Description
Butter bean saag is a flavorful and comforting Indian-inspired dish combining tender butter beans with vibrant spinach, aromatic spices, and a touch of ghee for richness. This easy-to-make recipe is perfect for a nutritious vegetarian meal served with chapatis and mango chutney.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 25g ghee or butter
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 1 tsp black mustard seeds
- 20g ginger, grated
- 3 garlic cloves, grated
- 1 green chilli, deseeded if you prefer less heat, finely chopped
- 1 tbsp tomato purée
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- ½ tsp ground turmeric
- 1 tsp dried fenugreek leaves (optional)
- 400g frozen spinach
- 400g can butter beans, drained and rinsed
- ½ lemon, juiced
- Chapatis and mango chutney, to serve
Instructions
- Heat ghee and fry aromatics: Heat the ghee or butter in a frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the finely chopped onion and black mustard seeds, frying for about 5 minutes until the onion is golden around the edges and the mustard seeds begin to pop.
- Add ginger, garlic, chilli, and tomato purée: Stir in the grated ginger, garlic, green chilli, and tomato purée. Cook this mixture for 4-5 minutes, allowing the flavors to develop as it becomes fragrant and the ingredients begin to caramelize.
- Incorporate spices and spinach: Add ground cumin, ground coriander, ground turmeric, and dried fenugreek leaves if using. Then add the frozen spinach along with a splash of water. Reduce heat to allow the mixture to simmer gently for 10 minutes until the spinach is fully defrosted and the liquid has thickened and reduced.
- Finish with butter beans and lemon juice: Stir through the drained butter beans and squeeze in the juice of half a lemon. Adjust seasoning to taste, ensuring the dish is well balanced and flavorful.
- Serve: Serve the butter bean saag hot with chapatis and mango chutney on the side for a complete and satisfying meal.
Notes
- Adjust the amount of green chilli according to your preferred spice level; deseeding reduces heat.
- Fenugreek leaves add authentic flavor but can be omitted if unavailable.
- For a vegan version, substitute ghee with a plant-based butter or oil.
- Leftovers store well and can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.
- Serve with rice or naan bread as an alternative to chapatis.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: Indian
Keywords: butter bean saag, Indian spinach recipe, vegetarian Indian curry, butter beans recipe, saag recipe, spinach curry, easy Indian meals
