A rich, fragrant Thai beef curry is one of the best things you can do with a pack of diced beef on a cold autumn evening. This Thai red curry beef recipe simmers Extra Lean Diced Beef 400g slowly in coconut milk and red curry paste until it is spoon-tender, then finishes with crunchy green beans, sweet red pepper and a squeeze of lime. Browse diced beef or the curry night specials to stock the freezer for the weeks ahead.
Skip the middle man on the meat and pick up a jar of Thai red curry paste and a tin of coconut milk with your usual shop. Prep takes about 20 minutes, cooking about 2 hours 10 minutes (mostly hands-off), and it serves 4. Below you get the ingredients, a numbered method, timings, a quick-cook option and a five-question FAQ.
Quick answer: Thai red beef curry
- Prep: 20 minutes
- Cook: 2 hours 10 minutes (1½–2 hours gentle simmer)
- Serves: 4
- Meat: 800g extra lean diced beef (or braising steak, cut into chunks)
- Done when: a chunk of beef breaks apart easily with a spoon
Ingredients (serves 4)
- 800g Extra Lean Diced Beef 400g (2 packs)
- 1 tbsp vegetable or groundnut oil
- 1 onion, thinly sliced
- 3 garlic cloves, crushed
- Thumb-sized piece of fresh ginger, peeled and grated
- 3–4 tbsp Thai red curry paste (start with less if you prefer it mild)
- 400ml tin full-fat coconut milk, unshaken
- 200ml beef stock
- 1 tbsp fish sauce
- 1 tsp soft brown sugar
- 1 red pepper, deseeded and sliced
- 150g green beans, trimmed and halved
- Juice of 1 lime
- Handful of fresh coriander or Thai basil
- 1 red chilli, sliced (optional)
- Steamed jasmine rice, to serve
Method
- Pat the diced beef dry with kitchen paper. Heat the oil in a large casserole or deep, lidded pan over a medium-high heat and brown the beef in two or three batches, turning until coloured on most sides. Crowding the pan makes the beef steam, so take your time. Lift out onto a plate.
- Turn the heat down to medium, add the onion and cook for 5 minutes until soft, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Stir in the garlic and ginger for 1 minute.
- Open the coconut milk without shaking it and spoon the thick cream from the top into the pan with the curry paste. Fry, stirring, for 2–3 minutes until the paste smells fragrant and the oil starts to separate. This step builds most of the curry’s flavour.
- Return the beef and any juices to the pan. Pour in the rest of the coconut milk and the beef stock, stir well and bring to a gentle simmer.
- Cover and simmer very gently for 1½–2 hours, stirring every 20 minutes or so and adding a splash of water if it looks thick. The sauce should barely bubble; a hard boil tightens lean beef. It is ready when a chunk breaks apart easily with a spoon.
- Add the red pepper and green beans and simmer uncovered for 8–10 minutes until the veg is just tender and the sauce has thickened slightly.
- Season with the fish sauce, sugar and lime juice, tasting as you go for a balance of salty, sweet, sour and hot. Scatter with coriander or Thai basil and sliced chilli, then serve with jasmine rice.
Shop Extra Lean Diced Beef 400g
Butcher’s tips for tender Thai beef curry
Low and slow is the whole trick with diced beef. Extra lean beef has little fat to protect it, so a gentle simmer under a lid gives the connective tissue time to soften without drying the meat. If you prefer a richer, more marbled bite, use Braising Steaks 5x 100g cut into 3cm chunks; they suit long cooking in coconut milk too. Not sure which cut to pick? Our guide Best Beef for Slow Cooking compares the options.
Short on time? Make a quick weeknight version with Extra Lean Rump Steak Strips 400g. Fry the paste, add the coconut milk, stock and veg and simmer for 10 minutes, then stir in the rump strips for the last 2–3 minutes so they stay tender. See Best Beef for Stir Fry for more on quick-cook cuts.
What to serve and how to store
Fluffy jasmine rice is the classic partner, but rice noodles, a pile of steamed greens or warm flatbreads all work. Cucumber slices dressed with a little rice vinegar make a cool side if you have gone heavy on the paste. Leftovers taste even better the next day: cool within two hours, refrigerate for up to two days, and reheat in a pan until piping hot throughout, adding a splash of water to loosen the sauce.
Fancy another curry night from the same blog? Try Hogget Lamb Shoulder Curry with Rice or Chicken Thigh Curry with Rice. If you would rather keep the diced beef British and hearty, Extra Lean Diced Beef Casserole uses the same pack.
Why this Thai beef curry recipe works
Frying the curry paste in the thick coconut cream wakes up the spices before any liquid goes in. Browning the beef adds savoury depth that a jar sauce can never match, and a long, gentle simmer turns an affordable lean cut into something rich and tender. Finishing with fish sauce, sugar and lime at the end lets you balance the curry to your own taste. Two packs of diced beef, one tin of coconut milk and a little patience: that is a proper curry night, delivered from your online butcher.
FAQ
What is the best beef for a Thai beef curry?
For a slow-simmered Thai red curry, use diced beef or braising steak cut into chunks; gentle simmering in coconut milk turns them tender. For a 15-minute version, use thin rump steak strips and add them right at the end so they stay pink and soft.
Can I make Thai beef curry in a slow cooker?
Yes. Brown the beef and fry the paste first, then add everything except the vegetables, lime and herbs. Cook on low for 6–7 hours, stir in the pepper and beans for the last 30 minutes on high, then season with fish sauce, sugar and lime.
How do I make Thai red beef curry milder or hotter?
Heat comes mainly from the curry paste. Start with 2 tablespoons for a mild curry and add more once it is simmering. For extra heat, add sliced fresh red chilli at the end; for less, finish with a splash more coconut milk.
Can I freeze Thai beef curry?
Yes. Cool it quickly, portion into containers and freeze for up to 3 months. The beans soften on reheating, so you can freeze the curry before adding vegetables and stir them in when you reheat it until piping hot.
Why is my beef curry tough?
Lean diced beef needs time at a gentle simmer, not a fast boil. Keep the lid on and the heat low, and cook until a chunk breaks apart easily with a spoon; usually 1½–2 hours. If it is still firm, give it another 20–30 minutes.