Ready in 40 minutes, this simple ground beef curry is hearty, comforting, and packed with flavor! Even if you are new to Indian cooking, this recipe will turn out great!
Serve it with my homemade naan bread for an extra special meal that will have the whole family cleaning their plates.
I was well into adulthood before I first tried Indian food, and now I’m obsessed with it! It gets spendy eating out, so I’m always looking for new ways to make it at home.
This curried beef (also called Keema Curry or Keema Matar) is a new family favorite! Even my youngest, who is my pickiest eater, wanted second helpings. That’s always a dinner time win!
The curry and garam masala give it bold flavor, but the coconut milk mellows it out so it isn’t over the top spicy. It really is so, so tasty!
How to make ground beef curry
- PREP – Scrub and cube the potatoes. Dice the onion. Heat the oil in a skillet or large frying pan.
- POTATOES – Cook the potatoes in the oil over medium high heat, stirring often until tender and browned.
Remove to a plate. - SAUTE – In the same skillet, cook the ground beef and onions until the meat is no longer pink. Add the garlic and ginger and cook until fragrant.
- COMBINE – Add the salt, pepper, curry, garam masala, turmeric, and tomato paste to the ground beef mixture. Cook and stir for 1-2 minutes.
Stir in the diced tomatoes and coconut milk.
When the mixture starts to boil, stir in the peas and potatoes. Heat through over medium heat. - SERVE – You can serve the dish as is, or serve it over white or basmati rice. If desired, garnish with chopped cilantro and fresh squeezed lime.
If you have any leftovers, they taste just as good the next day – maybe better!
PRO TIPS:
- Do not confuse unsweetened coconut milk with coconut cream, which is thicker and has been sweetened.
- Garam masala adds a distinct flavor to this dish that is hard to replicate. If you plan on making Indian dishes often, I highly recommend buying it.
- If you want to get a head start on this dish, you can cook the potatoes ahead of time and store them in the refrigerator for a day or two.
VARIATIONS:
- You can use any type of ground meat you have on hand. Ground turkey, ground chicken, and ground lamb would all work.
- For an even creamier dish, you can stir in some plain yogurt with the peas and potatoes.
- Sweet potatoes or even russet potatoes can be used in place of Yukon Golds.
- For a spicier dish, you can add green chili peppers, cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes.
MORE INDIAN RECIPES:
GROUND BEEF RECIPES:
This Indian curry recipe is inspired by Our Salty Kitchen.
Ground Beef Curry Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 pound yukon gold potatoes scrubbed and cubed
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1 onion diced
- 1 Tbsp fresh ginger
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 ½ Tbsp yellow curry
- ½ tsp garam masala
- ½ tsp turmeric
- ½ tsp salt more to taste
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 Tbsp tomato paste
- 1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes
- 1 14 oz can coconut milk not coconut cream!
- 1 cup frozen green peas
- Optional for serving: cooked rice lime wedges, cilantro
Instructions
- Scrub the potatoes and cut into small cubes. Heat the oil in a large skillet to medium-high heat. (I use a large electric skillet.)
- Cook the potatoes in the skillet for 10-15 minutes, turning often, until golden brown and tender. While the potatoes cook, dice the onion and gather the remaining ingredients.
- Set the browned potatoes aside. In the same skillet, cook the ground beef and diced onions until the meat is completely browned. Drain off any excess fat.
- Add the ginger and garlic and cook for one minute.
- Add the curry, garam masala, turmeric, salt, pepper, and tomato paste; cook and stir for a few seconds until fragrant.
- Stir in the diced tomatoes and coconut milk. Bring to a boil, then stir in the cooked potatoes and peas. Heat through. Taste and add additional salt if needed.
- You can serve it over rice or cauliflower rice, or eat it as is. We like to garnish it with cilantro and fresh lime juice.
Notes
- If you cut your potatoes into large chunks, you will need to increase the cooking time in step #2.
- If you want extra sauce to go with the rice, you can add water or chicken broth to the dish. For a thicker mixture, let it simmer for a few minutes over low heat.
- Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
Nutrition
This easy recipe for restaurant-quality ground beef curry has the best flavor thanks to plenty of warm spices. It’s going to be one of your favorite Indian dishes after just one bite!