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When you’re looking for a quick beef mince recipe that’s delicious enough to be a weekend fakeaway but easy enough to be a midweek meal too, it’s got to be this Beef Mince Keema Curry!
It takes just 30 minutes to cook and is full of those store cupboard staples, meaning you don’t have to make any extra effort finding ingredients or cooking for hours for fantastic results.
Soft, meaty, flavourful and so quick to make? This Keema Curry is a JOY, I tell you.
This is a wonderful curry recipe that offers something a bit different if you’re used to sticking to chicken for your spicy dishes. Beef Keema Curry is as easy as it gets too, all being cooked in one pan and ready in about half an hour.
When it comes to creating beef recipes, I try to find as many ways as I can to incorporate recipes with beef mince, because I know it’s such a winning cut for many meat-eating households.
It’s versatile, easy to cook with, good value for money, freezes well and almost everyone likes it.
So now it’s time to try curried beef mince! You can also try my Lamb Keema if you fancy it with a different flavour of meat.
Why you’ll love this Beef Keema Curry recipe
⭐️ Packed with rich flavour
⭐️ Healthier and cheaper than a takeaway
⭐️ Ready in under 30 minutes
What is Keema Curry?
It is simply curried mince. Sometimes it’s cooked with beef, like this one, but it can include other meat instead.
Different cultures have their own versions of this dish, so there is no hard and fast rule about exact traditional recipes.
I am keeping the ingredients minimal for this version for convenience, because that’s what many of us need in our lives the most, but if you’d like a more authentic recipe, check out this Mutton Keema Curry by Swasthi or this Classic Keema Matar by Afelia.
In my simplified keema, the beef cooks in the curry paste and tomatoes to make a rich curry sauce with shortcuts, making this achievable even after work/school run/five loads of laundry (just me?) or a busy day out on a weekend.
I often make a double batch of this and freeze the extras for an even quicker meal for another week.
Keema Curry Ingredients
- Oil – A flavourless oil, like sunflower, is best here
- Beef mince – I use 5% fat
- Onion – You can use either fresh or frozen, chopped onions
- Garlic – Same as above. Remember that 1 clove = 1 tsp of jar/paste
- Ginger – The same applies as above
- Curry paste – Use whichever flavour you and your family enjoy, and which spice level
- Tinned tomatoes
- White sugar
- Peas – I use frozen
How to make Keema Curry
- Fry the onion and garlic over a medium heat for 2-3 minutes.
- Add the mince and ginger and cook until browned.
- Add the curry paste, sugar, tinned tomatoes and half a can of water. Cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thickened.
- Add the peas to heat through for a minute or two before serving.
Substitutions
- Curry paste – You can swap this for curry powder if you prefer (try 4 tbsp but you may need more).
Storing and reheating Keema Curry
In the fridge You can keep this recipe in the fridge for 3 days. Reheat fully before serving, either in the microwave, hob or oven.
In the freezer This recipe freezes well so you could make a large batch. Just wait until it’s totally cold and then put it into a freezer proof container and freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost thoroughly before reheating.
Top tips
Take it up a notch
This is 100% a shortcut recipe, so here are some tips in case you want to enhance it a little if you have the time, ingredients and inclination!
- Add 1 tbsp of garam masala when you add the peas.
- Add 2 tbsp mango chutney when you add the peas.
- Make your own curry paste.
- Add some extra water and cook it lower but slower for longer. This will give you a slightly deeper flavour.
- Serve with fresh coriander/fresh mint/chopped red onions/chopped chillies on top.
What to serve with Easy Keema Curry
- Rice – I sometimes use microwave rice for time-saving when I need to
- Poppadoms
- Naan
- Yoghurt and mint dip
- Add sliced chillies or chilli sauce
- Easy Flatbreads
FAQs
Yes. Just add it to the slow cooker at step 4 in the recipe and omit the water mentioned. Cook for 4 hours on HIGH or 8 hours on LOW.
I use a 5% fat beef mince to keep it pretty light and healthy. A 10% fat beef mince will make it a little more flavourful. You can also use a lamb mince or turkey mince. Both will work well.
I sure do! Check out my curry recipes here. There are all kinds in there – vegetarian, slow cooker, chicken, turkey, beef, lamb… My most popular star-rated hits are my Slow Cooker Chicken Curry (over 500 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️!) and my Easy Slow Cooker Beef Curry. Check them out.
I recently tasked myself with trying out a variety of one-pan pans in a quest to find out which ones were up to the important job of making an all-in-one meal. Read my pan review here. I hope it helps!
Let me know how you got on and what you thought of these recipes. Please rate the recipe using the ⭐️ below.
Also I’d LOVE to see your cooking creations. If you’d like to share yours with me, you can tag me on Instagram (@tamingtwins).
Keema Curry {Easy Beef Mince Recipe!}
Ingredients
- 1 tsp Oil, See notes
- 500 g Mince, See notes
- 1 Onion, See notes
- 2 Garlic cloves, See notes
- 1 tsp Fresh ginger, Peeled and finely chopped, 1 x 2.5cm/1inch piece fresh root ginger. See notes.
- 3 tbsp Curry paste, See notes
- 400 g Tinned tomatoes
- 1 tsp White sugar
- 100 g Peas
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large non-stick frying pan and cook the onion and garlic over a low heat for 2-3 minutes.
- Add the mince and ginger and cook until browned all over (about 5 minutes).
- Then add the curry paste, sugar, tinned tomatoes PLUS half a can of water (fill the empty tomato can halfway and splash it in).
- Cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally until thickened.
- Add the peas to heat through for a minute or two just before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
What Tomato can you use.I like your recipeI will try today.waiting for your reply
I adjusted the keema recipe slightly as I had lots of fresh cherry tomatoes from the greenhouse to use instead of tinned. I also added a tablespoon of Tom purée, used ginger paste as I didn’t have any fresh & chucked in a few cooked potatoes I had in the fridge.
I spiced it up a bit more with fresh chillies & overall it was a quick & tasty meal. Will defo use this recipe again.
Had this with some roti bread and it was delicious! The whole family was practically begging for me to make it again. 5 stars
Love this, used it in a Keema shepherds pie and it’s delicious 😋 So easy to make too.
Made this today, serving with Indian spiced roast potatoes, paratha and a mint yoghurt….easy to make, a winner with my family! Thankyou!
Thanks Sarah, another delicious recipe – I used Panang Curry Paste – and added a spoonful of Tracklements Indian Mango chutney instead of the sugar. Winner all round and soooo quick to create. Great to use mince beef in a variety of ways – creative – Love your food and recipes. Thanks for sharing.
I want to make a mince curry but I don’t have tin tomato or tomatoes . Got Masala curry powder and some tandoori marinade .
Can I do something with my meager ingredients ?
This was a really quick and easy cook. We used balti curry paste as that was what we had on hand, and also simmered the dish for longer to ensure tender meat. We will definitely make this again.