Transform two tins of baked beans into a luxurious, spiced curry that sits comfortably at the heart of British Asian home cooking. Baked beans in various forms—masala-spiced, tadka-infused, curried or simply hot—have long been a kitchen staple, equally at home as a toastie filling, spooned over jacket potatoes, or scooped up with warm roti. This baked beans butter masala takes that familiar ingredient and elevates it with butter, cream and aromatic spices, creating what chef Sanjana Modha describes as beans dressed in a frock of all the good stuff.
The recipe appears in Modha's new cookbook Modern Masala, which contains over 70 vegetarian recipes blending traditional Indian flavours with inventive modern twists. According to a review of the collection, the book showcases playful dishes ranging from Indian butterfly cakes to saffron banoffee pie-fle, positioning it as a creative exploration of Indian cuisine. Modha recently discussed recipes from the book during a radio appearance on 23 September 2026.
Why baked beans work as a base for butter masala
The foundation of any butter masala lies in its richness and depth of flavour. Tinned baked beans already possess a natural sweetness and soft texture that pairs beautifully with the warm spices and creamy sauce essential to the dish. Rather than starting from scratch with dried pulses, using pre-cooked beans allows the cook to focus on building layers of flavour through aromatics and spice, cutting preparation time significantly.
How to make the curry
Begin by melting two tablespoons of salted butter in a medium saucepan, then add one small finely chopped brown onion and sauté for three to five minutes until soft and translucent. Introduce two peeled and finely chopped garlic cloves, one teaspoon of minced ginger and one tablespoon of tomato puree, cooking for a further minute until the mixture becomes fragrant.
Pour in both 410g tins of baked beans along with all their sauce. Stir through half a teaspoon of ground turmeric, one teaspoon of kashmiri chilli powder, three finely ground green cardamom seeds (from four smashed pods), three teaspoons of garam masala and a small pinch of salt. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer.
Add 150ml of single cream (reserving a few tablespoons for finishing), cover the pan and allow the curry to simmer over low heat for ten minutes, stirring frequently to prevent the beans from sticking to the base. Remove the lid, add two teaspoons of dried fenugreek leaves (rubbed between your palms to break them into fine powder), then swirl through the reserved cream and an optional knob of extra butter. Finish with two tablespoons of chopped coriander, including the stalks, and serve.
How to adapt this recipe
The dish works beautifully with naan bread or can be served in any of the traditional ways mentioned above—spooned onto toast, heaped onto a baked jacket potato, or scooped with roti. For a vegan version, substitute the salted butter with plant-based butter and replace the single cream with oat- or soya-based alternatives. Coconut milk also works effectively in place of dairy cream, adding a subtle tropical note to the spices.
Timing and servings
The entire dish takes just 35 minutes from start to finish: 15 minutes of preparation and 20 minutes of cooking. The recipe yields four servings, making it suitable for a family meal or a dinner for friends.
About the cookbook
Modern Masala was published by Quadrille in 2026 with an RRP of £25. The hardcover edition, with ISBN 9781837836727, remains available for purchase through retailers at £22.50. The baked beans butter masala exemplifies the book's approach: taking familiar ingredients and reimagining them through the lens of Indian spicing and technique, demonstrating how versatile everyday items can become something entirely new.
