First, narrow down which cuisine you prefer for a curry sauce that will hit the spot. Whether you have family from a particular country, want to relive the memories from a holiday or you’re a sucker for spice, it’s good to think about which country you want to venture to in the kitchen this evening.
Using spices like turmeric, coriander, garam masala and bags of chilli powder to boot, Indian curries tend to pack a spicy punch. Tikka masala is another of the UK’s favourite dishes, actually thought to have originated here when Indian restaurant owners created a milder curry for sensitive British tongues.
Whether you want to recreate a curry like your grandma makes or you simply love the hot and sour flavour combinations of Hong Kong and Chinese curry dishes, they are a tasty option and work brilliantly with veg like onions and green peppers plus any sort of meat or fish you fancy.
If you find too much spice overwhelms the flavour and/or your enjoyment of a curry, stick with ready-made sauces listed as ‘mild’ or ‘medium’ such as korma and pasanda, dhansak and Britain’s alleged favourite: the tikka masala. They will often have just 1 or 2 chilli peppers on the jar or packaging.
If you grew up eating fiery curries or you love a spicy kick, you may want to pick a sauce labelled ‘hot’ or ‘very hot’ such as madras, jalfrezi, phall or vindaloo, which may have 3 chilli peppers (or more!) to indicate its spice level. Stock up on extra raita yoghurt to serve – or maybe some soothing mango sorbet for pudding!
Kits may contain other extras along with a curry paste, such as powdered spices or coconut milk, saving you time hunting them all down.
It’s also important to check if sauces are vegetarian or vegan – as even vegetable-based curry sauces could contain fish flavourings, milk or cream.
The average jar of curry sauce makes enough for two or three servings, but read the small print on the packaging to be sure you won’t run out before serving, or worse, end up with a flavourless curry that you've added too many portions of meat and veggies to!
Now comes the fun part – a rundown of the best curry sauces you can buy online this year. From Thailand to India, Japan to the friendly British streets of Bradford, there are enough jars and pouches of yummy-ness on this list to perk up every possible palette. Here we go!
£1.25
Cuisine | Indian |
---|---|
Type | Sauce |
Heat | Hot |
Suitable For | Vegetarians, vegans |
Allergy Advice | May contain sesame |
Number of Servings | 4 |
£1.85
Cuisine | Indian |
---|---|
Type | Sauce |
Heat | Medium |
Suitable For | Vegetarians |
Allergy Advice | May contain nuts |
Number of Servings | 2-3 |
Pack of 15
£7.90
Cuisine | Indian/British |
---|---|
Type | Sauce mix |
Heat | Mild |
Suitable For | Vegetarians |
Allergy Advice | May contain barley, egg, soya, milk, celery & mustard |
Number of Servings | 15 |
£2.75
Cuisine | Chinese |
---|---|
Type | Paste (concentrate) |
Heat | Hot |
Suitable For | Vegetarians, vegans |
Allergy Advice | May contain soya & celery |
Number of Servings | Up to 20 |
£1.25
Cuisine | Indian |
---|---|
Type | Sauce |
Heat | Medium hot |
Suitable For | Vegetarians |
Allergy Advice | Gluten-free. May contain nuts & peanuts |
Number of Servings | 4 |
£2.70
Cuisine | Thai |
---|---|
Type | Kit |
Heat | Medium |
Suitable For | Vegetarians, vegans |
Allergy Advice | May contain nuts & sesame |
Number of Servings | 2 |
£1.00
Cuisine | Indian |
---|---|
Type | Sauce |
Heat | Mild |
Suitable For | Vegetarians, vegans |
Allergy Advice | Gluten-free, nut-free |
Number of Servings | 6 |
£2.90
Cuisine | Indian |
---|---|
Type | Sauce and spice sachets |
Heat | Hot |
Suitable For | Vegetarians |
Allergy Advice | Contains mustard |
Number of Servings | 2-3 |
£2.25
Cuisine | Thai |
---|---|
Type | Paste |
Heat | Medium |
Suitable For | Halal |
Allergy Advice | Contains crustaceans |
Number of Servings | Up to 10 |
Image | 1 ![]() Mae Ploy | 2 ![]() The Spice Tailor | 3 ![]() Holy Cow! | 4 ![]() Blue Dragon | 5 ![]() Pataks | 6 ![]() Goldfish | 7 ![]() Harry Ramsden’s | 8 ![]() Loyd Grossman | 9 ![]() Sharwood’s |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Name | Green Curry Paste | Fiery Goan Curry | Mangalore Malabar Curry Sauce | Thai Red Curry Kit | Rogan Josh Curry Sauce | Hot and Spicy Chinese Curry Sauce Concentrate | Chip Shop Style Curry Sauce | Tikka Masala Sauce | Jalfrezi Curry Sauce |
Features | The Easiest Way to an Authentic Thai Curry | A Fresh, Authentic Indian Feast | Bring Authentic Spice to Your UK Kitchen | An Award-Winning Kit That's Easy to Cook | Mouth-Wateringly Simple Indian Curry for a Snip | Rich and Thick for Depth of Flavour | The Great British Tradition | Low On Authenticity But High on Taste | A Straightforward Classic for Four With Minimal Fuss |
Price | £2.25 | £2.90 | £1.00 | £2.70 | £1.25 | £2.75 | £7.90 | £1.85 | £1.25 |
Cuisine | Thai | Indian | Indian | Thai | Indian | Chinese | Indian/British | Indian | Indian |
Type | Paste | Sauce and spice sachets | Sauce | Kit | Sauce | Paste (concentrate) | Sauce mix | Sauce | Sauce |
Heat | Medium | Hot | Mild | Medium | Medium hot | Hot | Mild | Medium | Hot |
Suitable For | Halal | Vegetarians | Vegetarians, vegans | Vegetarians, vegans | Vegetarians | Vegetarians, vegans | Vegetarians | Vegetarians | Vegetarians, vegans |
Allergy Advice | Contains crustaceans | Contains mustard | Gluten-free, nut-free | May contain nuts & sesame | Gluten-free. May contain nuts & peanuts | May contain soya & celery | May contain barley, egg, soya, milk, celery & mustard | May contain nuts | May contain sesame |
Number of Servings | Up to 10 | 2-3 | 6 | 2 | 4 | Up to 20 | 15 | 2-3 | 4 |
Link |
Looking for more quality spices and sauces from around the world to transform a packet of rice and some bendy veg into a plateful of flavour? Below are three more delectable culinary shopping guides we think you'll love!
We’ve done the hard work so you don’t have to: A simple rundown of the best curry sauces you can have delivered straight to your home faster than you can say ‘korma.’ Whether you went for low-fat, natural ingredients, a vegan sauce or authentic traditional flavours, what could be easier or more fun than a flavourful curry straight from the jar or packet?
Author: Annie Hopkins
Household goods
PC and cameras
Home appliances and electronics
Cosmetics and skincare
Health
Food and drinks
Kitchen supplies
Clothing
Shoes
Accessories
Kids and baby
Interior and furniture
Hobbies
Outdoor
DIY and tools
Sports and fitness
Pets
Books, CDs, DVDs
Games
Cars and motorcycles
Gifts
Housing equipment and renovation
Travel
Smartphones and mobile phones
Music
Smartphone applications