Thai Yellow Curry Paste Recipe

This Thai Yellow Curry Paste comes together fast and delivers rich, authentic flavor. Perfect for restaurant-quality Thai curries at home.

Curries are such a big part of Thai cuisine, each with its own distinct flavor and personality.

Thai Red Curry gets its deep color and flavor from dried red chilies, while Thai Green Curry uses fresh green chilies for that bright, herbal kick.

Thai Yellow Curry, on the other hand, gets its warm golden hue and earthy aroma from turmeric. Yellow Curry is milder than red or green curry but just as flavorful, and it works beautifully with chicken, fish, potatoes, or mixed vegetables.

Making your own curry paste at home might sound intimidating, but it’s actually quick and simple once you’ve got the ingredients ready. Just a few minutes in the blender, and you’ll have enough paste for several delicious meals throughout the week.

You’ll also find some recipe ideas and storage tips below to help you get the most out of your homemade paste.

How to Make Homemade Yellow Curry Paste

The traditional method of making Thai curry paste involves using a mortar and pestle to blend all the ingredients to a smooth paste by hand.

Although it yields authentic flavor and texture, using modern appliances like blenders and food processors can save a lot of time and effort.

For the smoothest texture, use a blender instead of a food processor Even the Magic Bullet blender works quite well for this task.

Rinse and soak 3 dried red chilis in warm water for about 30 minutes.

After they have soaked, cut them into ½-inch pieces. As you cut the chili, shake the seeds out of each piece over the kitchen sink (to prevent the seeds from flying everywhere in your kitchen). Removing the seeds will also reduce the spice.

Place the red chilies and the following ingredients into a food processor or a blender:

• 2 inches of fresh turmeric (peeled and sliced) or 1 ½ tablespoons of turmeric powder
• 1 inch galangal, grated (or substitute with an equal amount of ginger if you don't have access to galangal)
• 3 lemongrass stalks (white portion only, thinly sliced)
• 5 small shallots, peeled
• 5 cloves garlic, peeled
• 3 stalks fresh cilantro
• 1 tablespoon curry powder
• 1 tablespoon coriander seeds
• 1 tablespoon Thai shrimp paste (optional but recommended)
• Have approximately 1 cup of water handy, but don't add it to the mix yet.

Tip: Lightly toast the coriander seeds for a minute over low heat to amp up those flavors!

Pulse the blender or food processor a few times, then slowly stream the water into the mix to blend the ingredients to a paste.

The purpose of the water is to help the blender or food processor blend the ingredients. As soon as the curry paste is blended evenly, stop adding the water. I typically use between ½ cup and ¾ cup of water for each batch.

This recipe yields approximately 1 cup of Yellow Curry Paste.

Storing Yellow Curry Paste

Your homemade Yellow Curry Paste will keep for a week in the fridge, or in the freezer for about 6 months.

When freezing any curry paste, I recommend freezing them in ice cube trays. Ice cube trays that come with lids are super handy for this purpose as you can easily stack them on top of one another.

Most Thai curry recipes call for approximately 2 -3 tablespoons of curry paste. If you pour about 1 tablespoon of curry paste into each section of the ice cube tray, you'll be able to easily take exactly what you need for each recipe you prepare.

1 cup = 16 tablespoons, so you will get about 16 individual frozen Yellow Curry Paste cubes per batch.

Store these cubes in the ice cube trays (with the lids on), or to save freezer space, place the frozen curry paste cubes into a Ziploc bag.

When you’re ready to cook, just pop out a few cubes and let them thaw in a small bowl at room temperature, or microwave them for about a minute until softened.

💡 Pro Tips for the Best Thai Yellow Curry Paste

Use fresh ingredients whenever possible. Fresh turmeric, galangal, and lemongrass make a difference in flavor and aroma. If you’re using powdered turmeric or ginger instead, the paste will still be delicious, just slightly less vibrant.

Toast your spices. Lightly toasting the coriander seeds in a dry pan for a minute or two brings out their aroma and adds a deeper flavor to the paste.

Adjust the spice level. Thai Yellow Curry is typically milder than red or green curry, but you can add a few extra red chilies (with their seeds intact) if you like extra heat.

Blend in stages if needed. If your blender struggles to catch all the bits, stop and scrape down the sides, or blend the ingredients in batches, for a smooth paste.

Don’t skip the shrimp paste. It adds a subtle depth and authentic umami flavor. If you prefer to keep it vegetarian, try adding a dash of soy sauce or a bit of miso for richness.

Freezing for storage. Freeze your curry paste in 1-tablespoon portions using lidded ice cube trays or small containers for easy storage. They stack neatly and keep your freezer from smelling like curry.

Frequently Asked Questions

Other Homemade Thai Curry Paste Recipes:

• Thai Red Curry Paste
• Thai Green Curry Paste
• Tom Yum Paste
• Massaman Curry Paste

Yellow Curry Recipes to Try:

Try these Yellow Curry recipes with your new homemade paste!

• Vegetarian Thai Yellow Curry
• Roasted Thai Yellow Curry Potatoes
• Thai Yellow Chicken Curry with Potatoes by Pinch of Yum
• Thai Pork and Pineapple Yellow Curry by Daily Cooking Quest
• Easy Thai Yellow Curry With Fish by Kitchen Sanctuary
• Thai Yellow Curry with Veggies, Cashews and Tofu by The Picky Eater