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Savory Ground Beef Japanese Curry Recipe That Will Warm Your Soul

Savory Ground Beef Japanese Curry Recipe That Will Warm Your Soul - Featured Image
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Learn how to make delicious ground beef japanese curry. Easy recipe with step-by-step instructions.

Ingredients

Scale

  • 1 pound ground beef (preferably 80/20 for a good fat balance)
  • 1 large onion, thinly sliced
  • 2 medium carrots, peeled and chopped into bite-sized pieces
  • 2 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
  • 3 cups beef broth (or vegetable broth for a lighter option)
  • 3 tablespoons Japanese curry roux (store-bought or homemade, see notes below)
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
  • 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 medium apple, grated (adds natural sweetness)
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil (or another neutral oil)
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • Cooked white rice, for serving

Substitution Tips: If you can’t find Japanese curry roux, you can make a simple homemade version by melting butter, whisking in flour, and adding curry powder and garam masala. For a vegetarian twist, swap ground beef for crumbled tofu or mushrooms and use vegetable broth.

Instructions

  1. Heat the vegetable oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the sliced onions and cook slowly, stirring occasionally, until they turn golden brown and caramelized, about 15 minutes. This step builds the deep, sweet flavor that Mama Lu always said was “the heart of any good stew.”
  2. Add the minced garlic and grated ginger to the pot, stirring for about 1 minute until fragrant. Be careful not to burn the garlic, or it’ll turn bitter.
  3. Increase the heat to medium-high and add the ground beef. Break it apart with your spoon, cooking until it’s nicely browned and no longer pink, about 6-8 minutes. Season lightly with salt and pepper as you go.
  4. Stir in the chopped carrots and diced potatoes, coating them well with the meat and onion mixture. Let them cook together for 3-4 minutes to start softening the vegetables.
  5. Pour in the beef broth, soy sauce, and Worcestershire sauce. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat to low and let it simmer, partially covered, for about 20 minutes or until the vegetables are tender and the flavors meld.
  6. Grate the apple directly into the pot and stir it in. This little trick adds a touch of natural sweetness that balances the curry’s savory notes, a secret I picked up from my travels to Japan.
  7. Break the curry roux into smaller pieces and stir them into the pot. Continue stirring gently until the roux dissolves completely, thickening the sauce. Let it simmer for another 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
  8. Taste and adjust seasoning with more salt or soy sauce if needed. The curry should be thick, rich, and just sweet enough to make you smile with every bite.
  9. Serve hot over freshly steamed white rice, just like Mama Lu would have wanted—simple, satisfying, and full of heart.

Find it online: https://claracooking.com/ground-beef-japanese-curry/