Comforting ground beef and potato curry - this simple recipe is one of my all-time favorite curries.
A rich yet surprisingly light ground beef and potato curry, mild and flavorful - perfect for everyone to enjoy. If you're new to cooking curry, this is a great recipe to start with; it was the first one I ever made! For a vegan option, check out this Cauliflower and Potato Curry.
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Recipe Ingredients
Spices: I usually grate fresh ginger and garlic for this curry, but jarred paste works fine if that’s what you have. Use fresh red chili, a small dry chili, or chili flakes, adjusting the amount to your heat preference. For curry paste, I use whatever is in the fridge, often green.
Stock or broth: Use vegetable, chicken, or beef stock. I often use homemade chicken stock or vegetable broth made from a stock cube or powder. Try the chicken stock from this Semolina Dumpling Soup Recipe.
Ground beef: Lean ground beef. You can also make this curry with a mixture of ground beef and pork or with ground turkey. Check out this Ground Beef and Zucchini Casserole, too.
Potatoes: Peeled and cut into large chunks.
Spinach: Fresh or frozen spinach. For convenience, I use frozen spinach most of the time. Thaw and squeeze it well before adding it during the last 5 minutes of cooking. Try this Spinach and Chicken Curry next!
Yogurt: Full-fat Greek yogurt (10% fat content) is the best option. More fat, but also more creaminess.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How to make ground beef and potato curry?
Step #1: Brown the meat, remove it, and sauté the onion. Add ginger, garlic, chili, and spices, cooking
until fragrant. Return the meat, add potatoes and stock, and simmer until the potatoes are tender.
Step #2: Add fresh spinach during the last minute to wilt quickly. For defrosted squeezed spinach, add it 5 minutes before the cooking is done to warm through.
Step #3: Thick the sauce with cornstarch slurry. Remove the pot from the heat and swirl in the yogurt.
Step #4: Adjust the taste. Serve immediately or reheat it later.
Good to know!
I often thicken the sauce with cornstarch, though it’s not mandatory. Crushing the potatoes with a fork on the plate also makes the sauce creamier while eating.
Store and reheat the curry
The ground beef curry with potatoes keeps well in the fridge for 2-3 days, making it perfect for meal prep or leftovers. Store it in an airtight container and reheat it gently on the stovetop or microwave until warmed. The flavors often develop even more after resting, making it taste even better the next day.
I don’t recommend freezing dishes with potatoes, as their texture becomes grainy when thawed. If you must freeze it, defrost it in the fridge and reheat it thoroughly. Crushing the potatoes with a fork on your plate can help improve the texture.
How to serve?
The best side dish is naan bread. I love mopping the sauce with the fresh bread. However, if I didn't have naan bread, I also served the ground beef and potato curry with sourdough or crusty white bread.
You can also make a salad on the side; a cucumber or carrot raita would be great as well.
Ground Beef and Potato Curry
Equipment
- Large stew pot or Dutch oven
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground beef 450 g
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1 small onion
- 3 garlic cloves
- 1 piece of ginger about the size of your thumb
- 1 small red chili Note 1
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons ground coriander
- ½ - 1 tablespoon green curry paste more or less according to taste
- 1½ lbs potatoes 750 g
- 3 cups beef broth chicken or vegetable broth, 750 ml, Note 2
- 7 oz frozen spinach 200 g, Notes 3 and 4
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- ⅔ cup full-fat Greek yogurt 150 g
Instructions
- Brown ground beef: Heat the oil in the pot. Brown the meat for 3-5 minutes, stirring often to break the lumps. Remove it from the pot.2 teaspoons olive oil + 1 lb ground beef
- Prepare ingredients: In the meantime, chop the onion very finely. Peel and cut the potatoes into larger cubes.1 small onion + 1½ lbs potatoes
- Saute: Cook the onion in the pot without adding any fat, often stirring. Add the peeled and grated ginger and grated garlic, finely chopped chili (or chili flakes), cumin, coriander, and green curry paste. Stir continuously for 1 minute.1 piece of ginger + 3 garlic cloves + 1 small red chili + 2 teaspoons ground cumin + 2 teaspoons ground coriander + ½ - 1 tablespoon green curry paste
- Simmer beef curry: Return the meat to the pot, add the potatoes and broth or stock. Bring to a boil, then simmer, covered with a small gap left open, for about 30 minutes or until the potatoes are tender.3 cups beef broth
- Add spinach: Add the defrosted and squeezed spinach during the last five minutes of the cooking time. If using fresh spinach, add it during the last minute and stir until the spinach is wilted.7 oz frozen spinach
- To thicken the sauce mix the cornstarch with about 2 tablespoons water in a small bowl. You should have a thick yet pourable paste. Whisk the paste in the sauce and let the sauce bubble once or twice until slightly thickened.1 tablespoon cornstarch
- Add yogurt: Remove the pot from the heat and swirl in the yogurt. Adjust the taste with salt and pepper.⅔ cup full-fat Greek yogurt
Notes
- Chili: You can use a dried chili or about 1 teaspoon dried chili flakes instead. Adjust the quantity according to your taste.
- Broth: You can use vegetable broth or chicken stock made with a stock cube for convenience.
- The frozen spinach should be defrosted and squeezed before you add it to the pot. The 7 oz/ 200 g refers to the spinach when still frozen; once defrosted and squeezed, the spinach will weigh less.
- If using fresh spinach, about 2 handfuls will be enough.
Marvellina | What To Cook Today says
This curry is so hearty and I just love large chunks of potatoes in the curry exactly like that. I love using yogurt in curry too. Like you, I love Indian food and some people have told me that the best Indian food is in the U.K 🙂
Kathy @ Beyond the Chicken Coop says
Curries are one dish I've never made. This looks like comfort food and would be perfect for these cooler fall days.