This Indian cabbage recipe with kidney beans is a quick everyday curry that you can make with basic pantry ingredients. Cabbage cooks fast, and when you add cooked kidney beans, it becomes more filling.
I like making this on busy weekdays when I already have cooked beans in the fridge or freezer. You do not need any onion, garlic, or heavy curry base for this recipe. Serve this Indian cabbage curry with chapati, rice, and a simple toor dal for a comforting Indian meal.
Quick Recipe Info
- Cook time: Around 15 to 20 minutes.
- Texture: Cabbage will be soft and lightly golden, not mushy.
- Best served with: Chapati, rice, millet, quinoa, or a simple dal.
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A Simple and Filling Indian Cabbage Recipe
This cabbage stir fry is one of those simple Indian sabzi recipes that work well for everyday meals. The kidney beans make the cabbage more filling, and the quick tadka with mustard seeds, cumin seeds, curry leaves, and ginger adds enough flavor to the dish without needing a separate sauce.
In my kitchen, I usually keep cooked beans ready for weekly meal prep. Recipes like this help me turn a basic vegetable stir-fry into a practical lunch side. You can use canned beans or cook red kidney beans easily using my Instant Pot kidney beans guide.
If you like this kind of vegetable side dish, try my Indian zucchini curry, sauteed green peas, or pumpkin stir fry for a quick weekday meal.
Happy Cooking!
-Sravanthi
Ingredients and Substitutions
Here are the ingredients you need to make this Indian cabbage stir fry.
Cabbage: Use finely shredded green cabbage. Thinly shredded cabbage cooks faster and gives the best texture. You can use red cabbage, but the color will change once you add turmeric.
Kidney beans: You can use canned kidney beans or home-cooked kidney beans. If using canned beans, drain and rinse them well before adding. Chickpeas, black-eyed peas, or pinto beans will also work in this recipe.
Mustard seeds, cumin seeds, and curry leaves: These make the base tadka for this cabbage stir fry. Fresh curry leaves give the best flavor. If you do not have curry leaves, skip them.
Ginger: Freshly chopped ginger gives a nice flavor to this simple stir fry. Chop it finely so it cooks quickly in the oil.
Tomato: Use a deseeded and finely chopped tomato. Removing the seeds helps keep this cabbage curry dry and not watery.
Spice powders: I used turmeric powder, red chilli powder, coriander powder, and garam masala. You can reduce the red chilli powder if you want it mild.
Oil: Any neutral cooking oil will work here. Use sunflower oil, avocado oil, or coconut oil.
For exact ingredient quantities, see the recipe card below.
How to Make Indian Cabbage Recipe
Step 1: Heat oil in a wide pan over medium heat. Add mustard seeds and cumin seeds, and let them splutter.
Step 2: Add curry leaves and chopped ginger. Stir for 20 to 30 seconds.
Step 3: Add shredded cabbage and mix well with the tadka.
Step 4: Add salt and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, until the cabbage starts to wilt.
Step 5: Add chopped tomato, turmeric powder, red chilli powder, coriander powder, and garam masala powder.
Step 6: Mix well and cook for 4 to 5 minutes on medium heat, stirring occasionally.
Step 7: Once the cabbage is soft and lightly golden, add the cooked kidney beans.
Step 8: Mix gently and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until the beans are heated through.
Step 9: Taste and adjust salt. Serve hot with rice or chapati.
Variations
Plain cabbage stir fry: Skip the kidney beans and follow the same method. This makes a simple Indian cabbage stir fry that works well as a side dish. Reduce garam masala if you want a lighter flavor.
Add coconut: Add 2 tablespoons fresh or frozen grated coconut at the end and mix well. This gives the dish a South Indian poriyal-style finish.
Add green peas: Add a handful of green peas along with the tomatoes and cook them in the same way. They add color and mild sweetness.
Use red cabbage: You can make the same recipe with red cabbage. It gives a nice color but may take a few extra minutes to soften.
Recipe
Indian Cabbage Stir Fry With Kidney Beans
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Ingredients
- 2 cups cabbage finely shredded
- 1 cup cooked kidney beans canned or home-cooked, drained and rinsed
- ½ cup tomato deseeded and finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon ginger finely chopped
- 8 to 10 curry leaves optional
- ¼ teaspoon mustard seeds
- ¼ teaspoon cumin seeds
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
- ¼ teaspoon red chilli powder
- ½ teaspoon coriander powder
- ¼ teaspoon garam masala powder
- 1 teaspoon oil
- ½ teaspoon salt adjust to taste
Instructions
- Make Tempering: Heat oil in a wide pan or kadai over medium heat. Add mustard seeds and cumin seeds. Let them splutter.¼ teaspoon mustard seeds, 1 teaspoon oil, ¼ teaspoon cumin seeds
- Add curry leaves, and ginger: Add curry leaves, and finely chopped ginger. Stir for 20 to 30 seconds, until the ginger turns aromatic.8 to 10 curry leaves, 1 teaspoon ginger
- Add shredded cabbage: Add the shredded cabbage to the pan. Mix it well with the tadka.2 cups cabbage
- Add salt and mix well. Cook the cabbage on medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes. It will slowly start to wilt and reduce in volume.½ teaspoon salt
- Add tomato and spices: Add chopped tomato, turmeric powder, red chilli powder, coriander powder, and garam masala. Mix everything well.½ cup tomato, ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder, ¼ teaspoon red chilli powder, ½ teaspoon coriander powder, ¼ teaspoon garam masala powder
- Cook the cabbage: For softer cabbage, cover the pan and cook on medium-low heat for 3 to 4 minutes.
- For cabbage with a slight bite, cook uncovered on medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until the cabbage is cooked and any extra moisture evaporates.
- Do not add water. The cabbage and tomato release enough moisture to cook the dish.
- Add kidney beans: Add the cooked kidney beans and mix gently. Do not mash the beans.1 cup cooked kidney beans
- Finish the stir fry: Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until the kidney beans are heated through and coated with the spices. Taste and adjust salt if needed. Serve hot.
Notes
Tested Tips From My Kitchen
- Shred the cabbage thinly. Thick cabbage pieces take longer to cook and may not soften evenly.
- Remove the tomato seeds before chopping. This keeps the stir-fry from becoming watery.
- Add salt early. This helps the cabbage release moisture and cook faster.
- Do not add water. Cabbage releases enough moisture while cooking. If the pan looks too dry, lower the heat and continue cooking.
- Keep the heat at medium. High heat can burn the spices before the cabbage softens.
- Use canned kidney beans for a quick version. Drain and rinse them well before using. Add kidney beans at the end. They are already cooked and only need a few minutes to warm through.
- Use well-cooked beans. Kidney beans should be soft but not mushy. If they are too hard, they will not blend well with the cabbage.
- Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
- Reheating: Reheat in a pan on medium heat. Sprinkle a little water only if needed.
- Freezing: I do not recommend freezing this recipe, as cabbage loses its texture after thawing.
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Serving Tips
This Indian cabbage stir fry works well as both a side dish and a light main dish.
- With flatbread: Serve it with chapati or spinach paratha. You can also use the leftovers as a chapati wrap filling.
- With rice: Serve it with Instant Pot basmati rice for a simple weekday meal. It also pairs well with millet or quinoa. This stir-fry goes well with Indian kitchari and Indian yogurt rice as well.
- With salad: A fresh Indian cucumber peanut salad or a tomato onion salad goes well with this curry.
- With raita: If you make this stir fry spicy, serve it with a simple Indian yogurt sauce on the side.
- For meal prep: This cabbage kidney bean stir fry keeps well in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 days. Reheat it in a pan on medium heat for the best texture.
I hope you try this Indian Cabbage Stir Fry Recipe with Kidney Beans for your next weekday lunch or dinner. Please leave a comment and share how you served it. You can also explore more quick ideas in these Indian vegetable side dishes when you need simple meal inspiration.
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