This yellow curry paste recipe, made with ginger, turmeric, and fragrant herbs turns out incredibly flavorful, aromatic, and really mild. It is perfect if you’re not into spicy foods!
We’re so excited for you to try this yellow curry paste! It’s packed with flavor, and honestly, it is so much better than store-bought. Thai yellow curry paste is milder than red curry paste or green curry paste, so it’s a great place to start if you’re new to making curry at home.
You’ll taste a little sweetness and lots of aromatics thanks to ginger, turmeric, and lemongrass. We love using this curry paste in everything (think curries, soups, stir-fries, even marinades). Our favorite way to use it is in our yellow coconut chicken curry. It’s so good!
Key Ingredients
- Oil: We need something to bind all the curry paste ingredients together, and a high-heat neutral oil like avocado, vegetable, or safflower oil is perfect.
- Ginger, Garlic, and Shallots: This trio forms the fragrant foundation of our curry paste. We cook them for a few minutes on the stove so they become sweet and soft.
- Turmeric: Fresh turmeric root adds a bright yellow color, earthy notes, and a hint of bitterness. If you can’t find it fresh, I’ve shared tips for using dried turmeric in the recipe below.
- Lemongrass: No Thai curry paste is complete without lemongrass! I love the convenience of lemongrass paste (sold in tubes), but if you’re working with fresh, check out the tips below the recipe. If you do buy yourself a tube, I also use it to make these sweet and sour meatballs.
- Curry Powder: A high-quality curry powder adds to our yellow color and provides a warm and spicy base.
- Coriander: Ground coriander brings warm, nutty notes that complement the fresh ingredients beautifully.
- Brown Sugar: With so much vibrant flavor happening in this curry paste, a touch of brown sugar helps to bring everything together and round out any sharp edges.
- Lime, Fish Sauce, and Cilantro: These three bring everything together, adding brightness, saltiness, and an extra pop of fresh flavor. While some authentic pastes use dried shrimp or shrimp paste, fish sauce is a great alternative that’s much easier to find (if vegetarian, omit it).
Find the full recipe with measurements below.
How to Make Yellow Curry Paste
Tip 1: Sweat the aromatics before blending. We will sweat some of the ingredients first, making them a little sweeter and softer, perfect for blending into a paste later on (just like when making red curry paste). Toss oil, ginger, garlic, shallot, turmeric, and coriander in a small saucepan. Cover with a lid and place over medium heat. We aren’t looking to add color. Just soften them, which takes around 10 minutes.
Tip 2: Use a food processor. Let the aromatics cool down a little, then toss them into a food processor with the rest of the ingredients (brown sugar, lemongrass paste, curry powder, fish sauce, lime juice, and cilantro). From there, you want to pulse until you have a paste. If it’s not processing as easily as you’d like, add a little more oil and try again.
Tip 3: Be generous when using this paste. Use your yellow curry paste in the same dishes you would have used store-bought. It’s mild, and you want to take full advantage of all of that flavor, so be generous with it in your dishes. I use 6 tablespoons when making this yellow coconut chicken curry.
More Curry Recipes
- Thai Green Curry (with chicken)
- Thai Fish Curry
- Red Curry Paste
- Green Curry Paste
- Chicken Curry (Indian-inspired)
Homemade Yellow Curry Paste
- PREP
- COOK
- TOTAL
Our family loves this mild Thai yellow curry paste! It has incredible flavor thanks to ginger, shallot, and spices. This curry is not spicy and incredible when used to make our yellow chicken curry. If you want to add some heat, see my tips below the recipe. For a spicy curry, try our green curry paste or this red curry paste!
Please note that turmeric is infamous for staining work surfaces and hands. Wear gloves and use a non-porous cutting board.
You Will Need
¼ cup avocado oil (60 ml)
3 ounces ginger, about 3-inch piece (85 g)
2 whole garlic heads, peeled and smashed (15 to 20 cloves)
3 medium shallots, peeled and sliced
½ ounce fresh turmeric, peeled and sliced, see tips for using dried (14 g)
½ teaspoon ground coriander
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon lemongrass paste
1 teaspoon mild curry powder
2 teaspoons fish sauce
Juice of half a lime
¼ cup cilantro leaves
Directions
1Combine the oil, ginger, garlic, shallot, turmeric, and coriander in a small saucepan. Cover with a lid and place over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 7 to 10 minutes or until tender. (We are not looking to brown anything, so reduce the heat if needed).
2Remove the saucepan from the heat and remove the lid. Allow to cool for 10 minutes.
3Pour the contents of the saucepan into a blender or food processor, then add the brown sugar, lemongrass paste, curry powder, fish sauce, lime juice, and cilantro.
4Pulse into a paste. If you are having problems with the blades not “grabbing on” to the ingredients, add a little more oil to help it along.
Adam and Joanne's Tips
- For curries: Start with 3 to 4 tablespoons of curry paste per cup of coconut milk. You can always add more later! I use 6 tablespoons in my yellow chicken curry.
- For marinades/other dishes: Begin with 1 tablespoon of curry paste per pound of meat.
- Add heat: Yellow curry paste is known for its mild flavor. If you prefer a spicier curry, you have plenty of options! Fresno chilies offer a moderate kick, while serrano peppers and jalapeños bring more heat. For those who like it fiery, try adding a Thai chili. Just remember that adding chilies may affect the curry’s yellow color.
- Dried turmeric: Substitute 1 teaspoon of dried turmeric for the fresh turmeric called for above.
- Lemongrass paste: I buy the refrigerated lemongrass paste in a squeezable tube sold near the fresh herbs.
- Using fresh lemongrass: Cut away the top and bottom of the stalk. Then, peel away the tough outer layers until you reach the tender, pale yellow core. Finally, thinly slice the stalk, then chop it as finely as possible or use a food processor to mince it. When using fresh lemongrass in this recipe, you’ll need 1 tablespoon minced. Then, add the minced lemongrass to the saucepan along with the ginger, garlic, turmeric, and shallots (slightly different than when using the premade paste). If you make a larger batch of homemade lemongrass paste, store in an airtight container in the fridge for a few days or freeze in ice cube trays, transfer to freezer bags, and freeze for up to 3 months.
- Vegetarian/vegan adaptations: Ensure all ingredients are vegan/vegetarian, and omit the fish sauce.
- Storing in the fridge: Allow the curry paste to cool, add it to a clean glass jar, add a thin layer of avocado oil on top, and then store it in the fridge for up to 1 week, possibly longer.
- Storing in the freezer: You can freeze this for up to 3 months. Portion the paste into small freezer-safe containers or ice cube trays. If using ice cube trays, freeze until frozen, pop them out, and store them in a freezer-safe airtight container
- Nutrition facts are estimates.
Haven’t made the Curry chicken yet. Will be going out this week to buy the ingredients. This look Yummy 😋. Thank you for Sharing.
You are going to love it 🙂