Beef Mince Curry {Budget Friendly Minced Beef Recipe}

This Beef Mince Curry is a low budget dinner that is one of our family favourites. Leftovers are even better for a breakfast toast topping or as lunchbox sandwiches fillers.

Beef Mince Curry

We all have those recipes that turn up regularly on our family dinner table. It's usually the recipes that you know by heart and can throw together at the last minute with ingredients you already have in your pantry. This Clean Eating Ground Beef Curry is one of those Indian dishes (or inspired by!) that's a classic, kind of a Keema Curry type thing!

My family enjoy a good curry. Not too hot, but with a little spice and a whole lot of flavor. My Mother would make this recipe when I was a kid and I do believe she learned it from my Grandmother (Note to self: I must remember  to ask her about this so I can give credit where it's due:) ). 

It also happens to be the one dish I knew how to cook when I left home.

Which stood me in good stead in my flatting days because it's budget friendly and makes a massive pot for next day leftovers. I lived with four boys so leftovers were a very big deal! 

If you happened to come across it or have some that needs using, you can make this dish with minced lamb. Lamb has a very distinctive flavor but it also works really well with this recipe, so feel free to switch it out if you like.

One more thing: Peas are a vegetable you can throw in as well if you like. I haven't added them into this here but if you're trying to up the kids veggie intake, throw in a handful of frozen peas.

Ingredients

These ingredients are straight forward and easy to come by. The beauty of this curry is firstly it's flavor and secondly it's price. It's a super low cost curry that's so easy to make in huge batches and you can easily put another two meals away in the freezer for later in the month.

Beef Mince

There are different grades of beef mince and for this I want a cheaper one with higher fat content. The flavor is in the fat (which is why low fat foods are often stuffed with other favorings) and so don't go for the ones that are low in fat. You can still buy good quality beef mince, just with the fat!

Onions

Onion are a staple here. I've used fresh onions ion this recipe but if you buy frozen onions (I do, no judgements here!) then use those, it won't make a difference.

Tomatoes

Cans of crushed tomatoes feature heavily in this house. I buy organic ones and they're still inexpensive. If you have a can of chopped tomatoes in your pantry, you've got a meal.

Ginger And Garlic

Ginger and garlic are stars of this beefy curry show! I've admitted this before so I'm happy to share again, I but these in jars pre-crushed and chopped and keep them in the fridge. It saves me precious time, there's no other ingredients added to them and I'd recommend grabbing some from the grocery store

if you see them on offer.

Who Will Like Beef Mince Curry?

This is a mild curry that's good for kids. Most of the food I make is an adaption of something that will suit the kids. There are some good flavors in this in the garlic and ginger and a few spices. I like to use spices in cooking as it gets the kids used to different flavors and means further down the line they'll be a lot more they'll be happy to eat!

All that said, this is totally yummy and I'm always happy to sit down to a plate full of this. As is my husband. Although generally he eats what he's given :)

What To Serve With Beef Mince Curry

I serve this with bowls of rice. My kids and I know many others really enjoy having an individual something with their food. Who knows why. I don't ask but they like it and if it encourages them to eat, I'm happy.

I also serve alongside this dinner:

• Mint - fresh mint sprinkled on this is surprisingly nice!
• Tzatziki - this takes seconds ton make and can cool down the curry if it's too strong for little ones.
• Yoghurt - the same effect as the Tzatziki but without the cucumber!
• Soft Tortilla - honestly? It's not the same without these!

How To Get your Kids to Eat Curry

Not all kids enjoy the spiciness of a curry. If you are looking to introduce your little one to a mild curry then I recommend making this recipe with a few little tweaks:

1. Use mild curry powder. There are a wide variety of good quality curry powders available. Read the ingredients and opt for a brand containing whole spices and no nasty additives.
2. Serve with a little plain yogurt and sliced banana (The sweetness acts like a chutney and complements the spiciness of the curry perfectly)
3. Make a plain naan bread for dipping into the sauce (here is my super easy two ingredient recipe)

Freezing your Beef Mince Curry

• To Freeze: Allow to cool before storing in an airtight, freezer proof container. Freeze for up to two months. 
• To Thaw: Remove from the freezer and allow to thaw in the fridge over night. 
• To Reheat: Either transfer to a pot and reheat on the stove, reheat in the microwave in a suitable container or cover with foil and reheat in the oven.

More Clean Eating Ground Beef Recipes

• Sweet and sticky Teriyaki meatballs
• One pan spaghetti for kids
• Clean eating takeout burger
• Baked meatballs in tomato sauce

Recipe Notes

This is a really easy recipe to make and there isn't much to getting it right. The only two things I would point out are:

• Use the Budget Ground Beef as it has more flavor than the leaner beef
• Brown your mince before adding your spices

How To Make Beef Mince Curry

Ingredients

Curry Paste

• 1 tbsp Olive Oil
• 2 Garlic Cloves crushed
• 1 tsp Ginger crushed
• 2 tbsp Mild curry powder
• 1 tsp Dried cumin
• 1 tsp Garam masala

Beef Curry

• 2 tbs Olive oil Or ghee
• 2 Whole Onions Finely diced
• 500g Ground beef 1lb
• 1 tsp Salt
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• Curry paste Ingredients above
• 1 Can crushed organic tomatoes
• 1 Can Or bottle tomato puree
• 1 cup Hot water
• 4 med Potatoes Quartered

Instructions

• Curry Paste: mix all curry paste ingredients together and set aside.
• Beef Curry: Heat up a large pot on the stove. Add onions, olive oil and fry until soft. Add mince and fry until juices have evaporated and mince starts to brown (5 - 8 minutes).
• Add curry paste, salt and pepper. Stir to coat the mince evenly.
• Add tomato, puree and water. Stir and cover with lid. Allow to simmer at medium heat for 30 minutes. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking to the bottom of the pan.
• Add potatoes and cover. Simmer for 20 minutes until potatoes have softened.
• Remove from heat and allow to sit for 5 to 10 minutes before serving. This gives the curry time to develop it's flavor and the sauce to thicken.
• Serve with fluffy brown rice.

Notes

1. I like to serve my curry with a side salad of chopped tomato, onion and cucumber with a drizzle of balsamic vinegar.
2. If you want a slightly hotter/spicier curry, you can replace one tablespoon of the mild curry powder for a medium or hot powder. We stick to the milder version as two of my children are a little fussy when it comes to the burn.

Beef Mince Curry Recipe