They don’t come better than this versatile easy base curry sauce. Add any vegetables, plant protein, cooked meat or fish that you like for a tasty and easy dinner. Without much effort in under 30 minutes, you can enjoy a deliciously low (diabetic) carb count and gluten free meal.
I do love to experiment with lots of different curry recipes, like my Easy Chickpea Curry or Thai Salmon Traybake. And if I have the time, I would always try to make the sauces from scratch but sometimes time runs away with you. So this easy base curry sauce is my quick, I haven’t got much time, but yet, I still want an amazing meal, go-to recipe.
This easy curry sauce is super versatile and you can pretty much add anything in it to suit your tastes or whatever you have lurking in the cupboards, fridge or freezer.
For this base curry sauce, I added, roasted aubergine and fresh kale. However, the options are endless.
What makes this Curry Sauce so Quick and Easy
The trick to making this curry so quickly is using a curry paste and a few extra ingredients from the cupboard. I did stop using pastes for a while as I was worried about hidden sugars. However, I have returned for ease, time and flavour. We have also discovered through monitoring blood sugar levels after the meal, that for my daughter, these pastes actually have a minimal impact, if any, on raising blood sugar levels.
I use a Patak’s paste as not only does it give the base curry sauce a deeper more intense flavour but it is also vegan, gluten-free and pretty low in sugar (3g per 100g). I would suggest just reading the labels to make sure there aren’t any hidden nasties in the paste you choose.
What you will need for the Easy Base Curry Sauce
- Rapeseed oil
- A great flavourless oil
- Naturally low in saturated fat and high in unsaturated fat
- Onion
- Bring an essential flavour and gentle sweetness
- Frozen chopped onions work brilliantly as well
- Curry Paste
- A pre-made thick mixture of various dry spices and herbs
- Check ingredients and nutritional info to ensure no hidden nasties – see above
- I always use a Pataks paste
- Tinned chopped tomatoes
- When heated they release more antioxidants.
- They are a brilliant source of the antioxidant lycopene, which has been linked to many health benefits
- Also a great source of vitamin C and K
- Chickpeas
- A nutritional superstar rich in plant-based protein, full of fibre and nutrients
- Give a nutty taste and a nice grainy texture to the dish
- Red or Green lentils
- Great source of protein, fibre and B vitamins
- Also helps to thicken the sauce
- Natural yoghurt
- The yoghurt adds creaminess to the sauce without adding lots of fat
- This is always my go-to lower fat option over cream or coconut milk
- It’s also high in protein and nutrient-rich
How to make this Base Curry Sauce
In 30 minutes and with a few simple steps, you can have a delicious meal ready to serve with your choice of added vegetables, plant protein, cooked meat or fish.
Start by heating the oil in a saucepan. Then add the chopped onion and fry gently until softening and turning golden for around 10 minutes or so. Next, add the curry paste and mix well until all the onion is coated. Now add the tinned tomatoes and chickpeas including the water with the lentils. Stir well to combine.
Once bubbling away, pop the lid on, turn the heat down and simmer gently for 20 – 25 minutes.
It is at this stage you may want to also add any additional ingredients, vegetables (fresh or frozen), legumes, additional plant protein or meat so that it can cook through and absorb the flavours. And you may want to add extra water if the sauce becomes too thick.
Finally, remove from the heat and stir through the yoghurt to serve
Nutritious Serving suggestions for Bar Curry Sauce
This is such a versatile sauce and here are some healthy and nutritious serving suggestions for your easy base creamy curry sauce:
Classic Vegetable Curry: Add some roasted vegetables to the sauce and serve it with steamed basmati rice or warm naan bread for a comforting and satisfying meal.
Favourite vegetables:
Peppers, aubergines, butternut squash, cauliflower, courgettes
Tofu Curry: Cube and lightly pan-fry tofu until golden brown, then simmer it in your creamy curry sauce for a creamy and indulgent meal. Pair it with some cooked quinoa and enjoy the rich flavours.
Chicken Delight: Marinate chicken pieces in a flavorful mixture of curry paste, lemon juice and yoghurt. Cook them until tender, and then simmer them in your creamy curry sauce for a classic chicken curry
Top tip – boiled chicken breasts are super moist. Just shred and add into the sauce to warm through
Spinach Curry: Combine your creamy curry sauce with fresh spinach or frozen spinach for a nourishing and hearty curry. Serve it with whole-grain couscous or brown rice for a fiber-rich meal.
Mushroom Madness: Sauté sliced mushrooms until they’re golden and tender, then mix them into your creamy curry sauce for a creamy mushroom curry. Enjoy it with a side of garlic naan or whole wheat bread.
Sweet Potato Sensation: Roast sweet potato cubes until they’re caramelized and add them to your creamy curry sauce for a delightful sweet and savoury combo. Serve it with quinoa or couscous for a wholesome twist.
Fish Curry: Poach or pan-sear fish fillets or prawns and gently simmer them in your creamy curry sauce for a seafood-inspired dish.
Amp up the Rice – Serve your curry with steamed brown basmati rice mixed with chopped roasted cauliflower.
Simply chop up a whole cauliflower including the leaves, season and roast in a preheated oven at 200c for 15-20 minutes stirring occasionally.
Brown rice has a lower glycemic index than its white counterpart which again can help to slow down the rise and fall of your blood sugar levels.
Remember to garnish your curry creations with fresh herbs like cilantro, mint, or basil, and offer sides like chutney, minty yoghurt, or pickles for added depth of flavour. These serving suggestions will help you turn your easy base creamy curry sauce into a variety of delicious meals to suit your taste and dietary preferences.
More Easy & Delicious Diabetic Recipes for BALANCED Blood SugARS:
Diabetes Note
Based on the ingredients we use and count for (paste and yoghurt) the net carbs for this meal is 3g per serving. However, you know best what ingredients you need to count for.
I use a Patak’s paste as not only does it give the curry a deeper more intense flavour but it is also vegan, gluten-free and pretty low in sugar (3g per 100g). I would suggest just reading the labels to make sure there aren’t any hidden nasties in the paste you choose
The extra protein and fibre in this meal from the lentils, chickpeas and yoghurt can help to slow down digestion and therefore help blood sugars to stabilise better after eating.
We often serve this with some boiled brown basmati rice mixed with chopped roasted cauliflower. Brown rice has a lower glycemic index than its white counterpart which again can help to slow down the rise and fall of your blood sugar levels.
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Easy Creamy Quick Curry Sauce
They don’t come better than this versatile cheats easy creamy quick curry sauce. Add any veg or meat you like for a tasty and easy dinner
4
servings5
minutes30
minutes35
minutesKeep the screen of your device on
Ingredients
a glug rapeseed oil
1 large onion, halved and then sliced
3 tbsp curry paste
1 tin chopped tomatoes (400g)
1 tin chickpeas (400g)
100 g dried lentils
100 g natural yoghurt
Directions
- Heat the oil in a saucepan. Then add the chopped onion and fry gently until softening and turning golden for around 10 minutes or so.
- Add the curry paste and mix well until all the onion is coated
- Next add the tinned tomatoes and chickpeas including the water with the lentils. Stir well to combine
- Once bubbling away, pop the lid on, turn the heat down and simmer gently for 20 – 25 minutes.
It is at this stage you may want to also add any additional ingredients, vegetables (fresh or frozen), legumes, additional plat protein or meat so that it can cook through and absorb the flavours.
You may want to add extra water if the sauce becomes too thick. - Finally, remove from the heat and stir through the yoghurt to serve
Tips and Notes
- This easy base curry sauce is super versatile and you can pretty much add anything in it to suit your tastes or whatever you have lurking in the cupboards, fridge or freezer. See above for suggestions.
- Diabetes Note – Based on the ingredients we use and count for (paste and yoghurt) the net carbs for this meal is 3g per serving. However, you know best what ingredients you need to count for.
- We often serve this with some boiled brown basmati rice mixed with chopped roasted cauliflower. Brown rice has a lower glycemic index than its white counterpart which again can help to slow down the rise and fall of your blood sugar levels.
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