25 Best Copycat Curry Recipes Your Family Will Devour (2024)

As soon as I tasted my first bit of curry, I knew it was sure to be a lifelong love. In fact, a good homemade curry recipe is probably one of the things I love most in life. I learned how to make a real curry at the hands of a wonderful woman who was my boss as well as an immigrant from India. She used simple ingredients and aromatic spices to build flavors that I had never experienced before and soon fell in love with creating. Now, I get to share those with you!

Best Curry Recipes to Make at Home

I won't pretend to say that this list of recipes is 100% authentic to what you might eat if you sat down at the table of an Indian chef. There is no way that I can build those flavors so expertly with just a few years of experience cooking them in my own kitchen. I will, however, say that each of these recipes is unique, delicious, and gives you the comfort you desire from a good curry.

All of these recipes are family favorites, but if you want to add a few more traditional Indian items to your menu, make sure you also check out my fragrant Indian rice recipe as well as this classic Indian fruit custard. Both easily fit into the menu and are easy to make! You'll love the flavors and how they compliment any and all of the curry below.

Creamy Indian Butter Chicken Recipe

Butter chicken is probably the most popular Indian take out recipe. It's rich, creamy, and has just enough curry flavor without too much heat. You can add more spice if you want, but this recipe is perfect as listed.

Source: ScrambledChefs

Better Than Takeout Chicken Tikka Masala

The next most popular recipe you'll find on takeout menus is probably tikka masala. This version is ideal for home chefs and is a simplified version of what you would order in a restaurant. Loaded with the classic rich creamy sauce and just enough heat to get your taste buds going, this is sure to please a crowd.

Source: ScrambledChefs

Authentic Chicken Karahi Recipe

This chicken curry dish is definitely closer to authentic than some others on the list. It is packed with flavor and a lot of heat. So, definitely not for the faint of heart or those who want the mild or no heat curry dishes.

Source: ScrambledChefs

Classic Indian Green Curry

I won't tell you what my son says this looks like, but his first bite changed his mind immediately. The tender chicken, brightly flavored sauce, and small amount of heat in this recipe make it a favorite. You can easily add more heat if you prefer with a bit of extra peppers in the dish or even more garam masala, but it's delicious just as it is and an ideal choice for someone new to curries.

Source: ScrambledChefs

5-Ingredient Potato Curry Recipe

If you are looking for simple but with a nice amount of heat, this easy potato curry is the best choice. With only a few ingredients, you'll be shocked by the level of flavor you can build in this dish. It's a great choice for a vegetarian meal and pairs great with any of your favorite chicken or beef curries.

Source: ScrambledChefs

Savory Authentic Peanut Chicken Curry

Peanut curry is a fun combination of sweet and savory that is a perfect way to level up your cooking game. This recipe is ideal for those wanting to introduce curry to their menu without adding too many new flavors into one meal. Despite the chili powder in the ingredients list, this is a relatively mild choice in regards to the heat level.

Source: ScrambledChefs

Spicy Red Lentil Curry Recipe with Spinach

Everyone needs a good vegetarian curry on their menu, and this one is the perfect choice. While it is definitely packed with more heat than others on this list, it is also one of the simpler choices. Lentils are an excellent source of protein that creates wonderful texture in a curry.

Source: ScrambledChefs

Flavorful Chicken Dhansak Curry with Lentils

This is the perfect choice for someone who wants the perfect combinations of sweet, salty, sour, and spicy. There is something special about the layering of flavors in this dish that frankly, makes your eyes close and your mouth water when you smell it simmering on the stovetop. Chicken is the base but the addition of lentils really bulks up the dish making it a full meal in one bowl.

Source: ScrambledChefs

Delicious Kerala Egg Curry Recipe

I have to confess that eggs are not on my menu plan often. I'm just not a big fan of eggs in general. This recipe is one that is uniquely different and appealing. There is something about the rich curry sauce and the creaminess of the eggs in the mixture that provides you with whole new experience. If you like a variety of textures in a curry, this one is a bit more single note than you are used to having. However, the flavor and creaminess make up for the singular texture.

Source: ScrambledChefs

30-Minute Thai Chicken Coconut Curry

While I am including this on the list, I hesitate slightly as it is not what you normally think of when you say the word curry. While the flavors do include some traditional Thai flavors, I like to consider this the Americanized version of both Thai and curry flavors. It is a great flavor-packed dish that does include curry, but won't fit into the authentic label at all.

Source: ScrambledChefs

Classic Jamaican Curry Recipe

Curry isn't just found in Asian cuisines. It stretches worldwide and this one curry is similar but different. For a truly authentic Jamaican curry, you will want to buy Jamaican curry powder for this recipe. It's delicious, simple to make, and sure to be a hit with everyone at your table.

Source: ScrambledChefs

Instant Pot Coconut Shrimp Curry

This curried shrimp recipe is super easy to make if you have an electric pressure cooker. I find the sauce to be a bit thinner than I prefer, but you could easily thicken with a bit of cornstarch if preferred.

Source: Piping Pot Curry

Instant Pot Yellow Dal

I love this simple and flavorful dal recipe. The Instant Pot makes it easier than ever to prepare, and it's an ideal vegetarian recipe to add to your menu. I like to serve this with another spicier curry for balance.

Source: My Kitchen Love

Instant Pot Palak Paneer Recipe

One of my favorite recipes has always been a good palak paneer. This green curry is loaded with creamy rich flavor. A spinach curry sauce is combined with chunks of paneer, a soft cheese that doesn't melt. Paneer is similar to tofu in texture but is not a vegan food. I love this recipe and will always add it to my plate when available.

Source: Code 2 Cook

Instant Pot Curry Chicken and Vegetables

For a very basic curry, you can't go wrong with this recipe. It is a curry in the sense that it includes curry powder, but it is not a traditional curry you might expect or see in restaurants. The flavors aren't as deep, but they are still there and I find this recipe to be good for anyone wanting to try curry for the first time.

Source: Saving Dollars and Sense

Instant Pot Chicken Curry

If you like a bit of layering of spices, then this chicken curry is going to become a new favorite. I love the Instant Pot for building flavors quickly in a recipe that would normally take hours of slow cooking to create. This includes a variety of spices and herbs that combine to create a curry that appeals to the senses of both smell and taste.

Source: Veena Azmanov

Easy Indian Lentil Curry Recipe

A basic lentil curry is always a hit at my house. Easy to make, high in protein, and packed with classic curry flavor, this one is a perfect first curry to make for your family.

Source: Whole New Mom

Red Thai Curry with Vegetables

Thai curry tends to have what I like to call a brighter flavor. This recipe is a perfect representation of that in an easy to make the recipe. This pairs beautifully with a nice grilled chicken or fish if you want added protein, or with any number of vegetarian proteins like tofu or tempeh.

Source: The Hidden Veggies

Vegan Cauliflower Coconut Curry

Indian curries are one of the first places I ever experienced truly delicious vegan food. This cauliflower curry is a great choice if you are looking to add a satisfying vegan dish to your menu that is packed with flavor.

Source: Make it Dairy Free

Chicken Massaman Curry

Here is another tasty Thai curry that is rich, flavorful, and has just enough spice to suit your tastes. This choice is ideal with chicken but can be made with pork or potentially tofu if preferred.

Source: Jennifer Cooks

Dahi Chicken Recipe

If you want rich and flavor-packed, this is the curry for you! Chicken legs make this budget-friendly, but the marinade and seasonings add a distinct hit of flavor that will wow your tastebuds.

Source: Spoons of Flavor

Indian Kashmiri Mutton Curry

If you aren't sure if you would like lamb or not, I can't begin to say how much this curry will seal the deal. Lamb is a rich meat that is absolutely incredible when cooked with curry spices. I love that this recipe is detailed with step by step images and has both slow cooker and pressure cooker options.

Source: Chef de Home

Fish Curry Recipe

Curry isn't just for vegetables and chicken. While those are the most common in the United States, fish is a highly popular curry dish around the world. This simple Indian fish curry is sure to change your mind about what fish can be on your menu.

Source: Indian healthy Recipes

Thai Curry Shrimp Pasta Recipe

All I can say about this recipe is wow. Tons of heat, flavor, and rich curry combine to create a bowl of goodness, unlike anything you've ever tasted before!

Source: Billy Parisi

Sri Lankan Chicken Curry

As mentioned before, there are tons of variations in what is considered a curry. They all include a curry powder which is a blend of spices, but different regions and even different families have a unique spin on that blend. This Sri Lankan version is a crowd-pleasing meal with deliciously blended flavors.

Source: The Flavor Bender

Chef's Tip

I am a huge fan of curry, so I have a ton of individual spices and various curry blends in my pantry already. That's not the case for everyone, so I want to recommend a few good choices for finding blends that you can use in your own exploration of curry. Below are a few of my favorite options.

• Humming Direct Individual Spice Blends - This store has tons of options for small packets of spices.
• Flavors of India Spice Box - This is a great mixture of spices that gives you an all-in-one look at what options are available.
• Indian Spice Sampler - For a very small sample of flavors, the Sullivan Tea Shop is a great place to check.
• Spice Box Kit with 12 Spices - This is a great gift box filled with a variety of spices you can create your own curry blend from.