Authentic Beef Korma | A Rich and Comforting Indian Beef Curry
My Dadi’s (Grandmother’s) Beef Korma recipe is a creamy and rich beef curry, full of authentic Indian flavours. Tender chunks of beef, marinated in yogurt, almonds, and Indian spices simmered with browned onions until every bite is melt-in-your-mouth tender. Serve with your choice of rice, naan, paratha, or over cauliflower rice as a simple low carb high protein meal.
This authentic Indian curry is low in net carbs with only 4g per serving, and high protein with 32g per serving! Pair this with cauliflower rice or low carb pulao for a comforting keto friendly meal.
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Why You Should Make Beef Korma
- Beef korma is an undeniably delicious one pot beef curry that anyone can make.
- Braised, yogurt marinated beef that soft and melt in your mouth tender.
- The yogurt cools down the spices striking a perfect balance between flavour and heat.
- This easy beef korma is a healthy beef curry with no added sugar that is low in carbs, packed with protein, electrolytes, and keto friendly.
- Can be made stove top, in a slow cooker, or an instant pot.
What is Beef Korma?
Korma is slow cooked curry with braised chunks of meat simmered in a rich, thick, creamy yogurt or coconut gravy with ground nuts such as almonds or cashews, and authentic spices like coriander, garam masala, and crushed chilies. This version is made with beef, but it’s common to see korma made with lamb, goat, chicken, or fish.
Like many of the famous Indian curries, there are numerous variations on Korma (also called Kurma, Qorma) spanning from the middle east where its common to include fruit like plums, to various subregions of India, all the way over to Malaysia. Some recipes are based on a creamy coconut gravy, while others use a rich yogurt (dahi) based sauce like this recipe.
Is Beef Korma Keto Friendly?
This authentic beef curry low in carbs with only 4g net carbs per serving making it a perfect recipe for low carb and keto diets.
Additionally this low carb recipe is high in protein (32g per serving) and beneficial electrolytes such as potassium (496mg), magnesium (41mg), and sodium (375mg), which are hugely beneficial on a keto diet for getting rid of or avoiding keto flu.
Learn more about the importance of electrolytes and managing keto flu here!
What's in Indian Beef Korma
While there are many variations on korma, this version is straight from my Grandmothers cookbook, and it’s how I grew up eating korma. For this low carb beef curry you’ll need:
- Onion
- Garlic
- Ginger
- Ghee/oil/butter
- Beef (Chuck, stewing beef, sirloin, etc.)
- Garam masala
- Kashmiri chili or cayenne
- Coriander
- Nutmeg
- Black pepper
- Yogurt
- Lemon Juice
- Green chilies
- Cilantro (for serving)
- Salt
What Cut of Meat is Best for Korma?
Beef korma can be made with many different cuts of beef, use whatever you have available. The yogurt marinade and long simmering time will tenderize even cheaper cuts of meat making korma a simple affordable curry to make.
I often use a large sirloin roast cut into chunks, however you can use even cheaper cuts like stewing beef, eye of round, or pot roast.
Korma can also be made with lamb, goat, or even chicken. For a lighter version try my Dadis fish korma recipe or my Creamy Seafood Korma.
How to Cook Beef Korma
This low carb Indian curry can be cooked on the stove, in a slow cooker, or an Instant pot/pressure cooker. Any one of these methods makes a delicious beef korma but each has their pros and cons.
Stove Top Method: Stove top in a large pot is the traditional method and in my opinion leads to the most flavourful and rich beef korma since you are able to control how much you reduce the gravy as it cooks and lets you sear beef and brown the onions right in the pot. Stove top is a one pan option but involves and little more hands on cooking.
Slow Cooker Version: A Slow cooker is a great hands off method for making beef korma and the meat becomes incredibly soft and tender and the gravy thickens as it cooks. Although this method is a great set it and forget it way to make korma, for maximum flavour you should pre-cook and brown the onions on the stove before adding to the slow cooker.
Instant Pot Method: The instant pot is a great time saving option for making beef korma because the pressure cooker tenderizes the meat fast without slow cooking or braising. Since Instant pots has a sauté function you are able to brown the onions although searing the beef is a little more difficult since it doesn’t get as hot as the stove. The downside is the gravy doesn’t have the chance to reduce and thicken as much with the pressure cooker closed unless you remove the lid and simmer to thicken at which point it takes almost as long as the stove top method.
More Low Carb Instant Pot Recipes to Try
Quick Tips for Making Low Carb Beef Korma
- Use any cut of beef you have for this recipe. I often use a large sirloin roast cut into chunks, but even cheaper cuts of meat will become tender in beef korma due to the yogurt marinade and long simmering time.
- Marinate the beef in the yogurt and spices for at least an hour if not longer. For maximum flavour marinade the night before and let it sit in the fridge overnight.
- Cook the onion in hot ghee/butter/oil slowly until softened and its just starting to brown, this is the base of the wonderful flavours in this beef curry.
- When adding the yogurt marinated beef, turn up the heat and let the beef sear and brown to add additional flavour.
- Turn down the heat and let the korma simmer for as long as you can. At least 30 minutes to soften and tenderize the beef. Add more liquid to the pot as needed to maintain the gravy.
What to Serve with Beef Korma
Low carb beef korma is a flavourful beef curry that pairs well with Indian sides and flatbreads like rice, bhaji, or paratha.
Serve this easy Korma with any of these delicious low carb Indian side dishes for a hearty keto friendly meal.
Recipe Card
Authentic Beef Korma (Low Carb)
IMPORTANT – There are often Frequently Asked Questions within the blog post that you may find helpful. Simply scroll back up to read them!
Equipment
- Knife and Cutting Board
- large bowl or container with a lid
- large pot or dutch oven
- Instant pot optional
- Slow cooker optional
Ingredients
- 2 pounds beef 1 - 1 1/2 " cubes
- 1 cup plain yogurt full fat
- 3 cloves garlic minced/paste
- 1 tablespoons ginger minced/paste
- 1½ teaspoons garam masala
- ¼ teaspoon kashmiri chili or cayenne
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon coriander
- 3 tablespoon ground almonds/almond flour
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 pinch saffron optional
- oil/butter/ghee
- 1 medium onion thinly sliced
- 2 whole green or red chilies optional
- salt additional for seasoning
- fresh cilantro for garnish
Instructions
Stove Top Beef Korma
- Marinate the beef. Add the yogurt, garlic, ginger, garam masala, Kashmiri chili, salt, pepper, nutmeg, coriander, ground almonds, lemon juice, and saffron (if using) to a large bowl and mix well. Cut the beef into 1 to 1-½ inch cubes and add to the bowl with the yogurt marinade. Toss to coat the beef in the yogurt mixture and set aside. Allow the beef to marinade for at least 1 hour, or overnight in the fridge if possible.1 cup plain yogurt, 3 cloves garlic, 1 tablespoons ginger, 1½ teaspoons garam masala, 1/4 teaspoon kashmiri chili or cayenne, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon nutmeg, 1 teaspoon coriander, 3 tablespoon ground almonds/almond flour, ½ teaspoon pepper, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, 1 pinch saffron, 2 pounds beef
- Sauté the onions. Heat oil/butter/ghee in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Once hot add the thinly sliced onion. Season with salt and sauté for 6-8 minutes until the onions have softened and are starting to brown. Add additional oil as needed to prevent the onions from drying out and burning.oil/butter/ghee, 1 medium onion, salt
- Add the beef and brown. Make a well in the pan by pushing the fried onion to the sides of the pot to expose the hot pan. Add additional oil/butter/ghee as needed and place the beef and any marinade in the bowl to the pot. Fry the beef for 12-15 minutes until it begins to brown.
- Simmer until tender. Add enough water to cover the beef along with the whole green chilies, and bring the pot to a boil. Reduce the heat to a gentle simmer and cover. Allow the pot to simmer for at least 30 to 45 minutes until the beef is fork tender.2 whole green or red chilies
- Reduce, rest and serve. Remove the lid and let the korma simmer until the gravy has reduced to your liking. Salt to taste and turn off the heat. Allow the korma to rest uncovered for 5-8 minutes. Serve garnished with freshly chopped cilantro or chopped green chillies over a bed of cauliflower rice or alongside your favourite Indian side dish.fresh cilantro, salt
Slowcooker Beef Korma
- Marinate the beef. Add the yogurt, garlic, ginger, garam masala, Kashmiri chili, salt, pepper, nutmeg, coriander, ground almonds, lemon juice, and saffron (if using), to the pot of a slow cooker. Cut the beef into 1 to 1-½ inch cubes and add to the pot with the yogurt marinade. Toss to coat the beef in the yogurt mixture and set aside. Allow the beef to marinade for at least 1 hour, or overnight in the fridge if possible. Optional step: Before adding the beef to the yogurt marinade, brown the beef on all sides in a pot on the stove for extra flavour.2 pounds beef, 1 cup plain yogurt, 3 cloves garlic, 1 tablespoons ginger, 1½ teaspoons garam masala, 1/4 teaspoon kashmiri chili or cayenne, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon nutmeg, 1 teaspoon coriander, 3 tablespoon ground almonds/almond flour, ½ teaspoon pepper, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, 1 pinch saffron
- Cook until tender. Add the sliced onion, whole chilies, and ½ cups of water to the slow cooker and combine with the yogurt marinated beef. Cook on LOW for 8 hours, or on HIGH for 4-5 hours until the beef is fork tender.2 whole green or red chilies, 1 medium onion
- Rest and serve. Turn off the slow cooker, remove the lid and allow the korma to rest for 5-8 minutes. Season to taste and garnish with fresh cilantro, chopped green chilies, with rice, flatbread, cauliflower rice, or an Indian vegetable bhaji.
Instant Pot Beef Korma
- Marinate the beef. Add the yogurt, yogurt, garlic, ginger, garam masala, Kashmiri chili, salt, pepper, nutmeg, coriander, ground almonds, lemon juice, and saffron (if using), lemon juice, salt, and pepper, in a large bowl and mix well. Cut the beef into 1 to 1-½ inch cubes and add to the bowl with the yogurt marinade. Toss to coat the beef in the yogurt mixture and set aside. Allow the beef to marinade for at least 1 hour, or overnight in the fridge if possible.2 pounds beef, 1 cup plain yogurt, 3 cloves garlic, 1 tablespoons ginger, 1½ teaspoons garam masala, 1/4 teaspoon kashmiri chili or cayenne, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon nutmeg, 1 teaspoon coriander, 3 tablespoon ground almonds/almond flour, ½ teaspoon pepper, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, 1 pinch saffron
- Sauté the onions, Press the "Sauté" button on the Instant pot and add oil/butter/ghee to the pot. Once hot add the sliced onion, season with salt and sauté for 8-10 minutes until the onions begin to brown.1 medium onion, oil/butter/ghee
- Brown the beef. Make a well in the pot by pushing the onions on the side and add the yogurt marinated beef. Cook until the beef begins to brown.
- Pressure cook until tender. Add 1 cup of water to the pot, along with the whole green chilies. Hit "Cancel" to turn off "Sauté". Press "manual" to turn on the pressure cook function, make sure its set to "high". Adjust the cooking time to 25 minutes. Place the lid on the Instant pot and turn the rear vent to "Sealing". Once finished let the instant pot natural release for 10 minutes then turn the rear knob to "venting" and let the remaining pressure release.2 whole green or red chilies
- Rest and serve. Remove the lid and let the korma rest uncovered for 5-8 minutes. Season to taste and garnish with chopped cilantro, green chilies. Serve over a bed of cauliflower rice, or a side of your favourite flatbread or vegetable bhaji.fresh cilantro
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is calculated using the recipe calculator and verified database available from Cronometer. Although every reasonable effort is made to provide accurate information this estimate is provided as courteously and convenience only. To obtain the most accurate representation of the nutritional information in any given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe.
Try the free recipe calculator at Cronometer
Enjoy!
