How to thicken curry sauce?

There is something so comforting and delicious about a flavorful and rich curry sauce. But what should you do if you end up with a watery curry sauce?

How do you thicken curry sauce?

There are a few things you can try, like letting it simmer or making a simple roux. You can also add starch, lentils or mashed potatoes, ground nuts, cream, yogurt, coconut milk, butter or tomato paste.

Since there are so many different methods, we have a lot to talk about. Read on to find out which is the best method for your recipe.

1. Reduce the curry sauce

This method of letting the curry sauce reduce uncovered on the heat is perhaps the easiest on the list, but it can be time consuming depending on how thin the original sauce is and how thick you want it to be.

Basically, all you have to do is turn the burner to medium-low heat and let time do the work. This method is great because it intensifies the flavor of the sauce and doesn’t require adding anything that would change the flavor profile you’ve built.

The texture will vary depending on how long you let it simmer, so keep an eye on it to make sure it doesn’t overcook.

Follow the steps below to properly reduce your curry sauce. 

1. Bring the curry sauce to a boil, covered, over high heat.
2. Once it bubbles, remove the lid from the pot and reduce the heat to low-medium.
3. Let the sauce reduce for 20-60 minutes (depending on how thick you want it), stirring regularly.
4. When the curry sauce has reached the desired thickness, turn off the heat and serve.

2. Make a simple roux with flour

Although roux is commonly associated with gumbo, you can use the same process to thicken your curry sauce. You’ll usually want to do this before making the sauce, so incorporating it into the cooking method is a good idea.

If you’ve already made the sauce and it doesn’t seem thick enough, you may want to use one of the easier methods below to thicken it after cooking, as it can take a while to make a really good roux, but it can add another delicious layer of flavor to your curry.

Although it’s not necessarily a typical curry ingredient, if you’re patient, it can take your sauce to another level.

Here’s how to make a roux:

1. Heat a heavy-bottomed skillet (skillet) or cast-iron skillet on the stove over medium heat.
2. Add 3/4 cup of oil (we like to use butter, but you can use lard or cooking oil) to the skillet and let it melt and heat through.
3. Once the oil has heated, add 1 cup of flour to the skillet, whisking or stirring constantly until fully combined.
4. Continue cooking the oil and flour mixture over low to medium heat until it starts to turn a dark brown color. You don’t want the roux mixture to burn, but you do want it to be a nice, rich, dark brown color. The darker it is, the deeper the flavor.
5. Remove the roux from the heat and slowly add it to the curry sauce.
6. Allow the mixture to simmer for a few minutes to thicken, then serve.

Notes : Both curries and roux tend to taste best the next day, when all the flavors have melded together, so you’ll want to make the curry the day before you serve it if possible. Or make enough leftovers to enjoy the next day.

3. Add corn starch, tapioca, potato or arrowroot

This method is another favorite of mine because most people have at least one of these starches or flours in their pantry.

You don’t need much of either to thicken the sauce and it doesn’t dilute or change the flavor too much. However, you may want to add a pinch more salt to balance it out.

The consistency you’ll get from a curry sauce thickened with one of these starches/flours will be similar to a sauce. It will be thick and creamy in feel, with no need to add butter or cream.

How to thicken your curry sauce with one of these starches 

1. Measure 1 tablespoon of tapioca, corn, arrowroot, or potato starch into a small bowl.
2. Whisk together 1/4 cup of water or 1/4 cup of the curry sauce to make a porridge. Check that there are no lumps in the mixture.
3. Slowly pour the slurry mixture into the curry sauce and whisk together.
4. Turn the heat to medium high and bring the sauce to a boil.
5. Once bubbly, reduce the heat and let it simmer for a couple of minutes before serving.
6. Add a pinch of salt and enjoy your sauce.

4. Add lentils to your curry sauce

We love lentils, and they are a traditional ingredient in many types of curries. The best one to use to thicken curry sauce is red lentil, because it breaks down quickly and gives a thick texture to the sauce, without holding its shape, so picky eaters won’t notice it’s there.

Using lentils works best if you’re trying to thicken an Indian-style curry sauce and less so if you’re making a Thai curry sauce.

Adding the lentils can dilute the flavor a bit, so you may want to add a bit more spices and salt to balance it out.

Additionally, lentils are a great source of protein, so adding them to the sauce can increase the protein content and nutrient density.

Follow these instructions to thicken your red lentil curry sauce:

1. If you’ve made the sauce and it doesn’t seem thick enough, measure out 1 tablespoon of red lentils for each cup of sauce.
2. Add the lentils to your sauce and bring the heat to a boil.
3. Once boiled, you can reduce the heat to low-medium and let them simmer for about 20 minutes until the lentils fall apart.
4. If you want them to break down more for a creamy sauce, you can use an immersion blender to blend the sauce.
5. Season with a little more salt and enjoy.

5. Add mashed potatoes

Potatoes are one of my favorite foods because they are so versatile. There is a potato dish for every occasion.

And this time is to thicken. Thanks to their natural starch content, potatoes can add a nice creamy texture to a curry sauce.

Mashed potatoes are great to add if you find that your sauce is thin, but too strong or too salty in flavor, as it will soften the sauce quite a bit. The texture will be creamy and thick, but not too heavy.

How to thicken curry sauce with mashed potatoes

1. Cook and mash 1 medium potato for every liter of curry sauce. The more potato you add, the thicker the sauce will be, but the more diluted the flavor will be.
2. Heat the curry sauce over medium heat on the stove.
3. Add the mashed potato to the curry sauce and let it simmer for a few minutes.
4. Taste the sauce and add more salt or seasonings to your liking.
5. Serve and enjoy.

6. Add ground nuts or nut butter

Adding ground nuts, such as peanuts, cashews, macadamias, or almonds, is an amazing way to not only thicken your curry sauce, but add another layer of flavor to the mix.

Peanuts and cashews are used in many different varieties of curry sauces, such as Massaman or Butter Chicken.

By grinding and adding these nuts to your curry sauce, you’ll end up with a thicker sauce that also has a bit more texture, as the nuts are unlikely to completely fall apart.

You’ll get a slightly crunchier or slightly coarser texture, depending on how much you grind the nuts.

If you don’t want to have crunchy or chunky bits in your curry sauce, you can also use nut butter instead of ground nuts. I love adding peanut or almond butter to my curries for a rich nutty flavor and creamy texture.

How to thicken your curry sauce with ground nuts

1. Measure 1/4 cup of cashews, almonds, macadamias, or peanuts for every 2 cups of curry sauce.
2. Place the nuts in a coffee or spice grinder and blend until all the large pieces have been broken up.
3. Put the curry sauce on the heat at medium heat and add the ground nuts until they are fully mixed.
4. Raise the heat to come to a gentle simmer, then reduce and simmer for 5 minutes.
5. Season with a pinch of salt and serve.

How to thicken curry sauce with a nut butter

1. Put the curry sauce on the fire at medium heat so that it simmers gently.
2. Add a tablespoon of nut butter for every 3-4 cups of curry sauce. The more nut butter you add, the thicker the nut flavor and the thicker the sauce.
3. Let the curry sauce and nut butter simmer for 5-10 minutes.
4. Taste and adjust seasonings, then serve and enjoy.

7. Add butter, yogurt, cream or coconut milk

I am a big fan of creamy curry sauces and one of the best ways to get that creamy texture is to add cream, coconut milk or butter. Depending on which one you choose, there will be a slightly different flavor profile.

Adding a super-rich, full-fat dairy creamer is going to be rather bland, as it doesn’t have a lot of flavor itself. It will dilute the intensity of your curry sauce, so it’s a good option if it’s a little too spicy for your taste. Adds an amazing creamy texture.

If you decide to use butter to thicken the sauce, it can add more saltiness (if you use salted butter) and a really rich and creamy texture. It won’t thin the sauce too much as you don’t need to use a ton to thicken the curry sauce.

Yogurt is another common and delicious way to thicken curry sauce. I recommend that you use a thick Greek yogurt or a higher fat yogurt to get the creamy texture you are looking for and so that it does not split when added to the pan. It will soften the flavor a bit, but it will add a nice acidity to your curry sauce.

Lastly, the coconut milk will add a bit of sweetness and a mild coconut flavor, which complements many types of curries. We love using coconut milk for curries so much that we have even made a list of the best coconut milk for curries for you to check out.

Again, this flavor will dilute the spice intensity of the curry, so it’s a great option if you want to mellow out the sauce and balance it with a little sweetness.

How to thicken butter curry sauce:

1. Once the sauce has simmered, remove it from the heat.
2. Add a tablespoon of butter at a time until melted. Keep adding butter until you get the texture and flavor you want.
3. Serve your sauce.

How to thicken curry sauce with yogurt

1. While the sauce simmers gently on the heat, add a tablespoon of yogurt at a time to prevent curdling.
2. Keep adding yogurt until you get the consistency and flavor you’re looking for.
3. Remove the sauce from the heat and enjoy it.

How to thicken curry sauce with cream:

1. Once your sauce has simmered gently and the heat has reduced to a simmer, slowly pour in 1/4 cup of cream at a time, mixing thoroughly.
2. Keep adding the cream until you get the texture and thickness you’re looking for.
3. Let the sauce simmer for a few minutes, then serve and enjoy.

How to thicken curry sauce with whole coconut milk

1. Let the sauce come to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer.
2. Pour in a quarter cup of coconut milk (check out our list of the best coconut milk for curries) each time, whisking it into the sauce.
3. Keep adding coconut milk until you get the thickness and creaminess you’re looking for.
4. Let the curry sauce simmer for several minutes, season with a little salt and serve.

8. Add tomato paste

Tomato paste is an excellent thickening agent used in many types of curries. You can add it during the cooking process, which makes it super easy to use.

Adds a creamy texture, without adding any fat. It also adds a rich tomato flavor that can complement many types of curries.

It doesn’t dilute the base flavor of the curry too much, but it definitely gives the sauce a layer of tomato flavor, which is something to keep in mind before going with this option.

How to thicken your curry sauce with tomato paste:

1. Once you’ve added the other ingredients (depending on the recipe) and you’re ready to bring the sauce to a boil or simmer, add the tomato paste.
2. Allow the curry sauce to simmer for several minutes to allow the flavors to meld.
3. Serve and enjoy.