Let’s get something out of the way: using store-bought curry paste doesn’t make you a fraud. It makes you smart.

I used to think making curry from scratch was some kind of culinary badge of honor. Then I spent three weeks in Thailand watching street vendors use pre-made pastes without a shred of shame.

These were people who’d been cooking curry their entire lives. If it’s good enough for them, it’s good enough for your Tuesday night dinner.

The truth is, a quality curry paste contains a dozen or more ingredients that have been pounded and balanced by people who know what they’re doing. You’re not cutting corners. You’re standing on the shoulders of giants.

Here are some vegetarian curries you can pull together in under 30 minutes using that little jar in your fridge.

1) Thai red curry with crispy tofu and basil

Red curry paste is probably the most versatile option you can keep on hand. It’s got that perfect balance of heat, sweetness, and depth that works with almost any vegetable you throw at it.

The key here is getting your tofu crispy before it hits the sauce. Press it, cube it, and let it get golden in a hot pan with a bit of oil. Then set it aside while you build the curry. This way it doesn’t turn into a soggy mess swimming in coconut milk.

Bloom your paste in a dry pan for about 30 seconds until it smells incredible, then add coconut milk, a splash of soy sauce, and a pinch of brown sugar. Toss in whatever vegetables need the most cooking time first. Bell peppers, snap peas, and Thai basil go in at the end. Top with that crispy tofu and you’re done.

2) Chickpea and spinach tikka masala

Tikka masala paste is one of those jars that earns its shelf space. It’s warming without being aggressive, and it plays beautifully with legumes.

Chickpeas are the obvious choice here because they hold their shape and soak up flavor like little sponges. Drain a can, pat them dry, and let them get a bit crispy in the pan before adding your paste. This extra step takes two minutes and makes a real difference in texture.

Once your paste is fragrant, pour in some crushed tomatoes and a generous amount of cream or coconut cream if you’re keeping it dairy-free. Let it simmer until it thickens slightly, then stir in a few handfuls of fresh spinach right at the end. It wilts in seconds. Serve it over rice with a squeeze of lemon and some fresh cilantro.

3) Japanese curry with roasted vegetables

Japanese curry is the comfort food you didn’t know you were missing. It’s sweeter and milder than its Indian or Thai cousins, with an almost stew-like quality that feels like a hug.

The boxed curry roux you find in Asian grocery stores is genuinely excellent. Don’t let the packaging fool you. These blocks of concentrated flavor have been perfected over decades.

Roast your vegetables first. Potatoes, carrots, and onions are traditional, but sweet potato and mushrooms work brilliantly too. Cut everything into similar-sized chunks so they cook evenly.

While those are in the oven, sauté some onions until soft, add water or vegetable stock, and dissolve your curry blocks into the liquid.

Add the roasted veg, let everything mingle for a few minutes, and serve over short-grain rice. Simple, satisfying, done.

4) Green curry with summer vegetables

Green curry paste tends to be the spiciest of the Thai options, so adjust accordingly. But that heat comes with an incredible freshness from lemongrass, galangal, and green chilies that you really can’t replicate easily at home.

This one shines in summer when you’ve got zucchini, eggplant, and green beans coming out of your ears. The vegetables stay slightly firm and soak up all that fragrant, spicy coconut broth.

I’ve mentioned this before, but the order you add vegetables matters. Eggplant goes in first because it needs time to soften. Zucchini and green beans only need a few minutes. Baby corn and bamboo shoots from a can just need to heat through.

Finish with a handful of Thai basil and serve it in bowls over jasmine rice or rice noodles.

5) Paneer butter masala in half the time

Butter masala paste exists, and it’s a game changer for weeknight cooking. The tomato-cream base with warming spices like fenugreek and cardamom is all there, waiting for you.

Paneer is the star here. If you can find fresh paneer, cube it and pan-fry until golden on each side. The slight crust it develops adds texture that soft, straight-from-the-package paneer just doesn’t have.

Build your sauce by cooking the paste with a bit of butter, then adding tomato puree and cream. Let it simmer until it reaches that rich, velvety consistency. Add your paneer, let it warm through, and finish with a handful of fresh cilantro and a drizzle of cream on top.

Serve with warm naan or over basmati rice. The whole thing takes maybe 20 minutes.

The bottom line

Store-bought curry paste is a tool, not a cheat. It gives you access to complex flavor profiles that would otherwise require a dozen specialty ingredients and an hour of prep work.

Keep two or three different pastes in your fridge and you’ve got the foundation for completely different meals any night of the week. Pair them with whatever vegetables look good, add your protein of choice, and dinner practically makes itself.

The goal isn’t to impress anyone with how hard you worked. The goal is to eat well without losing your mind. These curries let you do exactly that.