Curry Sauce
intro
Velvety, aromatic all-purpose curry sauce perfect for tossing with roasted veggies, grilled protein, or rice for fast, cozy, flavorful meals.
Ingredients
Steps
Heat Oil and Sauté Onion
Heat 2 tablespoons (30ml) vegetable oil in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-low heat (150°C/300°F). Add 150g finely diced yellow onion, and sauté for 6-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion is soft and fully translucent with no browned edges.
Cook Aromatics and Tomato Paste
Add 12g minced garlic (4 cloves), 10g freshly grated ginger, and 45g (3 tablespoons) tomato paste to the pan with the onion. Stir constantly over medium-low heat for 2 minutes, until the tomato paste deepens to a rich rust-red color and releases a sweet, fragrant aroma.
Toast the Dry Spices
Add 12g (2 tablespoons) mild curry powder, 2g (1 teaspoon) ground cumin, 3g (1 teaspoon) ground turmeric, 2g (1 teaspoon) ground coriander, 0.5g (1/4 teaspoon) cayenne pepper, and 8g (1 tablespoon) all-purpose flour to the pan. Stir continuously over low heat (120°C/250°F) for 30 seconds to toast the spices and cook out the raw flour taste, taking care not to burn the spice blend.
Add Broth and Coconut Milk
Slowly pour in 120ml (1/2 cup) low-sodium vegetable broth while whisking constantly to prevent lumps from forming, then stir in the full 400ml can of full-fat coconut milk. Turn the heat up to medium (175°C/350°F) and bring the mixture to a gentle, bubbling simmer over 3-4 minutes, whisking occasionally to keep the sauce smooth.
Simmer the Sauce Gently
Once the sauce reaches a gentle simmer, reduce heat to low (110°C/230°F), prop the saucepan lid partially ajar to let steam escape, and let the sauce cook for 8 minutes, stirring every 2 minutes to prevent sticking on the pan bottom. The sauce will thicken to a consistency that evenly coats the back of a wooden spoon.
Season the Sauce to Taste
Stir in 5g (1 teaspoon) fine sea salt, then taste and adjust salt or cayenne levels to match your preferred heat and seasoning. For an extra-silky texture, blend the sauce with an immersion blender for 30 seconds, or leave it lightly chunky. Remove from heat and serve immediately, or cool for storage.
Tips
2.For a richer, more traditional flavor, swap the vegetable oil for equal parts ghee (clarified butter) if you do not need a vegan sauce.
3.Let the sauce cool completely before storing in an airtight glass jar; it will keep for 5 days in the refrigerator, or up to 3 months in the freezer for fast meal prep.
OMG this curry sauce is a total game changer! I whipped it up in 25 minutes flat last night for family dinner, tossed it with roasted veggies and chickpeas, and even my super picky 7 year old asked for seconds. Already prepped a double batch to freeze for quick weeknight meals.
Solid base curry sauce! I added a little extra ginger and a pinch of cayenne to give it more heat for my potluck this weekend, and everyone was asking for the recipe. Super easy to throw together even when you’re running late, no fancy ingredients needed.
SO good! I’ve been buying jarred curry sauce for years because I thought homemade would be too much work, but this was genuinely easier than running to the grocery store. Tastes way richer than anything I’ve bought pre-made too.
Tasted great, but mine came out a little thicker than I expected? I followed the measurements exactly, not sure if I simmered it a touch too long. Still tasted amazing over chicken and rice, just curious if anyone else had that happen.
Used this sauce for meal prep this week and I’m not even mad I ate curry four days in a row. It’s so versatile — I used it on tofu bowls one night, tossed with shrimp the next, even mixed a little into my lentil soup for extra depth. Obsessed.
Easy, flavorful, and way cheaper than takeout. I made this with my teen last night for our weekly cooking night and we had a blast adjusting the spices to match what we had in the cabinet. Will be a regular in our rotation for sure.
My kids loved it! I was worried the curry flavor would be too strong for them, but it’s rich without being overpowering, so I just left a separate little dish of extra chili flakes on the table for the adults who wanted more heat. Perfect family-friendly recipe.
Wait, is there a way to make this nut-free? My kid has a tree nut allergy so I usually skip recipes that call for cashew butter or almond milk, but this looks too good to pass up.
25 minutes total? I was skeptical, but I timed it and I was done cooking from the second I pulled the spices out to the sauce being done in 22 minutes. Perfect for those nights when you get home late and don’t want to order takeout. 10/10.
Brought this to a neighborhood potluck last weekend and people were literally hovering over the slow cooker I kept it in. Used it as a dipping sauce for samosas first, then poured it over rice for the main dish. Wild how versatile it is.
I messed up the spice ratios the first time I made this (way too much turmeric, oops) but it still tasted good! Tried again yesterday measuring properly and wow, it’s exactly the rich, balanced curry sauce I’ve been trying to replicate from my favorite local Thai spot.
This is fine, but I felt like it was missing a little something? Maybe a squeeze of lime at the end? I added that and it brightened it up a ton, but I was expecting a little more depth out of the gate for a 5 star rating.
Meal prep game is forever changed. I made a triple batch on Sunday, portioned it out into freezer containers, and now I have quick curry dinners ready to go for the whole month. No more sad desk lunches for me!
Super easy recipe even for a total cooking newbie like me. I’ve burned toast before, but this sauce came out perfectly on the first try, no burnt bits, no weird texture, just smooth, rich curry. My roommate thought I ordered takeout!
Can I use this as a base for butter chicken? I’ve been looking for a versatile sauce that works for more than just standard veggie curry, and this sounds like it might fit the bill.