This easy recipe for coconut beef stew takes a favorite comfort food to the tropics! Full of spices and some coconut milk that makes a creamy, dreamy sauce…this is a beef stew that is going to have them asking for seconds and thirds.
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Why we love this recipe
Imagine this. You get a hankering for a nice, hot, comforting beef stew with all the wonderful ingredients: chunks of beef, pieces of carrot and potato, etc.
But instead of the usual beef broth or wine that you usually make beef stew with…you use coconut milk. And you throw in a few spices that are usually not found in beef stew, like cinnamon and cumin.
And when the stew is done, all tender and with a hint of coconut taste after simmering for hours in the coconut milk, you ladle it out into bowls and take your first bite, and you are transported into a land that is a confusingly wonderful mixture of tropical comfort food.
I promise you, this is one beef stew that you are going to remember lovingly for a good long time…it’s right up there with my beloved recipe for red wine short ribs. Let’s make it!
Ingredients you need
Ingredients additions and substitutions
- Coconut Milk: You can use either the full fat or the low fat kind. Although I’m here to tell you that I love the full fat for its extra creaminess!
- Potatoes: We love Yukon Gold potatoes for this recipe, but you can use peeled Idaho or Russet potatoes, or halved baby potatoes.
- Beef: We like Beef Chuck Steak for this recipe (which you can sometimes find already cut into chunks) but you can also use Top Round or Bottom Round.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How to make this recipe
Step 1: Preheat your oven to 350. Pour some olive oil in a heavy large pot and saute some chopped sweet onions until they are soft, about five minutes.
Step 2: Add some chopped garlic, paprika, cinnamon and salt (isn’t it pretty looking?)
Step 3: Stir in some tomato paste and some coconut milk. Things are getting tropical around here!
Step 4: Bring the coconut mixture to a boil and add some chopped beef chuck steak. Now cover your pot and pop it in the oven for one hour. (I recommend a nap at this point.)
Step 5: Take the pot out of the oven, add in some carrots and potatoes and pop it back in the oven for another hour and fifteen minutes. And, you’re done! Serve it up with a sprinkle of flaked coconut and some chopped parsley.
Recipe FAQs
You can! Add the carrots and potatoes from the very start, and cook on low for eight hours or until the meat is tender.
Coconut milk comes in a can, and is usually in the international foods section of your supermarket.
The cumin and paprika give it just the right amount of sass, but not too much (even for me, the ultimate spice wimp. Yes, I buy mild salsa.)
Pop your question in the comments section below and I will answer pronto!
Want to round out your meal?
This delectable beef stew is fine on its own, but if we are feeling extra hungry we love these cream cheese biscuits on the side.
And for dessert? Some caramel apple cake, please!
Other beef stew recipes we love
Could you leave us a review?
If you try this recipe, we would love to hear how it came out for you! I’d be super grateful if you could leave a star rating (you pick how many stars! 🌟 ) and your thoughts in the Comments section.
PrintCoconut Beef Stew
This recipe for coconut beef stew takes an old favorite comfort food to the tropics! Full of spices and some coconut milk that makes a creamy, dreamy sauce.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 2 hours, 25 minutes
- Total Time: 2 hours 35 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stovetop and Oven
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Gluten Free
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 onions, chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, chopped
- 2 tablespoons paprika
- 2 tablespoons cumin
- 1 tablespoons cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 4 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 14oz can coconut milk
- 2 pounds beef chuck steak, cut into cubes
- 4 large Yukon gold potatoes, cut into chunks
- 2 cups carrots, cut into 1–2 inch pieces
- 1 cup flaked coconut
- 1/2 cup chopped parsley
Instructions
- Heat oven to 350. Put oil in Dutch oven or other ovenproof pot over medium heat. Cook onions for 5 minutes or until soft. Add garlic and spices and stir for one minute. Stir in tomato paste and then coconut milk. Bring to a boil and add beef.
- Cover and transfer to oven, Cook for 1 hour, then remove from oven and add potatoes and carrots. Cover and cook for an additional hour and 15 minutes.
- Sprinkle each serving with flaked coconut and parsley and serve.
Notes
- Coconut Milk: You can use either the full fat or the low fat kind. Although I’m here to tell you that I love the full fat for its extra creaminess!
- Potatoes: We love Yukon Gold potatoes for this recipe, but you can use peeled Idaho or Russet potatoes, or halved baby potatoes.
- Beef: We like Beef Chuck Steak for this recipe (which you can sometimes find already cut into chunks) but you can also use Top Round or Bottom Round.
Gina says
Love all the different flavors in this dish! This is also the perfect kind of recipe for me – only three steps :)
Sometimes the easiest things are the most delicious, right? :)
Martin says
My wife dislikes spicy but absolutely loved this
I’m so glad! I try not to play favorites with my recipes, but I have to say this is my favorite beef stew recipe too. :)
Mindy says
Sounds delicious! Do you recommend full fat or light coconut milk?
Hi Mindy! I usually use light, but I’ve made it with both and it comes out fine either way. Happy cooking!
Tim Tobish says
Add juice of two limes, a few jalapenos and some diced red bell peppers, two keffir lime leaves and a small can of fire roasted tomatoes.
Hi Tim! Love these suggestions! :)
Maisy says
Flavour was nice, but my stew was full of grease (most apparent after refrigerating leftovers).
I did make adjustments to the recipe: we can’t tolerate onions or garlic, so I substituted my dried mixed spice with these flavours; I added the cream of a second can of coconut milk because it didn’t have enough liquid; at the very end (last 10 minutes) I added mushrooms and chopped pok choy.
Would searing the meat first help with the grease? Any tips? I would try this again if I could control that grease.
Hi Maisy! Your additions sound delicious. :) As for the grease, it definitely could have been the particular cut of meat you used. Searing can definitely help with that (and will also add another level of flavor!), and I would look for a cut that has just a medium amount of marbled fat – and of course cut off any big chunks of fat that you see. And a quick fix for anything that is turning out too greasy – lay a clean paper towel on the top of the stew and press it down gently. It will soak up the excess oil which always floats to the top. Sometimes you need more than one. But hopefully you won’t need this trick next time. Hope this helps! :)
Annis Waugh says
This was really tasty thought I cooked it for 3 hours in the end as the beef was too tough after 1h 15 mins.
Thanks Annis! Sometimes cutting the meat into even smaller pieces will help the cooking time. I’m so glad you liked it in the end, though! :)
Adina says
I would love to try this stew, it looks and sound absolutely delicious and I am a fan of good, hearty beef stews. Can I have that puppy? :)
Kathy @ Beyond the Chicken Coop says
What an interesting idea! I love all the spices you’ve used and I’ll be this tastes spectacular!
Oh it does- I promise! :)