Slow cooker beef massaman curry recipe

There’s nothing better than throwing in a few ingredients, leaving it for the whole day, and then dishing up a delicious meal for the whole family in the evening. I really do love slow-cooking.

And one of the best dishes to cook in a slow cooker is this beef massaman curry recipe. It’s fragrant, tasty, and the meat just melts in your mouth. The best thing about it? You really don’t have to do much cooking.

What is beef massaman curry?

I remember when I first had a steaming hot bowl of massaman curry in Thailand. Having eaten so many spicy green curries, it was a pleasant change to have a curry with tender meat and potatoes that was rich in flavour but not overly spicy.

Massaman curry is one of the mildest Thai curries. It has a beautiful balance of sweet, salty and sour flavours, with fragrant spices like cinnamon and star anise.

Unlike other Thai curries, it’s not fiery hot. This makes it perfect comfort food for the whole family.

Why this slow cooker method works so well

Slow cooking transforms tough cuts of beef into fork tender pieces. The low, gentle heat breaks down the connective tissue while the curry sauce infuses every bite.

This massaman recipe is extremely versatile. If you don’t have beef, you can also use chicken or even make it vegetarian with sweet potatoes and chickpeas.

Choosing the best ingredients

Which cut of beef to use

Chuck beef or beef chuck roast works best for this slow cooker recipe. This cut becomes incredibly tender during the long cooking process.

You can also use stewing beef, gravy beef, or any diced beef labelled for slow cooking. Avoid lean cuts – you want some marbling for flavour.

Which potatoes work best

I prefer using waxy potatoes like Charlotte, Anya or new potatoes. They hold their shape during long cooking and won’t turn to mush.

Cut them into large chunks – about 3-4cm pieces. Baby potatoes work brilliantly too if you keep them whole or just halve them.

Store-bought or homemade massaman paste?

There’s no denying that making your own curry paste from scratch offers the freshest and most authentic taste. However, for ease, this recipe uses ready-made massaman curry paste.

You can buy shop-bought curry paste in all good supermarkets. If you can, I would suggest getting the best massaman paste you can afford – I like to use Mai Ploy.

Coconut milk vs coconut cream

This recipe uses coconut milk for the sauce base. It gives a creamy consistency without being too heavy.

You can substitute half the coconut milk with coconut cream for an even richer curry. Just use 200ml of each.

What ingredients are needed

• Stewing beef or chuck beef
• Plain flour
• Massaman curry paste
• Potatoes (waxy varieties)
• Onion
• Lime juice
• Brown sugar
• Fish sauce
• Fresh coriander
• Beef or chicken stock
• Coconut milk (400ml can)

How to make slow cooker beef massaman curry

After combining the stock, massaman paste, lime juice, sugar and coconut milk together, pour over the beef, onions and potatoes.

Cover and cook for eight hours on low, or on high for five hours. Give it a stir halfway through.

The beauty of slow cooking is that you can prep everything in the morning and come home to a house filled with the most incredible aroma.

What if the curry is too runny?

Traditionally, Thai curries shouldn’t have a thick sauce – they are meant to be quite watery and more soup-like.

However, if your preference is to have a thicker sauce, then you can thicken the curry using corn flour slurry. Add around 1 tablespoon of cornflour to 2 tablespoons of water and mix.

Then add to the slow cooker around 30 minutes from the end of your cooking time and stir through.

What to serve with beef massaman curry

Serve this massaman curry over jasmine rice with a good sprinkling of fresh coriander and a squeeze of lime. It’s just perfect.

You could also serve it with naan bread for scooping up all that delicious sauce. Sticky rice works beautifully too if you want to keep it authentically Thai.

Storage and reheating

If you have any leftovers, you can put them in a suitable container and refrigerate for up to three days. Reheat them thoroughly until piping hot.

You can freeze for up to three months. Defrost thoroughly in the fridge overnight before heating up again.

The flavours actually deepen and improve after a day or two, making this a brilliant meal prep option.

Making massaman curry paste from scratch

If you would like to make your own paste or make it ahead of time, all you have to do is blitz together the following in a food processor:

• 2 red chillies
• one red onion
• 4 cloves of garlic
• lemongrass
• 1 teaspoon of ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon of soft brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon of fish sauce
• 1 teaspoon of salt
• 1cm piece of peeled ginger
• A handful of fresh coriander

Frequently asked questions

Can I use chicken instead of beef?

Yes! Use chicken thighs instead of beef. Reduce the cooking time to 4-5 hours on low or 2-3 hours on high.

Why are my potatoes still hard?

Make sure you cut the potatoes quite small (3-4cm pieces) and that they’re fully submerged in the cooking liquid at the bottom of the slow cooker.

Can I make this without a slow cooker?

Yes, you can make this in a large pot on the hob. Brown the coated beef first in a large frying pan, then transfer everything to a pot and simmer gently for 2-3 hours until the beef is tender.

Is massaman curry very spicy?

No, massaman is considered a mild curry compared to other Thai curries. It has warmth from spices rather than chilli heat.

Where can I buy massaman paste?

Most good supermarkets stock it in the world foods or Asian chillies section. You can also find it in any Asian store or order online.

Can I add vegetables?

Absolutely! Green beans work brilliantly – add them in the last hour of cooking. You can also add sweet potatoes alongside regular potatoes.

Love Thai food or Asian food?

Check out these other recipes including:

• Chicken pad Thai

• Pad see ew

• Pho noodles

• crispy chilli beef

Slow cooker beef massaman curry

4.79 from 47 votes

No need for any hard work, throw a few ingredients in, leave for 8 hours and then you'll enjoy an unctuous beef curry that is fragrant, warming and delicious.

Servings 6

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 8 hours hrs

Total Time 8 hours hrs 10 minutes mins

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Ingredients

 

US CustomaryMetric

 

1x2x3x

• 500 g of stewing beef cubed
• 3 tablespoons plain flour
• 2 potatoes peeled and diced
• 1 onion finely chopped
• 5 tablespoons of massaman Thai curry paste
• 200 mls of beef stock or chicken stock
• 400 ml can of coconut milk
• 3 tablespoons fish sauce
• Juice of one lime
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• Fresh coriander chopped to serve

Instructions

 

• Coat the beef in flour and set aside. Place the diced potatoes and finely chopped onion into the bottom of a slow cooker.
• To make the sauce, whisk together the massaman curry paste, beef stock, coconut milk, fish sauce, lime juice, and brown sugar until well combined.
  
• Pour the massaman sauce over the potatoes and onions, then put in the floured beef. What's great is there is no need to stir.
  
• Cover and cook on low for a minimum of 8 hours.
  
• Sprinkle with chopped coriander and serve with steamed rice. If you'd like an extra zing, squeeze some lime juice over the top.

Nutrition

Calories: 680kcal

Author: cooksimply

Calories: 680kcal

Course: Dinner, Main Course

Cuisine: Asian, Thai

Did you make this massaman curry recipe?

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