Ground Beef Curry (Keto! 5 ingredients)

This Ground Beef Curry is super fast and simple to make, and it tastes incredible, as curries tend to. They just can’t help themselves, you know? So lovable. This is a five-ingredient beef curry recipe that also happens to be keto friendly (low carb and high fat). It’s a (less than) 30-minute meal that comes together in one pan. Read on for a few variation suggestions, or if you just really can’t stand reading blog posts, go right ahead and jump to the recipe itself.

Easy Ground Beef Curry

This Jamie Oliver-inspired (from his awesome 5 Ingredients cookbook) ground beef curry recipe is SO amazing! The best part – and the most MKL friendly part – is the way the single head of cauliflower is used in two totally different ways. We LOVE this in our attempt to always minimize the cooking process however possible, and the ole’ two-for-one hack is one of the best ways to go about infusing your recipes with valuable efficiency.

Keto Curry in a Hurry!

Speaking of streamlining and efficiency, not only are we using one of the ingredients in two totally different ways here, but we’re also only using a grand total of five little ingredients in the whole dang recipe. That’s it! Now, I don’t love to cling too tightly to a number when developing recipes – if a sixth ingredient would totally make this dish, then I’d add it in. But really? This Ground Beef Curry is just so delicious as it stands, with only the five simple ingredients. You get your protein, your vegetable, your sauce AND the vehicle for carrying it all (i.e. the cauliflower rice).

So, this is really a 30-minute (at the most) meal, that only takes 5 core ingredients to pull off and that only takes one pan, a bowl, and a food processor. Easy! Amazing kitchen victory, right? Right. I’m obsessed. Lastly … it’s a low carb + high fat keto recipe, which may or may not be of interest to you. I’m trying to introduce more low carb recipes into my own diet, and I also know there are significant benefits to following a keto-friendly lifestyle (or keto-ish, if you ‘re me), and I’m intrigued. So, this recipe sort of happens to be Keto-friendly, which is cool.

Curried Ground Beef Variations

This recipe is gold as it stands, sure. But as is the case with well, most things I share here, you can really go about riffing on the recipe to your heart’s content. Here are some ways you can change this easy ground beef curry recipe up a bit, to give it greater life and usability in your kitchen.

Spice it up!

If this recipe just isn’t cutting it in the spice department for you (red curry paste isn’t actually spicy), then I’d suggest adding either:

1. A little bit of Sriracha, to taste.
2. A little bit of chili garlic paste/sauce (my personal favorite thing).
3. Or some chopped fresh Thai chilis.

Don’t love brassicas? Try some fungi instead

My husband isn’t really into brassicas – which are the cauliflower and broccoli types. So, this dish isn’t really his jam, at least not when I use cauliflower in the curry and as the rice upon which it is served. My kids and I inhale the stuff, BUT! If I actually want him to get to enjoy a good ground beef curry, too, I’ll use different veggies. Namely, a mix of meaty, heart mushrooms or I will do carrots and chopped red onion. Play with the veggies as you see fit – that part is so easily swapped, no worries.

Noodles are always a good idea

Okay, so maybe you want to take this is a more noodley direction. I commend you on this decision! You can easily scrap the cauli rice (just use the whole head in the curry/sauce), and instead, boil up some rice noodles and call it good. Because that’s what it is.

Seeing green

Can’t find red curry paste? This happens to me all the time. You can swap in a green curry paste instead. Or, if you have trouble finding these Thai-style pastes, you can use an Indian curry instead. A heaping tablespoon of Garam Masala would be great, in place of the curry paste. Or you can use a store-bought Indian curry sauce as well – like a Tikka Masala sauce or a Madras Curry simmer sauce. There are ways around hard-to-find ingredients! Fear not.

Herbs the word

Sometimes I will toss together a collection of flavorful, vibrant fresh herbs with some olive oil and fresh lime juice (or lemon) and pile this herby salad on top of my savory curries. Cilantro, mint, and scallions are my favorite blend for this particular recipe. But parsley and if you can find it – fresh chervil would be cool, too.

Other Five-Ingredient Recipes You Might LOVE

Okay, so if you’re pretty into super minimal recipes – the ones with hella short ingredient lists – then I’ve got some real gems for you to keep in your back pocket. This Pappa al Pomodoro is an Italian soup that only requires 5 ingredients to make. My parmesan baked zucchini are actually a TWO INGREDIENT recipe that make for a delicious side dish with so many things. This five-ingredient sheet pan shrimp and sausage bake is just about my favorite dinner, ever.

What You’ll Need

This is a five-ingredient beef curry, so it’s SO simple as it’s written. You really don’t need anything more than this. But that said, go right ahead and add things that you have or think sound great. Garlic and ginger would, of course, be amazing. Sautéed shallots are also always welcome in any pan of mine (OMG that’s like a Shania Twain song). Anyway, here’s the shopping list for you:

INGREDIENTS

(Ingredients in italics represent MKL pantry essentials and don’t count toward the 5-ingredient total)

1 head cauliflower, green end trimmed

Olive oil or other preferred cooking oil

1 pound ground beef

Salt and pepper, to taste

4-ounce jar of Thai-style red curry paste

14.5 ounce can of coconut milk (full fat!)

1 teaspoon sugar or ¼ teaspoon stevia sweetener (for keto) 

Chopped cilantro, to finish

How to make this Curried Ground Beef

Honestly, homemade dinners don’t get a whole lot easier than this recipe right here. We’re talking super speedy, only five-ingredients, and with a massive flavor payoff in the end. Here’s the step-by-step:

DIRECTIONS

1. Cut the cauliflower in half. Break/cut one half into small florets (about 1/2-inch) and pulse the other half in the food processor until you have a nice “riced” texture. Transfer the cauli rice to a microwave safe bowl and microwave on high for 2.5 minutes. Set aside until ready to serve. (Alternatively, you can break the whole head up into florets and use it all in the curry, and serve over white rice)
2. Add about 2 tablespoons of cooking oil to a large skillet over medium-high heat. When it’s hot, add the ground beef in a big layer and let it get nice and brown; takes about 5 minutes. Drain the fat (or you can spoon it out). 
3. Add the cauliflower florets to the skillet, season everything with some salt and pepper,  and stir fry for a few minutes to soften. Add the curry paste, sugar or Stevia, and the coconut milk. Stir to blend and let the curry simmer for about 5 minutes to thicken slightly and for the flavors to develop. Taste the sauce and adjust fr seasoning as you like. 
4. Serve over the cauliflower rice or freshly cooked white rice, topped with the fresh cilantro. 

If you like the looks of this Ground Beef Curry, you might also enjoy:

Coconut Red Curry Drip Beef

Red Curry Mac and Cheese

Easy Peanut Curry Chicken and Noodles

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