Sausage and bean curry in 30 minutes!
Sausage meat is a really underrated protein when it comes to curries, yet it works beautifully thanks to how quickly it cooks and how well it absorbs all of the rich, aromatic flavours in the sauce. As the sausage meat browns, it releases savoury juices that add depth and richness, creating a curry that tastes slow-cooked without the long cooking time. Adding beans turns this dish into a truly substantial and satisfying meal, boosting both the texture and the nutritional value while helping the curry feel hearty and comforting. The beans soak up the spices and sauce, making every spoonful filling and full of flavour.
This curry is also ideal for busy weeknights, as it takes less than 30 minutes to prepare, with a flexible cooking time of just 10 to 30 minutes depending on how thick and rich you like your sauce. That means you can have a warming, flavour-packed meal on the table in well under an hour, with minimal effort and maximum reward. It’s perfect served with rice, naan, or even on its own for a low-effort, high-impact dinner.
Nutritionally, each serving provides approximately 697 kcal, making it a satisfying main meal that keeps you full for hours. It delivers 27.3g of protein to support muscle maintenance and satiety, along with 34.1g of carbohydrate, of which only 5.6g are sugars. The curry contains 47.1g of fat, including 23.8g of saturates, contributing to its rich, indulgent flavour and comforting texture. It also provides an impressive 13.3g of fibre, thanks largely to the beans, supporting digestion and fullness, and contains 1.64g of salt. Altogether, this dish is a bold, hearty curry that proves sausage meat deserves a place in your spice cupboard rotation, combining speed, flavour, and comfort in one delicious bowl.
Sausage and bean curry- ingredient list!
Two tablespoons of olive oil
400g/14oz sausages that have been torn into little pieces and taken out of their casing
Half a teaspoon of fennel seeds
Half a teaspoon of black mustard seeds
Ten curry leaves
One finely sliced onion
One tablespoon of garlic paste
One tablespoon of ginger paste
1-2 tablespoons curry powder
Two tablespoons of tomato purée
400 millilitres of tin coconut milk
540–570g container of cannellini beans; optional garnish of salt and coriander leaves
To serve, rice, naan, or paratha
Sausage and bean curry- step by step instruction guide!
Step 1
Add the olive oil to a large frying pan or sauté pan and place it over a medium–high heat. Once the oil is hot, add the sausage meat, breaking it up with a spoon or spatula as it cooks. Fry for about 5 minutes, stirring often, until the meat is evenly coloured and lightly browned all over, allowing it to develop plenty of flavour. If your pan is on the smaller side, cook the sausage meat in batches to avoid overcrowding, which helps it brown rather than steam. Once cooked, remove the sausage meat from the pan using a slotted spoon and set it aside, leaving the flavoured oil behind to form the base of the curry.
Step 2
Add the fennel seeds and black mustard seeds to the same pan, keeping it over a medium–high heat. Toast them gently in the hot oil until they become fragrant and the mustard seeds begin to pop and spit. At this point, add the curry leaves and sliced onions, stirring carefully as the curry leaves hit the oil. Cook the onions for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they begin to soften and take on a light golden colour, releasing their natural sweetness. Once the onions are softened, stir in the garlic and ginger pastes and cook for a further couple of minutes, allowing their aromas to mellow and infuse into the base. Season generously with salt at this stage to help draw out moisture from the onions and build a well-balanced, flavourful curry base.
Step 3
Add the curry powder and tomato purée to the pan, stirring well to coat the onions and spices evenly and allowing the mixture to cook briefly so the spices release their full flavour. Once everything is well combined, pour in the coconut milk and stir until smooth. Bring the curry to a gentle simmer and cook for about 10 minutes, allowing the sauce to thicken slightly and the flavours to meld together into a rich, creamy, and aromatic base.
Step 4
Add the cannellini beans to the pan, including the liquid from the jar, as this helps to loosen the sauce slightly while also adding extra richness and body. Stir well so the beans are evenly distributed throughout the curry and begin to absorb the flavours of the sauce. Return the cooked sausage meat to the pan, mixing everything together carefully to ensure the meat is fully coated in the creamy, spiced sauce. Allow the curry to simmer gently for a further 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, so the flavours can meld together beautifully. During this time, the beans will soften further, the sausage meat will soak up the aromatic spices, and the sauce will thicken slightly, creating a hearty, comforting curry that’s rich, warming, and ready to serve.
Step 5
Finish the curry by garnishing with a generous sprinkling of fresh coriander leaves, if using, which adds a pop of vibrant colour and a fresh, herby note that balances the richness of the sauce. Serve the curry hot, straight from the pan, alongside fluffy steamed rice, warm naan breads, or crisp, flaky parathas, all of which are perfect for soaking up the creamy, spiced sauce. You could also add a dollop of yoghurt or a squeeze of lime on the side for extra freshness. Whether enjoyed as a relaxed weeknight dinner or shared with family and friends, this curry is deeply comforting, full of flavour, and best savoured with plenty of bread or rice to make sure nothing goes to waste.
recipe tips
It’s best to use a traditional pork sausage for this recipe, rather than anything heavily flavoured such as Cumberland or Italian-style sausages. A plain sausage allows the spices, aromatics, and coconut-based sauce to shine without competing flavours, ensuring the curry remains well balanced. Strongly seasoned sausages can overpower the dish and clash with the curry spices, whereas a classic pork sausage provides a mild, savoury base that soaks up the flavours of the sauce beautifully, resulting in a more cohesive and harmonious curry.