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This Instant Pot Keema (Ground Beef Curry) is THE keema recipe you’ve been waiting for. It’s quick and easy to prepare and full of traditional Pakistani & Indian flavor. It requires simple ingredients and has no whole spices to bite into, which makes it incredibly versatile and kid-friendly. Use it for filling, topping, and much more. This recipe also includes instructions on how to adapt it to the stovetop.
What is Keema?
Keema, or spiced minced/ground meat, is a staple food in the Indian Subcontinent. Being Pakistani and Punjabi, I’ve grown up on ground beef and it’s one of my favorite meats (evidenced by my extensive list of keema recipes). The techniques and spices used in South Asian cooking elevate ground meat and give it an irresistible depth.
This is a basic keema recipe, and by basic I mean it’s foundational and essential for any home cook. It’s a classic recipe – comforting, perfectly spiced, and balanced in flavor. It’s also highly adaptable so feel free to use ground chicken, lamb, or goat (mutton) and add vegetables to your liking (more on that below).
How to Make Keema in the Instant Pot
Making keema in the Instant Pot is incredibly simple. You lightly brown the onion/garlic/ginger, then add the ground beef and sauté. Once the meat changes color, you add the rest of the ingredients and pressure cook. After that, you’ll add yogurt (a beautiful ingredient in keema) and sauté out the extra moisture. Garnish and you’re done!
This recipe uses a food processor to make the process so painless that even chopping or mincing is unnecessary. The two techniques you shouldn’t skimp out on while making keema are:
1 – Allowing the onions to lightly brown to create depth in flavor and 2 – sautéing or stir-frying (a technique called “bhuna”) the meat so it browns nicely.
Keema Serving Suggestions
This Instant Pot Keema recipe can be used in a myriad of ways. Of course, you can eat it as-is like a curry, but you can also use it as a filling for samosas, parathas, or naan. I love using leftovers for non South-Asian foods like pasta, pizza, tacos/wraps, sandwiches, and so much more.
How to add vegetables to keema
There are several vegetables that traditionally go together with ground meat. Here’s a list of them and tips on how you can incorporate them after pressure cooking the keema. Keep in mind the salt will need to be adjusted after adding any other vegetables.
- Potatoes (Aloo): Boil or shallow fry (then steam) cubed potatoes and fold in when the keema is just about done.
- Frozen green peas (Matar): Add with the yogurt and sauté. The green peas will cook in the remaining moisture.
- Green Bell Pepper (Shimla mirch): Add with the yogurt and sauté. If you want the bell peppers softer, cover the Instant Pot after adding them and allow them to soften on Low Sauté.
- Bitter Melon (Karele): Stir-fry the deseeded and cubed bitter melon for 10 minutes first and then sauté along with the meat after pressure cooking.
Tips for Cooking Keema in the Instant Pot
- If you rinse your meat (I do), then set it on a colander and allow it to dry before using it in the recipe. This is to prevent any extra moisture.
- Do not add any water. The moisture from the tomato and beef is enough to make sure it will not burn.
- Be sure to sauté out the excess moisture at the end of pressure cooking. This will take upward of 5 minutes, depending on how large or watery your tomato is.
- Spices are essential to a good keema. To make up for using no whole spices, I add garam masala at the end. Feel free to adjust spices to your taste.
- This recipe freezes really well. You can even make a double batch and freeze half. The pressure cooking time will remain the same, but you’ll have to sauté a bit longer at each step.
How to make this Keema on the stovetop
No IP? Here’s how to make this recipe on the stovetop:
- Heat a heavy-bottomed pan over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the oil, whole spices, and onion mixture and sauté until the onions are slightly brown, about 8 minutes.
- Add the ground beef and cook, stirring often, until it changes color and most of the moisture dries up, about 4-5 minutes. Use a wooden spatula to break up the beef into small pieces to ensure no lumps.
- Add the remaining ingredients except the cilantro, garam masala, and lemon juice and sauté for 4-5 minutes, or until the tomatoes start to break down. Add 2 tablespoons of water and stir.
- Lower the heat to a little higher than the lowest setting, cover, and allow it to cook for 25 minutes, stirring a few times in between. Garnish with the garam masala, cilantro, and lemon juice (if using).
More Keema (Ground Beef) Recipes
Aloo Keema (Ground Beef and Potato Curry)
Pakistani Kofta Curry (Meatball Curry)
Keema Matar (Ground Meat and Peas Curry)
Baked Pakistani Seekh Kabob
Instant Pot Shami Kabab (with Stovetop Instructions)
Easy Instant Pot Keema
Equipment
- Instant Pot
- Food Processor (Optional)
Ingredients
- 1 medium onion peeled and chopped into eights
- 5 garlic cloves peeled
- 1/2 inch ginger peeled and cut into a few pieces
- 1/4 cup neutral oil such as avocado or grapeseed
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1-2 small green chili peppers stems removed
- 1 small to medium tomato (up to 150 g to prevent excess liquid) quartered
- 1 lb ground beef (lean and regular both work)
Ground Spices & Salt
- 2 tsp coriander powder
- 1 tsp cumin powder
- ½ tsp turmeric powder
- ½ red chili powder or to taste
- ¼ tsp red chili flakes optional
- 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1 1/4 tsp kosher salt or to taste
After Pressure Cooking
- 2 tbsp whole milk yogurt
- 2 tbsp cilantro leaves finely chopped
- ½-1 tsp garam masala
- ½ tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice optional
Instructions
- Place the onion, garlic, and ginger in a food processor. Use the pulse function to chop the mixture until finely chopped but not blended. Make sure the garlic and ginger is properly minced.
- Select the Sauté setting on your Instant Pot and set it to More. When the screen says Hot, add the oil and cumin seeds and allow them sizzle for a few seconds.
- Add the onion mixture and sauté until lightly browned (~6-8 minutes). Meanwhile, use the pulse function to roughly chop the tomatoes and green chili peppers in the food processor. Set aside for later use.
- Deglaze the Instant Pot with a splash of water and continue to stir for a minute. Add the ground beef* and cook, stirring to remove any lumps, until it changes color (~4-5 minutes).
- Add the tomato/green chili pepper mixture, ground spices, and salt. Mix well.**
- Cancel Sauté and close and seal the lid. Select the Pressure Cook setting on High and set for 10 minutes. Once cooked, allow the pressure to naturally release for 5 minutes, then manually release any remaining pressure.
- Select the Sauté setting and set to More. Stir in the yogurt and sauté until the meat turns glossy and no excess liquid remains (~6-7 minutes). Taste and adjust salt and spices. Sprinkle in garam masala, cilantro, and lemon juice (if desired). ***
Salaam Izzah. This was another HIT in my household, the spices were PERFECTION and the taste was to die for. I am fan girling you so hard right now because ever since I discovered your blog my dinners have been incredible 🙂 Thanks again for an amazing recipe.
W.S. Farha! I’m so honored and delighted to see your comment. Thank you for sharing!
ASA sisters, a lazy Pakistani guy here. I am so going to try making it tonight to test it out and then later for a large family iftaar gathering. Wish me luck!
W.S! For a larger batch, you may need to saute out more at the end to evaporate the water content. Good luck!
Thanks, I had read that in another of your reply. Keep up the great service of helping others to cook right.
This was so easy and delicious. I added some baby spinach at the end when I added the yogurt. A definite keeper. Thank you!!!
Yum! Great tip. Thanks so much, Debbie!
Thanks for the recipe! I tried being over smart and used fried onions instead of chopped and got a straight up burnt notice and everything stuck to the bottom of the instant pot. Not sure if I should have added some water or what …. Now the whole thing has been transferred to a pot on stove 🙁
That’s the best way to learn though! 🙂 Thanks for sharing, Uni!
I am very inexperienced in desi cooking but I tired this in my instant pot and it was absolutely delicious and ALLLMOST just like my mothers! I made it with green peppers and used the left overs in a batch of lasagna. I am just about to make another batch with peas and can’t wait to eat it with naan and achar! 🙂 Thank you for an excellent recipe!
So glad to hear that, Nadia. What a great idea for the leftovers. You’re welcome and thanks for your review!
My husband and I couldn’t get enough of this keema! I was really excited to use leftovers in tacos or sandwiches the next day but we didn’t have enough left lol. So good!
hahah thank you 🙂
Thanks for the awesome recipes!
You’re welcome! Hope you enjoy them!
Hi! Can you omit the yogurt if you don’t have any on hand? Or what about subbing Greek yogurt? Thanks!
Yes, Lauren. You can omit or sub greek yogurt but I’d use less than the recipe calls for. Traditionally, yogurt isn’t a required ingredient!
Hi Izzah,
Thanks for your latest email and for continuing to keep in touch during these extremely challenging times in which we all find ourselves.
I just wanted to wish you and your family the most sincerest of best wishes and above all, to keep safe and take care.
Kind Regards,
Bob
So kind of you, Bob and thanks for reading the email and for taking the time to leave such a nice review. Best wishes to you!
What a delightful posting you have sent us today. Thank you for sharing and I totally understand where you are coming from. Also, if a recipe has the word “Keema” in it, I’m all over it. I know God has our back & it’s going to be okay. We just need to have our eyes open and be watchful. Thank you so much and you take care of you, those babies, and your Sweetheart….
So happy to hear you read and enjoyed it, Laura! Thank you for your encouraging words and well wishes. Best wishes to you!
Hi if using chicken what should be the pressure time and npr? Thanks!
I haven’t tried it but I’d go ahead and use the same 10 minute cooking time, Sarah! You can’t really overcook ground chicken.