Heart-healthy curry recipes

Shop-bought or takeaway curries can be high in salt, which can lead to high blood pressure. But these recipes use individual spices rather than spice pastes or mixes to cut down on salt, making them healthier for your heart.

They also have less saturated fat, which is a good thing since eating too much saturated fat can lead to high cholesterol.

Making homemade curries can be fun and easy, and all these recipes are suitable for home freezing, so are perfect for batch cooking.

1. Chicken tikka masala

orange-red Chicken tikka masala with rice and garnished with low-fat Greek-style yogurt and coriander leaves. Presented on a wooden table with wholemeal chapati.

A classic takeaway favourite. Our recipe for chicken tikka masala contains low-fat yogurt, which gives this curry its rich flavour, while making this dish lower in saturated fat than those you’d get at a restaurant or takeaway.

Serve with wholegrain rice and wholemeal chapati or roti to mop up the extra sauce. Yum!

Get the recipe for chicken tikka masala

2. Cauliflower, pea and potato curry

A vegetable curry is delicious way to hit your 5-a-day goals. This cauliflower, pea and potato curry is a combination of delicious textures and flavours, and the peas are a great source of plant-based protein. Serve with brown rice and coriander leaves before you tuck in.

To make this recipe vegan, simply skip the Greek yogurt, or swap this for a plant-based yogurt.

Get the recipe for cauliflower, pea and potato curry (pictured at the top)

3. Curry goat with ginger and sweet potato

curry goat with chickpeas and large chunks of sweet potato served on a turquoise blue plate with a zig zag edge.

Curry goat is a Jamaican staple. Goat meat is rich and succulent, and along with the aromatic sauce and sweet potato this dish is filling and satisfying.

You can purchase goat meat on the bone or off the bone from halal butchers. If you are using the meat on the bone, try to cut off as much visible fat as you can or try to purchase lean meat. This will help you cut down on saturated fat.

Get the recipe for curry goat with ginger and sweet potato

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4. Vegetable Balti

Vegetable Balti curry with cauliflower, chickpeas, tomato, spinach and parsnip. Presented in grey bowls on a wooden table with a patterned tablecloth, and served with wedges of lime and coriander sauce.

Balti is a curry that is cooked in vegetable oil rather than ghee, which is what many other curries use. This means that Balti curries are lower in saturated fat compared to most curries.

This recipe is packed with healthy vegetables, including cauliflower, parsnip, pepper, tomatoes and chickpeas. Served with a delicious coriander sauce for a fresh finish.

Want to make this dish vegan? Simply use a plant yogurt instead.

Get the recipe for vegetable Balti

Tried this at home?

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5. Aubergine, chickpea and spinach curry

Vibrant aubergine, chickpea and spinach curry with rice in a red bowl and a fork.

This aubergine, chickpea and spinach curry uses kitchen favourites to create a wonderfully versatile dish which is quick and easy to make. The green chilli adds a mild kick to the hearty sauce and it’s sure to please vegetable curry lovers.

And if it soon becomes a regular favourite of yours, why not mix things up by using butternut squash or courgettes instead of aubergine?

Get the recipe for aubergine, chickpea and spinach curry

6. Turkey curry

Turkey curry with peas and baby spinach, served with rice and coriander leaves. Presented on a table with a pale patterned tablecloth.

This curry has warmth and sweetness as well as heat with a combination of garam masala, coriander, green chilli and ginger.

This recipe uses low-fat turkey mince, which is a great alternative to beef mince, though you could also use leftover cooked turkey. By using white meat instead of red meat you can cut down on your saturated fat intake.

Get the recipe for turkey curry

7. Okra curry (bhindi or bhinda)

Spiced okra (bhindi or bhinda) served with salad and a wholemeal wrap, presented on a square white plate on a white table.

This tasty veggie curry uses okra (also known as bhindi, bhinda or lady’s fingers) and is a great source of plant-based protein, fibre and vitamin C. Okra is a unique vegetable but is quite similar to an aubergine or courgette. It also has a slimy texture, but you can reduce this through cooking okra on a high heat for a shorter time.

Serve with wholegrain rice and garnish with chopped coriander leaves and lemon juice.

Get the recipe for okra curry

8. Chicken and chickpea curry

chicken and chickpea curry with red pepper and spinach, served with wholegrain rice. Presented on a white plate and green table.

This chicken and chickpea curry is a real crowd-pleaser. This recipe includes chickpeas, which are a great addition to any curry as they are a plant-based protein, as well as being high in fibre, which could help to lower cholesterol.

This tomato-based curry includes garlic, chilli and ginger for a rich and delicious flavour.

Why not try swapping out the chicken for skinless and boneless turkey or lean pork?