Love the taste of curry but not the prep time? Mix up a batch of this make-ahead curry sauce! It’s freezer-friendly for quick and easy weeknight dinners.
When it comes to rich and flavorful dishes, it’s hard to beat curry. Cloves, ginger root, coriander, turmeric, and garam masala are a symphony for the taste buds.
But it takes time for those flavors to develop. And on a busy weeknight, I usually don’t have that kind of time. That’s why I love this make-ahead curry sauce!
Simply whip up a batch when you have some time, then store the curry gravy in the freezer. It can be ready whenever you need it! How easy is that?
You’ll have the perfect sauce to breathe life into any dish at a moment’s notice.
How to prepare make-ahead curry sauce
This recipe is very simple to make, but it will add so much flavor to any quick meal!
Step 1: With your food processor running, drop the garlic cloves and ginger slices through the tube.
Step 2: Stop the motor, then add the onions. Pulse until the onions are finely chopped, but not juicy.
Step 3: In a small bowl, combine the coriander, turmeric, garam masala, salt, and cayenne pepper.
Step 4: In a large skillet, heat the coconut oil over medium heat. Once hot, add the garlic, ginger, and onions. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions begin to soften, about 3 minutes.
Step 5: Stir in the coriander spice mixture.
Step 6: Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, for about 3 minutes or until the mixture is well-blended and starting to get thick and pasty.
Step 7: Stir in the tomatoes, then bring everything to a slow boil.
Step 8: Reduce the heat and simmer, stirring often, until the sauce has thickened slightly, about 5 minutes.
Step 9: Remove from heat and allow to cool fully before dividing into portions to freeze.
That’s it! Your curry sauce will be ready to enjoy any time you like.
What to make with your curry sauce
Now that you have your delicious sauce, what kind of dishes should you add it to?
One of my favorite uses is to simplify my black-eyed pea curry recipe. Just heat up a serving of the curry along with diced canned tomatoes that have been drained, canned black-eyed peas that are rinsed and drained, a fresh squeeze of lime juice, a dash of chili powder, and fresh cilantro.
So simple!
Or try a similar dish with chickpeas instead. Combine about a 1/2 cup of the curry sauce with diced tomatoes, ground cumin, a little bit of water, and a can of rinsed and drained chickpeas. Easy.
For a heartier version, start by sprinkling some chopped cauliflower with ground cumin and stir-frying it in coconut oil for about 5 minutes, then add the rest of the chickpea curry ingredients.
The possibilities are endless!
Storage
Once you’ve made your curry, I recommend separating it into 1/2 cup or 1 cup portions. That way, you can easily thaw a portion at a time for quick weeknight meals.
Store in the freezer and enjoy within 6 months.
Other easy sauce recipes
When it comes to flavorful sauces, I always prefer to make my own! If you want to skip the added sugar, sodium, and unwanted fillers you find in store-bought versions, here are a few of my favorite recipes to whip up right at home:
When you’ve tried this easy curry sauce, please don’t forget to let me know how you liked it and rate the recipe in the comments below!
Make-Ahead Curry Sauce
Ingredients
- 12 garlic cloves (peeled)
- 2-inch piece fresh ginger root (peeled and sliced)
- 1 large onion (cut into wedges)
- ¼ cup ground coriander
- 1 tablespoon ground turmeric
- 1 tablespoon garam masala
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil
- 28 ounces crushed tomatoes
Instructions
- With your food processor running, drop the garlic cloves and ginger slices through the tube.
- Stop the motor, then add the onions. Pulse until the onions are finely chopped, but not juicy.
- In a small bowl, combine the coriander, turmeric, garam masala, salt, and cayenne pepper.
- In a large skillet, heat the coconut oil over medium heat. Once hot, add the garlic, ginger, and onions. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions begin to soften, about 3 minutes.
- Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, for about 3 minutes or until the mixture is well-blended and starting to get thick and pasty.
- Stir in the tomatoes, then bring everything to a slow boil.
- Reduce the heat and simmer, stirring often, until the sauce has thickened slightly, about 5 minutes.
- Remove from heat and allow to cool fully before dividing into portions to freeze.
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