Lighter Slow-Cooked Spicy Beef Curry Recipe for Weeknights

Full of layered flavour, this lighter slow-cooked spicy beef curry delivers big taste without the calories. At under 500 calories per portion including rice, it’s Slimming-friendly too.

I’ve been making this curry for years because it checks every box: it’s surprisingly low in calories, cooks in a slow cooker so it’s ready when you are, freezes and reheats well, and is fall-apart tender with a satisfying spicy kick.

What do we need to make this beef curry?

• A simple marinade of fat-free Greek yogurt with salt, cumin and coriander to flavour and tenderise the beef.
• A spiced base of onion plus ground coriander, cumin, cardamom, turmeric, garam masala, black pepper, dried and fresh chillies, garlic and ginger to build layers of flavour.
• Tomato paste, beef stock, tinned tomatoes and lemon juice to create the braising liquid that slowly breaks the meat down until it’s tender.

How to make the slow-cooked spicy beef curry

Full ingredient quantities and detailed steps are in the recipe card below.

Marinate the beef: Combine the beef with the Greek yogurt, salt, cumin and coriander and refrigerate for a couple of hours (or overnight) to tenderise and infuse flavour.

Seal the beef: Heat a frying pan (or the slow cooker insert if stovetop-safe), spray lightly and brown the beef in batches for 5–6 minutes. Drain away excess watery marinade that accumulates so you don’t end up simmering the meat in liquid.

Reduce the heat, add the onion and soften for 4–5 minutes. Stir in the ground coriander, ground cumin, cardamom pods, turmeric, garam masala, black pepper, dried chillies, chopped fresh chilli, garlic and ginger. Cook 3–4 minutes until the spices release their aroma.

Stir in the tomato paste, beef stock, chopped tomatoes and lemon juice. Bring briefly to a simmer, then transfer to the slow cooker and cook on high for 3–4 hours or on low for 5–6 hours, until the beef is meltingly tender.

Serve: Spoon the curry over boiled basmati rice (or cauliflower fried rice for a low-carb option) and scatter over chopped fresh coriander and finely diced red onion. It’s hot, flavoursome and much lighter than a traditional beef curry.

The Video

Watch the video demonstration to see each step in action.

Lighter Slow Cooked Spicy Beef Curry

So tasty, this lighter slow-cooked spicy beef curry is amazing and slimming-friendly.

Prep Time:15 mins

Cook Time:4 hrs 45 mins

Total Time:5 hrs

Servings: 6 people

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: British, Indian

Ingredients

Beef and marinade:

• 1 kg (2.2 lbs) lean braising/casserole steak, cut into small chunks
• 150 ml (3/4 cup) fat-free Greek yogurt
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp turmeric

Curry:

• 10 sprays low-calorie oil spray (or a splash of oil)
• 1 large onion, sliced
• 2 tbsp ground coriander
• 1½ tbsp ground cumin
• 6 cardamom pods (tied on string to remove easily)
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 2 tsp garam masala
• ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 4 dried whole chillies
• 1 fresh red or green chilli, finely chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 thumb-sized piece ginger, peeled and minced
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 500 ml (2 cups + 1 tbsp) beef stock
• 400 g (14 oz) tin chopped tomatoes
• 1 tbsp lemon juice

To serve:

• 1 small bunch fresh coriander, roughly chopped
• ¼ red onion, peeled and finely diced
• Boiled basmati rice (235 g cooked / 75 g dry per person) or cauliflower fried rice

Instructions

1. Combine the beef and marinade ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Cover and chill for 1–2 hours or overnight for best results.
2. Heat a large frying pan, spray with low-calorie oil and brown the beef in batches for 5–6 minutes. Drain off excess watery liquid.
3. Add the sliced onion and cook on medium for 4–5 minutes until softened.
4. Stir in the ground coriander, ground cumin, cardamom pods, turmeric, garam masala, black pepper, dried chillies, chopped fresh chilli, garlic and ginger. Cook 3–4 minutes until fragrant.
5. Add the tomato paste, beef stock, chopped tomatoes and lemon juice. Bring to a simmer, transfer to a slow cooker and cook on high 3–4 hours or low 5–6 hours until the beef is tender.
6. Adjust seasoning to taste. Serve over rice or cauliflower rice, topped with chopped coriander and diced red onion.

Notes

Cucumber mint raita

Grate ¼ cucumber, squeeze out excess juice and mix with 3 tbsp fat-free Greek yogurt, a pinch of salt and chopped mint.

Tomato and onion salad

Quarter 10 cherry tomatoes and finely dice ¼ small onion. Mix with chopped coriander for a fresh side.

Oven or hob method

You can cook this in a covered oven dish at 170°C/325°F for 2.5–3 hours, or simmer on a low hob with a lid for 2–3 hours. Check occasionally and add boiling water or stock if it looks dry.

Make ahead and freezing

Cool, cover and refrigerate for up to two days, or freeze leftovers. Defrost in the fridge overnight and reheat until piping hot throughout.

Best cuts for slow-cooked beef

Chuck (braising steak) works exceptionally well for flavour and tenderness after slow cooking. Silverside (bottom round) is leaner but will work if cooked with plenty of liquid.

Gluten-free option

Use gluten-free stock cubes and check tomato paste labels to keep the recipe gluten-free.

Nutritional info is approximate and based on 6 servings of the curry only (add about 274 kcal per serving for rice).

Nutrition

Calories: 224 kcal |
Carbohydrates: 18.5 g |
Protein: 29.7 g |
Fat: 3.7 g |
Saturated Fat: 1.2 g |
Sodium: 427 mg |
Fiber: 2.2 g |
Sugar: 6.9 g

Nutrition information is approximate and should be used as a guide.

This recipe was first published in September 2015 and updated with new photos, tips and video.

Serving Suggestions:

Pilau Rice Recipe

Chapati Recipe

Saag Aloo

Garlic Naan Bread Recipe

Onion Bhaji

How to Cook Rice Perfectly

Equipment:

Helpful equipment for this recipe:

• A good kitchen knife and chopping board.
• Microplane or grater for mincing ginger.
• Mixing bowl for the marinade.
• Slow cooker or crockpot (or an ovenproof dish for the oven method).
• Frying pan/skillet for sealing the beef if your slow cooker insert is not stovetop-safe.
• Wooden or silicone spoons for stirring.

Some recipes mentioned on this page were originally published earlier and have been updated with new photos, tips and video. Nutritional information is approximate and can vary depending on ingredients and portion sizes.