You NEED to try this slow cooker curry recipe!
This easy beef curry is the perfect weeknight dinner that practically cooks itself. Using shop-bought curry paste as the flavour base, you'll create a rich, coconut-based sauce that turns tough braising beef into melt-in-the-mouth tenderness. With minimal prep work—just browning the meat and sautéing the aromatics—you can let the slow cooker do all the hard work. Serve alongside rice, naan bread, and fresh coriander for a restaurant-quality meal at home
Watch: You NEED to try this slow cooker curry recipe!
Original recipe video — click to play
Original method: Slow cooker recipe
Ingredients
Main
- 2 tbsp sunflower oil or ghee
For browning beef and softening vegetables
- ½ tsp sea salt
For seasoning beef
- ½ tsp black pepper, freshly ground
For seasoning beef
- 1500 g braising beef, cubed into 4 cm pieces
Chuck steak or similar tough cut works best for slow cooking
Base
- 1 whole large onion, peeled and chopped
- 2 whole red bell pepper, deseeded and roughly chopped
- 4 whole garlic cloves, peeled and minced
- 2 tsp ginger, minced
Curry Base
- 2 tbsp curry paste, heaped
Use Tikka Masala, Balti, Jalfrezi or Rogan Josh for mild heat; Madras or Thai red for more spice. Use paste, NOT sauce.
- 1 whole beef stock cube, crumbled
- 400 g tinned finely chopped tomatoes
1 tin
- 2 tbsp tomato purée
- 2 tsp caster sugar
Balances acidity of tomatoes
- 400 ml full fat coconut milk
1 tin
Optional
- 3 tbsp cornflour, mixed with cold water(optional)
Add in final 30 minutes if you prefer a thicker sauce
Use 6 tbsp cold water for the slurry
Garnish
- 3 tbsp fresh coriander, chopped
Add just before serving
A handful; use cilantro if coriander unavailable
To Serve
- to serve pilau or boiled rice
Serve alongside curry
- to serve naan bread
Serve alongside curry
Method
- 1
Set your slow cooker to preheat on the high setting.
~5 mins - 2
Season the cubed beef generously with salt and black pepper.
~3 mins - 3
Heat 1.5 tbsp of oil or ghee in a large frying pan over a high heat until shimmering.
~2 mins - 4
Working in batches (to avoid overcrowding the pan), add the seasoned beef and sear on all sides until lightly browned, approximately 6–8 minutes total. Transfer to the slow cooker using a slotted spoon.
~15 minsTip: Browning develops deep flavour through the Maillard reaction—do not skip this step
- 5
Reduce the heat to medium and add the remaining 0.5 tbsp of oil to the same pan.
~1 min - 6
Add the chopped onion and red peppers, stirring occasionally, and cook for 4–5 minutes until the onions have softened and become translucent.
~5 mins - 7
Stir in the minced garlic and ginger, cooking for a further 1 minute until fragrant.
~1 min - 8
Add the curry paste and stir well, coating the vegetables thoroughly. Cook for 1 minute to bloom the spices.
~1 min - 9
Stir in the crumbled beef stock cube, tinned chopped tomatoes, tomato purée, and sugar. Mix until well combined.
~2 mins - 10
Pour in the coconut milk and stir thoroughly to combine all ingredients.
~1 min - 11
Transfer the entire contents of the pan (vegetables, curry sauce, and any pan drippings) to the slow cooker with the beef.
~2 mins - 12
Stir well to combine, ensuring the beef is submerged in the sauce.
~2 mins - 13
Cover and cook on LOW for 8 hours or on HIGH for 5 hours. The beef should be meltingly tender and the sauce rich and thick.
~8 hrsTip: Do not lift the lid unnecessarily, as this releases heat and extends cooking time
- 14Optional step
If using the cornflour slurry for a thicker sauce, stir it in during the final 30 minutes of cooking on LOW (or final 15 minutes on HIGH) and stir occasionally until thickened.
~30 minsTip: Only do this if you prefer a less saucy curry
- 15
Just before serving, stir through the chopped fresh coriander.
~1 minTip: Adding coriander at the end preserves its fresh flavour
- 16
Serve the curry over pilau or boiled rice, with naan bread on the side.
~5 mins
Nutrition
Detailed nutritional information is coming soon.
Frequently Asked Questions
Curry paste is a concentrated blend of spices, herbs, and aromatics used as the flavour base for a curry sauce. Curry sauce is a pre-made, finished product that's often ready to eat straight from the tin. For this recipe, you must use paste, as the sauce contains additional liquids that would make the curry too watery. The paste allows you to build the sauce exactly as you want it
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