Beef Massaman Curry
Mild, cozy curry that feels special but still fits a tired weeknight.
Make this when you want something comforting but don’t have the energy for a big production. It gives you the warm, gently spiced feel of classic massaman curry with beef, potatoes, and coconut milk, but it’s streamlined for a weeknight. Expect a rich sauce, tender beef, and soft potatoes in one bowl, not a perfect takeout copy. It’s great on a cold night, when you want dinner to feel calming and complete without extra side dishes. Everything simmers in a single pot after a quick sear, so the active work stays manageable and the cleanup stays reasonable.
Ingredients
- 1.25 lb beef chuck — cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 tbsp neutral oil
- 1 unit yellow onion — thinly sliced
- 3 unit garlic cloves — minced
- 1 tbsp fresh ginger — grated
- 3 tbsp massaman curry paste
- 1 cup coconut milk
- 1.5 cup beef broth
- 2 cup potatoes — peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- 1.5 tbsp lime juice
- 1 tbsp fish sauce
- 0.25 cup roasted peanuts — chopped
- 0.25 cup cilantro — for serving
Method
- 1 Heat the oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the beef and brown it on 2 sides, 3 to 4 minutes total. Transfer to a plate.
- 2 Add the onion to the pot and cook for 3 minutes, scraping up the browned bits. Stir in the garlic, ginger, and curry paste and cook for 1 minute.
- 3 Pour in the coconut milk and broth, then add the beef back in along with the potatoes and brown sugar. Bring to a simmer.
- 4 Cover and cook over medium-low heat for 18 to 20 minutes, stirring once or twice, until the beef is tender and the potatoes are cooked through.
- 5 Stir in the fish sauce and lime juice. Taste and adjust with a little more curry paste, sugar, or lime if needed.
- 6 Serve hot topped with peanuts and cilantro.
Variations
- Vegetarian swap — Replace the beef with 2 cups cubed tofu and use vegetable broth; simmer just until the potatoes are tender.
- Faster swap — Use 1 lb thinly sliced beef sirloin instead of chuck and simmer only 8 to 10 minutes before finishing.
- Easy substitutions — Swap peanuts for cashews, lime juice for lemon juice, or Yukon Gold potatoes for red potatoes.
Notes
For the best weeknight texture, cut the beef into small pieces and keep the simmer gentle so the coconut milk stays smooth. If your curry paste is very salty or spicy, start with 2 tbsp and add more at the end.
Equipment that helps
- Large pot — It gives the curry enough room to simmer evenly without boiling over.
- Sharp knife — Smaller beef and potato pieces cook faster, which keeps the recipe within the time limit.
Find more dinners like this
More like this
