These saag butter beans are a glorious way to eat more beans and greens. The saag has texture, which compliments the tender melt-in-your-mouth butter beans extremely well.
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My devotion to beans started young because of the variety of ways they’re used in Indian cuisine to make hearty low-cost meals. Butter beans seem to be the it girl of the beans right now; they aren’t often used in Indian cuisine, but we can change that.
One difference between me and my parents has always been that they like their greens with more texture. Maybe that’s because they didn’t grow up eating the creamy saag we see at most Indian restaurants. And creamy tends to fit food beauty standards in the age of social media, so I’m getting over my irrational fear of posting not-creamy greens and this dish is the perfect place for that.
You just process a bunch of spinach, cilantro, and kale. I use kale because it’s the green most available near me, but if you have access to mustard greens, bathua, collard greens, etc. those will work just as well! Cook the greens down with onions, garlic, green chilis, and spices like coriander, cumin, and kasoori methi (dried fenugreek leaves). You can serve with whatever you want. I made these beans the same day I was making my first batch of focaccia in years so I was very excited for my beans, greens, and focaccia to meet each other.
Saag Butter Beans
Ingredients
- 250 g (~ 8 cups) greens *I used about 6 cups spinach, 2 cups cavolo nero
- 1 cup cilantro
- 2 tbsp avocado oil or another neutral oil
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 green chilis, minced
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- salt to taste
- 1 tbsp kasoori methi (dried fenugreek leaves) *omit if you don't have it
- 15 oz. can of butter beans, drained and rinsed
Instructions
- Process spinach, cavolo nero, and cilantro in a food processor until finely chopped. Instead of cavolo nero, you can also use more spinach or another green of choice, like mustard greens, bathua, or collard greens.
- Heat oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the onions and cook for 5 minutes or so, until more golden and translucent.
- Add the garlic and green chilis. Cook for another 2 minutes.
- Add ground spices: cumin, coriander, cinnamon. Combine well for a minute.
- Add the greens, lemon juice, and salt. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the butter beans and let them cook in the saag for a few minutes. Finish with kasoori methi and serve with a flatbread of choice or rice!
For more beans and greens, check out…
