • creamy butter beans in a deeply seasoned spinach curry sauce
  • crispy chili garlic tempering oil adds even more flavor and amazing texture
  • easy to make with any greens you like
  • simple, 1-pan meal ready in about half an hour
  • naturally gluten-free, soy-free, and nut-free
saag butter beans on a plate with flatbread on the side

More Indian Saag Recipes

Saag Butter Beans

5 from 8 votes
By: Vegan Richa
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 25 minutes
Total: 35 minutes
Servings: 4
Course: dinner, Main, Main Course
Cuisine: Indian
Saag butter beans — creamy spinach curry with melt-in-your-mouth beans and lots of amazing Indian spices — is a hearty, veggie-forward main dish that’s just got an incredible flavor and texture! What makes it really special is the crispy garlic chili oil tempering that you drizzle on top. Serve with rice, naan, flatbread, or sourdough for an easy, flavorful meal.
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Ingredients 
 

  • 1 teaspoon oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1" cinnamon stick
  • 2 teaspoons ground coriander
  • 1/2 teaspoon Kashmiri chili powder, or use paprika
  • 1/2 to 1 teaspoon garam masala
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried fenugreek leaves
  • 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 cup chopped red onion
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
  • 1 tablespoon ginger garlic paste, or use 4 cloves of garlic and 1/2 inch of ginger, minced
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste, or ketchup or use 3 tablespoons tomato puree.
  • 7 to 8 ounces frozen spinach, or finely chopped fresh greens of choice, such as a mix of mustard greens, amaranth greens, chard, and spinach *
  • 1/4 cup non-dairy yogurt, or use non-dairy cream, such as cashew cream or vegan sour cream
  • 1 cup water, or non-dairy milk
  • 15 ounce can butter beans, or use other white beans, such as cannellini beans, or use chickpeas
  • pepper flakes and vegan parmesan, for garnish

For the Garlic Chili Oil Tadka

  • 1 teaspoon oil
  • 1 whole red chili, broken in half, use hot chilies such as cayenne or Indian or mild such as California red or Kashmiri chili
  • 1 clove garlic, thinly sliced

Instructions 

  • Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add the cumin seeds and cook until they’re very fragrant and change color to be evenly dark brown. This can take anywhere from 1 to 3 minutes. Then, add in the bay leaves and cinnamon stick and mix in for 10 seconds or so, then mix in the ground spices. If the spices are starting to smoke, reduce the heat to medium low. Mix for just a few seconds, and mix in the onion and 1/4 teaspoon of the salt.
  • Increase the heat to medium again, and continue to cook, adding splashes of water as needed, until the onion is starting to turn brown and has picked up the spices. This will take anywhere from 6 to 8 minutes. Once the onion is nicely roasted, mix in the ginger garlic paste, tomato paste, and a splash of water. Add the remaining salt, and mix in and cook for a minute, then stir in the non-dry yogurt, spinach and water and mix. then add in the beans. Mix well, then cover and cook for 6 to 8 minutes.
  • Taste and adjust the salt, flavor, and texture. If the saag is too thick, you can add some more non-dairy milk at this point. Or, if you want it thicker, then continue to cook, uncovered, for a minute or two. Garnish with some pepper flakes and vegan parmesan, and make the tempering/tadka .

Make the garlic chili oil tadka.

  • Heat the oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, break the red chili in half and add to the oil and let it cook until it starts to change color. Add the garlic, mix in, and switch off the heat. There will be enough residual heat in the oil to cook the garlic slices, if the garlic slices were pretty thin. If they’re thicker and not cooking down, continue to cook over medium-low heat for a minute or two before switching off the heat.
  • Once the garlic is starting to turn golden on some of the edges, stir really well and drop this onto the saag beans. Served these beans with naan, flatbread, or roti or served over rice. You can also serve spooned onto sourdough for an elevated beans on toast. 

Video

Notes

Adding in a splash of water while cooking the onions will keep the spices from burning and help the onions cook evenly.
This recipe is gluten free. It’s also nut-free and soy-free as long as you use nut-free and/or soy-free non-dairy yogurt, vegan parmesan, and non-dairy milk.
* For mustard greens. See my Saag Cornbread Casserole for how to prep and chop the greens. 

Nutrition

Calories: 154kcal, Carbohydrates: 25g, Protein: 8g, Fat: 3g, Saturated Fat: 0.3g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 1g, Trans Fat: 0.01g, Sodium: 729mg, Potassium: 525mg, Fiber: 8g, Sugar: 3g, Vitamin A: 5966IU, Vitamin C: 9mg, Calcium: 133mg, Iron: 3mg

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

Did you make this recipe? Rate and comment below!
spinach, butter beans, and other saag ingredients in bowls on the counter

Ingredients and Substitutions

  • oil – To toast the spices and to sauté. You also need some oil to make the tempering/tarka.
  • whole spices – Toasted cumin seeds, bay leaves, and cinnamon stick are your first layer of flavor.
  • ground spices – You second flavor layer comes from ground coriander, Kashmiri chili powder (or paprika), garam masala, fenugreek, and black pepper. If you don’t have every single one of these spices, it’s fine to omit a couple. It will still taste amazing!
  • onion – Adds umami.
  • salt – Helps the onion cook properly and boosts the other flavors.
  • ginger garlic paste – For umami and a little heat.
  • tomato paste – For umami. You can use ketchup or tomato puree instead, if needed.
  • frozen spinach – I like to finely chop it while still frozen in the food processor, but the texture you go with is up to you. You can use finely chopped fresh greens instead, if you prefer, like mustard greens, amaranth greens, or chard. Or use a mix of greens.
  • non-dairy yogurt – Adds creaminess and tang. You can use other non-dairy cream, such as cashew cream or vegan sour cream. Choose nut-free and/or soy-free, if needed.
  • water – To bulk out the sauce. For a creamier sauce, use non-dairy milk. Use nut-free and/or soy-free, if needed.
  • cooked butter beans – You can use other white beans or chickpeas instead, if you prefer.
  • garnishes – Garnish with pepper flakes and vegan parmesan. Go with nut-free and/or soy-free vegan parmesan, if needed.
  • tempering – In addition to the oil, you’ll need a whole red chili such as cayenne or Indian chili, and a thinly sliced clove of garlic.

💡 Tips for the Best Saag

  • Use frozen spinach, and chop it finely in a food processor. If you like it super smooth, add a little water or non-dairy milk and run it until the spinach has almost a smoothie-like consistency.
  • After cooking, adjust the texture to your preference. Add more non-dairy milk if you want it thinner or cook it a little longer to thicken.
chopping spinach in the food processor

How to Make Saag Butter Beans

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add the cumin seeds and cook until they’re very fragrant and change color to be evenly dark brown. This can take anywhere from 1 to 3 minutes. Then, add in the bay leaves and cinnamon stick and mix in for 10 seconds or so, then mix in the ground spices. If the spices are starting to smoke, reduce the heat to medium low. Mix for just a few seconds, and mix in the onion and ¼ teaspoon of the salt.

roasting the cumin seeds
adding the remaining spices to the pan
adding the onion to the pan

Increase the heat to medium again, and continue to cook, adding splashes of water as needed, until the onion is starting to turn brown and has picked up the spices. This will take anywhere from 6 to 8 minutes. Once the onion is nicely roasted, mix in the ginger garlic paste, tomato paste, and a splash of water. Add the remaining salt, and mix in and cook for a minute, then stir in the non-dry yogurt, spinach and water, and mix in . then add in the beans. Mix well, then cover and cook for 6 to 8 minutes.

onion in the pan after cooking with the spices
adding ginger garlic paste, tomato paste, and non-dairy yogurt
tomato paste and non-dairy yogurt after mixing with the onions

Taste and adjust the salt, flavor, and texture. If the saag is too thick, you can add some more non-dairy milk at this point. Or, if you want it thicker, then continue to cook, uncovered, for a minute or two. Garnish with some pepper flakes and vegan parmesan, and make the tempering.

adding the spinach to the pan
mixing in the spinach
mixing in the butter beans
saag butter beans in the pan before cooking down

Now, make the tadka/ spiced oil .

Heat the oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, break the red chili in half and add to the oil and let it cook until it starts to change color. Add the garlic, mix in, and switch off the heat. There will be enough residual heat in the oil to cook the garlic slices, if the garlic slices were pretty thin. If they’re thicker and not cooking down, continue to cook over medium-low heat for a minute or two before switching off the heat.

Once the garlic is starting to turn golden on some of the edges, stir really well and drop this onto the saag beans and serve.

red chili in the pan
adding sliced garlic in the pan
garlic chili tarka in the pan after cooking
saag butter beans in the pan with garlic chili oil tempering on top

Frequently Asked Questions

Is this recipe allergy friendly?

This recipe is gluten free. It’s also nut-free and soy-free as long as you use nut-free and/or soy-free non-dairy yogurt, vegan parmesan, and non-dairy milk.

What can I use instead of spinach in my saag?

You can use any finely chopped greens you like, such as mustard greens, amaranth greens, or Swiss chard.

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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5 from 8 votes

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19 Comments

  1. Emma says:

    5 stars
    This was delicious!โค๏ธ

    1. Vegan Richa Support says:

      Yay! Glad you liked it.

  2. custom cookbook says:

    This recipe for Saag Butter Beans sounds absolutely delicious!

  3. Tracey Redmond says:

    5 stars
    Awesome recipe from my favourite recipe site! Thank you for all your hard word sharing the most amazing vegan food โค๏ธ

    1. Vegan Richa Support says:

      Thank you for your kind words!

  4. Trina says:

    5 stars
    I had almost everything to make this, instead of fenugreek leaves I had fenugreek seeds. I tossed the seals in with the cumin seeds then proceeded with your recipe. I did have to cook my Lima beans from scratch, stovetop pressure cooker made quick work of cooking the beans. This recipe did not disappoint! We ate it served on toast for the elevated experienceโ€ฆ.
    Will be making this again.
    Thank you for all your work in keeping us happy and fed!
    Trina

    1. Vegan Richa Support says:

      Awesome! Thanks for taking the time to comment.

  5. Marlene Miller says:

    What would you think about possibly adding some paneer or tofu?

    1. Richa says:

      Sure. Toss the tofu in some farm masala, salt and cornstarch and crisp on skillet or bake, and add that in

  6. Lauren Duquette says:

    5 stars
    Wonderful warm flavors for this chilly drizzly day! Yum!

    1. Richa says:

      โค๏ธโค๏ธโค๏ธ

  7. PamelaB says:

    5 stars
    I just had the thought of using this for a โ€œHalloween spaghettiโ€โ€ฆchange up/remove the heat & put on top of a whole wheat or maybe chickpea spaghetti pasta.
    I know a young one who is hesitant to go outside the known foods & have found ways to tempt him to try different things. Flavors.
    Maybe lentils for the protein the first few times so more appearance of ground beefโ€ฆ
    Once he is able to try different foods, he typically likes them. Itโ€™s finding ways to encourage the trying.

    1. Richa says:

      Sounds like a cool idea!

  8. PamelaB says:

    5 stars
    I love building/layering flavors in this way. So eager to make this.
    Considering trying kale sometimes just to change up the nutritional profile.
    Thank you for sharing your expertise & talents with us!
    You are much appreciated & loved.

    1. Richa says:

      Yes some baby kale nicely chopped will work really well! Or maybe a combination of spinach and kale to take away some of the stronger flavor. Cook a bit longer else kale will be fibrous

  9. Janice Laing says:

    I make it with cabbage and cook with butter only pepper and chicken sticks

  10. Stewball says:

    5 stars
    Do I have to leave it vegan or can I use cream and milk yoghurt?