Slow-cooked until the beef is melt-in-your-mouth tender, this Thai Beef Massaman Curry is a glorious masterpiece that’s part cozy comfort food, part exotic getaway in a bowl. It’s slightly sweet, gently spiced, and layered with warming flavors that’ll have you coming back for seconds… and thirds.
If you’ve been around here for a while, you know we have big feelings about Thai curry. Whether it’s a lightning-fast Thai Green Fish Curry or a luxurious Duck Curry, or even my soul-hugging Massaman Lamb Curry, curry night is always a good night.
This beef version? It’s basically the lamb curry’s equally delicious cousin—tender beef, rich coconut sauce, and that chef’s kiss tangy-sweet-spicy. The Massaman flavor goes perfectly with jasmine rice and naan bread!
And the star of the show? Massaman curry paste. Sure, you could grab a jar from the store, but if you’ve got a little extra time, make my homemade massaman curry paste. It’s next-level good. Yes, it takes some effort, but trust me—your taste buds will throw you a thank-you party.
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Why this recipe works
- Budget-friendly beef. Stew meat is affordable and easy to find.
- Marbled meat = maximum flavor. Fat equals tenderness and richness—don’t shy away from it.
- Meal prep heaven. The flavors deepen overnight, making it even better the next day.
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What is My Take on Thai Beef Massaman Curry?
Massaman curry is like the best dinner party guest—it’s Thai at its heart, but it shows up with some irresistible Indian spice influences. You’ll find Thai staples like chilies and lemongrass mingling with cumin, cinnamon, coriander, cloves, nutmeg, and cardamom. We love it in this massaman lamb curry too!
The result? A rich, mildly spiced sauce that coats every bite of tender beef in velvety, coconutty perfection. It’s comfort food with a passport.
Make it a Meal
You could just eat it by the spoonful (guilty), but for the full experience:
- Maybe a Raw Zucchini Salad Recipe to freshen things up between bites.
- Steamed jasmine rice is a must for soaking up that glorious sauce.
- Buttery naan bread for swooping up the last bits.
Easy Side Dishes
- Thai Cucumber Salad – sweet, tangy, and cooling.
- Garlic Roti – buttery, chewy, and perfect for scooping.
- Spicy Braised Green Beans – a fiery counterpoint to the curry’s richness.
Ingredients
For a full list of ingredients and the quantities used, check out the recipe card at the end of this post.
You’ll need 2 pounds of beef stew meat to make this curry. You can use chuck or a cut of beef with fat, which adds flavor to the curry. While I bought stew meat, you can also buy a chuck roast and cut it into pieces yourself.
To create the classic massaman curry flavor, you’ll need 4 ounces of massaman curry paste. You can save time and use store-bought or you can make your own. Please don’t use another type of Thai curry paste as massaman curry paste has a very unique flavor.
The recipe calls for 1 cup of chicken stock. You can also substitute with beef stock. You can use store-bought, but we love to use homemade options like this crockpot chicken broth or this slow cooker beef bone broth.
To enhance the subtle sweet flavor of the curry paste, the recipe calls for 2 teaspoons of coconut sugar. You can substitute brown sugar if you prefer.
To balance the flavors, 1 ½ tablespoons of fish sauce is added to the curry. This is just a sauce made from anchovies fermented in salt and has a savory, umami flavor.
The addition of 2 curry leaves adds a citrusy flavor. You can use fresh or dried.
To bulk up the curry, you’ll need 8 ounces of mini gold potatoes, cut into quarters.
Don’t forget the crushed peanuts, cilantro and limes for serving!
Step by step instructions
Step1: Heat the coconut oil in a high sided skillet and add the beef. Brown on all sides and remove (do this in 2-3 batches to avoid crowding the pan).
Step2: Add the onion and cook 2-3 minutes, until softened.
Step3: Add the curry paste and cook 2-3 minutes, until it starts to darken just slightly. Add the coconut sugar, fish sauce, curry leaves and broth and bring to a simmer.
Step4: Add the coconut milk and bring back to a simmer.
Step5: Cover and simmer on low for 60 minutes. Add the potatoes and cook for another 10-20 minutes, until potatoes are cooked through.
Step6: Serve over jasmine rice with crushed peanuts, cilantro and limes (add sliced chilies for extra heat, if desired).
Expert tips
- Cut beef into even pieces so it cooks evenly.
- Use bigger chunks for tenderness—tiny pieces will overcook.
- Use a deep, high-sided skillet to hold all the ingredients comfortably.
- Brown beef in batches to avoid steaming it.
- Adjust the thickness: add stock to thin it or simmer longer to reduce.
- Go for full-fat coconut milk for creamy richness.
- Make it ahead—the flavor deepens beautifully overnight.
Common questions
Yes, browning adds flavor to the meat as well as the curry. For the best browning, make sure you don’t overcrowd the pieces of meat in the pan. This usually means browning the meat in batches.
This curry is mildly spicy with a touch of heat. Massaman curry paste has more of a tangy, sweet and smoky flavor, thanks to the warming spices.
I prefer to use beef stew meat. Not only is it economical, but the marbling of fat going through it means the beef gets tender and juicy as it slowly cooks. If you prefer to cut your own beef for curries, you can use a chuck roast or another roast with marbling.
Curries usually thicken as they simmer, especially after the addition of full fat coconut milk. For a thicker curry, a cornstarch slurry can be used, which is equal parts cornstarch and water mixed together. It’s stirred into the curry until the desired consistency is reached.
We love to keep it simple with some crushed peanuts, chopped cilantro and lime wedges. For extra heat, you can also add some sliced chilies. It’s also great with rice, like this Instant Pot jasmine rice or Instant Pot basmati rice.
Storage instructions
- Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- Reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop over low heat.
- Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
More Thai curry recipes
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Recipe
Beef Massaman Curry
Ingredients
- 2 pounds beef stew meat chuck or a cut with fat
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil
- ½ onion diced
- 4 ounces massaman curry paste
- 1 cup chicken stock substitute beef
- 2 teaspoons coconut sugar
- 1 ½ tablespoons fish sauce
- 2 curry leaves
- 1-15 ounce can coconut milk
- 8 ounces mini gold potatoes quartered
- Crushed peanuts optional for serving
- Cilantro for serving
- Limes for serving
Instructions
- Heat the coconut oil in a high sided skillet and add the beef. Brown on all sides and remove (do this is 2-3 batches to avoid crowding the pan).
- Add the onion and cook 2-3 minutes, until softened.
- Add the curry paste and cook 2-3 minutes, until it starts to darken just slightly.
- Add the coconut sugar, fish sauce, curry leaves and broth and bring to a simmer.
- Add the coconut milk and bring back to a simmer.
- Cover and simmer on low for 60 minutes.
- Add the potatoes and cook another 10-20 minutes, until potatoes are cooked through.
- Serve over jasmine rice with crushed peanuts, cilantro and limes (add sliced chilies for extra heat if desired).
Expert Tips:
- To ensure the beef cooks evenly, you’ll want to make sure it’s cut into even pieces.
- Bigger pieces of beef are ideal. You don’t want small pieces of meat floating around in your curry!
- Since this curry is made in one pan, make sure you’re using a high-sided skillet so all of the ingredients can fit in it together.
- Brown the beef in batches to avoid overcrowding in the pan. The beef will just steam if it is packed in too tightly.
- If the curry is too thick, just add more chicken or beef stock. If it's too thin, simmer it longer to reduce it.
- For a thick and creamy curry, be sure to use full fat coconut milk. Light coconut milk will make the curry too watery.
- This curry tastes even better the next day, so feel free to make it in advance for easy weeknight dinners.
Nutrition
Laurel (Chef Potpie) says
We enjoyed this very much. As you said, it was even better the second day if that's even possible! Easy to do, and the house smelled wonderful. I used coconut cream instead of the milk, the sauce was just right for the rice. I will be making this again. Thanks for sharing this recipe!
Tara says
I love this curry, it seems that most Indian dishes always taste better the next day, its the spices they marinate making it taste better as time passes.
Julia Fahey says
Fantastic - so delicious. I substituted brown sugar and vegetable oil as I didn't have the coconut version and it was great. I'll be making this again for sure.
Danielle says
So happy to hear it!
Jenny says
This was so flavorful. I've never made my own before so I bought the paste, but I'm going to try your curry paste recipe next time too!
Danielle says
I hope you try it!
Kent says
I am a HUGE fan of massaman curry and this did not disappoint. I love your lamb massaman curry too!
Danielle says
Thanks so much 🙂