Tandoori Sauce

There’s nothing quite like the bold, smoky flavor of tandoori dishes — and this Creamy Tandoori Sauce brings all that depth and spice home with minimal effort. Whether you’re marinating chicken, simmering vegetables, or just looking for a bold dipping sauce for naan or kebabs, this recipe has you covered.

Inspired by classic Indian marinades, this version adds a touch of tomato paste and cream or coconut milk to make it more sauce-like, while keeping the key elements: yogurt, warm spices, and that signature tandoori tang.

This sauce is flexible, vibrant, and comes together in less than 10 minutes — no tandoor oven required.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe:

Can be used three ways: marinade, simmer sauce, or dip

1. Authentic flavor using easy-to-find ingredients

2. Creamy, tangy, and deeply spiced

3. Customizable heat level

4. Ready in 10 minutes — blender-friendly!

Final Thoughts:

This homemade tandoori sauce is bold, complex, and incredibly easy to make. It brings restaurant-quality flavor to your kitchen with everyday ingredients and can be used in so many ways — from grilling and roasting to drizzling and dipping.

Whether you’re making a quick weeknight curry or meal-prepping your favorite wraps and bowls, this is the kind of sauce you’ll keep coming back to.

Yield: 1 cup

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Tandoori Sauce

Prep time: 10 MinTotal time: 10 Min

There’s nothing quite like the bold, smoky flavor of tandoori dishes — and this Creamy Tandoori Sauce brings all that depth and spice home with minimal effort. Whether you’re marinating chicken, simmering vegetables, or just looking for a bold dipping sauce for naan or kebabs, this recipe has you covered.

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Ingredients

• ¾ cup plain Greek yogurt (or thick dairy-free yogurt)
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice (fresh)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1-inch piece fresh ginger, grated (or 1 tsp ground ginger)
• 1 ½ teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
• ½ teaspoon garam masala
• ¼–½ teaspoon cayenne pepper (adjust to taste)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon olive oil or melted ghee
• 2 tablespoons heavy cream or coconut milk (optional – for extra richness)

Instructions

1. Add all ingredients to a bowl and whisk until smooth, or blend in a small blender for a silkier consistency.
2. Taste and adjust seasoning — more lemon juice for brightness, more cayenne for heat, more cream for richness.
3. Use as a marinade: Coat chicken, tofu, shrimp, or veggies and marinate for 1–12 hours before grilling or roasting.
4. Use as a simmer sauce: Add to sautéed onions and simmer with your favorite protein or vegetables.
5. Use as a dip: Serve warm or cold with naan, grilled skewers, or roasted cauliflower.

Notes

Want smoky flavor? Add a pinch of smoked salt or charred onion.

Make it vegan: Use dairy-free yogurt and coconut cream.

No tomato paste? Use 1–2 tablespoons of tomato purée or ketchup for a sweeter twist.

Store: Keeps in the fridge for up to 5 days. Can also be frozen in portions.

Nutrition Facts

Calories

353

Fat

23 g

Sat. Fat

8 g

Carbs

22 g

Fiber

4 g

Net carbs

18 g

Sugar

10 g

Protein

19 g

Sodium

2647 mg

Cholesterol

8 mg

Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.