Green bean curry made with coconut milk, curry leaves and warming spices. This delicious Sri Lankan style vegan curry can be made using any type of green beans.
Some dishes just taste full of goodness and this is one of them.
Fresh green beans combined with spices and creamy coconut milk make this a healthy, delicious and satisfying supper.
This vegan green bean curry is an excellent way to use up green beans or runner beans.
If you've had a late summer glut of beans in your garden or allotment then this is for you.
You can also make this out of season using frozen beans.
Coconut is delicious in curries
I love a spicy vegan coconut curry recipe.
I often think of Thai recipes when planning a coconut curry but coconut milk works perfectly in Sri Lankan or south Indian-style curries as well.
This coconut green bean curry recipe is a great example.
What kind of green beans are best?
I have made this curry many times with either French beans, runner beans, or a mixture of the two.
To be really authentic you could use snake beans (also known as yardlong beans, bodi or Chinese long beans) to make this recipe. Look in an Asian supermarket for them.
What curry powder to use
I love to make my own roasted Sri Lankan curry powder to use in this curry recipe.
However, if you don't have the time or inclination to do this you can use garam masala or an Indian-style curry powder instead.
Do you need any specialist ingredients?
You should be able to get most of the ingredients to make this curry in a good supermarket.
Fresh curry leaves add the most incredible flavour to curries but they can be tricky to find. You should be able to get these from a large supermarket or Asian shop.
I usually buy a large bag when I see them and keep them in the freezer. They really do add a wonderful flavour to this green bean curry so do try to find them if you can. If you can't find them you can use dried curry leaves or simply leave them out.
See a full list of ingredients.
What to serve with this recipe
This green bean curry goes perfectly with steamed rice and coconut sambol.
If you'd like to make some other curries to serve with this there are some suggestions below.
More recipes you might like
If you like this you might like:
- Fresh tomato curry
- Green beans with tomatoes and olives
- Sri Lankan okra curry
- Vegan aloo gobi
- Indian-spiced root vegetable curry
- Easy one pot carrot curry
Equipment
To make this curry you will need:
- sharp knife
- chopping board
- food processor or blender (or use pestle and mortar)
- measuring spoons
- large frying pan or wok with a lid
Ingredients
Here's what you'll need to make this green bean curry:
- onion, ginger, garlic, green chilli and fresh coriander (cilantro) leaves - to make a paste
- sunflower oil - vegetable or coconut oil can also be used
- mustard seeds - common in many south Indian and Sri Lankan dishes
- curry leaves - add an incredible flavour. Look for them in Asian shops and big supermarkets and store any leftovers in your freezer. If you can't find them you can leave them out
- ground cinnamon and ground turmeric - both warming spices that add a delicious flavour
- green beans - any kind of green beans can be used for this dish such as French, dwarf or runner beans) - you can also use frozen beans
- coconut milk - this recipe uses one standard tin
- lime - squeeze in a lime at the end
- curry powder - if you have time make your own Sri Lankan curry powder or if not then garam masala or an Indian curry powder will do
- fresh coriander (cilantro) leaves - to serve
- salt and pepper - to taste
If you want to make this more substantial you can add some cooked potatoes or a tin of chickpeas to your green bean curry.
How to make green bean curry with coconut
Make the paste
1. Put the chopped onion, chilli, ginger, garlic and coriander leaves into a blender or food processor and pulse into a paste. You may need to add a few drops of cold water.
2. Stop to scrape the sides down then pulse again.
Cook the base of your curry
3. Heat a tablespoon of sunflower oil in a large frying pan or wok. Add a tablespoon of mustard seeds and around 10 fresh curry leaves.
4. When you hear the mustard seeds start to pop reduce the heat to low, then add the green paste, a teaspoon of turmeric and a teaspoon of cinnamon.
5. Stir well and continue cooking for 1-2 minutes.
Cook the beans
6. Add the green beans and stir until coated in the paste.
7. Add the coconut milk. Bring to the boil, then cover with a lid and reduce the heat. Simmer for 10-15 minutes until the beans are soft.
8. Add a tablespoon of curry powder, the juice of a lime and season to taste with salt and black pepper.
If you have made this recipe and loved it please consider leaving a comment and rating below.
Green bean and coconut curry
Equipment
- Food processor* or blender
- Knife
- Large frying pan or wok with lid
Ingredients
For the curry paste
- 1 onion roughly chopped
- Thumb-sized piece ginger peeled and chopped
- 2 cloves garlic peeled and chopped
- 1 green chilli deseeded and chopped
- Small handful coriander leaves (cilantro) roughly chopped
To make the green bean curry
- 1 tablespoon sunflower oil
- 1 tablespoon mustard seeds
- 10 curry leaves*
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- 400 g green beans (eg French, dwarf or runner beans) sliced
- 400 g coconut milk
- 1 lime juiced
- 1 tablespoon curry powder eg Sri Lankan curry powder or garam masala
- handful fresh coriander (cilantro) to serve
- salt and pepper to taste
Optional extras
- 2 medium potatoes chopped and cooked
- 1 tin cooked chickpeas
Instructions
First make the paste
- Place the chopped chilli, onion, ginger, garlic and coriander (cilantro) in a high speed blender or food processor* and pulse into a paste.
Now make the curry
- Heat a tablespoon of sunflower oil in a large frying pan or wok*. Add a tablespoon of mustard seeds and the fresh curry leaves.
- When the mustard seeds start to pop add the coriander paste, a teaspoon ground turmeric and a teaspoon of ground cinnamon and stir well.
- Cook for a minute or two to reduce slightly then add the sliced green beans.
- Stir until coated in the paste and add the coconut milk.
- Bring to the boil and then cover the pan with a lid and reduce the heat. Simmer for 10-15 minutes until the beans are soft.
- If you are adding cooked potatoes or chickpeas add them to the pan now and warm through.
- Add the juice of one lime, season to taste with salt and black pepper and serve with more fresh coriander (cilantro) leaves.
Notes
- Fresh curry leaves really add a delicious flavour to this and many other curries. If you can't find them you can use dried curry leaves or simply leave them out of this recipe.
- If you don't have a blender or food processor you can do this step with a hand held blender or with a pestle and mortar.
- You will need a lid later on in the recipe.
- Nutritional information is approximate and is intended as a guide.
Nutrition
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Corina Blum
This sounds delicious and quite by chance I'm actually planning to remake one of my old curry recipes today and it has green beans in it too! I love the coconut milk in this one though - it looks beautifully creamy.
Cook Veggielicious
Thanks Corina - green bean curry is one of my favourites - love them without coconut milk too.
Geetha Priyanka
Green beans curry with coconut milk sounds delicious. I am sure Srilankan curry powder might have added an extra layer of flavour to this curry. #CookBlogShare
Cook Veggielicious
Thanks Geetha - the homemade Sri Lankan roasted curry powder really does add an extra special element to the curry
Jacqui
Looks so tasty, I'm not vegan but would be very happy to eat this. Thank you for linking to #cookBlogShare
Cook Veggielicious
It's a lovely fresh dinner - thanks so much for your comment Jacqui