Creamy Peanut Curried Aubergine and Beans (Vegan High-Protein)
These Creamy Peanut Curried Aubergine and Beans are packed with protein, flavour and plant-based goodness. They are full of rich warming aromas and flavours and take 30 minutes to make.
If you love a quick and easy cosy meal, this is the recipe for you. Like my other bean-y dishes, this one combines lots of plump and protein-rich beans with tons of flavour for a warming dish that is ready in half an hour. This recipe is great for autumn and winter as it’s really warming and packed with ginger and garlic to ward off colds, while being abundant in fresh vegetables, too. Mop this up with your favourite breads or serve with rice for a balanced, nutritious plant-based meal.
Why will I love this?
This dish has so much flavour:
- Rich, cosy and warming
- Has such depth of flavour from the spices
- Umami, peanutty and tomatoey
- Creamy without any cream
- Wholesome, nutritious and packed with vegetables
- A great source of protein and fibre
- Naturally vegan, pant-based, dairy-free and gluten-free
- Easily nut-free
- Great to make ahead of time so ideal for meal prep
- Ready in 30 minutes
- Freezes well
- Delicious for all the family
- Hearty, filling and nourishing
If you already love this curry dish then skip ahead to the recipe card below. Or, first let’s discuss the recipe in more detail.
What ingredients do I need?
The ingredients are simple and wholesome and you can find the full weights in the recipe card below. You can also see my favourite brands and product recommendations in the “shop the recipe” section.
For the pan:
- Olive oil: for frying off. or you can use coconut or avocado oil.
- Spices: to add all the flavour we use ground cumin, hot smoked paprika, black mustard seeds and ground turmeric.
- Ginger and garlic: these add tons of flavour when fresh.
- Leek: I love using leek as they turn soft and tender when fried off or you can swap this for onion.
- Aubergine: I love using aubergine as it absorbs all the flavours so well.
- Tomatoes: use fresh tomatoes and they can be large or small. Chop them up and then add to the pan to soften and turn saucy.
- White beans: I use cannellini beans but other white beans like butterbeans are also great here.
- Lime: a squeeze of lime adds so much flavour and freshness at the end of the dish.
- Salt and pepper: to season.
For the sauce:
- White beans: as above, use cannellini or butterbeans. I love the Bold Bean Co ones as they are soft and plump. These are partially drained but don’t worry if there is sone liquid in the mix.
- Peanut butter: this adds so much depth to the sauce without being overly peanutty. This is best if the peanut butter is runny and smooth and make sure it’s 100% nuts. If make this dish nut-free, use sunflower seed butter or tahini.
- Tomato puree: to increase the tomatoey richness and also add the umami depth of flavour.
- Thick coconut yoghurt: to make this creamy and delicious. I use the natural Cocos Organic which is made from natural ingredients and is so thick and creamy. It also adds a boost of gut healthy ingredients.
- Plant-based milk: to thin the sauce. Make sure it’s unsweetened, where possible.
To serve:
- Bread or naan: I use some flatbreads or pitta breads or you can make your own flatbreads.
- Coconut yoghurt: for swirling through.
- Chilli oil: adds a pop of heat and colour.
- Fresh herbs: like coriander, parsley or basil.
- Rice or other wholegrains: like buckwheat, quinoa or couscous.
Is this recipe gluten-free and nut-free?
Yes this is gluten-free, just check that your bread/naan and wholegrains are gluten-free. To make this nut-free, swap the peanut butter for sunflower seed butter of tahini.
How do I make this?
This is so easy to make in a few steps:
- Fry off the spices: until fragrant. This step adds all the flavour.
- Add in the leeks, aubergine and tomatoes: in stages to allow the vegetables to fry off and soften.
- Blend together all the sauce components: until smooth and creamy.
- Pour the sauce into the pan with the beans: and stir through.
- Simmer for 10 minutes: until really warmed through.
- Squeeze over the lime before serving: and mop up with bread, naan or rice.
How long will this last?
Once cool, keep this in the fridge in sealed containers for 2-3 days or in the freezer for 1month and allow to defrost before warming back up.
What else can I try?
If you are looking for other cosy recipes, how about:
- Creamy Lemony Courgette Butterbeans
- Puttanesca Chilli Pesto Beans
- Creamy Pesto Butterbeans
- Black Bean Tomato Curry with Mushrooms
- Tofu Curry Ramen Noodles
Creamy Peanut Curried Aubergine and Beans (Vegan High-Protein)
These Creamy Peanut Curried Aubergine and Beans are packed with protein, flavour and plant-based goodness. They are full of rich warming aromas and flavours and take 30 minutes to make.
Ingredients
For the Pan:
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- ½ tsp hot smoked paprika
- ½ tsp ground turmeric
- ½ tsp black mustard seeds
- 1 leek, sliced
- 2-3 garlic cloves, crushed
- 1-inch piece ginger, peeled and grated
- 1 aubergine, chopped into cubes
- 400g fresh tomatoes, roughly chopped
- 320g white beans e.g. cannellini or butterbeans
- 1 lime, juiced
For the Sauce:
- 150g white beans, e.g. cannellini or butterbeans
- 3 tbsp peanut butter
- 2 tbsp tomato puree
- 100g thick coconut yoghurt
- 100ml unsweetened plant-based milk
To Serve:
- Coconut yoghurt
- Chilli oil
- Fresh coriander or other herbs
- Pitta breads, flatbreads or naan
- Rice or other wholegrains
Instructions
- For the pan: heat a large non-stick frying pan with the oil and once hot, add the cumin, paprika, turmeric and mustard seeds. Cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring well, until the seeds pop. Now add in the leek, garlic and ginger and fry for 5 minutes, to soften the leeks. Add in the aubergine and continue to fry for 5 minutes to soften the vegetables. Pour in the chopped tomatoes and cook with a lid on for 5 minutes.
- Meanwhile make the sauce: add all of the ingredient to a small blender and process until smooth.
- Back into the pan: pour in the beans and all the sauce and stir well. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 10 minutes, with a lid on, until warmed through and creamy. Stir often to avoid it sticking at the bottom. Just before serving, stir through the lime juice.
- To serve: ladle into bowls and top with more coconut yoghurt, some chilli oil and fresh herbs. Enjoy with your favourite breads and wholegrains.
- To store: once cool, keep in a sealed container for 2-3 days or in the freezer for 1 month and allow to defrost before warming back up to eat.
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Stay in touch
I look forward to hearing what you think of this Creamy Peanut Curried Aubergine and Beans recipe so please let me know in the comments below and leave a star review above. If you do make this, I’d love to see so please tag me, I’m @nourishing.amy on Instagram and use the hashtag #nourishingamy. I’m also on Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest – please say hello!
With curry beans of love x
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just made for dinner, delicious and filling
this makes me SO happy! Thank you for leaving a comment too, it means the most 🙂
Oh my goodness Amy, this is absolutely divine! Flavour and texture are spot on. I didn’t have coconut yoghurt so subbed cashew cream, and added a tsp of chilli powder (purely heat preference). Also added some baby spinach to up the vege content. As you advise, the chilli oil and lime juice take it to the next level!! Oh, and so easy to make – win, win. Thank you so much x
Hi, this makes me so happy that you loved it thank you for the feedback! It sounds great with the extra chilli and spinach too – and YES the chilli oil and lime really add so much! So happy you enjoyed this recipe 🙂
This was delicious, and so easy to make
Hi Gill, I am so happy so loved the beans, thank you SO much for making them! 🙂 xx