Slow Cooker Beef Curry (Printable Version)
Tender beef slow-cooked with coconut milk and aromatic spices for a hearty meal.
# What You'll Need:
→ Beef
01 - 2 pounds beef chuck, cut into 1.5-inch cubes
02 - 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
→ Vegetables
03 - 1 large onion, finely chopped
04 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
05 - 1-inch piece fresh ginger, grated
06 - 2 medium carrots, sliced
07 - 1 large red bell pepper, sliced into strips
→ Spices & Seasonings
08 - 2 tablespoons curry powder
09 - 1 teaspoon ground cumin
10 - 1 teaspoon ground coriander
11 - ½ teaspoon turmeric
12 - ½ teaspoon chili flakes (optional)
13 - 1 teaspoon salt
14 - ½ teaspoon black pepper
→ Liquids
15 - 1 can (14 oz) full-fat coconut milk
16 - 1 cup beef broth
17 - 1 tablespoon tomato paste
→ Finish
18 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro (optional)
19 - Cooked rice, for serving
# Directions:
01 - Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Brown beef cubes in batches until golden on all sides, then transfer to the slow cooker.
02 - In the same skillet, sauté onion, garlic, and ginger for 2 to 3 minutes until fragrant. Stir in curry powder, cumin, coriander, turmeric, chili flakes, salt, and black pepper, cooking for 1 minute to toast the spices.
03 - Transfer the sautéed onion and spice mixture to the slow cooker. Add carrots, bell pepper, coconut milk, beef broth, and tomato paste. Stir thoroughly to combine.
04 - Cover and cook on low for 7 to 8 hours, or on high for 4 hours, until beef is tender and flavors have melded.
05 - Taste and adjust seasoning as necessary. Serve hot, garnished with chopped cilantro and accompanied by cooked rice.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The beef becomes impossibly tender without any fuss or constant attention on your part.
- It actually tastes better the next day, so meal prep becomes a genuine advantage instead of a compromise.
- You can double it, freeze it, and come home to dinner already waiting for you on any brutal week.
02 -
- Browning the beef isn't optional theater—it's where nearly half the final flavor comes from, so don't skimp on that step even though it feels tedious.
- Full-fat coconut milk is completely different from light, and this dish needs the fat to create that sauce texture, so don't try to lighten it up.
03 -
- Bloom those dried spices in the hot pan before they meet any liquid—it wakes them up and doubles their impact in the final dish.
- Don't fuss with the slow cooker once it's going; every time you lift the lid you extend the cooking time, and resisting that urge to check is harder than it should be.