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Indian curry sauce with chopped spinach in a bowl.
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5 from 2 votes

Easy Indian Curry Sauce Recipe

This easy Indian curry sauce recipe is a flavorful base sauce with tomatoes, spices, and chopped spinach that is vegan and oil-free.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time25 minutes
Total Time40 minutes
Course: Condiment
Cuisine: Indian
Diet: Vegan
Servings: 4
Calories: 54kcal
Author: Denise Perrault

Ingredients

  • 1 medium onion chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic minced or pressed
  • 1 tablespoon fresh ginger grated or finely minced
  • 1 ½ teaspoon cumin powder
  • 1 teaspoon turmeric
  • ½ teaspoon ground coriander
  • ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper or crushed red chili
  • 2 teaspoons curry powder
  • 14 ounces chopped tomatoes 1 can
  • 1 cup vegetable broth
  • 1 teaspoon maple syrup
  • 16 ounces spinach chopped, 2 cups
  • salt to taste
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Instructions

  • Heat a medium saucepan to medium-high heat, then add the chopped onions. Cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly, until the onions soften.
  • Add the garlic, ginger, cumin, turmeric, coriander, cayenne pepper, and curry powder. Stir all the ingredients to mix.
  • Pour in the vegetable broth, tomatoes, and maple syrup. Stir the sauce and the bottom of the saucepan to pick up any ingredients stuck to the bottom.
  • Let the ingredients start to simmer, then adjust to medium heat. Cover the saucepan and simmer the sauce for 10-15 minutes until the sauce begins to reduce and thicken.
  • Stir in the chopped spinach and cook it for a couple of minutes until it wilts.
  • Taste and add salt if desired. 

Notes

  • Serve the curry sauce warm over crispy tofu or rice, or use it as a curry base for vegetables, chickpeas, or lentils.
  • Store leftover sauce in an airtight container for 5 days or freeze for 3 months.
  • If the sauce is too thin for your planned use, increase the cooking time by a few minutes. You can also add a tablespoon of tomato paste (tomato puree).
  • Quickly transform this recipe into a coconut curry sauce by reducing the vegetable broth to ½ a cup and adding 1 cup of coconut milk.
  • For a zestier curry sauce, add lemon juice.
  • Exchange 1 teaspoon of garam masala powder for a slightly different flavor for cumin, coriander, and turmeric.
  • Thaw and press the moisture from frozen spinach before adding it to the sauce. 
 

Nutrition

Calories: 54kcal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 0.1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Sodium: 398mg | Potassium: 387mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 1776IU | Vitamin C: 17mg | Calcium: 74mg | Iron: 3mg