This Afghan kidney bean curry, known as lubya/lubia/lobia depending on how the language is transliterated, is one of my favorite meals. I first had the dish at a local Afghan restaurant and can't get enough of it!
Imagine buttery soft kidney beans simmered in a curry base bursting with the rich flavors of coriander and tomato and studded with lightly caramelized onion and plenty of garlic. Lubya is perfect served alongside fragrant basmati rice with a garnish of cilantro and minced red onion.
Have you had Afghan cuisine before? Afghan restaurants are few and far between in the US, which is a shame as the food is SO good. The cuisine is reminiscent of the Indian-Pakistani food I grew up eating (not surprising, as Afghanistan shares a border with Pakistan), though the spices are used to a different effect.
I find Afghan food to be milder than Indian food, both in amount of spices used and how hot-spicy the dishes are. So while this kidney bean curry looks quite similar to the Indian dish rajma, you'll find the ingredient list simpler.
This afghan kidney bean curry is ultra flavorful, but instead of using a half dozen spices including a spice mix (typically garam masala) as you would typically see with an Indian curry, we use only three spices and let them sing.
Building the flavors:
Whole cumin seed and coriander seed are essential to building the flavor of lubya. They are tempered in hot oil to bring out their best and deepest flavors, then simmered in tomatoes to make a flavorful gravy.
Cumin provides the backdrop with its earthy flavor, while coriander brightens the dish with its floral and sweet tasting notes. We also add some dried mint, not enough to overpower the dish or even cause it to taste minty, but it adds a bit of extra freshness to the curry.
The spiced tomato sauce is blended to a smooth consistency, an extra step which creates the creamy consistency of the gravy and blends the spices smooth. Personally, I'm not a fan of biting into crunchy whole coriander. Blending also makes the sauce a beautiful bright red-orange color.
After the tomato gravy is made, the onions and garlic and sautéed until soft and lightly caramelized. This sweetens the onions, which complements and enhances the savory flavors of the curry. Once caramelized, we add back the tomato gravy, throw in the cooked kidney beans and season with salt and pepper and let everything simmer for the flavors to meld.
One of my favorite things I've picked up on in Afghan cuisine is the way black pepper is used. At least at the restaurants I've eaten at and the recipes I've come across in my research, hot chili peppers are not used in the same abundance they are in Indian cuisine.
Instead, freshly ground black pepper is added in generous portions for a delicious peppery flavor that builds as you eat the dish.
This may be a disappointment for pepper-lovers, in which case you may garnish with fresh minced chilies or fry some up alongside the garlic. Personally I appreciate the differences between Afghan and Indian cuisine and am a huge black pepper fan!
One thing you might notice in my Indian and Afghan recipes is that I like to cook with coconut oil. It adds extra depth of flavor to the dishes that you might miss when you don't cook with ghee. That being said, it's fine to use whatever canola or vegetable oil you'd like.
This Afghan kidney bean curry comes together relatively quickly and super easily. It's super healthy and flavorful, and so satisfying to eat. It's delicious served with basmati rice and a side of vegetable (such as roasted cauliflower).
Even better, make some Afghan leek stuffed flatbread (leek bolani) to go alongside it (in which case, you might as well also make Afghan chutneys)! It's a match made in heaven.
I hope to add more Afghan-inspired recipes in time, it's a little bit of a ode to my Afghan heritage. Some of my dad's family is descended from the Durrani Tribe, and that's about all I know about it. But it's a great excuse to explore the cuisine! You're welcome, belly.
This was one of the first recipes I published to The Curious Chickpea, and we make this dish so frequently that I thought it worth an update with new photos! Hope you enjoy!
If you make this Afghan kidney bean curry, leave a comment below and rate the recipe on the recipe card. And please share your photos with me on Instagram, tag @thecuriouschickpea and #thecuriouschickpea. I love seeing your recreations!
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Afghan Kidney Bean Curry (Lubya)
This delicious Afghan kidney bean curry is made with a spiced tomato gravy and sweet caramelized onions. It's quick and easy to make and so flavorful!
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon coconut oil, divided
- 1 tablespoon whole coriander seed
- 1 teaspoon whole cumin seed
- ½ teaspoon dried mint (optional)
- 1 15 oz can (1 ½ cups) whole tomatoes
- 1 small red onion, small dice, some reserved for garnish
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup vegetable broth
- 3 cups cooked kidney beans (2 15 oz cans) , rinsed and drained
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste
- 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste*
- cilantro for garnish
- basmati rice, to serve
Instructions
- Melt 1 tablespoon of oil in a heavy bottomed pot over medium-low heat. Add the coriander and cumin and cook for about a minute or until the aromatic and a shade darker. Keep a close eye on them so they don't burn.
- Add the dried mint and the tomatoes and their juices to the pot (watch for splattering!), and mash them a little. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, for around 7 minutes until they break down and are saucy. Transfer to a blender and blend until smooth, making sure to vent.
- Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil to the pot and melt over medium-low heat. Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened and starting to turn golden. Then add the minced garlic, and continue cooking for an additional 5 minutes, stirring often so it doesn't burn.
- Once the onions are nice and caramelized add the broth, the spiced tomato sauce, kidney beans, salt and pepper. Simmer uncovered on low heat for about 15 minutes. Adjust seasonings to taste.
- Garnish with cilantro (if desired) and minced red onion and serve with basmati rice.
Notes
*Based on how salty your broth and beans were you might need more or less salt, so it's always smart to start with less and add more to taste
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 199Total Fat: 5gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 505mgCarbohydrates: 29gFiber: 8gSugar: 3gProtein: 10g
Nutrition is calculated automatically so should be used as an estimate.
Hi, when you say whole corriander, do you mean seeds?
Yes, I do mean the whole coriander seeds. I'll update the recipe to make it more clear!
This looks super tasty! As a student o often add more vetables to dishes like this to make them go further and help get in my 5 a day. Are there any you would recommend may go with this? Maybe green lentils would work as well?
Hi Kim, I would probably add some spinach (it would just melt away into the dish) or cauliflower. I’m not sure if you’re asking about replacing the kidney beans with lentils or just adding some lentils? If the latter you could but for any of these changes (except maybe the spinach) you will want to add more spices.
your toppings look nice.. good presentation.. I think Ill do the cilantro, a bit of onion and some coconut
Do you boil the kidney beans before? 15 minuites of cooking won't cook it.
Hi Roop.. I used the dry ones too. soaked overnight and now have them finishing up with the other ingredients in crock pot. My variation of the recipe but I am a crock pot fanatic.. I burn up too many pans otherwise. It smells delicious. Up line someone asked about veggies added. I have some cauliflower. Might put in a bit the last hour. Would be a nice addition
I am also wondering about how you cooked the beans. The way it is described/written, it is a little bit confusing. You didn’t mention a crockpot up to and mention it in the comments below. Did you put everything in the crockpot at the end for 15 minutes on low heat? I also am using dried beans soaked overnight. Thanks!
Hi Danielle, I used cooked kidney beans in this recipe. I recommend cooking the kidney beans in advance, then measuring out how much you need for this recipe (3 cups cooked). I'm sorry for the confusion, I'll try to clear it up that I mean cooked kidney beans!
She better have boiled the beans. Red kidney beans are toxic if you don't boil them for about 5 minutes. The high heat breaks down the toxin.
This is wonderful. Thank you so much!!
Hey! I work at an Afghan resturant and we often serve this korma with capsicum !
Far as I know ghee is what's used in Indian/middle Eastern recipes. Not coconut oil . They're not interchangeable. Completely different flavours
I do not use ghee because I am vegan and so do not use animal products. Coconut tastes great with Indian and Arab flavors and has a more similar mouthfeel to ghee than just using a vegetable oil, or you can use a refined coconut oil for a neutral flavor.
Indian cooking makes use of ghee as well as coconut, mustard and sunflower oil among others. The cooking style and oil varies by region, and coconut oil is used widely in some parts of India
I made this last night. My carnivorous husband loved it, and so did I! I used fire roasted diced tomatoes but otherwise didn’t deviate from the recipe. Adding this to my regular rotation. I love kidney beans and was looking for a recipe where they were the star.
Made this recipe last night and really enjoyed it! I was looking for a rajma recipe (I thought you had one here but can't seem to find it!) to pair with your palak tofu paneer but this tasted great too. I didn't have mint leaves and can definitely see how they would add to the flavors. I added a bit of cayenne, a tiny dash of sugar and a drizzle of coconut milk. Thanks for a great recipe!
You could add 1 tsp of crushed kasuri methi dried Fenugreek leaves instead of mint or fresh cilantro leaves chopped as garnish.
I think this is a stew, not a curry. Curries do not really exist in Afghan cuisine. The texture and spice mix is different to a traditional curry which is typically runny.
Lovely easy healthy recipe - will become a recipe I'll cook often- thank you very much for sharing 🙂
Is it weird to say this was light and refreshing? Really good simple recipe with a good amount of flavor.
Very tasty dish! I didn’t have the coriander or cumin seeds, so I used ground coriander and cumin instead. I also added 11/2 cups frozen spinach and was pleased with the addition. Served with couscous, Greek yogurt and slivered almonds. My family really liked the meal—will definitely make again. Thank you for sharing the recipe!
How much of the ground seeds would you use?
I used 2 tsp ground coriander and 1 tsp ground cumin. The spices are what make this dish so good!
Y'all! This was so so good! I was nervous because I've never made anything from the curious chickpea before but these spices hit the spot!
Hi, I try not to use over the counter broths and I am too lazy to prepare it at home. Can I replace broth with water? Or is there another substitute? Thanks!
You can use water instead of broth for this dish. I also usually don't buy the boxed broth, but like to keep Better Than Bouillon brand vegetable broth & no-chicken style broth in the fridge for quick and easy broth!
Absolutely delicious! The flavors were so simple yet blended together beautifully. I did not have dried mint but happened to have some fresh mint on hand, so I finely minced it and stirred it into the curry at the end (as mint browns quickly in heat). Served it with white jasmine rice and roasted cabbage, with cilantro garnish. This will definitely be made again!
I'm very eager to try this. One question: Why is it called curry if it contains no curry in the ingredients?
PS: my partner visited Afghanistan and loved the food.
"Curry" really is just a western word to describe eastern dishes with spices. It doesn't have to have curry powder or curry leaves to be a curry. Anything cooked, warmed, that includes spices is a curry.
I tried this today OMG, to die for! The only adjustment I made was to add a bit of my home made garam masala blend ( I put that $&it in everything) . We are keto so served with lemon pork chop.
Thank you so much
Is this keto friendly
I'm not that familiar with the specifics of a keto diet, but am guessing that the beans keep it from being keto-friendly as they are considered higher carb.
Amazing, this is the first vegan recipe that my kids actually loved. They devoured it and asked for more. This is definitely on my mid week cook list now. Thank you.
It’s called kidney bean curry, but I don’t see curry in the ingredients.
Hi Jeff, so curry is a general term to refer to a style of dish. It's actually not language that's used by people of the countries that have "curry" but one that was used by colonizers to describe dishes that were from these "ethnic" countries. It does not mean that a dish has curry powder, which by the way, is not even a well defined spice mix. There are many different ways to make curry powder, and in the end all curry powder is, is a spice mix of various other spices. I use the word curry because it is a familiar term in western culture, but if we're being honest it isn't a word with a lot of meaning--and it can mean a lot of different things!
Hi there! Can I use diced tomatoes?
Sure thing! As they get blended it doesn't matter (I just have a personal preference for whole tomatoes!) 🙂
This is very simple and quick to prepare and tastes great! I added frozen spinach and kale to amp up the veg, but otherwise followed the recipe.
I made this tonight. It was delicious, though I may have put in a little more coriander than necessary. I will make it again. As a vegan, I sometimes don't eat as much protein as I probably should (though vegans generally get plenty of protein!), so the kidney beans are a welcome addition to my meal.
Easy to make and very tasty. I followed the recipe exactly (except I couldn't find dried mint!). Served it on butternut squash "noodles" instead of rice... probably not authentic Afghan but it was a great pairing!
Hi Eva, Just made this and resulted in 2 servings, not 6. I’d times 3 the ingredients for 6 people. I put plenty of black pepper in and it was tasty.
Does it need canned or dry kidney beans?
Use cooked kidney beans! You can use canned or cook your own then use those in the recipe. Either works 🙂
Hi! Looks delicious, thank you for the recipe. Do you think this would freeze well?
Hi Kendra! Yes I do believe this would freeze very well, bean dishes typically are great for freezing!