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Minced Beef and Potato Curry (Aloo Keema)

Minced beef and potato curry is my take on an easy Indian keema aloo, a medium-spiced curry, with sweet garden peas and heady with fenugreek.

Cooking this delicious curry takes around an hour, but you will only spend around 20 minutes of that in the kitchen prepping and cooking!

Overhead minced beef, potato and pea curry (aloo keema matar) served with naan bread.

Ground Beef (Keema) Curry

My classic lamb keema matar recipe has been here since 2018, and it has been in my top 10 recipes ever since.

But lamb ain't the only keema in town, because I also have a pork keema curry, chicken keema curry.

Now we can add a minced beef, potato and pea curry, or keema aloo matar recipe, to the list, and it is gloriously simple and utterly delicious!

Beef isn't commonly associated with Indian or Pakistani recipes, and whilst the consumption per capita is low, both countries sit inside the top 10 global consumers of beef.

We all know that beef holds up beautifully to spicy flavours. But I also think that it has a fantastic affinity with fenugreek, which features boldly here.

It's a curry that will take you about an hour to put together, but the process is very easy and you need no special tools or equipment!

Close-up minced beef, potato and pea curry (aloo keema matar).

Frequently Asked Questions

Where can I find curry leaves?

You will probably need to head to an Indian store for curry leaves. They add a completely unique flavour to dishes.

Buy them fresh and put them in the freezer, they will last in there for 6 months in an airtight container or bag.

They are an essential part of many of my Indian dishes, everything from my smoked mackerel kedgeree to my achar gosht.

Can I use dried curry leaves?

I would honestly rather omit them from a recipe than use dried curry leaves, because they have very little flavour.

Can I use lean minced beef?

Yes, if reducing fat is important to you, then feel free to use lower-fat minced beef.

I think that this recipe is best made with beef with a fat content between 10 and 20%, but the flavours work well with lower-fat beef too.

How spicy is this curry?

Everyone has a different tolerance to spice, I find this curry to be a "medium" spiced curry, however, you should trust your experience! If the two chillies in this recipe sound like they would be too hot for you, then reduce the amount.

This is your dinner, it ain’t a competition!

A NOTE FOR MY US-BASED READERS!

Tomato puree in the US is called tomato paste (concentrated tomato).

Minced beef, potato and pea curry (aloo keema matar) served with naan bread.

Serving Suggestions

I've served my minced beef curry with my tandoori-style naan bread in the photos on this page.

But because this dish is fairly dry, by that I mean that it does not swim in sauce, it is also great served with a chapati.

I like to garnish it with thinly sliced red onion and fresh coriander, but it also works really well with a kachumber salad.

And finally, if you have a taste for something sweet with your curry, then consider adding a little mango chutney on the side!

Don't forget the poppadoms to start the meal off!

Overhead close-up minced beef, potato and pea curry (aloo keema matar).

Equipment Used

I only name-check brands of equipment if I think they make a material difference to a recipe. If you have any questions, feel free to ask them in the comments section below the recipe.

  • Hob/Stovetop.
  • 30cm or 12" frying pan with a lid.
  • Kitchen knife.
  • Chopping board.
  • Vegetable peeler.
  • A combination of weighing scales, a measuring jug, measuring cups and spoons.
  • A sieve or colander (if you are using frozen peas).
  • Serving and serving spoons.
Minced beef, potato and pea curry (aloo keema matar) with naan bread, red onion and coriander.
Yield: 2 Servings

Minced Beef, Potato and Pea Curry Recipe (Aloo Keema Matar)

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 50 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour

An Indian-influenced minced beef, potato and pea curry (aloo keema matar) is the perfect midweek dinner that will not break the bank, but will put a smile on everyone's face!

Ingredients

  • 350g (12oz) Minced Beef
  • 200g (~1⅓ Cup) Potatoes
  • 1 Large (200g) Onion
  • 3 Garlic Cloves
  • 2 Green Finger Chilli Peppers
  • 1 Large (150g) Tomato
  • 12 Curry Leaves
  • 1 teaspoon Cumin Seeds
  • 1 teaspoon Brown Mustard Seeds
  • ¼ teaspoon Ajawain Seeds
  • 1 tablespoon Ghee
  • 2 tablespoon Tomato Puree
  • ½ teaspoon Ground Coriander
  • ½ teaspoon Ground Turmeric
  • 1 teaspoon Kashmiri Chilli Powder
  • 1 teaspoon Salt
  • 250ml (1 Cup) Water
  • 1 tablespoon Dried Fenugreek
  • 150g (~1 Cup) Green Peas
  • 1 teaspoon Garam Masala

Instructions

  1. Cut the onion in half, peel it, then cut it into 1cm (just under ½") chunks.
  2. Peel and mash the garlic.
  3. Slit the green chilli peppers vertically, not all the way through, do not cut in half leave the stalk in place to hold the chilli together.
  4. Heat a 30cm or 12" frying pan over a medium heat and add the ghee when it is hot.Minced Beef Curry process shot 1 of 7
  5. When the ghee has melted add the cumin, ajwain and mustard seeds, the slit chillies, and the curry leaves.Minced Beef Curry process shot 2 of 7
  6. As soon as the seeds begin to crackle, add the onions, and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.Minced Beef Curry process shot 3 of 7
  7. Cut the tomato into 1cm (just under ½") cubes.
  8. Peel and cut the potatoes into 1.5cm (just over ½") pieces.
  9. Add the potatoes, garlic, tomato puree and beef and turn the heat up to high and fry until the beef browns.Minced Beef Curry process shot 4 of 7
  10. Throw in the salt, tomatoes, chilli powder, turmeric, and ground coriander, then stir to combine.Minced Beef Curry process shot 5 of 7
  11. Pour in the water, stir and reduce the heat to medium-low. Then add a lid and simmer for 20 minutes, then remove the lid and cook for another 10-15 minutes or until the potatoes are cooked.Minced Beef Curry process shot 6 of 7
  12. If you are using frozen peas, defrost them by placing them in a sieve and running cold water over them for 3-5 minutes.
  13. Add the peas and garam masala, then crush in the dried fenugreek leaves, stir and cook for a final 2-3 minutes.Minced Beef Curry process shot 7 of 7

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

2

Serving Size:

1

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 820Total Fat: 39gSaturated Fat: 16gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 18gCholesterol: 173mgSodium: 1399mgCarbohydrates: 59gFiber: 12gSugar: 14gProtein: 60g

Calorific details are provided by a third-party application and are to be used as indicative figures only.

Did you make this recipe?

If you made this recipe, I'd love to see what you did and what I can do better, share a picture with me on Instagram and tag me @krumplibrian and tell me how it went!

Van OM

Sunday 2nd of March 2025

Hi I am making your recipe and it smell delicious I’m using a slow cooker to finish it off and I have added baby courgettes and and asparagus tips and a little cauliflower as well as your recommended peas and potatoes…I had to use them up up .. looking forward to my tea tonight … thank you …

Brian Jones

Sunday 16th of March 2025

Enjoy :)

Ian Baker

Sunday 3rd of October 2021

Hi Brian, can I just check please, you list cumin seeds twice in the ingredient list? Should one of these be another seed or is it just a doubling up?

Thanks for the great recipes.

Brian Jones

Sunday 3rd of October 2021

Hi Ian... Thanks for pointing that out, no idea how it happened, it is a duplicate so I have deleted it :)

Brian

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