Slow Cooker Beef Curry (One Pot!)
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What’s better than beef slow cooker curry? This healthy version includes fall-apart meat, quick preparation, and flavorful curry sauce. This crowd favorite is an easy slow cooker weeknight meal that’s comforting and great for leftovers. It’s made without fattening heavy cream, so you can feel good about digging into this curry with naan.
Table of Contents
Why you’ll love this recipe
Easy to Prepare- No browning the beef when making this beef curry slow cooker recipe; simply toss everything into the pot.
Healthy – This delicious dish is flavorful and comforting without the fattening heavy cream or coconut milk, aka fewer grams of saturated fat!
Fantastic Leftovers – This curry also reheats well, so it’s a great recipe for lunches/dinners during the week.
Quick Prep Time – Did I mention this beef slow cooker curry only takes five minutes to throw together?!
Satisfy all your curry cravings with these recipes: Easy Chicken Thigh Curry, Simple Pork Curry with Coconut Milk, or Grilled Aubergine Curry.
Ingredients
Beef Braising Steak – I love using beef braising steak for this beef slow cooker curry, as it’s generally a more affordable cut that tenderises as it sits in the slow cooker. Chuck steak is another great option for this recipe.
Green Beans – This veg adds a pop of colour and nutrients to the dish. However, you can swap it for other veggies like broccoli or asparagus.
Rice – Serving this slow-cooked beef curry over rice is a great way to make the dish more filling. You can also enjoy it with homemade or store-bought naan.
See the recipe card for full information on all ingredients and quantities.
Variations/ Adaptations
Here are a few ways to adjust the beef slow cooker curry to your needs! For one, you can make this beef curry in the oven instead. You’ll need to brown the meat and sauté the veggies first. Then, cook the curry in a casserole dish in the oven for about three hours. If you prefer creamy curries, add in heavy cream or coconut cream.
Create a milder curry by using curry paste instead of powder. Curry paste also allows you to adjust the heat more easily, as you can add in as much cayenne powder, chillies, or chilli flakes as you like. Make this curry bolder by adding a teaspoon of miso paste, which provides a savoury, tangy, salty-sweet flavour. You can also use other types of protein in this slow-cooking recipe, turning it into a pork, seafood, or chicken curry.
What is the best cut of meat for beef curry?
I recommend using beef stew meat or beef braising steak. While these types of meat start out tougher, they become fall-off-the-bone tender as they cook. This is especially true when making this beef slow cooker curry, as it will tenderise in the slow cooker for 4-6 hours.
Do you have to brown beef before putting it in a slow cooker?
If you have the extra time, you can brown the beef before putting it in the pot for this beef slow cooker curry. This step adds more flavour to the beef as the outside caramelises. However, this step is unnecessary, especially if you’re in a time pinch. If you toss the beef right into the slow cooker, you’ll still end up with a delicious meal at the end of the day.
How to make slow cooker beef curry
- Start by slicing the braising steak into bite-sized chunks. Then slice the red onion and red peppers. Season with salt & pepper (Image 1).
- Then, add the red pepper, chopped tomatoes, red onion, fish sauce, curry powder, chilli flakes, garam masala, beef stock and garlic granules into the slow cooker pot (Image 2).
3. Stir to combine, then cook on high for 4 hours or low for 6 hours. At this stage add the cornflour slurry to thicken the sauce (Image 3).
4. Stir half way through cooking (Image 4).
*When you’re almost ready to eat, cook your rice according to packet instructions, and steam your green beans in a colander above your rice.
5. After 4 hours on high, the slow cooker beef curry is ready (Image 5).
6. Serve with a portion of rice and green beans. Top with roughly chopped salted peanuts, a sprinkle of fresh coriander and a little squeeze of lime juice. Dig in! (Image 6).
Tips for the best result
Prep everything ahead of time
If you know you’ll be short on time when making this beef slow cooker curry, chop the veggies and beef the night before. Then, you can simply toss the ingredients into the slow cooker this morning and come home to a yummy dinner.
Thicken the sauce with cornflour if it gets too watery
Don’t worry if your slow-cooked beef dish turns out watery. Simply mix cornstarch with water to create a slurry. Then, mix it into the curry and let it cook for a few minutes until it thickens. Repeat this step again if your curry is still too watery.
Grab pre-chopped veggies for quicker prep time
You can also save time while prepping this Indian beef curry by purchasing pre-chopped veggies. They’re usually in the grocery store in containers near the rest of the produce.
Use a cheap, tough cut of beef
Since this curry recipe sits in the slow cooker for hours, you can use a cheaper, tough cut of meat. It will tenderise as it cooks, especially if it has fat marbling.
If you can’t get enough of curry recipes, try these options: Simple Red Thai Prawn Curry, The Best Halloumi Curry, and Beef Keema (Mince Curry).
Make ahead instructions
There are a few ways to turn this beef slow cooker curry into a make-ahead recipe. For one, you can prep the veggies and beef the night before. Then, toss it into the slow cooker in the morning before work.
You can also toss everything into a slow cooker the night before and let it cook while you sleep. Then, it’ll be ready in the morning so you can pack it for lunch. Alternatively, you can start cooking this curry in the morning so it’s ready to eat for dinner.
Storage instructions
Don’t worry if you have leftover beef slow cooker curry; it stores well!
Freezer
If you have quite a bit of leftovers, pack them in an airtight container once cooled. Then, store the leftovers in the freezer for up to two months. For easier reheating, consider keeping the leftovers in a few different containers.
Refrigerator
You can also keep the leftovers in the fridge. Leftover curry can stay in the refrigerator for up to three days.
Reheat instructions
This flavourful beef slow cooker curry reheats well! Simply heat it in the microwave until warm all the way through. Or, heat it on the stove in a pan, stirring consistently until warmed. If you’re warming up frozen curry, allow it to defrost in the fridge overnight first.
Serving Suggestions
As mentioned, this hearty beef slow cooker curry works great with rice (to help soak up all the yummy curry sauce). However, you can always pair this dish with naan, potatoes, flatbreads, etc. You can also make a spread with various Indian dishes, like samosas, to create a more filling meal. Salads are also a great option as a side dish for this curry.
FAQs
One of the best ways to keep your curry from getting watery is by removing the lid for a period to let some of the steam/moisture escape. If it’s still too watery, you can always add a cornstarch slurry to help thicken up the beef slow cooker curry.
Yes, you can cook this beef curry recipe on the stove. It will need to simmer for 30-45 minutes or until the meat is tender. So, it will be a more hands-on dish than if you cook it in a slow cooker.
Since you’re adding so many spices (like garam masala and curry powder), the meat will have plenty of flavour already. So, you do not need to add seasoned beef to the slow cooker. Simply salt it at room temperature before tossing it into the slow cooker, and it’s good to go!
Pair this yummy curry with these Indian-inspired dishes for a full spread that feels like takeaway: Easy Red Lentil Dahl with Coconut Milk, Healthy Chicken Tikka Masala, and Lentil & Chickpea Curry.
If you tried this Slow-cooker-beef-curry recipe, it would be mean so much to me if you could leave a review & a star rating to let me know how you found it! I love hearing about your experiences – it motivates me to keep creating more and more recipes for you guys 💛 Let’s get cooking! – Mimi x
Slow Cooker Beef Curry (One Pot!)
Ingredients
- 400 – 600 g beef braising steak (£4.70)
- 1 red pepper, thinly sliced (£0.55)
- 400 g (1 can) of chopped tomatoes (£0.35)
- 1 red onion, thinly sliced (£0.15)
- 300 g white rice, thoroughly rinsed (£0.52)
- 180 g green beans £1.00
- 1 lime, sliced into wedges to serve (£0.25)
- 100 g salted peanuts, roughly chopped to serve (£0.54)
- Fresh coriander, torn to serve (£0.60)
Cupboard essentials
- 2 tbsp fish sauce
- 1 tbsp medium/hot curry powder
- 1 tbsp garam masala
- 100 ml beef stock
- 1 tsp garlic granules
- 1 tsp chilli flakes/red pepper flakes
- 1 tbsp cornflour (2 tbsp water for corn flour slurry)
Method
- Start by slicing the braising steak into bite-sized chunks. Season with salt & pepper, then add into the slow cooker.
- Next, add the red pepper, chopped tomatoes, red onion, fish sauce, curry powder, garam masala, chilli flakes, beef stock and garlic granules into the pot. Stir to combine, then cook on high for 4 hours or low for 6 hours. At this stage, add the cornflour slurry.
- When you’re almost ready to eat, cook your rice according to packet instructions, and steam your green beans in a colander above your rice.
- Serve a portion of rice, green beans and slow cooker beef curry. Top with roughly chopped salted peanuts, a sprinkle of fresh coriander and a little squeeze of lime juice. Dig in!
Notes
- Chop veggies and beef the night before for a quick morning assembly in the slow cooker.
- If the curry becomes watery, I used a cornflour slurry and mix it in, repeating if needed.
- Choose a cheap, tough cut of beef with fat marbling, as it will tenderise during the slow cooking process.
Nutrition
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