This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my privacy policy.
Massaman curry is a popular Thai curry that is rich and creamy in flavor. This Beef Massaman Curry is made with beef, coconut milk, potatoes and peanuts. Learn how to make this authentic curry with this fail-proof recipe!
Authentic Beef Massaman Curry
Massaman curry is a southern Thai curry. It’s commonly made with beef, coconut milk, potatoes and peanuts. You can also use chicken for this recipe.
This beef Massaman curry recipe does take a bit of time to cook as you want to slowly cook the beef so they become tender, soft, and melt in your mouth.
The active time is only 15 minutes; you just have to marinate the beef with the curry paste. Next, stir fry the spices before adding the beef. To make the curry sauce, add coconut milk, fish sauce, water, potatoes, peanuts and palm sugar.
The curry is done when the beef becomes tender.
Massaman Curry Paste
While you can make the curry paste from scratch, store-bought curry paste is perfectly fine for homemade Thai curries. It’s very convenient and delivers amazing and authentic flavors.
I use Maesri brand curry paste, which is in a small can. You can keep the unused curry paste in the fridge for a few weeks as long as you cover it with plastic wrap.
What Spices Are In Massaman Curry
Many spices are used in the curry as well as the curry paste:
- Green cardamom seeds
- Cinnamon sticks
- Cloves
- Star anise
- Dried red chilies
- Garlic
- Lemongrass
- Galangal
- Shrimp paste
Massaman Curry Ingredients
- Chuck beef
- Massaman curry paste
- Green cardamom seeds
- Cinnamon sticks
- Star anise
- Shallots
- Coconut milk
- Water
- Fish sauce
- Potato
- Tamarind paste
- Palm sugar
- Unsalted roasted peanuts
- Cooking oil
- Thai basil leaves
Please refer to the recipe card at the bottom of this post for full details on each ingredient.
How To Make Massaman Curry
Step 1. Coat the beef in 1 tablespoon of oil and massaman curry paste. Stir well and set aside.
Step 2. In a large pot, heat the remaining oil over medium heat. Stir-fry the cardamom, cinnamon, and star anise for 40 seconds. Then, add the whole shallots and fry until they are golden brown.
Step 3. Add the beef and brown for 1–2 minutes, stirring to mix well with the spices.
Step 4. Add 1 can of coconut milk, 2 tablespoons of fish sauce, and enough water (about 1/2 to 1 cup) to just cover the beef. Stir well and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to very low and cover. Gently simmer for 1 hour.
Step 5. Add the remaining can of coconut milk, the potatoes, peanuts, and half of the basil leaves. Stir well. Taste and add more fish sauce if necessary. Increase the heat to medium-low and cover. Cook for another 30 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender.
Step 6. Once the potatoes are cooked, remove the curry from the heat. Stir in the palm sugar, tamarind juice, and the remaining basil. Mix well and serve the curry with steamed rice.
Frequently Asked Questions
This recipe serves 4 people and each serving is 905 calories.
What To Serve With Massaman Curry
This curry is best served with steamed rice. For a wholesome Thai meal and easy weeknight dinner, I recommend the following recipes.
I hope you enjoy this post as much as I do. If you try my recipe, please leave a comment and consider giving it a 5-star rating. For more easy and delicious recipes, explore my Recipe Index, and stay updated by subscribing to my newsletter and following me on Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram for new updates.
Other Recipes You Might Like
Massaman Curry
Ingredients
- 1.5 lbs (750g) chuck beef, or stewing beef, cubed
- 3 tablespoons Massaman curry paste
- 10 green cardamom seeds
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 3 star anise
- 8 shallots, peeled
- 2 cans coconut milk, 5.6 fl oz each
- 1 cup water
- 2.5 tablespoons fish sauce, or to taste
- 1 medium-sized potato, peeled and cut into chunks
- 0.5 tablespoon tamarind paste
- 2 tablespoons palm sugar , or brown sugar
- 4 tablespoons unsalted roasted peanuts
- 2 tablespoons cooking oil
- fresh Thai basil leaves
Instructions
- Coat the beef in 1 tablespoon of oil and massaman curry paste. Stir well and set aside.
- In a large pot, heat the remaining oil over medium heat. Stir-fry the cardamom, cinnamon, and star anise for 40 seconds. Then, add the whole shallots and fry until they are golden brown.
- Add the beef and brown for 1–2 minutes, stirring to mix well with the spices.
- Add 1 can of coconut milk, 2 tablespoons of fish sauce, and enough water (about 1/2 to 1 cup) to just cover the beef. Stir well and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to very low and cover. Gently simmer for 1 hour.
- Add the remaining can of coconut milk, the potatoes, peanuts, and half of the basil leaves. Stir well. Taste and add more fish sauce if necessary. Increase the heat to medium-low and cover. Cook for another 30 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender.
- Once the potatoes are cooked, remove the curry from the heat. Stir in the palm sugar, tamarind juice, and the remaining basil. Mix well and serve the curry with steamed rice.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Hi, may I know where I can get massaman curry paste in Singapore?
I am not sure but I bet you can find it at Cold Storage or stores what carry international products.
I cooked this dish over two evenings. After simmering the beef for an hour I left it to marinate over night. The following evening I brought the curry to temperature and added the potatoes and coconut milk and basil to simmer and cook for 30 mins. I didn’t need to add the palm sugar or anything else- the flavour was so rich and gorgeous, the consistency thicker than Thai curries- meat so tender- it was really lovely, big favourite. Highly recommended, great recipe.
Thanks Peps for trying this beef massaman curry.
Hello. This recipe looks wonderful, and I would like to make it this week. I was wondering if you think it would be okay to substitute yams, or sweet potatoes for the white potatoes? Thanks in advance for your advice.
I think you can do that.
Hi Bee,
Hope you’re well. Can I please ask if it’s possible to substitute the following ingredients :
Blade beef instead of chuck beef
Tamarind puree instead of tamarind paste
Beef stock instead of water
Also may I please ask why do you put basil? I’m planning to cook this dish this evening and looking forward to hearing from you soon.
Many thanks & kind regards,
Orn
Sure, all sounds good, Thai basil makes the curry better.
I’ve eaten a “Mussulman curry” at my favorite thai restaurant – it was superb. I’d love to cook it. Don’t think I can find any Mussaman Curry Paste where I live, so can you speculate on what’s in it, so I can try to make the curry paste myself?
Hi,
What size coconut milk is used in the recipe?
Thank you
I researched many massaman curry recipes but decided to use this one because the picture looked so vibrant and yummy,,
Just cooked this for dinner and was so happy with the result.. Everyone said that it tasted better than the ones served in restaurants in the Philippines. I must say I used fresh coconut cream and milk because of its abundance in our country.. I also blitzed the shallots, cardamom and cinnamon which I heated in the oil…… Thank you so much for this wonderful recipe… Till I try the next one….
I’ve made this a zillion times, super recipe! Quick question, it’s been ages since I’ve made this, should I take 10 cardamon pods and use the seeds from those 10 pods, or is it just ten of the little black seeds that come from the pod?
Can’t recall!
LOL – please hurry, making this tonight! :)
Thanks!
10 cardamon pods.
Thank you so much! Should I take the seeds from the pods? :) Or just use the pods whole?
Again, thanks so much for the awesome recipe!!!
Just the whole pod.
Hi Bee, I would like to thank you another fantastic recipe. I love beef massaman and was very interested in trying your version. I have to say it was fantastic. Loved every mouthfull. I will be following your site more often if this and the last recipe I tried are that good cant wait to try your others. Keep up the good work and most importantly willing to share it with the world thanks. Your new fan.
Hi Andy, yes every recipe on my site taste really good, thanks for being a new fan! :)
my boyfriend made this for dinner…. super phenomenal!