There’s a moment when that smell hits you—soft onion melting into oil, apple turning sticky-sweet, curry powder just starting to bloom—and suddenly you’re back in a chip shop after school, warm paper-wrapped chips in hand. That’s what this sauce does. I wasn’t expecting it to. Thought it’d be a simple dip. It’s not. (inspired by Jamie Oliver)
Ingredients You’ll Need
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- Half an onion, chopped small
- 1 apple, peeled and diced fine
- 1 clove garlic, crushed or minced
- 1/2 tsp curry powder
- 1 tbsp plain flour
- 150 ml vegetable stock
- Black pepper, to taste (just a twist or two)
How To Make Jamie Oliver Chip Shop Curry Sauce
- Start by warming the oil in a deep pan. Nothing fancy—just enough heat to make the onion sizzle gently. You don’t want it brown, just soft. Like the start of something.
- Throw in the onion, apple, garlic. Let them hang out together on low heat. Ten minutes maybe. Stir now and then. You’ll know when they’re ready—the smell changes. Turns sweet. Rich. You’ll want to stick your face in the steam.
- Now for the curry powder. Dust it in. Add the flour too. Stir like your arm’s bored. It’ll go dry and clumpy at first. Keep going. It’ll turn smooth.
- Pour in the stock. Slowly. Stir it through. It looks too thin, maybe. Trust it. It thickens as it simmers. Add pepper—don’t overthink it.
- Let it bubble. Softly. Ten minutes should do it. Stir if you remember. If not, eh, it’ll be fine. Probably.
- You could blend it now. I did. Just a quick buzz with the stick blender. Made it silky. Like chip shop gravy’s cooler cousin.
- Scoop it over chips. Or whatever’s hanging around.

Why I Love This Recipe
Made it once on a grey Tuesday. Kids had soggy oven fries. Sauce saved the day. Even my partner, who claims to hate apples in savoury stuff, went quiet and just kept eating. It’s cheap. It’s fast. It doesn’t pretend to be anything it’s not—and I love that.
Recipe Tips
- Gluten-free, Just swap the flour. Cornflour works.
- Apples—don’t use a tart one. You want mellow.
- Curry powder—go mild, unless you’re feeling bold.
- Leftovers reheat weird if you microwave too hard. Go gentle.
- Keeps well. Like, three days easy in the fridge.
How To Store Jamie Oliver Chip Shop Curry Sauce
- Leave it out too long: It goes weird. Don’t. Cool it down, then straight into the fridge. Three days max.
- Freezer: Yeah, it’s fine. Leave space in the container or it’ll crack. Thaw overnight.
- Microwave: 30-second blasts, stir in between. Stovetop: low heat, stir more than you think.
Questions People Ask Me:
What do chippies actually use?
Something like this. Bit sweeter maybe. This one’s real though.
Is it vegan?
Yeah. Just make sure your stock’s legit.
Can I make it gluten-free?
Yep. Use gluten-free flour. That’s it.
Too runny? Too thick?
Simmer longer or throw in more stock. Not rocket science.
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
- Calories: 92
- Carbs: 12.7g
- Protein: 0.8g
- Fat: 4.6g
- Sugar: 6.5g
- Fibre: 2.3g
- Sodium: 1mg
Try More Recipe:
Jamie Oliver Chip Shop Curry Sauce Recipe
Course: Side DishesCuisine: British4
servings5
minutes15
minutes92
kcalRich, cozy curry sauce with a chip shop vibe—easy, nostalgic, and weirdly addictive. You’ll want it on everything.
Ingredients
1 tbsp veg oil
Half an onion
Black pepper
diced 1 apple
peeled and chopped
minced 1/2 tsp curry powder
1 tbsp flour
150 ml veg stock
1 clove garlic
Directions
- Warm the oil.
- Add onion, apple, garlic.
- Soften on low heat.
- Stir in curry powder and flour.
- Cook 1 minute. Pour in stock. Pepper.
- Stir. Simmer 10 minutes.
- Blend if you want. Eat with chips. Or fingers. No judgement.
Notes
- Gluten-free, Just swap the flour. Cornflour works.
- Apples—don’t use a tart one. You want mellow.
- Curry powder—go mild, unless you’re feeling bold.
- Leftovers reheat weird if you microwave too hard. Go gentle.
- Keeps well. Like, three days easy in the fridge.