Can curry be frozen?

Curry is one of those dishes where you usually end up making more than you can eat in one or two sittings, no matter how determined you are.

It is also possible that you fancy a delicious curry for dinner during the week, but do not have the energy to prepare it. The best option would be to make a big batch of the curry and save it to enjoy later.

So can curry be frozen?

Yes, curry can be frozen, and it freezes well if properly prepared for freezing. The type of curry you freeze can influence how well it freezes, but most curries, as well as curry paste and curry leaves, freeze well and keep for 2-3 months. Only potato curry does not withstand freezing.

There are many different curries to enjoy, but they contain various ingredients that behave differently in the freezer.

Still, once you understand how to properly freeze the various curries, depending on their content and ingredients, you can start successfully freezing portions to have on hand when you want a delicious but quick dinner.

The ins and outs of freezing curry

When freezing curry, the most important thing to remember is that you should always freeze curry cold.

You cannot put curry, or any other food, in the freezer that is still warm. Placing hot foods in the freezer can raise the actual temperature, putting other foods at risk of spoiling.

Before freezing, you can prepare the curry as usual. Use your favorite recipe and cook the curry.

If you take a shortcut and want to freeze takeaway or restaurant curry, you have to somehow ensure that the meat hasn’t been pre-frozen. Most responsible restaurants will be able to provide you with this information if you ask.

Meat, and almost all other foods, should never be frozen twice. This decreases the quality and increases the possibility of food poisoning.

How to freeze curry

You have to let the curry cool down to room temperature. You shouldn’t leave it out for more than two hours, as this could cause bacteria to grow, so if you need to chill it faster you can separate it into smaller portions.

Once it has cooled down, you need to start preparing it for storage. You’ll know roughly how many serving sizes to freeze, whether it’s one serving for a family of four or individual servings for you to enjoy on your own.

If you are unsure of the serving size to freeze, opt for smaller serving sizes. You can always defrost more, but you can’t put thawed curry back in the freezer.

There are two viable container options for freezing curry:

1. Plastic Freezer Containers

Plastic freezer containers are the obvious choice for freezing curry. They are resistant, reusable and offer good protection in the freezer.

However, you should remember that the spices in the curry, especially the turmeric, could stain the inside of the plastic freezer container. You certainly don’t want your best plastic containers to get stained.

However, if you happen to stain your plastic freezer containers with the curry, you can try using a bit of bleach or baby bottle sanitizing solution to try and get rid of it, but there’s no guarantee that this will remove the stains.

2. Plastic freezer bags

Plastic freezer bags are a good option if you are freezing multiple servings of curry in one size. You can easily fit a single serving of curry into a freezer bag, squeeze out as much air as possible, and then close the bag.

The best thing about using plastic freezer bags is that they save a lot of space, and you can stack them on top of each other in the freezer. This is especially useful for those who are short on freezer space.

The downside is that freezer bags aren’t usually reusable, and they start to cost a bit more when you freeze multiple servings.

You must remember to label the plastic freezer container, or plastic freezer bag, with the name of the curry and the date it was frozen. This helps you easily identify the curry in the freezer and gives you a time frame for when to use the curry.

How long does curry last in the freezer?

It is advisable to use the curry within 3 months of freezing. Technically, the curry can still be eaten after 3 months, but the quality will start to decline and it won’t taste the same as if it were cooked fresh.

That’s why it’s so important to label your curry with the freeze date, so you can keep an eye on it and make sure you eat it within the time frame so it tastes as fresh as possible.

Change the taste of the curry by freezing it?

When you freeze the curry, the meat and vegetables have time to cook and marinate further in the spices and garlic. This means that after freezing and thawing, the spices and garlic will be more intense.

The same goes for the heat of the curry. A curry that tasted spicy when cooked will probably taste much spicier when thawed and reheated, so keep that in mind when cooking your curry.

Freezing and reheating the curry will not necessarily change the flavor and aromas of the curry, but it will further intensify its flavor.

Freezing for a long time will also make the meat and vegetables soft, and if left in the freezer for more than 3 months, the meat and vegetables will become mushy and the curry will not taste as good.

The best thing is to keep the freezing period as short as possible , to prevent the flavors from becoming too intense and the meat and vegetables becoming too soft.

One option is to freeze the curry without the garlic, cloves, cinnamon and cardamom, but of course you’ll need to plan for this when cooking the curry.

You can always remove the portion you want to freeze before adding these spices to the portion of curry you are going to eat. You can then add them when reheating the frozen curry in the oven.

Garlic, cloves, cinnamon and cardamom do not freeze well , especially if the curry is going to be kept in the freezer for a long time. You just have to fry them with a little ghee and add them to the curry when you reheat it from the freezer, to preserve the flavor and aroma.

Can coconut milk curry be frozen?

Tomato and broth based curries freeze well , but results when freezing curries containing coconut milk may vary. When coconut milk freezes on its own, it can separate, and while it’s still fine to eat when separated, it can be slightly grainy.

When used in curries, coconut milk should freeze well without any major changes, but you do have to be aware that coconut milk can separate.

Coconut milk is more likely to separate if it is one of the main ingredients in the curry, and also if it is left in the freezer for a longer time.

Curries containing other creams, such as heavy cream, usually freeze well, but curries containing light cream or yoghurt do not , as these crack and separate very easily in the freezer and will not hold a decent consistency when reheated.

If you want to prevent the coconut milk curry from separating when freezing and thawing, and you don’t want the grainy texture, you should avoid adding the coconut milk to the curry before freezing, and rather save it to add to the curry when it has thawed and reheated.

Can paneer curry be frozen?

Paneer curry is popular for a reason, it’s unbelievably delicious! Paneer cheese works well as a topping for vegetarian curries, and it’s convenient because it cooks quickly and doesn’t require a lot of skill to cook well.

You might be nervous about freezing paneer curry as most soft cheeses don’t freeze well, but paneer does .

Freezing paneer curry is very easy, you just have to cook it as if you were going to eat it straight. Portion it in the serving size of your choice and let it cool to room temperature. Seal and label the containers and put them in the freezer.

You should freeze paneer curry in the same way as you would freeze any other curry, and remember to use it within 3 months so that it retains its best quality and flavor.

Paneer on its own can be kept in the freezer for 6 months, but in a curry, the paneer acts as a sponge for the sauce and spices, so it’s best to eat it within 3 months, before it gets too soft. and doughy and lose that texture and flavor that paneer likes so much.

Can curry leaves be frozen?

If you buy curry leaves at your local grocery store or harvest them from a curry tree in your garden, you may have too many curry leaves to use before they start to lose their flavor and potency.

To extend its shelf life, you can freeze the curry leaves.

Here we explain how to freeze curry leaves, using a pre-freezing process:

1. Place the leaves on a foil-lined baking sheet.
2. Space the sheets so they don’t overlap.
3. Place the tray with the curry leaves in the freezer for a maximum of 2 hours.
4. Once the curry leaves have frozen, take them out and carefully place them in a resealable plastic container or plastic freezer bag.
5. Label them with the freeze date and put them in the freezer.
6. Use the frozen leaves within 2 months, before they start to dry out.

Freezing the curry sheets on a cookie sheet first prevents them from freezing together and clumping together, allowing you to take just one curry sheet at a time out of the freezer, without having to thaw the entire batch.

Curry leaves can be kept in the freezer for more than 2 months, but they may not be as potent. Nobody wants a weak curry leaf.

How to enjoy frozen curry

Freezing curry is one thing, but you have to know how to thaw and reheat curry to ensure it tastes wonderful.

The best way to defrost curry is to leave it in the fridge overnight . This prevents the curry from reaching temperatures that could encourage the growth of bacteria, which could lead to foodborne illness.

You will need to plan to bring the curry out in time to thaw for when you want to eat it. If you don’t have time to waste waiting for the curry to thaw in the fridge, you can let it thaw at room temperature for up to 2 hours, or in the microwave using the defrost function.

Once thawed, you can reheat the curry on the stove or in the microwave. Cooking allows for more even heating, but takes longer than microwaving.

If you use the microwave, you can add a tablespoon or two of water or broth to prevent the curry from drying out. Be sure to reheat the curry until piping hot so it can be eaten.

Related questions

Can curry paste be frozen?

Yes, you can freeze the curry paste, so it never goes to waste. When freezing curry paste, it’s best to do it in individual portions, so you don’t have to thaw the whole bunch when you want to make a curry.

In order not to leave any of your burning questions about freezing curry paste unanswered, we have a guide dedicated entirely to this topic: Can curry paste be frozen? - The definitive guide.

Can potato curry be frozen?

Potato curry is a curry that does not freeze well. The potato becomes grainy and mushy when frozen, and this is true when it is in a curry. It is best to eat as much potato curry as you can, and avoid freezing it.

Does vegetable curry freeze well?

Vegetable curry does freeze well, but you must consume it within 2 months. Vegetables tend to soften and mushy in the freezer, and this can make the curry look more like soup than anything else when thawed and reheated.

Vegetable curry has the advantage of having a lot of liquid to cover the vegetables, which protects them from possible freezer burn, but also makes them softer!

How long does curry last in the fridge?

If the curry is placed in the fridge within 2 hours of cooking and stored in an airtight container and is not contaminated by any other food, it can be kept in the fridge for up to 3 days.

If you think the curry can stay in the fridge longer, it’s better to freeze it, so nothing goes to waste.

Freeze curry correctly

You should never have to go through the pain of throwing away leftover curries that have sat too long in the fridge. Cut leftover curry into portions and pop into the freezer to store away for a rainy day.

Curry freezes well if prepared and stored properly, and freezing curry is a great way to enjoy every last spoonful and to have a few meals ready in the freezer for when you don’t feel like spending time slaving away on the stove.