Curry base sauce (onion and tomato)
The smooth onion and tomato gravy that curry houses build every curry from, made in one pot and frozen in portions.
Make this once, then cook it into 70 different dishes.
- Time1 hr 15
- LevelEasy
- Costabout £0.26 a head
- Makesabout 1.6 litres, enough for 4 curries for 4 people
Cost is worked out from Aldi and Tesco shelf prices in October 2026. Your shop and brands will differ.
Ingredients
Tick what you need to buy. It goes on your shopping list.
Method
- 1
Heat the oil in a large heavy pot over a medium heat. Add the onions with 1 tsp of the salt and cook, stirring often, for 20 minutes until very soft and pale gold. Do not let them go dark brown.
20 min - 2
Add the garlic, ginger, carrots and pepper and cook for 5 minutes, stirring, until the garlic smells sweet.
5 min - 3
Stir in the turmeric, cumin, coriander, paprika and chilli powder and cook for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes, tomato purée, bay leaves, water and the rest of the salt, and bring to the boil.
- 4
Simmer uncovered for 40 minutes, stirring now and then, until the carrots are completely soft and the sauce has reduced by about a quarter.
40 min - 5
Take out the bay leaves. Blend with a stick blender for 2 to 3 minutes until completely smooth and glossy. If using a jug blender, work in small batches and leave the lid vented.
- 6
Measure it. You want about 1.6 litres, thick but pourable like double cream. Simmer longer if it is thin, or stir in a splash of boiled water if it is too thick.
- 7
Cool quickly by standing the pot in a sink of cold water and stirring. Divide into 400 ml portions and chill or freeze within 1 to 2 hours.
About curry base sauce (onion and tomato)
Curry base sauce is a smooth, mild gravy of slow cooked onions, carrots, tomatoes and gentle spices that British Indian restaurants use as the starting point for most of their curries. It is not a finished curry. It is a neutral, savoury, lightly spiced backbone that you build on with a fried masala, a meat or vegetable, and a final hit of heat and salt.
The point of a base is speed and consistency. Make one big batch, freeze it in 400 ml portions, and a madras, bhuna, jalfrezi or dopiaza takes about 20 minutes. It tastes of sweet cooked onion with a little turmeric and cumin, so it will not taste like a curry on its own.
This version is vegan and free from gluten, dairy, egg and nuts, because it uses oil and plain spices. Get the onions soft and golden but not dark, and blend until completely smooth for the glossy texture a restaurant sauce has.
Tips
- Cook the onions slowly until soft and golden but not brown. Dark onions make the base bitter and muddy the colour.
- Blend while hot but vent the jug lid or use a stick blender. Steam trapped in a closed blender can blow the lid off.
- Freeze in 400 ml tubs or freezer bags laid flat. A flat bag thaws in minutes and stacks neatly.
- The base is under seasoned on purpose. Add salt, a pinch of sugar and your finishing spices in the dish itself.
- No stick blender? Use a jug blender in batches, filling it no more than half full.
Storing and freezing
Cool the pot quickly (stand it in a sink of cold water) and chill within 1 to 2 hours. It keeps 4 days in the fridge or 3 months in the freezer in 400 ml portions. Thaw overnight in the fridge and bring to a full simmer until steaming hot all the way through before use.
Dishes you can make with curry base sauce (onion and tomato)
Beef Madras (Curry House Style)
GFDFEFBeef Vindaloo (Curry House Style)
GFDFEFLamb Bhuna with Tomatoes and Green Pepper
DFEFNFLamb Phall (The Hottest Curry House Curry)
GFEFNFLamb Kofta Curry in Onion and Tomato Gravy
DFEFNFLamb Handi (Pakistani Clay Pot Style Curry)
DFEFNFLamb Tikka Masala with Charred Lamb Pieces
EFNFHyderabadi Lamb Dalcha (Lamb and Lentil Curry)
DFEFNFLamb Achari (Pickle Spiced Lamb Curry)
GFDFEFKheema Pav (Mumbai Spiced Lamb Mince with Buttered Rolls)
EFNFBeef Ularthiyathu (Kerala Dry Fried Beef with Coconut)
GFDFEFGoan Pork Ambot Tik (Sour and Hot Pork Curry)
DFEFNFQuestions
Can I freeze curry base sauce?
Yes. It freezes very well for up to 3 months. Cool it fast, pour into 400 ml portions, label and freeze flat. Thaw in the fridge overnight, then simmer until steaming hot before you use it.
Does the base taste like curry on its own?
No. It tastes of sweet, savoury cooked onion with a little turmeric and cumin. The curry flavour comes from the spices, garlic and ginger you fry into each dish.
Is this curry base gluten free and vegan?
Yes. It uses only vegetables, oil and plain ground spices, so it is vegan and free from gluten, dairy, egg and nuts. Check your spice labels, as a few blends contain wheat fillers.
My base is too thin. How do I fix it?
Simmer it uncovered, stirring, until it coats the back of a spoon like double cream, then blend again. If it is too thick, stir in a little boiled water.
Can I use it straight from the fridge?
Yes, once it has been stored properly and is less than 4 days old. Always bring it to a simmer in the dish so it is steaming hot throughout.
How much base do I use for a curry?
About 400 ml serves 4 people when combined with a fried masala and your main ingredient. Use less for a thick dry curry like a bhuna and more for a saucy one.
More base recipes
Double check before you cook. Recipes can contain mistakes. Any diet labels come from the ingredients as written in this recipe and are a guide, not a guarantee. Always check every ingredient and the packet label for allergens and cross contamination, and ask your doctor or dietitian what is right for you, especially with coeliac disease, diabetes or a serious allergy. This is not medical advice.