Ground Beef and Potatoes Curry, also known as aloo keema, is a classic Pakistani recipe. This homestyle recipe is a one-pot easy curry that is prepared with ground beef, potatoes, and simple spices. This recipe is made with everyday simple ingredients, which makes it a perfect choice for beginners.
Let’s make ground beef and potato curry
Oil
First of all, you need a pan with a lid; then add any neutral oil to it.
Cumin seeds
Now add cumin seeds and let them cook for a minute.
Onion
You’ll need 1 medium-sized yellow or white onion. Peel and cut it into small cubes.
I usually use yellow or white onions for cooking, but you can also use red if you want.
Ginger and garlic paste
I always have my ginger and garlic in the freezer; I buy in bulk, then peel, wash, grind, and divide it into sections before freezing. You can check the method here. Let the onion cook for a minute, then add the ginger and garlic paste. You can also use fresh or store-bought desi ginger and garlic. Mix it well.
Tomatoes
I used 3 medium-sized chopped tomatoes. After cooking the onions and ginger-garlic for about 2 minutes, add the tomatoes. Mix it well.
Spices
This recipe uses the most common everyday spices you’ll probably already have in your pantry. I used salt, red chili powder, turmeric, cumin, and coriander powder. Add in your spices and mix it well. Now cook on high heat for a couple of minutes, then lower the heat, cover the pan, and cook for about five minutes. This step is to soften the tomatoes and make the masala. After five minutes, take off the lid, use a wooden spoon to mix the masala and break down the tomatoes. Once you see the oil is separated from the masala, it’s ready. It might be a little chunky, but that’s okay.
Ground beef for the curry
I used coarsely ground lean ground beef for this recipe; you can also use 85% lean and 15% fat, but I don’t recommend using more than 15% fat. If you do, then you might need to drain out extra fat.
Now add in the ground beef and mix it with a wooden spoon; also break down the ground beef into small pieces as much as you can. Once it changes color, cover the pot and cook for 7-8 minutes over medium-low heat.
Potatoes
I used 2 medium-sized potatoes, which I peeled and cut into about 1/4-inch thick pieces. Thin slices will cook faster. After about 8 minutes, take the lid off and add in the peeled potatoes. Mix it well and cook for another 7-8 minutes over medium heat while keeping the pot covered. Mix it halfway.
Garnish and gravy
If you like dry keema, then once the potatoes are soft, you can garnish it with green chilies and chopped cilantro. I add these two ingredients toward the end to keep their freshness.
If you like some gravy, then add 1 cup of water and let it simmer for another 5 minutes, then garnish.
How to check if the potatoes are ready for Aloo Keema
If you are not sure whether the potatoes are cooked or not, take out one potato and use a fork or a knife; if the fork or knife can cut through it easily, then it’s ready.
Serving suggestions for ground beef and potato curry
I usually serve this aloo keema with homemade roti, naan, white rice or even a paratha.
Must Try Recipes
- Air fried Chicken and Potatoes
- Instant Pot Keema Biryani
- Aloo Chicken Shorba
- Special Dum ka Keema
- Pakistani Seekh Kabobs
Ground Beef and Potatoes Curry (Aloo Keema)
Ingredients
- 1.5 lbs ground beef I used lean beef which was coarsely ground
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 1/2 cup oil
- 3 medium tomatoes chopped
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 tsp garlic paste
- 1 tsp ginger paste
Spices
- 1.25 tsp salt
- 1.25 tsp red chili powder cayenne pepper
- 1/4 tsp turmeric
- 2 tsp coriander powder
- 1 tsp cumin powder
other ingredients
- 3/4 lbs potatoes 2 medium potatoes
- 2 green chilies
- 1/2 cup cilantro
- 1 tbsp lemon or lime juice
- 1 tsp garam masala optional
Instructions
- Peel and chop your onion. Also, cut tomatoes and potatoes.
- In a pan over high heat, add oil, then add cumin seeds. After one minute, add chopped onions. Cook the onions for 2 minutes, then add ginger and garlic paste. Cook for an additional 2 minutes while stirring constantly.
- Now add chopped tomatoes and all of the spices.
- Stir and then lower the heat. Cover the pan and cook for 4-5 minutes on medium heat, stirring in between.
- Break down the tomatoes to make the masala, then add ground beef.
- Break down the beef with the help of a wooden spoon. Cover the pot and cook for 7-8 minutes on medium-low heat. If your ground beef is dry, then add a little water.
- Uncover the pot and add peeled and sliced potatoes. Mix it well and continue cooking until the potatoes are soft. You can check by breaking one of the pieces. If you like dry Keema, then it’s ready.
- But if you like some gravy, then add 1 cup of water and keep cooking for another 5 minutes, then add lemon juice, cilantro, green chilies, and garam masala( if using)
- Serve with naan, roti or paratha