• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to header navigation
  • Skip to footer navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Display Search Bar
  • Contact
Follow me on Facebook! Follow me on Twitter! Follow me on Pinterest! Follow me on Instagram! Email me!

Diabetic Foodie

Because a diabetes diagnosis a diabetes diagnosis still means a life full of flavor!

  • Home
  • About
    • Meet The Team
    • Food Philosophy
  • Recipes
    • All Recipes
    • Appetizers & Snacks
    • Breads
    • Breakfast
    • Desserts
    • Drinks
    • Main Dishes
      • Fish & Seafood
      • Meats
      • Poultry
      • Vegetarian
    • Pasta & Grains
    • Salads & Dressings
    • Sandwiches
    • Sauces & Condiments
    • Seasonal
      • Fall
      • Spring
      • Summer
      • Winter
    • Side Dishes
    • Soups & Stews
  • Special Diets
    • Gluten-free
    • Paleo
    • Vegan
Home » Sauces & Condiments » Make-Ahead Curry Sauce (Vegan)

Make-Ahead Curry Sauce (Vegan)

Posted by: Diabetic Foodie / Sauces & Condiments, Vegan / June 20, 2016

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure.

Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

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.

Make-Ahead Curry Sauce in plastic gallon bags labeled with the date

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:

  • Marinara Sauce with Red Lentils
  • Oven-Roasted Tomato Sauce
  • Quick and Easy Tomato Ketchup (Slow Cooker)

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!

Recipe Card
Make-Ahead Curry Sauce
4.67 from 3 votes

Make-Ahead Curry Sauce

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.
Prep Time:5 minutes
Cook Time:15 minutes
Cool Time:20 minutes
Total Time:40 minutes
Author:Diabetic Foodie
Servings:5
Review Print

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.

Recipe Notes

This recipe is for 5 servings. Each serving is a 1/2 cup of curry sauce.
I recommend dividing the sauce into 1/2 cup or 1 cup portions before freezing. This makes it easy to only thaw 1 portion at a time.
Store in the freezer for up to 6 months.

Nutrition Info Per Serving

Nutrition Facts
Make-Ahead Curry Sauce
Amount Per Serving (0.5 cup)
Calories 58 Calories from Fat 27
% Daily Value*
Fat 3g5%
Saturated Fat 2g13%
Trans Fat 0g
Polyunsaturated Fat 0g
Monounsaturated Fat 0g
Cholesterol 0mg0%
Sodium 214mg9%
Potassium 0mg0%
Carbohydrates 8g3%
Fiber 2g8%
Sugar 1g1%
Protein 2g4%
Vitamin A 0IU0%
Vitamin C 0mg0%
Calcium 0mg0%
Iron 0mg0%
Net carbs 6g
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Course: Condiments
Cuisine: Indian
Keyword: freezer friendly, make-ahead curry sauce
Did you make this recipe?Click here to leave a comment & star rating!

Related Posts

  • Chickpea Curry with Sweet Potato
    Chickpea Curry with Sweet Potato

    In our healthy eating guidelines for 2016, the CompostMaster and I decided we wanted to…

  • Grilled Pineapple Kebabs with Lemon Yogurt Sauce
    Grilled Pineapple Kebabs with Lemon Yogurt Sauce

    The next time you have the grill fired up to make something like Grilled Marinated…

  • Close-up of Black-eyed Pea Curry on a white plate next to green beans
    Black-Eyed Pea Curry (Vegan)

    Looking for a hearty plant-based meal? This vegan black-eyed pea curry is incredibly delicious, packed…

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Yummly
  • Email

Reader Interactions

Leave a Comment Cancel reply

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

Welcome!

If you have diabetes, cook for someone who has diabetes or just want to eat healthy, you're in the right place. We firmly believe that a diabetes diagnosis can still mean a life full of flavor!

Read More »

Footer

Gluten Free

Vegetarian chipotle chili in a white bowl on a wooden serving tray with a second bowl and blue checkered napkin in background

Vegetarian Chipotle Chili (Slow Cooker)

Two filets of baked salmon in tomato sauce on a white plate next to two lemon wedges

Salmon in Tomato Sauce

Low sodium no bean chili in a white bowl topped with shredded cheese, sour cream, and sliced green onion, as seen from above

Low Sodium No Bean Chili

Vegan

Curried Black-Eyed Peas

Curried Black-Eyed Peas

Almond Truffles (Vegan, Gluten-free)

Skinny Vanilla Almond Latte

Skinny Vanilla Almond Latte (Dairy-free)

Nutritional Disclaimer

Please note that we are not nutrition experts or medical professionals. Nutritional information included with each recipe on this site was estimated by using an online nutrition calculator. If accurate nutritional information is critical to your health and well-being, please independently perform the calculations yourself. No information presented on this site is a substitute for the services of a trained health professional.
Follow me on Facebook! Follow me on Twitter! Follow me on Pinterest! Follow me on Instagram! Email me!
  • Terms of Use Agreement
  • Disclosures
  • Privacy Policy
Copyright © 2023 Diabetic Foodie and the Diabetic Foodie logo are registered trademarks. All rights reserved.