mohamed shili This Slow-cooker beef curry is a tender and aromatic recipe, which is made with braising steak and a rich coconut milk sauce. It’s the ultimate comfort food, a set-it-and-forget-it meal that’s perfect for a cozy weeknight dinner.
Slow-cooker beef curry Ingredients
A simple, flavorful combination for an incredibly easy, hands-off meal.
- 500g higher-welfare diced braising steak
- 1 onion
- 2 cloves of garlic
- 4cm piece of ginger
- ½ a bunch of fresh coriander (15g)
- 2 mixed-colour peppers
- 100g cherry tomatoes
- ½ x 180g jar of your favourite curry paste (like Korma, Tikka Masala, or Rogan Josh)
- ½ x 400g tin of light coconut milk
- Olive oil
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
For Serving:
- Fluffy rice
- Poppadoms
- Your favourite chutney and pickles
How To Make Slow-cooker beef curry
A step-by-step guide to this wonderfully rich and tender curry.
- Prep the Ingredients: Peel and finely chop the onion, garlic, and ginger. Finely chop the coriander stalks, and place the leaves in a bowl of cold water for later. Deseed and roughly chop the peppers, and halve the cherry tomatoes. Toss the diced beef with a pinch of sea salt and black pepper.
- Brown the Beef and Aromatics: Place a large non-stick frying pan on a medium heat with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add the beef and fry for 5 minutes until browned. Add the chopped onion, garlic, ginger, peppers, coriander stalks, and another tablespoon of oil.
- Add the Curry Paste: Stir in your chosen curry paste and cook for another 2 minutes, until everything is fragrant and the beef is beautifully golden.
- Transfer to Slow Cooker: Transfer the contents of the frying pan to your slow cooker. Add enough water to just cover the beef (around 200ml).
- Cook Low and Slow: Cook on the highest setting for 3 hours, or on the lowest setting for 8 hours, until the beef is meltingly tender.
- Finish and Serve: Once the beef is tender, stir in the light coconut milk to create a creamy sauce. Drain the reserved coriander leaves and scatter them over the top. Serve the hot curry with fluffy rice, poppadoms, and your favorite chutneys.
Recipe Tips
For the most tender, flavorful slow-cooker curry.
- Why brown the meat first? Searing the beef before it goes into the slow cooker is a crucial step for flavor. This process caramelizes the surface of the meat (the Maillard reaction), which adds a deep, savory richness to the finished curry that you wouldn’t get otherwise.
- What is the best beef for slow cooking? Diced braising steak, also known as chuck steak or stewing beef, is the perfect cut for this recipe. It’s a tougher cut with plenty of connective tissue that breaks down during the long, slow cooking process, resulting in incredibly tender, flavorful meat.
- Can I make this ahead of time? Absolutely! Curries are fantastic make-ahead meals, as the flavors continue to develop and meld overnight. You can store it in the refrigerator and simply reheat it on the stovetop.
- Can I make this vegetarian? Yes. For a delicious vegetarian version, you can replace the beef with cubes of butternut squash or sweet potato and a can of chickpeas. Reduce the initial cooking time accordingly (about 4-5 hours on low).
What To Serve With Slow-cooker beef curry
Classic accompaniments to complete your Indian-inspired meal.
This rich and aromatic curry is a complete meal with rice, but it’s even better with a few classic sides:
- Warm naan bread for dipping
- A cooling cucumber raita (yogurt dip)
- Mango chutney
- A simple onion and tomato salad (kachumber)
How To Store Slow-cooker beef curry
This curry makes for fantastic leftovers.
- Refrigerate: Store any leftover curry in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. The flavor will only improve.
- Freeze: This curry freezes exceptionally well. Let it cool completely, then portion it into freezer-safe containers or bags. It can be frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating gently on the stovetop or in the microwave.
Slow-cooker beef curry Nutrition Facts
An estimated guide per serving (curry only).
- Calories: 480 kcal
- Carbohydrates: 20 g
- Protein: 40 g
- Fat: 25 g
Nutrition information is estimated and may vary based on ingredients and cooking methods used.
FAQs
Do I have to use a specific curry paste?
No, the beauty of this recipe is its versatility. Use your favorite jarred curry paste. A mild Korma or a medium Tikka Masala would be lovely and creamy, while a Rogan Josh or Madras would provide more heat.
My sauce is too thin. How can I thicken it?
If your sauce is thinner than you’d like at the end of cooking, you can remove the lid and switch the slow cooker to the high setting for the last 20-30 minutes to help it reduce. Alternatively, you can make a slurry by whisking a tablespoon of cornstarch with a few tablespoons of cold water, then stir it into the simmering curry until it thickens.
Can I add other vegetables?
Of course. Cubed potatoes, spinach (stirred in at the end), or green beans would all be delicious additions to this curry. Add root vegetables at the beginning with the beef, and quicker-cooking vegetables in the last hour.
Try More Recipes:
Slow-cooker beef curry Recipe
Course: DinnerCuisine: Indian-InspiredDifficulty: Easy4
servings15
8
hours480
An incredibly easy and tender slow-cooker beef curry, featuring fall-apart braising steak and colorful peppers simmered in a rich, aromatic coconut curry sauce.
Ingredients
500g diced braising steak
1 onion, 2 cloves garlic, 4cm piece ginger (all finely chopped)
2 mixed-colour peppers, chopped
100g cherry tomatoes, halved
½ jar of your favorite curry paste
½ tin of light coconut milk
½ bunch fresh coriander
Olive oil, salt, pepper
Directions
- Season the beef. In a hot, oiled frying pan, brown the beef for 5 minutes.
- Add the chopped onion, garlic, ginger, peppers, and coriander stalks to the pan with a little more oil.
- Stir in the curry paste and cook for 2 more minutes until fragrant.
- Transfer the entire contents of the pan to a slow cooker. Add just enough water to cover the beef (about 200ml).
- Cook on HIGH for 3 hours or on LOW for 8 hours, until the beef is very tender.
- Stir in the coconut milk to create a creamy sauce.
- Serve the curry hot over fluffy rice, garnished with the fresh coriander leaves.
Notes
- Searing the beef before adding it to the slow cooker is a crucial step for developing a deep, rich flavor.
- Use a good quality braising steak like chuck for the most tender, fall-apart result.
- This curry tastes even better the next day and freezes beautifully, making it perfect for meal prep.
- Feel free to customize the curry with your favorite vegetables, like potatoes or spinach.