Here’s a fantastic Coconut Curry Sauce with great depth of flavour made from everyday spices. This Indian-style sauce is incredibly addictive and works with chicken, vegetables, and legumes. I’ve made a Coconut Curry with pumpkin, lentils, and cashews, but check the recipe for more options. Ready in 30 minutes!
Easy Coconut Curry Sauce
If you’ve ever dumped curry powder into liquid then stomped your foot in a huff when you found the sauce to be meh, then this easy Coconut Curry Sauce is for you!
You’re going to absolutely love that you can find all the spices at supermarkets.
You’re going to adore the beautiful coconut flavour that mingles with the spices.
You’ll go bonkers over how it tastes like a full flavoured coconut Indian curry – except you made it in 30 minutes from scratch.
And you’re going to really enjoy lapping up all the compliments from your family and friends. (“OMG that’s the best curry I’ve ever had!!” <– True story, text from a friend)
Coconut curry sauce spices
The spices in the coconut curry sauce are:
curry powder
tumeric
coriander
cumin
paprika
garam masala*
Curry powder is the base for this Easy Coconut Curry, but it’s too bland if you don’t add other spices. I experimented with various combinations and tried to cut down on the number of spices but it just wasn’t the same. So they’re all staying in!
What is garam masala?
Garam masala is a crucial spice mix in Indian cooking and smells like a potent curry powder. It really makes a difference in simple curry sauces, so be sure not to skip it! Here in Australia, you’ll find it at all the major supermarkets nowadays, and it costs no more than other spices.
Making the coconut curry sauce
There’s nothing tricky about the coconut curry sauce:
Sauté onion, garlic and ginger (fresh please!);
Add Spices and cook – this brings out the flavour of the spices, making them bloom;
Add coconut milk, tomato passata (tomato puree in the States, or even Tomato Sauce) plus chicken or vegetable broth/stock;
Simmer to bring the flavours together
And there you have your curry sauce. And this is where you can unleash your wild side and let the creative juices flow. Or, as the case may be, rummage in your pantry and squabble around in the fridge and use whatever you can find. 🙂
What to put in Coconut Curry
This is where things get fun. You can literally put anything in this Easy Coconut Curry Sauce and it’s going to taste great. Here are some ideas:
Lentils, pumpkin, spinach and cashews (pictured). Terrific combination my friends go bonkers over;
Chicken, fish or prawns – sear before starting recipe, then add them back in later;
Sweet potato, normal potato, zucchini, beans, broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, asparagus, squash;
Other legumes – chickpeas are sensational, and any other type of beans.
I’ve included a guide in the recipe notes for when to add different ingredients. For proteins, it’s well worth searing them before starting the recipe, then just add them back in later once the sauce is done.
30 minutes. That’s how far away you are from a homemade-from-scratch Coconut Curry.
The flavour is not quite as in-your-face punchy like with Butter Chicken or Chicken Tikka Masala, but but it’s still got quite an intense Indian-style curry flavour. But then again, you haven’t had to marinate overnight and you’ve used half the spices, and you only had to go to your local grocery store rather than an Indian grocer.
And no one would ever say this is lacking in taste. No one has ever accused me of making bland food – and I intend to keep it that way!! – Nagi x
PS If you’re after a milder, more creamy style Western curry, try this Everyday Chicken Curry – a 5 ingredients from scratch curry sauce. And all my curry recipes can be found in my Curry Recipes collection. There’s a fair few – I love curries!
Watch how to make it
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Easy Coconut Curry Sauce
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp coconut oil, ghee or any regular cooking oil (canola, olive oil etc)
- 4 garlic cloves , minced
- 2 tsp fresh ginger , finely grated
- 1/2 onion , finely chopped (brown or yellow)
- 400g/14oz can coconut milk (full fat)
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1/2 cup tomato passata (tomato puree) (Note 1)
- 400 g/14 oz can brown lentils , drained
- 250 g / 8 oz pumpkin (~3 cups) , cut into 2cm / 4/5″ cubes
- 2 cups (tightly packed) baby spinach
- 1/2 cup cashews , unsalted (roasted or raw) (Note 2)
- 1/2 tsp each cooking/kosher salt + black pepper
Spices:
- 1 tbsp garam masala (Note 3)
- 2 tbsp curry powder (mild or spicy, your choice, Note 4)
- 2 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp coriander powder
- 1 tsp paprika (sweet, or hot for spice!)
- 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
Serving garnishes:
- Coriander/cilantro leaves , whole or chopped
- Chopped cashews (optional)
Instructions
- Sauté aromatics – Heat oil in a deep skillet or pot over medium high heat. Add onion, garlic and ginger, cook for 2 minutes until onion is a bit tinged with gold.
- Cook off spices – Add Spices and stir for 1 minute. Don't worry if it looks a bit dried out.
- Coconut sauce – Add coconut milk, passata and broth. Stir until incorporated. Add lentils and pumpkin. Bring to simmer then adjust heat so it's simmering energetically.
- Simmer for 10 minutes or until pumpkin is tender but not mushy, and sauce has thickened.
- Stir through baby spinach until wilted, then cashew nuts. Add salt and pepper last, adding more if needed.
- Serve over rice, sprinkled with coriander and extra cashews, if using.
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
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Life of Dozer
Yes, he even eats shampoo bubbles….
Oh wow, this is delicious. Even before adding the pumpkin it was epic! I toyed with the idea of just stopping there but it just got better!! I used red lentils (thankfully I remembered to cook them before adding)
And I didn’t add the cashews but that was only because I was too eager to begin eating, haha.
Very delicious.
Thank you!
I am so glad you enjoyed it Joy! N x
Can’t believe my picky teenager loved this! Will definitely add this to the list of family favorites 🙂
I’ve made this a few times as per the recipie and also adding chicken. Winner every time thanks Nagi.
Fancied an easy curry for Saturday night chicken and loads of veggies this sauce was so easy and super delicious so interesting to add the further spices it works !!! thank you will look up some more recipes from you
So glad you enjoyed it Kathy! N x
I had a lot of left over sous vide beef carvery and wanted something different other than hot roast rolls. This was perfect! An amazing flavour cooked in minimum time.
I’ve never used curry powder as the base for the other spices, and always wondered why my curries were meh. This sauce was delicious. Even with omitting the tomato, which I can’t eat. Thank you so much, Nagi, for your wonderful generosity in sharing.
This is so good!!!
This is delicious and so moorish, I’m glad my husband also likes it or I would have eaten it all myself! I added about 20 curry leaves as I’m curry leaf mad, but apart from that stuck exactly to the recipe and it’s perfect. I’m already planning when to make it again. Thank Nagi, it’s a winner. 😋
This will be my go-to curry sauce. Amazing flavour. Thanks Nagi..
This curry is amazing. Already made it 3 times within a week. I love it with cauliflower, broccoli, sweet potato and chicken. I even made with and without coconut milk and it both were delicious. Have copied all my friends. Thank you! :))
Just wondering how you make a larger quantity. Do you just double as that would be 8 cloves of garlic which sounds heaps
Am I able to leave out the pumpkin?
Hi Nagi, Thank you so much for your delicious recipes, especially this one. It is very easy, quick, delicous and versatile… easy to add other ingredients too. It freezes REALLY well too. Love your work Nagi! Thank you!!
Hey there! I know this might be a silly question, but I notice a couple of recipes like this one have tomato paste in it. I’m allergic to tomatoes but would really love to try experimenting with curries like this. Any ideas for what to substitute? I’ve heard suggestions like maybe red pepper, like made into a paste by roasting and blending? But I’m not sure if you’ve come across any other ideas in your experience? Thank you!
I can’t eat tomato at all, so I just leave it out. This curry sauce was delicious without tomato.
Hi Becky, that would be my only recommendation to use roast peppers/capsicums but I haven’t tested it to be honest sorry! N x
Just wondering if I can omit the spinach, it’s hard to find where I am.
I made a vegan meal for the oldest couple, late 80s and mid 90s, in my church using this coconut curry recipe and it was awesome and a hit. I used whole foods vegan chiken, green beans, carrot and broccoli. I also added a dash of cinnamon and freshly grated nutmeg and a cap full of apple cider vinegar at the end. Thanks for helping appear like a profession chef. Lol! I served it with carribbean peas and rice and roasted butternut squash with raisins.
Yes definitely RK! N x
This curry is AMAZING! i have cooked it countless times and without doubt amazing! You are so talented.
Question for variation: My mum is allergic to tomatoes (gout related) could you sub the passata with anything to yield the same smoothness/taste?
Made this just as it started to get cold outside. My dh and I loved the easy coconut curry! Just what we wanted. Thank you for the great recipe!
Forgot to add that we used cauliflower, cubed carrots, onions and a little celery. We served it over white jasmine rice. YUM!
Hi Nagi. I love your recipes. I use them all the time. Just wondering if I could sub the cashews for peanuts. I’m allergic to tree nuts, but I like the crunchy texture that the nuts would give. Thanks.
Yes definitely Jenny! N x
Thanks!
Delicious recipes
I would like to ask if it’s ok to use lamb mince for meat, red lentils for lentils and to use the slow cooker as I’m out of the house early in the morning?
Hi El, you can use mince and red lentils but you need to bring this one to a simmer to cook it so it isn’t suitable for the slow cooker sorry. N x
Ok Thanks Nagi.
And forgot to ask is this mild spice for kids too?