In this Easy Lima Bean Curry, frozen Lima beans are cooked in a creamy and deliciously spiced coconut cream sauce. This is a vegan curry that can be prepared in less than 30 minutes and served with rice or roti.

I love this creamy and tasty Lima bean curry as to me, it is quick comfort food. I usually spend about 25 minutes making it, and I only need 10 ingredients for it!

If you make curry often, then you probably have all the spices. However, if you do not, you can find them on Amazon. And, I am hoping, you will use most of these spices in simple sautés as well as grilled dishes after using them to make this curry.

What are the ingredients needed to make this Lima bean curry?

1. Lima beans
   I use frozen Lima beans to make this curry. I always grab some to have on hand to thaw out and use in salads and bowls. Frozen Lima beans do not need to be soaked or thawed, just add them frozen to the curry and let them heat up in the pan.
   
2. Onion
   Fresh onion is a must in this recipe. If peeling and chopping onion on a weeknight is not your cup of tea, then you can use some of the peeled and chopped onion found in the produce section of most grocery stores.
   
3. Ginger
   I used fresh ginger in this recipe. I would not suggest leaving out fresh ginger. As with the onion, most stores sell peeled and chopped ginger which will significantly cut down on the prep time of this dish.
   
4. Garlic
   Fresh garlic cloves round off the holy trinity of Sri Lankan cuisine (which includes onion and ginger as well) and is a crucial ingredient in this simple curry.
   
5. Coriander
   Ground coriander adds a smoky, tangy, flavor to this dish. I seem to notice when I make a curry and do not add enough coriander to it. But, not the other way around. By the way, I would not omit this ingredient.
   
6. Smoked paprika
   Another crucial ingredient – I have found that smoked paprika rounds off the other spices so well.
   
7. Turmeric
   Turmeric powder adds a bit of tang and delightful color to this curry. I only used a small amount as I have found that too much turmeric can ruin a curry by making it taste almost too metallic.
   
8. Cayenne
   This is probably the only ingredient that can be omitted. I like a bit of heat to my curry so opted to use cayenne. However, if you would rather enjoy a milder curry, please leave it out.
   
9. Coconut milk
   I cannot stress enough that good coconut milk can result in a curry that is so creamy and luscious. These days, I use Embe coconut milk. I am not being paid to say this. This is simply my favorite coconut milk currently as it is so creamy and thick and never seems to have shreds of coconut in it.
   
10. Crushed chopped tomatoes
    I used packaged crushed tomatoes in this curry. But, you can use fresh tomatoes that you chop up finely. Or, you could also use fire-roasted tomatoes for yet another level of flavor. In fact, I often use fire-roasted tomatoes in other curry recipes like this Three bean Curry.

I also used salt and black pepper to season this and a tad bit of chopped cilantro as a garnish to make things pretty and presentable.

Are Lima beans & butter beans the same?

I recently learned that Lima beans and butter beans are the same beans, in different stages of maturity. Of course, people from different regions refer to them as either butter beans or Lima beans – but they are from the same plant.

How to make Lima bean curry?

This curry is so easy to make. Prep the onions, ginger, and garlic, then add them to a pan and sauté them for a few minutes. Then, add in all the other ingredients, stir well, cover the pan, and let everything cook for about 10 minutes. Then, turn off the stove and enjoy this plant-based curry warm or at room temperature.

Tips to make this easy vegan curry:

• Sauté the onion, ginger, and garlic for about 7–10 minutes in a large pan placed on a stovetop set to medium heat. I cook on a gas stove, but all stoves differ. While these ingredients sauté, make sure to stir them well so they do not burn.
  
• After all the ingredients are in the pan, make sure to cover it with a lid, so the liquid does not evaporate.
  
• If the curry is too thick for you, add a little water or vegetable stock to thin it out.

What do you serve this Lima bean curry with?

This Lima bean curry can be served with rice and roti for a quick weeknight dinner.

For a more elaborate meal, this curry can be served with yellow rice, zucchini curry, chickpea spinach curry, some broccoli croquettes, and tomato chutney.