Can You Freeze Curry Paste? [Tested & Detailed Guide]

Imagine the aroma of delicious Thai curry dishes if you have ever walked past a Thai restaurant.

The aroma that comes from a high-quality curry paste hitting a hot frying pot is simply divine.

Thai curries that are best made with fresh ingredients and then blended into a paste are the best.

It doesn’t matter if you bought a curry paste recipe for multiple uses or if you make a lot of curry paste at home; you won’t waste any of it.

Can curry paste be frozen? Although you can freeze curry paste, there are a few things to remember.

It is important to separate your curry paste into small, single-serving containers before freezing it.

To help you understand how to make the curry paste, we have created a guide.

What is Curry Paste?

Curry paste is a mixture of herbs, spices, and other ingredients you probably already have in your spice cabinet—the only thing needed to create the perfect curry paste is in a blender or food processor.

You can purchase pre-made curry pastes from Asian food stores.

You may recognize some of the ingredients listed below but not the names of the spices.

The names of fresh ingredients are often changed when they are exported and shipped to different countries.

Truly authentic Thai curries are made with curry paste.

The best thing about Thai curry is that you can control the level of spiciness by adding more or less depending on your taste.

How to Store Curry Paste?

Curry paste is one of the ingredients that you can’t store for long periods.

That’s because it goes bad quickly when exposed to air and other contaminants.

But if you use your curry paste often, it doesn’t make sense to purchase a new container every time.

Instead, divide your curry paste into smaller portions, place them into different airtight containers, and put them in the refrigerator.

Store your curry paste for up to two weeks.

When you are ready to use it, remove it from the fridge to allow it to come back to room temperature before cooking with it.

Why Consider Freezing Curry Paste?

If you buy authentic Thai curry paste and freeze it, you will use the same portion for many future meals.

After all, who doesn’t love a good curry meal?

Freezing your homemade or purchased curry paste prevents waste and offers convenience.

You can always take out one of the small containers from the freezer when you know you will need it for a future meal.

The other benefit of freezing curry paste is that you can double the amount and eliminate leftovers if you are cooking for a larger number of people.

All you have to do is prepare two meals instead of one, or use half the ingredients needed to make your dinner with more curry paste, so there is no waste.

How to Freeze Curry Paste?

Freezing curry paste can be a bit tricky.

You must first divide your curry paste into single-serving sizes and place each serving in an airtight container.

Do this before freezing it, or the curry pastes will become freezer burned over time if kept frozen for too long.

When you use these small food containers for cooking, each one should last for about 3 to 4 meals.

Freezing curry paste causes the flavors to break down and become bland, so you have to adjust your recipe when using it.

For example, if you want the flavor of curry paste, but the dish is too spicy, use less curry paste than the recipe.

To use a small container of curry paste, thaw it completely in the refrigerator before cooking.

This should take about two days.

You can also freeze in an airtight freezer bag if the recipe you use requires chopped or sliced curry paste.

But make sure to remove as much air from it first.

Once properly frozen, curry paste will stay good for up to three months.

Make sure to thaw the curry paste completely before using it in a recipe.

You can also add other ingredients, such as coconut oil or water if you would like to change the consistency of your dish.

Freeze it again afterward for another meal.

How To Thaw Frozen Curry Paste?

Thawing frozen curry paste is easy when you use the right method.

You can’t just put it on the counter to thaw because it will become too soft and lose its shape.

Here are the two methods I’ve used to thaw curry pastes successfully:

Option 1 – Place your frozen package of curry paste in a microwave and heat it for several seconds, depending on size.

Remove it from the microwave and run warm water over it until it gets soft enough that you can cut through it with a knife or spoon.

If you used a freezer bag to freeze it, thaw the curry paste by placing the sealed container in warm water.

This method takes about 10 minutes.

Option 2: Place the frozen curry paste in a container that has warm water in it.

Warm up the water before placing your package of curry paste into it.

Cover the container and let it sit until soft enough to cut with a knife or spoon (about 10 minutes).

Once your curry paste has thawed completely, it will be ready to use in any recipe.

If you want to keep using your frozen curry paste over time, repeat freezing and thawing.

As long as you don’t freeze it again for more than three months, it will maintain its flavor.

How to Tell if Curry Paste is Bad?

To know how to tell if curry paste is bad, we must know of the conditions under which a food may be considered spoiled.

Spoilage occurs when the growth of microorganisms such as yeasts, molds, and bacteria exceeds that needed for their metabolism giving off by-products in excess.

Bad curry paste will start to smell funny and develop a sour odor.

If you see any mold or discoloration on your curry paste, cut off the spoiled part and throw it away immediately.

Food poisoning can be avoided if you eat food that is not spoiled.

If the curry paste does not have an off odor, feel free to cook with it.

Curry paste is good for at least one year when canned.

If you wish to eat curry paste that has been canned, make sure to check the expiration date on the package before opening it.

Conclusion

In conclusion, curry paste is a great way to make your dishes easier.

It takes very little time to thaw and cook, which leaves you with less work when preparing a meal.

In addition, curry paste makes it easy for me to add delicious spices to my meals without buying an expensive spice rack.

If you’ve never tried freezing curry paste before, give it a try and see how you like it.

You might just find a new way to add flavor to your meals.

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