Mild Thai Beef Massaman Curry

A beef Thai curry in a white bowl, with slices of red chilli scattered on top. Next to the bowl are limes, peanuts, a small bowl of red chillies and a red onion on a yellow and white stiped tea towel.

This mild Thai curry is rich, gently spiced, and hugely comforting for all ages. The beef is slowly cooked until it’s lovely and tender, and everything comes together in a creamy coconut base with a subtle nuttiness from the peanuts. It is mild enough for the whole family, yet still full of flavour.

Everything can be added into one pot, so you can either pop it into the oven for an easy supper, or into the slow cooker so it is ready and waiting when you get home. The flavour deepens as it cooks, and it always tastes even better the next day, making it a very easy make-ahead batch-cook dish for busy families.

Packed with butternut squash, spinach and chickpeas, this makes a truly nourishing curry packed with folate, protein and fibre.

Serve with wholegrain or white rice and finish it off with a sprinkling of peanuts, fresh coriander leaves, red chilli slices, and a big squeeze of fresh lime juice.

Find the gluten-free and nut-free switches in the cook’s tips below.

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Mild Thai Beef Massaman Curry

No ratings yet
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours 15 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 30 minutes
Course Main Courses
Servings 4
Suitable for Special Diet (or adaptable) Dairy-free, Egg-free, Gluten-free, Grain-free, Nut-free

Ingredients
  

Instructions
 

  • Preheat your oven to 180°C (conventional) or 160°C (fan).
  • Peel and slice the red onion. Peel, deseed and roughly chop the butternut squash.
  • Heat the olive oil in a lidded casserole dish to a high heat. Add the beef and cook until it is browned well all over.
  • Turn down the heat to medium and add the red onion and butternut squash along with the Massaman curry paste. Cook for 5 to 10 minutes until the vegetables begin to soften and everything is well coated.
  • Stir in the chickpeas, peanuts, coconut milk and beef stock. Mix well and bring to a gentle simmer.
  • Put the lid on the casserole dish and transfer to the oven. Cook slowly for around 2 hours, stirring it from time to time. Add a splash of extra stock or water if needed to stop it drying out.
  • Just before serving, stir through the spinach and allow it to wilt into the curry.
  • Season to taste. If you like, finish it off and decorate it with extra peanuts, chopped coriander, a little red chilli and a squeeze of lime.
  • Serve with rice, mixed grains, flatbreads or even a jacket potato.

Slow cooker method

  • You can easily adapt this for a slow cooker, which works particularly well for busy days.
  • Heat the olive oil in a pan and brown the beef first, as this adds depth to the final flavour. Tip the beef into the slow cooker.
  • In the same pan, cook the onion, butternut squash and curry paste for a few minutes until softened slightly, then add this to the slow cooker.
  • Stir in the chickpeas, peanuts, coconut milk and beef stock.
  • Cook on a low setting for 7 to 8 hours or on a higher setting for 4 to 5 hours, until the beef is tender and the sauce has thickened.
  • About 10 minutes before serving, stir through the spinach and allow it to wilt.
  •  Season to taste and serve as above.

Notes

If you prefer a smoother sauce, you can mash a few pieces of the butternut into the curry before serving.
Make it milder: Use a little less curry paste and add extra coconut milk if cooking for very sensitive palates. Massaman curry paste is usually quite mild, but the strength can vary between brands, so adjust the heat to suit your family.
Allergy note: Some massaman curry pastes contain shrimp paste, so do check the label carefully if you are avoiding shellfish.
Nut-free option: Leave out the peanuts (and add more chickpeas) or swap them for toasted seeds such as pumpkin or sunflower seeds for a similar crunch.
Gluten-free: Check your curry paste and stock are gluten-free.
Batch cooking: This reheats beautifully the next day, as the flavours have more time to develop.
Storage: Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. This also freezes well for up to 3 months. Defrost in the fridge overnight and reheat thoroughly before serving.

Per serving. Nutrition content in food is never consistent, so take these estimates with a pinch of salt! Also, our recipes tend to use low-GI carbs and sugars, so these values are not directly comparable with shop-bought UPFs.

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