Savor the exotic taste of our Homemade Massaman Curry. It’s a delightful mix of creamy peanut butter and coconut, enriched with juicy chicken, carrots, and potatoes – an ultimate comfort food adventure!
Massaman Curry is one of my all time favorite Thai recipes. It’s not as aggressive as Yellow Curry; instead, it has subtle hints of coconut and peanut. This Thai Massaman Curry recipe is loaded with chunks of potato, carrot, and thin slices of chicken. You get a little bit of everything all in one bowl, making it the perfect meal!
If you love Yellow Curry and Red Curry, then you’ll love this Massaman version. This recipe is a more subtle version of curry and has become a staple at home, tasting just like the ones found at your favorite Thai restaurants.
Table of Contents
Why I Love This Curry
- Homemade Massaman Curry offers an irresistible unique blend of spices, coconut, and peanuts.
- Its combination of tender meat, potatoes, and carrots in a creamy sauce makes it a fulfilling and comforting meal.
- This Massaman recipe is perfect for meal prep. It keeps well and is ideal for a delicious and easy meal for busy days.
Recipe Ingredients
- Coconut Milk: Rich and creamy, coconut milk adds a velvety texture and a subtle sweetness.
- Peanut Butter: Smooth peanut butter infuses a nutty, slightly sweet taste.
- Massaman Curry Paste: This paste offers a complex blend of spices, herbs, and aromatics that creates that distinctive Thai flavor.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Variations
- Vegetarian or Vegan Massaman Curry Variation: Replace chicken broth with vegetable broth, swap out chicken breasts for a firm tofu, and use a vegan fish sauce and you’re all set! Be sure to adjust the cooking times as needed for the tofu.
- Paste Options: Explore different flavors in your Massaman Curry with various curry paste options. Green Curry Paste brings a fresh, herbaceous taste. For those who favor heat, Thai Red Curry Paste, made from red chilies, garlic, and shallots, offers a robust and fiery flavor. Yellow Curry Paste is a milder, subtly sweet alternative, featuring turmeric, cumin, and yellow mustard seeds, perfect for a warm, aromatic flavor. Lastly, Panang Curry Paste introduces a nuttier, slightly sweeter dimension with peanuts or cashews, red chilies, and kaffir lime leaves.
How to Make Massaman Curry
Step 1: In a large skillet or Dutch oven set over medium heat, add the oil. When the oil is hot, sauté the onion until tender.
Step 2: Add the carrots and potatoes to the pot, and cook for 5 minutes.
Step 3: Pour in the coconut milk and chicken broth, and bring the mixture to a simmer. Add peanut butter, brown sugar, lime juice, fish sauce, and curry paste; stir to combine.
Step 4: Let the potatoes and carrots simmer for 10 minutes, then add the sliced chicken. Continue cooking for an additional 10-15 minutes or until the vegetables are tender and the chicken is fully cooked.
Step 5: Remove from the heat, serve over freshly cooked white or brown rice. Garnish with additional peanuts, sliced lime, and Thai basil, if desired.
FAQs
If you prefer a thinner sauce, simply add more coconut milk or broth to the curry. On the other hand, for a thicker sauce, increase the amount of peanut butter or add more vegetables.
Absolutely! You can add a variety of vegetables to enhance the nutrition and flavor. Good options include red bell peppers, bamboo shoots, zucchini, green beans, peas, eggplant, and spinach. Just remember to adjust the cooking time depending on the veggies you choose.
Of course! If you want to make it from scratch simply mix 3 cloves minced garlic, 2 tsp coriander, 1 tsp lemongrass paste, 1 tsp salt, ¾ tsp black pepper, ½ tsp cumin, ½ tsp ginger, and ⅛ tsp each of nutmeg, cinnamon, cardamom, plus a pinch of cloves for a homemade paste.
Of course! I used chicken breasts but I also like using chicken thighs, beef, lamp, pork, or even shrimp as a protein. You can also use tofu if you are wanting a vegetarian Massaman curry option.
Storage Info
STORE the Massaman Curry in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. To FREEZE, store the leftovers in a freezer-safe container for up to 2 months.
To REHEAT, thaw in the refrigerator if frozen, then warm on the stove over medium heat until heated through. Alternatively, microwave in a microwave-safe dish, stirring occasionally, until hot.
For More Recipes, Check These Out
Homemade Massaman Curry Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp olive oil - OR coconut oil OR vegetable oil
- 1/2 yellow onion - diced
- 3 russet potatoes - peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
- 3 carrots - peeled and sliced into 1/8-inch thick slices
- 2 (13.5 oz) can coconut milk*
- 1 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
- 3 Tbsp smooth peanut butter
- 2 Tbsp brown sugar
- 2 Tbsp lime juice
- 1 Tbsp fish sauce
- 1 Tbsp red curry paste
- 1 4 oz. can massaman curry - OR homemade curry paste – see NOTES below
- 1 lb chicken breasts - thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup chopped roasted peanuts
Instructions
- In a large skillet or Dutch oven set over medium heat, add the oil. When the oil is hot, sauté the onion until tender.
- Add the carrots and potatoes, and cook for 5 minutes.
- Pour in the coconut milk and chicken broth, and bring the mixture to a simmer. Add peanut butter, brown sugar, lime juice, fish sauce, and curry paste; mix to combine.
- Let the potatoes and carrots simmer for 10 minutes, then add the sliced chicken. Continue cooking for an additional 10-15 minutes or until the vegetables are tender and the chicken is fully cooked.
- Remove from the heat, serve over freshly cooked white or brown rice. Garnish with additional peanuts, sliced lime, and Thai basil, if desired.
Hi ! I tried the recipe for lunch and … my carrots and potatoes were not cooked throughly 🙁 but it added a crunchy side 🙂 Also my sauce was not thick enough.. maybe should I add some cornstarch next time . But yes, the recipe turned out great, the chicken is tender … very good, thank you !
Hey Emilie!
I end up cooking the full mix for about 20 minutes before adding the chicken. It really thickens up by then, and the potatoes and carrots will be cooked!
Every stove is a little different. Thanks for sharing what worked for you.
Any idea how many calories are in this recipe?
It says 376 per serving
I can’t wait to try this. We had a favorite Thai restaurant in Utah County and it closed to make room for a new development. I often checked to see if they found a new location and finally found it in south Salt Lake a year later. We don’t get up there very often so I’m trying to find something for in between. Thanks for posting your recipe.
My favorite massaman curry recipe!! It is honestly better than what I get for take out at any Thai restaurant I’ve tried. It’s delicious. I use chunky PB and add some red pepper flakes. I also exclude the fish sauce. It’s my favorite thing to make!!
I just made this with my husband for Valentines Day dinner last night and it was incredible!!! We spent a month in Thailand and really miss having this dish when it is done right. We both felt that this was the closest recipe to having the real thing in Koh Tao (at Pud, our FAV restaurant). Please try this you will not be disappointed. We followed everything in the recipe, but I chose to use full fat coconut milk, coconut oil and fresh lime juice (we also bought massaman paste and didn’t make it from scratch but next time i think we will just for fun and to compare taste). Thanks a million, Natalie – this was AH-mazingg!!