**Rajma Masala** is one of my all-time favourite dishes. I just can't get enough of it! If you've never had these North Indian curried kidney beans before, then you must try this homestyle rajma masala recipe! I guarantee you'll want to relive this deliciousness again and again!

What is This Rajma Masala Recipe?

Rajma is for some the official dish of North India, especially in the Punjab region. Rajma in Hindi translates to “kidney beans,” but rajma refers not only to beans but to this curried kidney bean as well! Rajma Masala translates to “curried kidney beans in gravy,” which is what I’ll be showing you how to make today. This classic Indian kidney bean curry gets its flavours and colour from red kidney beans, ginger, garlic and sweet red tomatoes. If you’re in North India, then you know that rajma masala is definitely a household favourite! I personally know that I can’t name anyone who doesn’t like rajma, and I’m sure after you try this recipe my list will still be blank! Serve this rajma with some rice, crispy potatoes, and breads of your choice. I’ll give you some delicious serving suggestions to pair with your rajma later on in this post, so stay tuned! If you’re new to Indian cuisine or want to expand your horizons with beans, then I encourage you to prepare this Rajma Masala as part of your Live to Cook one-month challenge! The new year is upon us so it’s time to set some goals in the kitchen, and my one-month challenge is the perfect opportunity for you to cook like you’ve never cooked before! You can get started for free today by signing up to my email newsletter, plus all of my latest recipes will be sent directly to your inbox!

My usual time to have rajma growing up was during lunch time! Imagine this, a mountain of rice with huge spoonfuls of the soft kidney beans and sauce, with crispy potatoes. Yes, it was great! A little secret here, while eating rajma, I am rushing in my head to pick out the kidney beans so I can enjoy my favourite part. The rice, sauce and potatoes. This combination is deadly and is not at all possible without kidney beans.

By the way, here’s a tip! If you have leftover rajma, it will taste even yummier when you eat it the next day! I’ll give you all the details on how to store your rajma properly and reheating rajma. You can even freeze rajma masala!

Be sure to watch the video at the bottom of this post for step-by-step instructions on how to make this homestyle rajma masala recipe! I would really appreciate it if you would please subscribe to my YouTube channel if you’re not already and be sure to press the bell button to be notified when all of my video recipes go live! Let’s get cooking!

Dietary Considerations for Punjabi Rajma Masala

This Rajma Masala recipe is:

Vegetarian, and vegan-friendly if you substitute the ghee for olive oil
High in plant-based protein
High in fibre
Budget-friendly
Gluten-free if using certified gluten-free hing
Low in calories

Why You’ll Love Curried Kidney Beans

Aromatic and packed with flavours
Packed with protein, fibre, vitamins and minerals
Easy preparation
Make-ahead friendly
Adored by children
Easily cooked in bulk
Plenty of ways to serve this dish!

Health Benefits of Rajma

Who else associates beans with farting? Am I childish? Yeah, I’ve heard that many times! But let’s forget about that and focus about some amazing health benefits that come from these beans!

For 100 grams of cooked kidney beans, we get:

Almost 9 grams of protein
Over 6 grams of fibre
Vitamins and minerals such as manganese, potassium, iron, and copper.

Source: Healthline

Questions You May Have!

Can I Use Canned Kidney Beans?

Technically you can used canned kidney beans if you really want to, but I find that they do not absorb the spices and the sauce as well as dried beans which were freshly cooked do. If you are using canned kidney beans, then you simply add them in at the same stage where we add our freshly cooked beans in the recipe.

Are there other types of beans I can use for Rajma MAsala?

There are so many types of beans that can be used for rajma masala and each variety will add its own subtle twist of flavour and texture. Try out these varieties from your local grocer or purchase them on Amazon using my links and see which you enjoy the most. Some notable ones include:

Red Kidney Beans - Lal Rajma
Dark Red Kidney Beans - Lal Rajma
Speckled Kidney Beans - Chitre Rajma
Jammu Red Kidney Beans - Jammu Rajma
Pinto Beans - Not native to India so they are simply referred as Pinto Beans.

As I describe in my free motivational guide to explore your potential in the kitchen, Make Cooking Fun!!, if you’ve got a suitable substitute for an ingredient, then feel free to use that! If you have any of these beans already on hand, then there is absolutely no need to buy the chitre rajma - the rajma I used here - to make rajma masala. Any other type of the red kidney beans above work, and even pinto beans work, although they are not Indian! If you happen to have both, then a combination I really enjoy is to mix red kidney beans with pinto beans!

What If I Don’t Have a Stovetop Pressure Cooker?

I actually don’t have a stovetop pressure cooker, and I’ve been without one for a long time! It was just giving me too many problems so I threw it to the wind! If you’ve got an Instant Pot, then you can pressure cook your dried beans in that. I’ve got both stovetop pressure cooker and Instant Pot instructions for cooking the beans, so don’t worry! If you want more details on cooking beans in the Instant Pot, then check out my complete guide here.

Do I Have to Soak The Rajma?

Yes, you really do need to soak the rajma for best results. If you don’t soak your kidney beans, then you will need to cook the kidney beans for much longer. The disadvantage of cooking un-soaked beans your pressure cooker or Instant Pot is that the beans may not cook consistently - some beans may be perfectly cooked, but some may turn out slightly mushy. When you soak the beans, you’re more likely to get consistent results in the cooking process, plus the beans will not have to cook for as long! Furthermore, I do find that the overall softness and taste of the beans are not the same when you cook un-soaked beans versus soaked beans, and this will affect the overall dish negatively. Really plan out your rajma feast and take the time to soak them accordingly!

However, if you are reading this close to dinner time and you seriously want to have some rajma masala tonight and you have an Instant Pot, then you can follow my Instant Pot Rajma Masala recipe which actually uses un-soaked kidney beans! This recipe does take longer than making stovetop rajma, but it works for last-minute plans!

Can I use Canned Tomatoes for Rajma?

Canned tomatoes or even strained tomatoes in the form of passata can be a great substitute for fresh tomatoes, in case you are not able to find good quality produce for some reason. Just make sure to use a 1:1 ratio, 2 medium tomatoes roughly are equal to 3/4 to 1 Cup of canned/strained tomatoes.

Can I Add Cream to This Rajma Masala?

To begin, this is a homestyle rajma masala recipe, so usually you do not put cream in rajma masala in homestyle cooking. However, even in restaurants, where I have had lots of rajma masala on a number of occasions, not one of the dishes have had cream in them, and quite frankly adding cream to rajma is news to me! You can do it if you really want to, but I personally don’t believe cream has a place in rajma masala. Additionally, if you have used olive oil in this rajma recipe, then adding cream will no longer make the recipe vegan.

Tips for Making the Best Rajma

Plan ahead and soak the beans for at least 4-6 hours before cooking. While an Instant Pot can cook rajma from dried, I find the quality of the softness and doneness in the rajma is not the same as pre-soaked and then cooked.
Season the cooking water before cooking the rajma and add aromatics such as cloves and cinnamon. This will inject the beans with a ton of flavour!
The bean to water ratio is 1 to 4. Reserve the cooking water for the rajma, it contains a lot of flavour and provides the classic colour we all love in rajma masala.
The base flavour of this curry comes from the “masala” that we cook with the puréed onions, ginger, garlic and tomatoes. Make sure that you cook the masala well, until reddish brown and almost dried out.
Don’t over-do the amount of spices. It is easy to get excited and add excess spices in anticipation of the final dish. Trust me, tomato and onion mixture will shine through and add wonderful flavours with the right amount of spices.
Topping the dish with ghee is a must in any North Indian household - try and find Amul Desi Ghee, I find this variety to be the most flavourful brand of packaged ghee.

Tools Needed to Make Kidney Bean Curry

Ingredients for Punjabi Rajma Masala

There aren’t many ingredients needed for this home-style rajma masala recipe! Just a little bit goes a long way to truly let this gravy and the red kidney beans shine in this dish! Remember to scroll to the bottom of this post for the FULL PRINTABLE recipe card with all ingredients listed with their quantities and to save the recipe for later. You can also scale the recipe based on how many portions of rajma masala you’re looking to make and the individual ingredient quantities will automatically be scaled for you!

This is what you’re going to need:

Beans: I used rajma chitra, which is a type of speckled pale red kidney bean.
Red onions
Ginger-garlic paste: Check out my recipe on how to make your own ginger-garlic paste in the blender here. It’s made with 2 garlic cloves and a 1/2 inch piece ginger.
Tomatoes
Cumin seeds
Rajma masala
Water
Deggi mirch
Garam masala
Salt
Hing
Bay leaf
Ghee: Or olive oil to make the recipe vegan.
Cilantro: For garnish.

How to Make Rajma Masala

Cooking the Rajma

Soak the rajma in water for at least 4-6 hours.

Pressure Cooker

Add rajma to stovetop pressure cooker and add 4 times the volume of water, along with salt, cinnamon and clove. Cook for 2-3 whistles on high heat, then turn down the heat to medium and cook for 15-20 minutes. Let the pressure release naturally.

Instant Pot

Add rajma to the Instant Pot and add 4 times the volume of water, along with salt, cinnamon and clove. Set Instant Pot to Pressure Cook mode on High and cook for 8 minutes. Ensure Instant Pot is in Sealing mode. Let the pressure release naturally (about 20 minutes).

Making the Masala

Begin by adding the ginger, garlic, and onion in a food processor with a bit of water.

Purée until everything is well combined.

Heat a pot on medium heat and add ghee/olive oil. When the pot is hot, add hing and cumin seeds. Cook until cumin seeds turn reddish brown and aromatic, then add the bay leaf.

Add onion, ginger, garlic puree. Once the mixture starts to change colour add rajma masala and deggi mirch, mix well and continue cooking until mixture is dry and golden brown. Add a splash of water if mixture gets too dry and starts to stick.

Puree the tomatoes in a food processor.

Add tomato purée and bring to boil. Add 1/2 tsp salt and cook with a lid on until the mixture turns redder and becomes dry, about 7-10 minutes. Keep stirring from time to time.

Add cooked kidney beans along with the reserved cooking water to make a runny gravy. Season with salt and add garam masala and mix well.

Simmer on medium low heat with the lid on until the gravy starts to thicken.

When the gravy is thick, remove the lid. Taste and adjust for salt as needed.

Serve over rice, with potatoes, and/or bread.

Garnish with cilantro and enjoy!

How to Serve Rajma Masala

Rice

Potatoes

Crispy Aloo Bhujia is my favourite potato dish to complete my rajma! You could even add in some potatoes with the kidney beans so that the potatoes cook with the beans and all the amazing flavours of your rajma. I love this variation!

Bread

Sauce

Can I Make Rajma Masala in Advance?

You know what, I’ll do one better. I’m actually going to recommend making too much rajma masala. Why? Well, you gotta see for yourself how good it is the next day! So whatever you think you’re going to eat, plan for some leftovers. I’ve had rajma for breakfast even and I love it! Simply transfer the remaining rajma to a container and store in the refrigerator or the freezer.

You can keep cooked rajma in the fridge for 3-4 days, or freeze it for up to 6 months.

To reheat from the refrigerator

In the microwave: Heat uncovered for 2-3 minutes, stirring at 45 second intervals.

Over the stove: Transfer the contents to a pan or pot and bring to a gently simmer over medium low heat.

To reheat from the freezer

In the microwave: Heat uncovered for 2-3 minutes, stirring at 45 second intervals.

Over the stove: Thaw the rajma masala overnight and then transfer the contents to a pan or pot and bring to a gently simmer over medium low heat.

More Incredibly Comforting Indian Bean and Lentil Recipes!

Watch How to Make Homestyle Punjabi Rajma Masala Here:

Let me know what you think of this recipe in the comments! If you’ve tried this recipe, be sure to post it on social media and tag it with #cookingwithanadi and mention me @cooking.with.anadi. Thank you!

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vegetarian, vegan, beans & grains, Punjabi

Indian, North Indian

Yield: 4

Author: Anadi

Rajma Masala | Curried Kidney Beans

Rajma Masala is one of my all-time favourite dishes. I just can't get enough of it! If you've never had these North Indian curried kidney beans before, then you must try this homestyle rajma masala recipe! I guarantee you'll want to relive this deliciousness again and again!

Prep time: 10 MinCook time: 45 MinTotal time: 55 Min

Cook modePrevent screen from turning off

Ingredients

1 Cup rajma/red kidney beans
water as needed
1 Tbsp ghee/olive oil
1/4 tsp cumin seeds
pinch of hing
1/2 medium onion, roughly chopped
1 Tbsp ginger-garlic paste (or 2 garlic cloves + 1/2 inch piece ginger)
1/2 heaping tsp rajma masala
1/2 tsp deggi mirch
1 bay leaf
2 medium tomatoes
1/2 heaping tsp garam masala
cilantro for garnish
salt to taste

Instructions

To prepare the rajma/kidney beans

Stovetop Pressure Cooker: Add rajma to stovetop pressure cooker and add 4 times the volume of water, along with salt, cinnamon and clove. Cook for 2-3 whistles on high heat, then turn down the heat to medium and cook for 15-20 minutes. Let the pressure release naturally.
Instant Pot: Add rajma to the Instant Pot and add 4 times the volume of water, along with salt, cinnamon and clove. Set Instant Pot to Pressure Cook mode on High and cook for 8 minutes. Ensure Instant Pot is in Sealing mode. Let the pressure release naturally (about 20 minutes).

To prepare the rajma masala

Begin by adding the ginger, garlic, and onion in a food processor with a bit of water. Purée until everything is well combined.
Heat a pot on medium heat and add ghee/olive oil. When the pot is hot, add hing and cumin seeds. Cook until cumin seeds turn reddish brown and aromatic, then add the bay leaf.
Add onion, ginger, garlic puree. Once the mixture starts to change colour add rajma masala and deggi mirch, mix well and continue cooking until mixture is dry and golden brown. Add a splash of water if mixture gets too dry and starts to stick.
Puree the tomatoes in a food processor. Add tomato purée and bring to boil. Add 1/2 tsp salt and cook with a lid on until the mixture turns redder and becomes dry, about 7-10 minutes. Keep stirring from time to time.
Add cooked kidney beans along with the reserved cooking water to make a runny gravy. Season with salt and add garam masala and mix well. Simmer on medium low heat with the lid on until the gravy starts to thicken.
When the gravy is thick, remove the lid. Taste and adjust for salt as needed. Serve over rice, with potatoes, and/or bread.