Where to Buy Curry Leaves in Australia: Woolworths, Coles, Aldi and Online

By Neer Vasa, NutriThrive founder · Updated 5 Oct 2026

Yes, you can buy curry leaves at Woolworths and Coles, but stock is mostly fresh herb punnets and it varies by store. Aldi's online range showed none when we last checked. Below is what each listed, when dried leaves make more sense than fresh, and how to keep a pantry pouch on hand without another supermarket trip.

Curry leaves at Woolworths, Coles and Aldi

Supermarket ranges change often and differ between stores, so check your local store's app before you go. Snapshot from our check on 5 October 2026:

Fresh punnets sit in the refrigerated herb section. Dried leaves, where stocked, are with the dried herbs and spices. If your store is out, Indian and Sri Lankan grocers usually have stems or larger dried packs, and you can buy dried curry leaves online for a pouch that lasts months.

Fresh or dried: which one to buy

Buy fresh if you'll cook with them within a week. Keep them in the fridge, wrapped in paper towel, and use them soon, because they wilt quickly in humid weather.

Buy dried if you want curry leaves on hand every week without a special trip. Whole dried leaflets live next to mustard seeds and cumin, and they wake up in hot oil for tadka. Many people who cook South Indian or Sri Lankan food keep both: fresh when the punnet looks good, dried for weeknight dal.

We sell dried leaves only. If you're stuck without either, see our curry leaf substitute guide for what actually works (and what doesn't).

Indian grocers and buying dried curry leaves online

Indian and Sri Lankan grocers still matter for bulk fresh stems and large dried packs. When you open a dried pack, look for:

• Whole leaflets, not grey-green powder that smells of cardboard
• A clear pack date or batch
• Colour that still looks green-olive, not uniform brown dust
• An airtight pouch that still feels crisp

We grow curry leaves on our family farm in Gujarat and pack them in 30g pouches in Truganina, Melbourne.

Dried Curry Leaves, 30g: $7

Whole dried curry leaves for tadka, lemon rice, podi and weeknight dal. Orders placed before 2pm on business days usually leave the same day. Shipping is free on Australian orders of $79 or more.

Buy dried curry leaves online →

For names (curry patta, kadi patta, karuveppilai) and how to judge a pack by smell, see our curry patta / quality guide.

How to use dried curry leaves in tadka (short)

Dried leaves need hot fat. In a small pan, heat 1 to 2 tablespoons of oil or ghee, pop mustard seeds, then add a small handful of dried curry leaves for 10 to 20 seconds until they darken a shade and smell strong. Pour the lot over dal, sambar or vegetables. Don't soak the leaves first, and don't leave them in the pan until they turn black, because dried leaves scorch faster than fresh ones.

For a full weeknight pot, try our 30-minute curry leaf dal. For ideas beyond dal, see curry leaf recipes beyond dal. To grind leaves into powder or a simple podi, see curry leaves powder vs curry powder and our curry leaf podi recipe.

Quick dried vs fresh reference

How to store dried curry leaves

Keep them airtight, cool and dark, away from the stove. A glass jar with a tight lid works well once the pouch is open. Opened packs stay useful for months if kept airtight; replace when the leaves smell of dust or look pale brown.

Light and kitchen heat age dried herbs the same way they age paprika, so don't leave the open pouch beside the cooktop. Scoop with a dry spoon, because a wet spoon from a rinsed mug is a quiet way to spoil a jar. If you buy a larger pack than you'll finish soon, split it: a small jar for daily cooking and a sealed backup in the dark cupboard.

Melbourne and posting Australia-wide

If you're in Melbourne, we pack in Truganina and metro delivery is usually 1 to 3 business days after dispatch. You can also arrange pickup in Truganina. Orders placed before 2pm on business days usually leave the same day. For other states, the same pouch posts Australia-wide; shipping is free on Australian orders of $79 or more.

During Diwali planning, dried curry leaves also make a small savoury gift on their own or inside our Diwali Gift Box. See the Diwali gift ideas guide for order-by dates.

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Written by Neer Vasa, NutriThrive founder.