Massaman Beef Curry (Instant Pot)
Massaman Beef Curry is rich, hearty, and packed with warm spices. It’s a delicious fusion of Thai, Indian, and Persian flavors. Tender chuck roast, potatoes, and creamy coconut milk come together in a mildly spiced, nutty curry that’s pure comfort in a bowl.
I’m using the instant pot to make this Massaman beef curry, but I’ll include instructions on how to make it on the stovetop. This is one of those hearty and comforting meals that sticks to your bones.
Ingredients Needed
I’m using a store-bought curry paste that really delivers the flavors of a ‘homemade’ paste without the hassle. However, I did add some additional ingredients at the end to help round out the flavors.
- Chuck Roast– This ‘tough’ cut of meat is tender and flavorful when cooked in a pressure cooker or for a long time on the stove. Another option is to use Beef Short Ribs.
- Potatoes– I used Yukon Gold Potatoes, but Russet, baby, or even sweet potatoes will work.
- Onion– You’ll need just half of a white onion, but pearl onions are also a great option.
- Massaman Curry Paste– The brand of paste you use will affect the taste of the curry. I’m using the Maesri Brand, but Arroy-D and Mae Ploy are great too. Always taste the curry at the end and adjust the seasoning to your liking.
- Coconut Milk– Full fat coconut milk is best for any curry dish to give a rich flavor.
- Peanuts– Add roasted unsalted peanuts at the end for nuttiness and crunch.
Since each brand of curry paste tastes different, adjust the flavor at the end to your liking. If it needs to be sweeter, add coconut sugar or white sugar. Saltier, add fish sauce or salt. Since the chuck roast is on the fattier side, it may need a little tang to cut through the richness, add Tamarind concentrate, rice vinegar, or a squeeze of lime at the end.
How to Make Massaman Beef
Slice chuck roast into 3-4 inch pieces and season lightly with salt. Turn the Instant Pot to saute and add oil. Once heated, sear each piece of chuck roast on all sides, in batches to avoid overcrowding the pot. For the Stovetop, use a large heavy pot and sear the meat on the stove.
Remove the seared pieces and add water to deglaze the pot. Use a wooden spatula to scrape any burnt bits off and pour out the liquid to save.
Keep the instant pot on saute mode or the stove at medium heat. Add one can of coconut milk and the massaman curry paste. Keep stirring while the coconut milk simmers until the curry paste fully dissolves. Add the seared beef and the deglazing liquid back to the pot.
Place the lid on the instant pot, set the valve to sealing, and cook at high pressure for 30 minutes. The beef should simmer on the stovetop for 1 to 1.5 hours or until fork tender.
While the beef is cooking, peel your potatoes and slice them in half; unless they are baby potatoes, then there is no need to slice them. Slice the onion into 1 inch chunks.
Once the Instant Pot’s timer goes off, let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes, then carefully move the valve to venting to release the remaining pressure. For stovetop, simply check the tenderness of the beef.
If the curry looks too oily, skim off some of the oil from the top. Add the onions, potatoes, and second can of coconut milk to the instant pot. Place the lid back on, set the valve to sealing, and cook at high pressure for 3 minutes. For the stovetop, simmer for 10-15 minutes or until the potatoes are tender.
Once the timer goes off, carefully do a quick release by moving the valve to venting on the Instant Pot. Remove the lid, add the peanuts, and taste the curry. I added about one tablespoon of coconut sugar and one tablespoon of tamarind concentrate.
This is optional, but adjust the taste to your liking. If it needs to be saltier, add some fish sauce.
How to Serve and Store
Serve the Massaman Beef Curry over Jasmine rice or with a side of Roti. This is my ideal weekend meal when I want something cozy and indulgent.
Any leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or frozen in an airtight container or bag for up to 2 months.
More Thai Curries
Massaman Beef Curry (Instant Pot)
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Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 pounds Chuck Roast seasoned lightly with salt
- 1 tablespoon Oil
- ¼ cup Water to deglaze pot
- 2 13.5 ounces Coconut Milk Full fat
- 4 ounces Massaman Curry Paste maesri brand
- ½ White Onion sliced into chunksc
- 1 pound Yukon Gold Potatoes peeled and cut in half
- ¼ cup Peanuts
- Jasmine Rice for serving or Roti
Optional add-ins
Instructions
- Slice chuck roast into 3-4 inch pieces and season lightly with salt.
- Turn the Instant Pot to saute and add oil. Once heated, sear each piece of chuck roast on all sides, in batches to avoid overcrowding the pot. Remove the seared pieces and once done, add water to deglaze the pot. Use a wooden spatula to scrape any burnt bits off and pour out the liquid to save.
- Keep the instant pot on saute mode. Add one can of coconut milk and the massaman curry paste. While the coconut milk simmers, keep stirring until the curry paste fully dissolves. Add the seared beef and the deglazing liquid back to the pot. Place the lid on the instant pot, set the valve to sealing, and cook at high pressure for 30 minutes.
- While the beef is cooking, peel your potatoes and slice them in half; unless they are baby potatoes, then no need to slice. Slice the onion into 1 inch chunks.
- Once the Instant Pot’s timer goes off, let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes, then carefully move the valve to venting to release the remaining pressure. I do this over my hood to absorb the steam.
- Open the lid and use a spatula to scrape off any bits that may have stuck to the bottom of the pot. If the curry looks too oily, skim off some of the oil from the top. Add the onions, potatoes, and second can of coconut milk to the instant pot. Place the lid back on, set the valve to sealing, and cook at high pressure for 3 minutes.
- Once the timer goes off, carefully do a quick release by moving the valve to venting on the Instant Pot. Remove the lid, add the peanuts, and taste the curry. I added about one tablespoon of coconut sugar and one tablespoon of tamarind concentrate. This is optional but adjust the taste to your liking. If it needs to be saltier, add some fish sauce.
- Serve the massaman curry over Jasmine rice or with Roti.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is provided as an estimate only and depends on ingredients and amounts used. Thai Caliente makes no guarantees to the accuracy of this information.
We have been looking for a beef curry dish. The ingredients are what we have on hand, so this will go up soon on our menu! Thank you
Perfect, can’t wait for you guys to try it 🙂