Vegan Rajma Masala is the ultimate Indian comfort food! This hearty red kidney bean curry is simmered in a flavorful onion-tomato gravy that’s aromatic, lightly spiced, creamy, and absolutely delicious. Perfect for a wholesome weeknight meal, this restaurant-style rajma is naturally gluten-free and plant-based and can be made in 45 minutes.
Pair it with steamed basmati rice (rajma chawal) or enjoy it with roti or bread. Make this classic North Indian curry on the stovetop or use the Instant Pot for a quicker, hands-off version.
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What is Rajma Masala
Rajma Masala is a classic North Indian curry made with rajma, the Hindi word for kidney beans. The dish gets its name from the legume itself—so both the beans and the curry made with them are commonly referred to as "rajma."
In this comforting recipe, red kidney beans are simmered in a rich, flavorful onion-tomato gravy that's spiced to perfection. The beans are slow-cooked until they become buttery soft and melt-in-your-mouth delicious. It’s a wholesome, protein-packed meal that’s very similar in preparation to Chole (chickpea curry) and is especially popular in Punjabi households.
Traditionally, rajma is cooked on the stovetop using a pressure cooker, but for ease and convenience, I now prefer making it in the Instant Pot. It cuts down the active cooking time without compromising on flavor.
This recipe is also vegan, and gluten-free, making it a perfect choice for a nourishing vegan Indian meal.
Rajma Chawal Combo
The most iconic way to enjoy this dish is with steamed basmati rice—a combination lovingly known as Rajma Chawal. This timeless food pairing is comforting, filling, and loved by both kids and adults alike.
While Rajma Curry can be served with Indian breads like roti, naan, or paratha, it truly shines when spooned over a bed of hot, fluffy rice. YUM!
Why make this
You will love this rajma recipe. It's full of delicious flavors and ingredients! The texture is rich and creamy. It's a delicious and a healthy meal option on any given day.
- It's a one-pot meal
- An easy dump-and-go method
- Very nourishing and wholesome
- Vegan and gluten-free beans recipe
- Comforting weeknight meal
- Rich in protein and fiber
- Cooking rajma in the Instant Pot saves on time and effort
- Needs basic pantry essentials
Every family has it's own way of making this vegan curry and this is how we make it. Ever since I got the Instant Pot, I make rajma masala in it.
I love that cooking in the Instant Pot means zero monitoring and fewer dishes to wash! But I understand that not all own an Instant pot, so I have included the stovetop version as well.
Ingredients needed 🧾
Red Kidney Beans - There are many varieties of kidney beans available in the grocery stores. I usually pick the dark red ones to make this vegan beans recipe.
I prefer dry beans over canned ones because they are healthier, contains less sodium, no preservatives plus they are cheaper.
Veggies and herbs like onions, and tomatoes, garlic, green chillies, cilantro, and ginger are the other basic ingredients you will need to make the masala base.
Spices - cumin seeds, Kasuri Methi, bay leaf, cumin powder, coriander powder, garam masala, turmeric, amchur powder and chilly powder are the few spices you will need.
How to make it 🔪
- Rinse raw kidney beans under running water for a minute. Then soak them in water, overnight or for 8 hours. Drain and keep aside. Throw that water away.
- You will notice that the kidney beans would have doubled in size.
- Turn on the Instant Pot in sauté mode. Add oil, then fry the cumin seeds, bay leaf, minced green chillies and part of the cilantro. Fry for 15 seconds.
- Add chopped onions, minced garlic and ginger paste. Sauté till the onions turn translucent. If the onions stick to the bottom, add a tablespoon of water to deglaze.
- Next add the chopped tomatoes along with salt. Sauté till they turn soft.
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- Now add the spices like cumin powder, coriander powder, chilly powder, turmeric and amchur powder. Mix and continue to cook for another 15 seconds.
- Then add the soaked and drained red kidney beans to the pot.
- Followed by water. Turn off the sauté mode. Close the lid and ensure the valve is in sealing position. Select Bean/Chili/Manual/Pressure mode and cook for 30 minutes.
- Once the pot beeps, release the pressure naturally and then open the lid. Add more water if you feel the gravy is too thick and cook in sauté mode for 1-2 minutes. Chef Tip - Also, garnish with garam masala, crushed Kasuri methi, and the remaining cilantro. Give it all a good stir. Rajma Masala is ready.
If you don't have an Instant Pot, here's how you can make this vegan beans recipe on the stovetop.
You can use canned kidney beans or soak raw beans overnight and cook them al dente either in an Instant Pot or a Pressure Cooker.
- Heat oil in a pan, temper mustard seeds. Once they crackle, add the onion paste. Fry for a minute and then add the tomato paste or puree. Continue to fry for a minute or two.
- Then add the dry spices like turmeric powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, chilly powder, and amchur powder.
- Cook for 2 minutes and then add the cooked kidney beans. Mix well together and cook for another 2 minutes. Lastly add crushed Kasuri methi and garam masala.
- Take it off the flame and garnish with chopped cilantro along with some lemon juice. You can also mash some of the beans to make it thicker, but the curry will thicken as it cools.
Serving suggestions 🍽
Squeeze some lemon juice on top. Serve rajma masala warm with any Indian flatbread or chawal/rice (either plain or Jeera Rice) and a bowl of yogurt on the side.
Make it a complete meal by serving it with cucumber salad, chaas and roasted papad.
Alternatively, you can also serve this Instant Pot Rajma with brown rice, cooked quinoa, bulgur or cauliflower rice for a low-carb meal.
Rajma Chawal is perfect for weeknight dinners, weekend meals with family, lunchbox, potluck or entertaining as well.
Top recipe tips 💭
I have also added rajma masala, pav bhaji masala, or chole masala spice mix in place of garam masala and it tastes amazing. Skip adding onion and garlic if you want.
Add more veggies like potatoes, bell peppers, carrots to this rajma masala to make it more wholesome but it will not be authentic rajma masala.
Instead of red kidney beans, you can use any other beans. In place of chopped tomatoes, you can also use tomato puree or sauce. Add a teaspoon of sugar to balance the tartness.
While cooking, you can add ⅛th teaspoon of Baking Soda for buttery soft Kidney beans. Instead of tomatoes, you can also add tomato paste.
The cooking time remains the same even if you double the recipe. Just double the liquid when you double the quantity of beans.
I sometimes add spinach puree or cut spinach to this gravy to make rajma palak. It's a great way of adding greens to your food. You can try that too.
Recipe FAQs 📖
Beans have indigestible carbohydrates in it, which makes you gassy and bloated. But since these carbohydrates are water-soluble, soaking them first helps.
Soaking and then cooking the beans will break down the carbohydrates and makes it easily digestible. Soaked beans also cook faster.
So even though this requires little prep and effort, it totally is worth it. Preferably do not skip this step.
Or if not in the mood to do any overnight prep, cook the raw beans a bit longer (50 minutes) in the Instant Pot with more water.
Add 2 cups of water for every cup of kidney beans you add in the Instant Pot. Alternatively, what also works is soaking the beans in hot water for 45-60 minutes.
To save on cook time, you can use canned kidney beans instead of raw beans. If doing so, then reduce the water and cook it on manual mode for 7 minutes.
For 16oz of canned beans, use 1 cup of water. You can add more after its cooked if needed. Also remember, One 16oz can is equal to half cup of dried beans.
If cooking with canned beans, you can cook white rice along with it using the pot-in-pot method since the cooking time is similar.
Just a point to note here - discard the liquid in the can first and then use the beans.
To check if the beans have cooked, test it by taking out one bean and mashing it using a fork. If the center is still hard, that means it will require further cooking.
To do pot-in-pot cooking, you will need a tall trivet and a stainless steel container that you can use within the main pot.
You can make rajma chawal together in the Instant Pot with brown rice using the pot-in-pot method. . Brown rice similar to kidney beans, cooks in 25 minutes.
White rice cooks very quickly so that will not work in this recipe. It will get overcooked if cooked for that long. You can cook white rice separately.
However, if you are using canned red kidney beans, then you can cook white rice with it in the Instant pot using the pot-in-pot method.
Alternatively, you can also add the brown rice directly into the Instant Pot along with the rajma. Add water accordingly and make rajma chawal together.
You can try to slow cook rajma. Just pressure cook for 25 minutes, then put in slow cook mode in the Instant Pot for 2-3 hours. I am yet to try this.
To make this vegan beans recipe in a crockpot, just add all the ingredients and set on high for 4-5 hours.
I personally feel rajma or chana masala tastes better the next day. The beans have gotten sufficient time to soak up all the flavors of the gravy.
Just ensure you store it properly in an airtight container. It stays well for 5-6 days in the fridge. It also freezes well upto 4 months.
To reheat, thaw in the refrigerator overnight, then heat in a pan or in the microwave. Add some warm water to loosen it.
Some fun ways to reuse leftover rajma is to add it to patties, chilla batter, or use it as paratha stuffing. You can get creative and make your own recipe!
More recipes with beans
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Recipe 📖
Rajma Masala In Instant Pot
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 cups soaked red kidney beans
- 1 tablespoon cooking oil
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 2 bay leaf
- 3 green chillies
- ⅓ cup cilantro
- 1 onion
- 5 cloves garlic
- 1 tablespoon ginger paste
- 3 tomatoes
- salt
- 1 teaspoon cumin powder
- 1 teaspoon coriander powder
- 1 teaspoon chilly powder
- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon amchur powder
- 3 cups water
- 1 tablespoon Kasuri methi
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
Instructions
Instant Pot
- Rinse raw kidney beans under running water for a minute. Then soak them in water, overnight or for 8 hours. Drain and keep it aside.
- Turn on the Instant Pot in sauté mode. Add oil, then fry the cumin seeds, bay leaf, minced green chillies and part of the cilantro. Fry for 15 seconds.
- Add chopped onions, minced garlic and ginger paste. Sauté till the onions turn translucent. If the onions stick to the bottom, add a tablespoon of water to deglaze.
- Next add the chopped tomatoes along with salt. Sauté till they turn soft.
- Now add the spices like cumin powder, coriander powder, chilly powder, turmeric and amchur powder. Mix and continue to cook for another 15 seconds.
- Then add the soaked and drained red kidney beans to the pot.
- Followed by water. Turn off the sauté mode. Close the lid and ensure the valve is in sealing position. Select Bean/Chili mode and cook for 30 minutes.
- Once the pot beeps, release the pressure naturally and then open the lid. Add more water if you feel the gravy is too thick.
- Also, garnish with garam masala, crushed Kasuri methi, and the remaining cilantro. Give it all a good stir. Rajma Masala is ready.
Stovetop
- Heat oil in a pan, temper mustard seeds. Once they crackle, add the onion paste. Fry for a minute and then add the tomato paste or puree. Continue to fry for a minute or two.
- Then add the dry spices like turmeric powder, dhania jeera powder, chilly powder, and amchur powder.
- Cook for 2 minutes and then add the cooked kidney beans. Mix them all together and cook for another 2 minutes. Lastly add crushed Kasuri methi and garam masala.
- Take it off the flame and garnish with chopped cilantro along with some lemon juice. You can also mash some of the beans to make it thicker, but the curry will thicken as it cools.
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Tam Lee says
Can I used canned kidney beans? Would I use 2 x tins?