Rajma recipe – Delicious & flavorful curry made with red kidney beans aka rajma. In Indian cuisine, a lot of legumes are eaten regularly as they are the main source of protein & fiber. Lentils, chickpeas, peas, black eyed peas and red kidney beans are some of them used to make curries. Rajma chawal is a favorite combo in many North Indian households where rajma masala is served with chawal (rice). Some onion & lemon wedges on the side is all you need to enjoy this delicious dish.

Chole, dal makhani, chana masala & rajma masala are some of the popular curries from North Indian Cuisine. These are always included on the restaurant menus or even made in most households regularly.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
WHAT IS RAJMA?
ABOUT THIS RECIPE
STEP BY STEP RAJMA RECIPE
TIPS TO MAKE THE BEST
FAQs ON RAJMA RECIPE
What is rajma?
Rajma is the Indian name for red kidney beans. These are soaked, cooked & then simmered with onions, tomatoes & spices to make the dish, Rajma masala. It is also just referred as rajma. It is the quintessential North Indian dish made on weekends, special occasions, weddings etc.
Rajma are fat free and have many benefits since they are high in fiber, folate and magnesium. High fiber promotes digestive tract health, folate & magnesium makes them a heart healthy food. Considering these benefits red kidney beans are widely eaten in India.
About this recipe
My recipe to make rajma masala is based on the restaurant style where pureed onions & tomatoes are used to give the best taste & texture to the dish. The flavors are so good that you won’t need anything on the side other than chawal.
There are numerous ways to make rajma. But the most common method is the Punjabi way where the kidney beans are soaked overnight, pressure cooked until tender and then simmered with the bhuna masala.
A typical bhuna masala is made with chopped onions, ginger garlic, tomatoes and garam masala. Like most other Indian dishes, traditionally rajma is made with chopped onions and chopped tomatoes.
But in many standard restaurants, rajma is made with pureed onions and tomatoes to give a better texture & taste to the dish. Though the method of making is the same as Punjabi rajma, using onions & tomatoes in pureed form makes the entire dish taste so good.
This rajma recipe will give you a thick, delicious & flavorful dish that you can serve either with plain basmati rice, Jeera rice, roti or naan.
Similar recipes,
Aloo Gobi
Baingan bharta
Chana masala
Dum aloo
Palak paneer
Punjabi chole
Preparation for rajma recipe
1. Add ¾ cup rajma to a large bowl and rinse them well a few times in lot of water. Pour fresh water and soak for at least 8 hours. Soaking helps to soft cook them well.
While you soak them , do not cover the pot completely. There must be a circulation of air to the soaked beans especially during hot summer days otherwise the beans turn sticky. Rinse them thoroughly before cooking.

cooking beans
2. Pressure cooker: If cooking directly in the pressure cooker, then pour 2 cups of water along with the rajma and pressure cook for 3 to 4 whistles on a medium flame depending on your cooker.
This time I placed the rajma bowl inside the cooker and pressure cooked for 6 whistles, this is because I didn’t cook them directly in the cooker. Rajma has to be soft cooked yet hold their shape.
To cook in Instant pot – Pour only ¾ cups water to the rajma bowl. More water makes mine mushy. Pressure cook on high pressure for 18 to 20 mins. Wait for the pressure to release naturally. (refer notes in the recipe card)
Check if rajma is cooked by pressing it with your thumb and fore finger. It should get mashed easily. You can also bite and check it should not be al dente. If they are al dente then cook them again for 2 more whistles.

3. While the beans pressure cook, prepare the onions and tomatoes. To make the onion paste, add 1 large onion (1¼ cups chopped) to 2 cups of boiling water. Boil them for 3 to 4 mins. Drain them, cool and make a fine paste in a blender. Set this aside to a bowl.

4. In the same jar, I pureed 2 medium tomatoes (about 1 cup). The puree has to be smooth. [Tip: I also added 2 tbsps of soft cooked rajma so I get a smooth & thick flavorful curry. This is the secret to my flavorful rajma masala. If you don’t like you may skip it.]
How to make rajma
5. Heat 2 to 3 tablespoons ghee or oil in a pan. Add 1 bay leaf and half teaspoon cumin seeds (both are optional). When the cumin sizzles, turn the flame low and add 1½ teaspoon ginger garlic paste. Saute until a nice aroma comes out.

6. Then add the onion paste.

7. Saute until it turns golden.

8. Add the tomato puree.

9. Add all the spice powders and salt mentioned below.
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric
- ½ to ¾ red chilli powder
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- 1¼ teaspoon coriander powder
- ½ teaspoon salt

10. Saute the masala until it turns thick and leaves the sides of the pan. The onion tomato masala should be well cooked and not have any raw smell.

11. Then add the soft cooked rajma along with the stock (rajma cooked water).

12. I added more water (¾ cup at this stage) to bring it to a consistency. Totally I used 2.75 cups water for the entire recipe. This my vary depending on the other ingredients.

13. Mix well and add 1 tsp ginger juliennes & 1 slit green chilli (both are optional). Cover the pan. Simmer on a low flame for 10 to 15 mins.

14. After 15 to 16 mins, this will be the consistency of rajma masala. They must be tender and soft otherwise pour more water and cook for a little longer.
Sprinkle ¾ teaspoon kasuri methi if using and mix well. Sprinkle coriander leaves. You can also stir in 2 tbsps cream. I did not use cream. Taste test at this stage and add more salt if needed.

Serve rajma hot with chawal (rice), onion and lemon wedges.

Tips to make the best rajma
- Choosing Rajma: Always choose fresh stock of rajma as old stock beans don’t cook well. Check the packaged date. Some brands even label the harvest date.
- Soaking rajma before cooking not only enhances the bio-availability of nutrients but also prevents bloating & helps in digestion. So soak them for at least 8 hours & discard the soaked water.
- Cooking: Always cook rajma until tender and soft. Al dente cooked beans do not taste good and are not good for digestion.
- Spices: Use a good dose of garam masala (spices) and ginger to cook the rajma as they not only flavor up the dish but also help in digestion.
- Rajma masala powder : I prefer to use a regular Punjabi garam masala for this rajma recipe. However you can also use any readymade rajma masala powder.
- Slow cooking is the key to a good delicious, thick & flavorful rajma. Once the rajma is added to the gravy, ensure they are cooked on a low flame for at least 10 to 15 mins. This simmering step brings out the flavor of rajma.
- Ghee or oil – I always feel ghee gives the best taste. You can also use oil for cooking and just pour 1 tbsp ghee towards the end.
- This recipe is gluten-free and vegan as well if you use oil.
How to make rajma masala thick?
Slow cooking for long time to some extent makes the curry thick. I know a lot of people mash the rajma lightly once they are cooked in the masala. But I do not do it as my kids don’t like the mashed rajma. Here are my tips which will help you to get a thick gravy
- Blanch & puree the onions instead of grating or chopping.
- Puree the tomatoes and use. Chopped or grated tomatoes often separate water in the gravy.
- Blend 2 tbsp of soft cooked rajma with little water and add it to the simmering gravy. Or puree them along with tomatoes & use. This will triple the taste, flavor & texture of your rajma masala. You will be surprised at how good your rajma smells & tastes.
- I haven’t used any cream like they do in the restaurants. However you can add a bit towards the end if you like.
FAQs
1.Why to use pureed onions and tomatoes? Using chopped onions and tomatoes will make a chunky curry instead of a smooth and thick masala. Using pureed onions and tomatoes will bind the ingredients in the masala well and the texture is at its best.
2. Can I use chopped onions and tomatoes in this recipe? Yes you can use them chopped but your rajma won’t be thick as shown in the pictures.
3. Why are onions boiled here? Onions are boiled first to remove the raw flavor so they cook faster in the pan.
4. How to soak rajma faster? Rinse ¾ to 1 cup rajma well and keep aside. Bring 6 cups of water to a rolling boil in a pot. Add the rinsed rajma and boil for 2 to 3 mins. Cover and leave them for an hour. Discard the soaked water to get rid of the tannins, phytic acid & oligosaccharides.
Rinse them well. Your kidney beans are well soaked and ready to cook.
5. Can I use canned kidney beans? Yes. For this recipe you can use about 2 to 2 ¼ cups of canned kidney beans. Drain the liquid from the can and rinse the beans well before adding to the onion tomato masala. Most canned beans have sodium added to it as a preservative. So it is good to discard the liquid in the can.
How to make rajma in instant pot?
Yes you can make it in instant pot the same way as mentioned for the stove top version. Pressure cook on high pressure with the timer set to 35 mins. Use only 2 cups water.
When the pressure releases naturally, open the lid and add kasuri methi and cook for a few more minutes until it turns thick. If you want it thicker then blend 2 tablespoons of rajma in a blender with 4 tbsps water to a smooth paste. Add it to the simmering curry.
How to make one pot Rajma?
Making one pot rajma is a bit tricky and sometimes may be a failure if the beans are an old stock as they don’t get cooked. So it is like experimenting.
In this post I have shared 2 methods of making rajma. First one is to cook the rajma first and then separately make the gravy. Then add the precooked beans to the gravy. Second method is to make the onion tomato masala and then add the uncooked rajma. Pressure cook everything together until rajma turns soft.
To follow this method, Measure the soaked rajma in cups. We will have to add an equal amount of water to soft cook them in the gravy.
1. Heat ghee or oil in a pot, saute cumin until they begin to splutter. Add ginger garlic or ginger paste and saute until the raw smell goes off.
2. Add chopped onions or onion paste. If you like a smooth gravy, then use onion paste. You can also make a paste of onion and tomatoes together, but i prefer separately as this tastes better.
3. Saute until the paste or onions turn golden.

4. Add tomato puree or chopped tomatoes. Cook until the raw smell of tomatoes is gone.
5. Add red chili powder, coriander powder, garam masala, turmeric & salt.
6. Saute and cook until the mixture begins to leave the sides or the raw smell of the onion and tomato is gone.
Pressure cooker recipe
7. Add rajma. I have added uncooked ones here. Add same amount of water equal to the soaked rajma. For half cup rajma, you will get about 1 and 1/3 cup after soaking them for 8 hours. So I added the same amount of water to get the right consistency. You can also add little more water, if you like a thinner gravy.

8. Add ginger slices and 1 slit green chili. Cover and pressure cook on a medium flame for 1 whistle. Lower the flame and cook for 5 more whistles. It took around 35 mins for me to get the last 5 whistles. However the timing may vary depending on the size or the base of your cooker.
9. When the pressure releases completely, open the lid. This is the consistency I got to see.

10. Beans are completely soft cooked. Rajma must be completely soft cooked. A thick restaurant style gravy is ready. You can garnish with coriander leaves.
Ways to fix uncooked kidney beans
This method has always yielded me soft cooked beans, but beans that is of a very old stock don’t get cooked faster, in that case you can pressure cook first for 2 to 3 whistles and add to the gravy.
or after the last step check if they are under cooked, then add more water and continue to pressure cook for another 2 whistles on a medium flame.
Serve with roti, plain rice, jeera rice, onion & lemon wedges .
Related Recipes

Rajma recipe
For best results follow the step-by-step photos above the recipe card
Ingredients (1 cup = 240ml )
- 2 to 3 tablespoons ghee or oil
- 1½ teaspoons ginger garlic paste
- 1¼ cup onions cubed (1 large)
- 1 cup tomatoes fine chopped (2 medium or ¾ cup puree)
- ¾ cup rajma (kidney beans, any variety)
- 2½ cup water (more if needed)
- 1 teaspoon ginger julienned
- 1 green chili slit
- ½ to ¾ teaspoon salt as needed (adjust to taste)
- 2 tablespoons coriander leaves (fine chopped)
- 2 tablespoons cream (optional, for restaurant style)
Spice powders for rajma
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric (haldi )
- ½ to ¾ teaspoon red chilli powder
- 1 teaspoon garam masala powder (or 1½ tsp rajma masala powder)
- 1¼ teaspoon coriander powder (skip if using rajma masala)
- ¾ teaspoon kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves, optional)
Whole spices (optional)
- ½ teaspoon cumin seeds (Jeera)
- 1 small bay leaf (tej patta)
Instructions
Preparation
- Rinse and soak rajma for 8 hours in lot of water. Discard the water and rinse them well. Pour 2 cups fresh water.
- Cook them in a pot or pressure cook until soft but not mushy.
- Regular pressure cooker – cook directly in the pressure cooker for 4 whistles on a medium flame. For pot-in-pot method, pressure cook for 6 whistles.
- Instant pot – pressure cook on high pressure for 18 to 20 mins. Wait for the pressure to release naturally. (refer notes)
- If done correctly, the rajma must be soft when you bite into it. It should not be al dente or even slightly hard. They must hold their shape yet & not become mushy. When you mash the rajma it must be soft.
- If it is hard or al dente, pressure cook for 2 more whistles.
Onion tomato puree
- Add cubed onions to 2 cups of hot water and boil for 3 mins until transparent.
- Drain the water. Cool them and make a fine paste. Set this aside.
- In the same blender jar puree tomatoes. I also blend 2 tbsps of cooked rajma with the tomatoes to get a thicker gravy.
How to make rajma
- Heat a pan with oil and saute cumin & bay leaf until they sizzle.
- Turn the flame to low, saute ginger garlic paste until a nice aroma comes out.
- Add onion paste and saute until it turns golden.
- Saute tomato puree until the raw smell vanishes.
- Add all the spice powders and salt. Saute until the mixture turns thick & the masala begins to smell good.
- Then transfer cooked rajma to the masala along with rajma cooked water.(stock)
- Pour half cup water and stir. Add ginger juliennes and slit green chili.
- Mix well. Cover & simmer on a low flame for 10 to 15 mins.
- Check if rajma are done completely. When you mash the rajma it must be soft.
- Sprinkle crushed kasuri methi & stir. Add coriander leaves. Taste test and add more salt if needed.
- To get a restaurant style taste, pour 2 tbsp cream. Turn off the stove.
- Serve rajma with chawal (rice), onion and lemon wedges.
Notes
Alternative quantities provided in the recipe card are for 1x only, original recipe.
For best results follow my detailed step-by-step photo instructions and tips above the recipe card.
Video
NUTRITION INFO (estimation only)
© Swasthi’s Recipes

Rajiv says
Being a Maharashtrian we didn’t get to eat rajma often at home. This recipe is too good that we make it almost every other week now. We have also made your aloo gobi and chole masala. All of them came out well. The pictures help a lot. Thank you
swasthi says
You are welcome!
Glad to know! Thanks for leaving a comment.
Matt says
This looks delicious, but I want to do it with canned beans (sorry). I assume from an earlier comment that I should use about a (15 oz) can and a half? Also, how much water should I add in with the beans?
swasthi says
Hi Matt,
Thank you. Yes you can use 15 oz can and a half. Start with 1½ cups water. Canned beans sometimes are not soft cooked so they may need more water. If required you can add more as you cook.
Sanjay Girme says
Excellent recipe , I am from the food industry & qualified to rate this recipe
swasthi says
Thank you so much!
Sunil says
Very easy and tasty recipe. Thanks
swasthi says
Welcome!
Sandy says
Swasthi, I cooked the rajma masala (with your jeera rice) for my son and I last night. Both agreed that the recipe was another ‘keeper’ 🙂 I followed the blanched onion method. Lovely.
So I am sure, in regard to tomatoes, your recipe is for 3/4 cup of tomatoes pureed. I ended up with more that a cup of fine chopped tomatoes to get the 3/4 cup measure. Am I on the right track?
Again, many thanks for another lovely recipe.
swasthi says
Hi Sandy,
You are welcome! Glad you all loved it. Thank you!
You can use little more or less but around 3/4 to 1 cup puree should be okay.
Thank you!
Sandy says
Swasthi, if using canned rajma, would you use about 3 cups ? Thanks, Sandy
swasthi says
Hi Sandy,
Yes 3 cups should be fine
Tabassum Fatima says
Can onions be fried instead of blanching before making paste?
swasthi says
Yes you can fry onions and tomatoes as well like we do for butter paneer
Sindhu says
Outstanding!!!! loved it. The taste was unbelievable. Thank you 🙂
swasthi says
You are welcome! Glad to know
Thank you!
🙂
Anjali says
Made this today, excellent. You see you are my regular cooking guide! Followed yr recipe to a T, the tip of having some air circulation while soaking rajma is really unique and correct. It used to get bubbly and sticky earlier attempts. But re cooking time, cooked it for abt 30 min- one whistle on high, then sim for 25 min, made it directly without container, with a little salt. Perfectly cooked. Thank you.
swasthi says
Hi Anjali,
You are welcome! Glad you liked it. Thank you so much for the comment!
🙂
Chetan says
Hi Swathi
I’ve used a lot of your recipes and am always delighted with the results. Tried the Rajma today and it was delicious. Just wanted to thank you for all your wonderful recipes.
swasthi says
Hi Chetan
You are welcome! Glad to know! Thank you so much for leaving a comment.
Satish says
I am a house Husband. I like the dishes you make its so simple and easy. I tried you Rajma today and it came out awesome. Thanks a lot.
swasthi says
Hello Satish garu,
You are Welcome! Glad to know it turned out good.
Thanks for leaving a comment.
Jane says
This recipe is very close to my heart because, usually my husband cooks for us, but that particular day I decided to cook for him. All my efforts at cooking had not wowed him previously.. but this one.. omg.. he loved it so much that he was licking the plate off afterward..I was so happy that I finally made yummy food for my husband. Thank you so much!! It’s very simple and easy and yet so tasty!!
swasthi says
Hello Jane
You are most welcome! That’s great to hear.
Thank you so much for leaving a comment.
🙂
Puja says
Superb……. turns out very well…..
swasthi says
Thank you Puja
Glad to know!
Shipra says
Hi Swati…
I tried your recipe dosa ,coconut chutney n the rajma..
Taste is so awesome..
Thank u …
swasthi says
Welcome Shipra
Glad to know!
Sangeetha S says
I am running homemade food service……..most of the Gravies i fallow your recipes thanks alot
swasthi says
Glad to know Sangeetha
Thanks for leaving a comment.
Good luck!
Harleen says
I have made rajma masala all my life but never turned out this way. Thank you so much for sharing great recipes that make a difference. Now I started to check many of your recipes though I know how to make them. I have also made your dum aloo and masala dosa last week. All turned out superb.
swasthi says
Hello Harleen
You are most welcome! Thanks for sharing the pictures & leaving a comment. So glad to hear that.
🙂
Reshma says
I love all the items …. I’m big fan of ur recipes … I use to try ur recipes for my food …. My best moment last week we invited my family friends for dinner. I tried prawn briyani and mutton curry … That’s my first trial … All are happy with my dishes … Thank you some much Swathi garu ….
swasthi says
Welcome Reshma
Thank you so much for leaving a comment. Glad the food turned out good.
🙂
ranjita says
Good and rich
swasthi says
Thank you!
Meghana says
Delicious! I must say this was pretty easy to make and tasted extremely delicious. Also made jeera rice from your recipe. Thank you so much for the clear description with pics. Helps a lot.
swasthi says
Welcome Meghana
Glad to know it turned out good.
Thanks for leaving a comment.
Nikhil says
What is the benefit of boiling the onions in water??
Please tell
swasthi says
Onions are boiled just to remove the raw, bitter and pungent flavor. Using raw onion paste doesn’t give good results.
Deep says
Love cooking with your recipes.
Deep from Melbourne..😊
swasthi says
Thank you so much Deep
🙂
Geetha Iyer says
Using of oinons blanched is the best tip. Thank you so much. Yes I agree with you. Fresh Rajma makes a huge difference.
swasthi says
Welcome!
Thank you