Indian Green Beans and Potatoes (Aloo Beans)

This Indian green beans and potatoes dish, otherwise known as aloo beans, is a quick stir-fry of green beans and potatoes with some Indian spices, and it is a delicious and healthy vegetable dish, ready in under 30 minutes! My kids love this combination and often go for seconds, so this dish is quite regular in our house.

Beans are one of those vegetables that have a short season, and one does not always know what to do with them once they have them. Beans on their own are not very flavorful. My mom often made beans & aloo ki sabzi (beans and potatoes with Indian spices) when beans were in season. This is the only way that our family enjoys green beans. This dish is so quick, easy, and flavorful.

What is Aloo Beans?

Indian green beans and potatoes are a classic vegetarian North Indian dish called beans aloo ki sabzi in Hindi. It is a dry green bean and potato side dish that is full of plenty of spices, with “aloo” translating to “potato” and “sabzi” translating to “vegetable side.” This particular aloo beans recipe is spiced, warming, and fragrant due to the addition of cumin seeds, turmeric, coriander, and garam masala. This dish works well as a side dish served with roti or naan, or dal and rice to make it a complete meal. If you are interested in trying any other green bean recipes, consider trying my String Beans & Coconut Stir Fry, which includes string beans and unsweetened dried coconut.

The Spices and Why They Work

This Indian green beans and potatoes recipe isn’t spicy hot, but it is well spiced with a few spices that impart flavor and color to the dish. Here is some information about the spices used in this dish and the reasons why they work:

• Cumin seeds: Cumin is warming, nutty, and slightly earthy, and can be purchased as either cumin seeds or ground. Using whole cumin seeds is particularly good for this dish, as they add some contrasting texture to the soft potatoes and green beans. The seeds are first cooked in hot oil until they are sputtering to build the base flavor of the stir-fry.
• Turmeric: Turmeric has an earthy taste, a warm peppery undertone, and a beautiful yellow color. While you can sometimes find it as a fresh root, which you can grate to use in your cooking, this recipe uses ground turmeric, which is more readily available and easier to use. The turmeric goes into the pan with the green beans and coriander powder during the last 10 or so minutes of the cooking process, which ensures that it doesn’t burn. It is essential for imparting a slightly yellow color to the potato and green bean side dish.
• Coriander powder: Coriander powder comes from whole coriander seeds, which come from the cilantro plant when it has gone to seed. Similar to fresh cilantro, coriander has a slightly citrusy, sweet, and floral taste, but with some added bitterness and grassiness as well. It gets added to the skillet with the beans as well.
• Garam masala: Garam masala is a classic Indian spice blend including spices like cumin, coriander, cardamom, black peppercorns, nutmeg, cloves, and cinnamon. It is usually added towards the end of the cooking time or sprinkled on top as a garnish to add to the fragrance of the dish. In the case of this Indian green beans and potato recipe, it is sprinkled on top at the end for warmth. You can purchase it at a grocery store or Indian specialty store, or make homemade garam masala at home.

How to Make it: Step Overview

If you are looking for a quick and easy side dish that is full of flavor, this Indian green bean and potato recipe takes less than 30 minutes to make. The cooking process moves in a series of stages, with the cumin seeds going in first to flavor the oil, and the potatoes following so they can cook for a few minutes before the beans and remaining spices go in. Here is an overview of how to make this flavorful bean and potato dish:

Cooking the Potatoes

• Heat the oil in a skillet and add the cumin seeds until they are sputtering and fragrant.
• Add the diced potatoes and allow them to cook until they are lightly browned and golden, about 2 to 3 minutes.

Adding the Beans and Remaining Spices

• Stir the chopped beans, coriander, and turmeric into the potato mixture in the pan, cover it with a lid, and allow it to cook until everything is tender, about 10 minutes.
• Season with salt to taste and stir in the garam masala before allowing it to cook for another 2 minutes.

Serve

• Serve with roti or naan on the side.

Tips for the Best Results

This is a relatively simple spiced potato and green bean recipe, but there are a few things to keep in mind to ensure you get perfectly cooked potatoes and beans, along with the best flavors possible. Here is everything you need to know to make this recipe a success:

• Cut Potatoes Evenly: Make sure that the potatoes are diced into even-sized pieces so they cook evenly.
• Add Cumin Seeds First: Let the cumin seeds sputter in the oil before adding anything else.
• Season with Salt at the End: Add salt near the end. Adding it too early may cause moisture to release from the vegetables, resulting in a wet dish and a loss of caramelization on the potatoes.
• Use Fresh Beans: I prefer fresh beans for this recipe. I have made this recipe with frozen beans, and the beans come out mushy, a texture that I am not a fan of. If you do not mind mushy beans, then it is ok to use frozen beans.

Substitutions and Variations

Despite the simplicity of this Indian green beans recipe, there are some variations that you can try. Some families in India will add onion and tomatoes to this dish. However, I prefer to make it without onion and tomatoes. That way, the flavor of the beans fully shines and is not masked by onions and tomatoes. However, you can feel free to add them to this dish if you enjoy them.

A possible substitution you could make in this recipe when fresh beans aren’t in season is frozen green beans, although fresh beans are preferable, as they will have a better texture and the frozen beans will likely become overly soft. If you don’t mind overly soft beans, you can use frozen beans if preferred, but I highly recommend that you wait until fresh green beans are in season and use those instead.

What to Serve With it

This aloo beans recipe is perfect with naan bread or roti for a filling accompaniment. Check out this Vegan Naan recipe if you would like to try your hand at making this flatbread yourself. You could also pair this potato and green bean dish with dal and rice if you would like to round out the meal even more and add some quality protein.

Storage

To store leftovers, allow the subzi to cool to room temperature and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. Then, you can reheat it in a microwave or a pan. I do not recommend freezing this dish, as freezing will change the texture of both the potatoes and the beans.

 

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