Jarred curry pastes can be one-dimensional and dull, but this mild red curry base from Grumpy Ginger tastes noticeably fresh. Grumpy Ginger uses fresh lemon grass and ginger, never processed or powdered, to give the blend a fresh taste taste that’s brighter than the stale, dull flavors of many meal starters. And the curry paste is rounded out with warm spices like cumin and coriander, roasted and ground to add depth (and differentiate the fragrance from a more typical Thai red curry base). It has a luscious texture that blends into dishes, and Grumpy Ginger’s recipe is vegan, gluten-free and made with no preservatives, additives or added sugar. One jar lasts multiple meals that you can pull together in 20 minutes. This version and Grumpy Ginger’s Spicy Red Curry are two of our favorite simmer sauces we’ve tried.

Jarred curry pastes can be one-dimensional and dull, but this spicy red curry base from Grumpy Ginger tastes noticeably fresh. Grumpy Ginger’s attention to detail and consciously sourced ingredients set this blend apart: Every dried red chili, which impart a noticeable heat and bright red color to the spicy base, is chopped and de-seeded by hand—which no other brand does—to preserve as much flavor as possible. Grumpy Ginger also uses fresh lemon grass and ginger, never processed or powdered, to give the blend a fresh taste taste that’s brighter than the stale, dull flavors of many meal starters. And the curry paste is rounded out with warm spices like cumin and coriander, roasted and ground to add depth (and differentiate the fragrance from a more typical Thai red curry base). It has a luscious texture that blends into dishes, and Grumpy Ginger’s recipe is vegan, gluten-free and made with no preservatives, additives or added sugar. One jar lasts multiple meals that you can pull together in 20 minutes. This version and Grumpy Ginger’s Mild Red Curry are two of our favorite simmer sauces we’ve tried.