Rich, creamy and packed with savory deliciousness, this coconut beef curry is sure to become your next favorite weeknight meal. It's so easy to make, absolutely hearty and comes together in minutes in just one pot!
There's just something about digging into a bowl of rice with a delicious, slightly spicy curry that feels like comfort food- at least it does to make. And that's exactly why my Jamaican goat curry is a staple in my household.
Recently, I got my hands on some beef, and whipped up some juicy and tender beef suya and it turned out incredible. I still had some beef left, and I thought of using it up to make a nice curry using the meat. And here we are!
If you are a goatmeat lover, this goatmeat stew and goatmeat pepper soup will be your favorite, too.
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What I Love About this Recipe
It's an easy one-pot curry recipe! You'll need just a few minutes of prep time to make this hearty and comforting curry.
The coconut milk lends an incredible touch of richness and creaminess to the curry, also toning it down a bit. It's perfect if you don't like your curries too hot and spicy.
It's great for meal prep too! You can batch-make it over the weekend and freeze it for months!
Recipe Ingredients
Beef: I used small beef chunks here. Chuck steak works great for this recipe.
Curry powder: Any kind of yellow curry powder will work well. Choose one that works for you based on your spice tolerance. If you don't have curry powder, curry paste can work just as well.
Coconut milk: Full fat coconut milk is what will add a nice bit of richness and creaminess to the curry.
Aromatics: I used fresh ginger and garlic here, for that perfect savory flavor and aroma. If you don't have them fresh, you can use ginger and garlic powder instead.
Spices: For a bit of extra flavor, I used a mix of ground cumin, ground coriander seeds, a bay leaf and a cinnamon stick.
Tomato paste: For that bright, savory base of the curry.
Veggies: I used a mix of onions, red bell peppers and potatoes. You can try using other veggies too.
Oil: To cook the spices and the meat in. If you have a bit of ghee (clarified butter), I would highly recommend using it too, for that extra smoky flavor.
Cilantro: To chop up and garnish the curry.
See recipe card for quantities.
Variations & Substitutions
- You can use canned tomatoes or fresh tomatoes if you don't have tomato paste. Ensure you don't add too much water into the curry if you're doing that, since the tomatoes can release quite a bit of water themselves.
- Add in other veggies like zucchini, broccoli, mushrooms and green beans to bulk up the curry and make it healthier.
- You can also swap the coconut milk for coconut cream if you want an extra bit of rich and creamy flavor.
- If you don't have the whole spices that this recipe calls for, just add a teeny bit of allspice mix, or increase the amount of curry powder you're using.
How to Make Beef Coconut Curry
- Add the beef cubes and brown them on all sides
- Heat the ghee and add cinnamon, ground coriander seeds, cumin and curry powder and stir for 10 seconds.
- Add the onion, bell pepper, ginger, garlic, salt and tomato paste. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring and scraping frequently.
- Add the coconut milk and stir to combine. Bring the beef back to the pot, add bay leaves and some cilantro.
- When the beef is tender, add the potatoes and cook for 20 minutes; add water if needed.
- Serve with rice or any side.
Storing Leftovers
You can store your leftover creamy beef curry in an airtight container for up to 3 days in the refrigerator, and then reheat it whenever you want to.
If you want it to last longer, or you're just making a big batch, I would recommend using freezer-safe containers to store it to prevent freezer burn. You can then allow it to thaw overnight in the refrigerator and then reheat it the next day.
I would recommend reheating the curry in the microwave or in a pot over medium heat.
Tips & Tricks to Make Beef Coconut Curry
- Use room temperature coconut milk for this recipe. If you add refrigerated coconut milk into the hot curry mixture, there's a risk of it splitting, and you won't have that rich, creamy consistency you're looking for.
- If your curry seems too thin, you can thicken it up by letting it reduce a little and then adding some extra coconut milk or cream into it towards the end.
- You can also brighten up the flavors of the curry by topping it off with a nice squeeze of lemon juice right before you serve.
Serving Ideas & Suggestions
Enjoy this creamy beef coconut curry with some steamed rice, chapati, or any kind of bread- it tastes incredible every time. I occasionally love teaming it up with some leftover saffron rice from when I make my lamb and saffron rice, as well as some pilau rice (minus the beef).
And of course, don't forget a nice and refreshing salad to go with it too! I'm partial to my super simple tomato and cucumber salad.
Recipe FAQs
You can! I love using yellow curry powder, but that's my preference. If you have red or green curry powder, you can use that instead.
To check if the beef is cooked, poke a fork into it for 30-35 minutes. It is cooked if the meat falls apart quickly and isn't too tough.
For a tender and flavorful coconut beef curry, it's best to use cuts of beef that are well-suited for slow cooking, such as beef chuck, brisket, or stew meat. These cuts become tender when simmered in the curry sauce.
Yes, you can substitute beef with other meats like chicken, lamb, or even tofu for a vegetarian version. However, the cooking time may vary depending on the protein you choose
More One Pot Recipes to try
If you tried these coconut beef curry or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting!
Coconut Beef Curry
Ingredients
To Season The Beef
- 2 lb Beef chunks
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 1 teaspoon Blackpepper
Coconut Curry
- 500 ml Coconut Milk
- 2 tablespoon Curry powder
- 1 Cinnamon stick or 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon Ground Coriander seeds
- 1 teaspoon Cumin powder
- 3 Garlic cloves minced or diced
- ½ inch Ginger sliced or grated
- 3 tablespoon Tomato paste
- 1 medium Onion chopped
- 1 Red bell pepper chopped
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 2 Bay leaves
- 2 large Potatoes peel and cut into 2 inches cubes
- Some fresh cilantro chopped
- 3 tablespoon Ghee or Oil plus 2 tablespoon oil to cook beef
- ½ cup Water to deglaze
Instructions
- Season the beef with salt and blackpepper.
- Heat 2 tablespoon oil in a large pot or pan. Add the beef cubes and brown them on all sides. This will add flavour to the curry. Remove the beef from the pot and set aside.
- Heat the ghee and add cinnamon, ground coriander seeds, cumin and curry powder and stir for 10 seconds.
- Add the onion, bell pepper, ginger, garlic, salt and tomato paste. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring and scraping frequently.
- Deglaze with ½ cup of water and scrape the bits. Add the coconut milk and stir to combine. Bring the beef back to the pot, add bay leaves and some cilantro (save some for garnishing). Stir again.
- Cover and cook for 40 minutes until the beef is fork-tender. Stir the pot often or add water if it starts burning or drying.
- Add the potatoes and cook again for 20 minutes; add water if needed.
- Add more water for thinner sauce, and let some water dry off for thicker sauce.
- Garnish with cilantro and serve over rice.
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Aunnika says
Usually I’m cautious to make a new recipe that has no reviews but looking at the ingredients I said what could go wrong. Boy am I glad I did !
I did alter this recipe a bit for example- sautéing my beef and veggies in coconut oil vs ghee/butter and reduced the amount of tomato paste and substituted the rest for coconut cream for a more creamy, less acidic dish. My entire family really liked this meal and I highly suggest giving it a try.
Claudy says
Hey Everyone, this is one of my favorite recipes. Tender beef in coconutty flavorful sauce. Let me know how yours turned out.
Claudy