Thai Beef and Potato Curry (Massaman Curry) Recipe | Little Spice Jar (2024)

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A warm and comforting Thai Beef and Potato Curry that’s made quickly and easily in the instant pot. Serve over noodles or rice.

Thai Beef and Potato Curry (Massaman Curry) Recipe | Little Spice Jar (1)

HELLA comforting Thai beef and potato curry.

I could seriously go for a bowlful of this stuff rather than the ultra-glamorous PB&J sandwich I’m chomping on because of dental work I had done a few hours ago.

Like all the best things in the world, this Thai curry recipe is quick and easy to whip up. Remember that massaman curry paste recipe I shared with you yesterday? You know, the one with onions and garlic, coriander, cinnamon, lemongrass, and dry red chilies. Well, guess what? We’re using it together with a few additional ingredients to make a velvety smooth, warm and fragrant beef and potato curry TODAY!

So we’ll add in the coconut milk, the bay leaves, a little tamarind, a little sugar, and fish sauce and let that chunks of beef and hearty potatoes cook up in all of that. Undoubtedly the best thing to come out of your instant pot to date.

Thai Beef and Potato Curry (Massaman Curry) Recipe | Little Spice Jar (2)

I know this is stepping outside of our normal food comfort zone a little bit. Usually, you and I like to cook things that take in the ballpark of 30 minutes to make and don’t require hard to find ingredients. So for the massaman curry paste I shared, I tried to keep the list as short, and with ingredients that are easily available to most from mainstream grocery stores.

But take it from me, if there’s one thing worth making its homemade massaman curry paste. First off, it adds nicely to your list of kitchen accomplishments. But also, once you make curry with homemade paste, the store-bought stuff you’ll see doesn’t even come close. It’s also easy to put together: like literally, pulse a bunch of ingredients in a food processor and store in a jar or freezer bags and enjoy beef and potato curry whenever your heart desires.

And yeah, just take a second to think about how impressive it’s gonna sound to the family, or company. DID YOU MAKE THE CURRY PASTE?

You get to be all chill about it.

Like yeah, NBD.

Thai Beef and Potato Curry (Massaman Curry) Recipe | Little Spice Jar (3)

Thai Beef and Potato Curry (Massaman Curry) Recipe | Little Spice Jar (4)

Thai Beef and Potato Curry (Massaman Curry) Recipe | Little Spice Jar (5)

Thai Beef and Potato Curry (Massaman Curry) Recipe | Little Spice Jar (6)

Thai Beef and Potato Curry starts with browning the meat – I know completely not something done in traditional curries, but remember how I already claim zero authenticity when it comes to Thai food???‍♀️

Browning leaves behind tons of flavor bits which come in handy because this is a quick pressure cooker recipe after all, and we need all that flavor to make it taste like it was slow-simmered for hours. The onions and potatoes will pick up all those browned bits when we add them into the hot pot for just a second. Then, it’s curry paste, beef stock, bay leaves, sugar, tamarind paste, fish sauce, and a handful of crushed peanuts that go into the curry along with coconut milk.

Now cover up your instant pot and just let it all hang out for 30 minutes. I warn you, even though this is cooking in an airtight vessel, the sweet smell of coconut and spicy curry paste escape and wafted through my kitchen, leaving my stomach growling.

Luckily, it comes pretty close to instant gratification with it being a pressure cooker recipe.

Thai Beef and Potato Curry (Massaman Curry) Recipe | Little Spice Jar (7)

Thai Beef and Potato Curry (Massaman Curry) Recipe | Little Spice Jar (8)

My hope with this recipe was to divide it into two parts: curry paste and curry. That way, you can whip up the curry paste and pop it in the fridge or freezer for when you’re ready to make this Thai beef and potato curry. I get that some people may not want to make the massaman curry paste, ever. And that’s okay too. You can easily purchase store-bought paste here(affiliate link) and you can still make this recipe.For those that want just another gentle nudge, homemade curry paste will surely take your curry game to the next level.

Guys, I’ve made huge batches of this stuff and Anees, and I polished it off all by ourselves because we just COULDN’T stop eating it. Jasmine rice is the ideal accompaniment to this beef and potato curry. It just soaks up some of that curry and every bite is creamy and cozy to the core. Also, in my world, curry and rice must be eaten with a spoon. Anyone else with me there? ??

May your fall//winter season be filled with bowls full of beef and potato curry.

Thai Beef and Potato Curry (Massaman Curry) Recipe | Little Spice Jar (9)

Yield: 8 servings

Thai Beef and Potato Curry

Prep Time5 minutes

Cook Time35 minutes

Total Time40 minutes

A warm and comforting Thai Beef and Potato Curry that's made quickly and easily in the instant pot. Serve over noodles or rice.

Thai Beef and Potato Curry (Massaman Curry) Recipe | Little Spice Jar (10)

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon coconut oil
  • 1 ½ lbs. beef chuck, trimmed and cut into 2-inch cubes
  • 1 large onion, large diced
  • ⅓ cup prepared massaman curry paste*
  • 1 lb. russet potatoes, cut into 2-inch cubes
  • 2 (15-ounce) cans full fat coconut milk
  • ½ cup beef broth
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 3 tablespoons sugar
  • 2 tablespoons fish sauce
  • 1 tablespoon tamarind paste
  • ¼ cup crushed peanuts

Instructions

  1. Beef: Season the beef with a good pinch of salt and pepper. Heat the coconut oil in the instant pot on the saute setting. Add ½ the meat and brown on all sides, about 2-3 minutes total. Remove meat to a plate and repeat with the second batch and remove when done.
  2. Curry: Add the onions and push them around so that they pick up any browned bits left behind by the beef, about 1 minute. Add the potatoes, beef, and the curry paste. Stir everything so that the paste is evenly distributed among the beef and potatoes. Add the coconut milk, broth, bay leaves, sugar, fish sauce, tamarind paste, and crushed peanuts. Cover the instant pot, hit the manual button and set it for 30 minutes. Allow the pressure to release naturally before removing the lid.
  3. Serve: taste curry for seasonings and adjust with salt as desired. If you want it to be tangier, you can dilute a little more of the tamarind with a tablespoon of water and stir it into the curry. Serve with jasmine rice or noodles.

Notes

  • if you decide to use store-boughtcurry paste, you'll need to play around with the amount as I'm unsure how much you'll end up needing.
  • I haven't tried making this curry on the stove so not sure how you'd go about doing that just yet. I'd think it would require at least 2 ½ -3 hours of low and slow simmering and would certainly need a lot more like 1 ½ cups of beef broth or something along that line.

Have you made this recipe?

If you enjoyed this recipe, please consider leaving a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating and a comment below. You can also share a picture on Instagram with the hashtag #LITTLESPICEJAR, I'd love to see what you made!

Thai Beef and Potato Curry (Massaman Curry) Recipe | Little Spice Jar (11)

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Thai Beef and Potato Curry (Massaman Curry) Recipe | Little Spice Jar (2024)

FAQs

What spice makes Thai curry spicy? ›

Thai red curry gets its colour from the red chillies used in the paste. They can be hot, but the spice factor in this Thai curry is toned down a little by the inclusion of coconut milk. If you're making this Thai curry from scratch at home, you can always remove the seeds from your chillies to make it less spicy, too.

Should Massaman curry be spicy? ›

Massaman Curry is mild in heat and loaded with spices found in Indian cuisine like cinnamon and cardamom. Yellow Curry draws on turmeric and dried curry for a rich, savory flavor and yellow color. Panang Curry has the nutty, mellow flavor and texture of roasted peanuts ground right into the curry paste.

What is the difference between Massaman curry and Thai curry? ›

Thai red curry uses red curry paste and is commonly made with pork or chicken. The Massaman (muslim) curry was from the south of Thailand near Malaysia and featured beef. The massaman curry uses more indian spices including cumin, coriander powder, cardamom and cinnamon) and is simmered for a longer time.

How do you use jar curry paste? ›

Mix curry paste with mayonnaise and a little lemon juice. It's perfect on sandwiches, over sautéed veggies or as a dip for carrots and celery. Make plenty – you'll want to use it on everything. Curry paste gives eggs a zip we love.

What spice do Thai restaurants make food spicy? ›

While spices like red and green chilies are used to add heat to a dish, other spices like cumin and cinnamon are used to create complex flavors. Meanwhile, ingredients like chili peppers, ginger, garlic, and peppercorn give Thai food the tingling spicy sensation that people love.

What spice gives curry its flavor? ›

A curry mix has a warm, robust spicy taste as a result of combining roasted and grounded coriander seeds, turmeric, cumin and chili peppers. Other spices commonly found within the blend are fenugreek, clove, mustard, black pepper, nutmeg or ginger.

Why is massaman curry so popular? ›

The curry is an all-time favourite that most Thai people love to eat- not only because it is easy to make, but also because it contains many health benefits. It is easy to find Massaman curry in restaurants, street food stalls, and certainly in any market or supermarket.

Which is hotter Massaman or panang curry? ›

While both curries can be customized to your taste buds, panang curry is quite a bit spicier, while massaman curry is milder with a gentle warmth from spices like cinnamon, cardamom, and nutmeg.

What does Massaman mean in English? ›

The name massaman is a corruption of the term mosalman (Persian: مسلمان), an archaic word derived from Persian, meaning "Muslim" and the name massaman did not exist in Persian or Indian language. Hence, many earlier writers from the mid-19th century called the dish "Mussulman curry".

What curry is closest to massaman? ›

Yellow curry is something else to try if you want to stick to the stewy, rich curry similar to massaman.

What color curry is healthiest? ›

Green curry is a healthier version of Thailand's yellow curry. The green sauce is lower in calories and a great option for those looking to make diet-friendly substitutions to their favorite dishes. For additional benefits, order extra vegetables and a lean protein like chicken to complete the meal.

Which Thai curry is the tastiest? ›

5 Mouth Watering Thai Curries That'll Leave You Wanting More
  • Green Curry. This Green Curry is one of the best Thai curries if you like hot, spicy food. ...
  • Red Curry. Kaeng Phet is as spicy as they come, bursting with the flavor of both fresh and dried red chillis. ...
  • Yellow Curry. ...
  • Panang Curry. ...
  • Massaman Curry.
Mar 9, 2020

What to add to a jar of curry sauce? ›

Add more spices: Store-bought curry sauces often lack the depth of flavour that homemade sauces have. To remedy this, you can add more spices like cumin, turmeric, coriander, and garam masala. Use fresh ginger and garlic: Fresh ginger and garlic add a lot of flavour to curries.

What is the secret to good Thai curry? ›

The secret to making amazing Thai curries is to use plenty of aromatics, like onion, ginger and garlic. Choose full-fat coconut milk for its richness (you won't regret it!). Stirring in just a little bit of rice vinegar and sugar adds tons of complexity.

Do you use a whole jar of curry paste? ›

The whole jar is ample for a family of four but if you're cooking for two, the reminder can be stored in the fridge for 5 days or frozen.

What spices make curry hotter? ›

How Do You Make Curry Spicy? Curries derive their spice from peppers—fresh, dried, blended in a paste or in powdered form—so adding extra chili peppers is an easy way to make your curry spicier. If you make your own curry or garam masala spice blend, add extra cayenne pepper to the mix.

What pepper makes curry spicy? ›

Most phaal curry recipes will call for hot peppers, like the habanero pepper or scotch bonnet peppers, which are roughly 300,000 Scoville Heat Units on the Scoville Scale. Those are definitely hot, but ghost peppers are very commonly used. Ghost peppers tip the heat scale at over 1 Million SHU.

How to make a bland curry spicy? ›

The easiest way to fix a bland and tasteless curry is by adding spices like red chili powder, cumin, coriander, garam masala, curry leaves and turmeric. Just make a quick tempering and pour over the curry to give it a nice punch of spices and herbs.

Why is all Thai food spicy? ›

Any cuisine originated near the equator is spicy, be it Thai, Mexican or Indian. People were probably experimenting when they discovered that chilies and peppers helped cool down the body and so they started using them in every recipe.

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