This homemade curry sauce is packed full of flavour and can be made in advance, which means it's perfect for batch cooking and storing in glass jars. Follow the recipe and storage advice for a delicious and easy way to prepare dinner for a busy week ahead.
Homemade curry sauce ingredients
1 tablespoon of oil
1 onion, peeled and diced
2 cloves of garlic, peeled and finely chopped
1 thumb-sized piece of ginger, peeled and grated
2 tablespoons medium curry powder
2 tablespoons tomato puree
1 x 400g tin of crushed tomatoes
4 tablespoons natural yoghurt or coconut milk
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Curry sauce method:
Heat the oil in a large frying pan or wok over a medium heat. Add the onion, garlic and ginger, and fry for 5 minutes until softened but not browned.
Add the curry powder and fry for 1 minute until fragrant. Add the tomato puree and fry for 1 minute.
Pour in the tinned tomatoes and bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes.
Stir in the yoghurt or coconut milk and season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve hot with steamed rice, your favourite vegetables or protein option.
3 things to consider when storing your curry sauce
Now that you've made your curry sauce from scratch, there are a few things you need to consider when storing it for use at a later stage.
First, what is the base of your sauce? Is it oil or water based? If it's oil based, you can keep it in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. If it's water based, it will only last for 3-4 days in the fridge. Second, what kind of ingredients are in your sauce? If it contains fresh herbs or vegetables, it won't last as long as a sauce with only dried spices. Third, how salty is your sauce? The more salt in a sauce, the longer it will last.
How to store your curry sauce
Here are three ways to store your sauce so you can enjoy it for weeks – or even months – after making it. Note that each storage method has its own set of pros and cons, so be sure to choose the one that best suits your needs.
Refrigerating Curry Sauce
Oil based curry sauce will last in the fridge for up to 2 weeks, or 3 - 4 days if it’s water based, but it's best consumed within a few days. Be sure to store it in an airtight glass jar like our kiln clip jars, so that it doesn't dry out or absorb any flavours from other foods in the fridge. When reheating, be sure to bring it back up to a simmer so that all of the flavours are evenly distributed.
Freezing Curry Sauce
Curry sauce can be frozen for up to 3 months. Again, use an airtight container so that it doesn't get freezer burn. When you're ready to use it, thaw it in the fridge overnight and then reheat on the stove over low heat until warmed through.
Canning Curry Sauce
This will give you a shelf stable product that will last for 6-8 months. To can your homemade curry sauce, make sure you have sterilised your glass mason jars and lids.
Boil your jars and lids for 10 minutes and then let them dry on a clean towel. Once they're dry, carefully fill each jar with curry sauce, leaving ½ inch of headspace at the top of the jar. Use a clean cloth to wipe the rims of the jars and then place on the lids and rings. Tighten the rings until they're finger tight and then process the jars in a boiling water bath for 15 minutes. Carefully remove the jars from the water bath and let them cool on a towel until they're sealed.
Whether you’re freezing, refrigerating, or canning your curry sauce for later, make sure to use the right glass jars for your chosen method. You can visit JBC’s glass jar range here; and when it’s time to use your mouth-watering homemade curry sauce, simply reheat and serve with some steamed rice, your favourite vegetables, and choice of protein. Enjoy!
FAQs
Refrigerating Curry Sauce
Oil based curry sauce will last in the fridge for up to 2 weeks, or 3 - 4 days if it's water based, but it's best consumed within a few days. Be sure to store it in an airtight glass jar like our kiln clip jars, so that it doesn't dry out or absorb any flavours from other foods in the fridge.
Can you make curry sauce and freeze it? ›
batch of the curry on a weekend, letting it cool to room temperature, and then freezing it in preportioned freezer trays or deli containers means you have the option of a warming, hearty curry, soup, or stew any time the craving hits.
How long does homemade curry last in the fridge? ›
03/7Cooked meat curries
Cooked meat, poultry, and fish curries can be stored in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. However, it is important to heat and cool the meat dishes properly before refrigerating them and make sure you store them in airtight containers.
How do you make a jar of curry sauce go further? ›
Extra garlic and coriander leaves! Maybe some butter/cream/yoghurt if you want to go milder and creamy. Or more chillies, some garam masala and some lemon juice. Add bell peppers, mushrooms, spinach.
How do you store homemade sauce? ›
"You can freeze any unused sauce in an airtight container. Use it within six months for the best quality experience," says Birmingham. Homemade pasta sauce can also be frozen as long as it doesn't contain cream or cheese.
Can curry sauce from a jar be frozen? ›
Freeze the excess
When you open a jar of sauce or paste, you might be able to freeze what you're not immediately using, so it'll keep for longer. Curry paste, pesto, passata and lots of other sauces are usually suitable for decanting into containers and freezing – just check the label.
How to freeze curry for meal prep? ›
Simmer onions, garlic, and ginger on the stove until translucent. Combine onions, garlic, ginger, curry powder, coconut milk, chicken stock, and chicken thighs to a prep bag. Squish ingredients together and lay flat to get all of the air bubbles out. Freeze flat!
Can you freeze curry sauce that has coconut milk? ›
If coconut milk is used in a curry sauce then generally it should freeze without any major problems as the other ingredients will help to stabilise the milk a bit but there is always a risk it will split slightly when thawed - the risk increases if the coconut milk is a high proportion of sauce ingredients and also the ...
What to add to jar curry sauce? ›
Add more spices: Store-bought curry sauces often lack the depth of flavour that homemade sauces have. To remedy this, you can add more spices like cumin, turmeric, coriander, and garam masala. Use fresh ginger and garlic: Fresh ginger and garlic add a lot of flavour to curries.
How to know if curry is spoiled? ›
Odors and Tastes
Smell: A pungent or off-putting odor is a clear indicator of spoiled curry. Although curries have strong smells due to the spices, a sour or rancid smell indicates the presence of bacteria and spoilage. Taste: A sour or unpleasant taste can signify that a curry is no longer safe to eat.
Eating curry kept for long hours after cooking may cause food poisoning due to bacterium called Welch bacillus. In addition to curry, food cooked using a large pan, such as stew and nikujaga (stewed meat and potatoes), may cause food poisoning in many cases.
How do you thicken homemade curry sauce? ›
Cornstarch or Arrowroot
- Use cornstarch or arrowroot starch to thicken your curry. Prepare a slurry with starch and cold water/ curry. If you add the starch directly to your curry, it can clump.
- Add this at the very end of the cooking process. Once the slurry is added and the sauce comes to a boil, it will thicken.
Cumin: Warm, earthy and slightly peppery, cumin is a one of those spices for catering that can transform an authentic spicy dish. Its aromatic qualities can boost the depth of a curry. You can use ground cumin, or cumin seeds can be added throughout the cooking process to enhance flavour gradually.
How to make curry sauce richer? ›
A good way to fix the texture and taste of thin curries is by introducing dairy ingredients like milk, yogurt or cream, this adds a rich texture and enhances the taste of curries.
Can you freeze a jar of curry sauce? ›
Freeze the excess
When you open a jar of sauce or paste, you might be able to freeze what you're not immediately using, so it'll keep for longer. Curry paste, pesto, passata and lots of other sauces are usually suitable for decanting into containers and freezing – just check the label.
How do you store and reheat curry? ›
A takeaway curry stored in the fridge must be consumed in 1 to 2 days, and if you are storing it in the freezer, you can consume it within a month. To reheat chicken curry, directly heat the frozen package or defrost it. The soups in curries can become piping hot and bubbling in minutes.
How long can I store homemade curry paste? ›
To store curry paste, transfer to a clean screw-top jar, cover with a layer of oil and keep in the fridge for up to 1 month. To freeze curry paste, spoon into ice-cube trays and freeze. Transfer to a sealable plastic bag and freeze for up to 3 months.
