For a savoury curry, start with an unsweetened almond drink, then choose between a fortified option for regular use and a shorter-ingredient organic one if that matters more to you. A blend containing rice or oil offers a different ingredient profile, but check whether its sweetness suits your recipe. Almond drink is not suitable for a guest with an almond allergy; check the pack before serving.
An unsweetened almond drink can provide liquid for an almond-led curry sauce. Marks & Spencer uses one alongside almond butter in its korma-inspired cauliflower and lentil recipe; the drink is not the only ingredient giving that sauce body.
If almond drink replaces milk beyond an occasional recipe, compare the nutrients on the exact pack. The 2025 GOV.UK SACN and COT assessment notes considerable variation in the nutrient content of plant-based drinks.
Plenish lists water, organic almonds and salt for its almond drink. That may appeal if those ingredients matter more to you than added nutrients: the 2025 GOV.UK SACN and COT assessment says organic plant-based drinks in the UK cannot be fortified.
For curry night, check the drink’s flavour and ingredients first; consider fortification separately if you also use it regularly.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Savoury flavour | Look for an unsweetened variant and read the ingredients for sugar or flavourings. Check what else the sauce recipe uses for richness. | I want the curry’s savoury ingredients to set the flavour, rather than adding sweetness through the drink. |
| Fortification | Compare calcium, iodine and listed vitamins on the exact pack. The 2025 GOV.UK SACN and COT assessment says nutrient content varies considerably between plant-based drinks. | If I use almond drink regularly in place of milk, its nutrient label matters beyond this one meal. |
| Ingredients | Compare the full lists: Plenish lists water, organic almonds and salt; Rude Health lists rice and sunflower oil as well as almonds. Rude Health describes its drink as subtly sweet and creamy. | A short list appeals to me, or I may prefer a blend with a different taste. I need to decide which fits the recipe. |
| Allergens | Read the current pack’s ingredient and allergen statements, including any relevant cross-contact information. The Food Standards Agency identifies almond as an allergen. | I’m cooking for other people, so I need to establish whether anyone has an almond allergy before choosing this ingredient. |
| Storage | Check the unopened and after-opening instructions on your pack. For its unsweetened almond drink, M&S specifies 0°C to +5°C and use within three days of opening. | If I will have drink left after the curry, I want to know how that particular pack must be stored and when it needs using. |
A sweetened or flavoured drink changes what goes into the sauce. Marks & Spencer’s korma-inspired recipe uses unsweetened almond drink alongside almond butter.
Check the variant and ingredients before buying, and follow the recipe for the other ingredients that give the sauce body.
The 2025 GOV.UK SACN and COT assessment reports considerable variation in plant-based drinks’ nutrient content. It also says organic plant-based drinks in the UK cannot be fortified.
If you use the drink regularly instead of milk, compare the nutrients on each product’s label rather than relying on the category name.
Almond drink contains an allergen. The Food Standards Agency identifies almond-containing products as a possible risk for people allergic to almonds.
Ask guests about allergies before cooking. Choose a suitable alternative where needed and check its current allergen information too.
Marks & Spencer advises shoppers to read the product label because ingredients, nutrition and allergen information can change.
Check the pack you buy for ingredients, allergens, nutrition and storage instructions.
These references describe particular drinks or ranges, not every product from each brand.
M&S lists an unsweetened almond drink with added calcium, iodine and vitamins D and B12. Its separate korma-inspired recipe uses unsweetened almond drink with almond butter.
Tesco lists an unsweetened almond drink with added calcium, potassium iodide, vitamin E, vitamin B12, riboflavin and vitamin D2.
Plenish describes its organic almond drink as water, organic almonds and salt, with no added sugar, oils or additives.
Rude Health lists spring water, organic rice, 1% organic Italian almonds, sunflower oil and sea salt in its Almond Drink.
Alpro’s almond-drink range includes No Sugars, Original and Barista Almond variants listed in Tesco’s almond-drinks category.
These Alpro options cover a No Sugars drink and another almond-drink variant. Check the exact pack before deciding which fits your curry.
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The No Sugars variant is the one to consider when avoiding added sweetness in a savoury curry. If you will use it regularly, compare the calcium and vitamin details on the pack. The product description says to refrigerate it at +1°C to +7°C after opening and use it within five days. It contains almond, so check the allergen statement before serving.
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This variant is described for cooking, but sugar appears in its listed ingredients. Check the current pack and decide whether its flavour suits your savoury recipe; do not treat it as the No Sugars variant. The product description says to refrigerate it after opening and use it within five days. It contains almond, so check the allergen statement before serving.
Yes, as a liquid ingredient in a suitable recipe. Marks & Spencer’s korma-inspired cauliflower and lentil curry uses 150 ml of unsweetened almond drink alongside almond butter, tomatoes and lentils. Choose an unsweetened variant if you want to avoid adding deliberate sweetness to a savoury sauce.
For an occasional curry, start with the flavour and ingredients the recipe calls for. If you also use almond drink regularly instead of milk, compare the exact pack’s nutrients: the 2025 GOV.UK SACN and COT assessment notes considerable variation between plant-based drinks and says organic versions in the UK cannot be fortified.
Do not serve an almond-drink curry to someone with an almond allergy. The Food Standards Agency identifies almond as an allergen; ask about allergies, choose a suitable alternative and check all relevant labels before cooking.
Follow the instructions on the particular pack. M&S specifies refrigeration at 0°C to +5°C and use within three days for its unsweetened almond drink; another product may give different instructions.
No. Pre-grated describes a prepared solid ingredient, not an almond drink. For the curry’s liquid ingredient, compare the drink’s sweetness, ingredients, allergens and storage instructions instead.