Beef Mince Curry with Peas aka Kheema Mattar Masala

Name: Indian Beef Mince Curry aka Kheema Mattar Masala
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 6 servings
Ingredients: 500 grams Minced beef; 1 cup Frozen peas; 2 tbsp Cooking oil; 1 Red onion (chopped); 1 tbsp Garlic (minced); 1 tbsp Ginger (grated); 1 Tomatoes (large, chopped); 2 Bay leaves (large); 2 tbsp Curry powder; 1 tsp Sweet paprika (sweet or hot); 1/2 tsp Garam masala ((my homemade recipe)); 1/2 tsp Fenugreek powder (optional); 1 tbsp Lemon juice; 1 cup Cilantro or parsley (chopped)

February 7, 2018 *Updated* January 24, 2020 By Veena Azmanov 34 Comments

Recipe Video Print

Ground Beef Curry with Peas – Kheema Mattar Masala

This beef mince curry is an Indian classic made with peas. Very similar to chili with minced meat and beans but here we use ground beef and frozen peas instead. This simple and easy recipe uses popular curry powder and garam masala available in most supermarkets which means you do not need a fully stocked Indian Pantry.

Pinterest Optimized Image for Beef Mince Curry with Peas - This kheema Mattar masala is a classic Indian meat dish. — Beef Mince Curry with Peas – Minced Beef or Ground Beef Curry – Kheema Mattar Masala

One of my absolute favorite things as a kid was mincemeat and my mom never failed to create wonderful Indian as well as non-Indian dishes for us such as this beef mince curry.

If you love Indian food and have been to an Indian restaurant you probably saw this dish on the menu often under the name Kheema Mattar Masala. Kheem is mincemeat”, ‘mattar’ means green peas” and masala meaning spice”. So basically this is mincemeat with peas cooked in Indian spices.

To make this recipe authentic would mean to add all spices individually. I want to make this recipe accessible to my friends who love Indian food so instead of using my Indian spice rack I chose to use what is most popularly found to everyone in most supermarkets Curry Powder and Garam Masala. Now I spoke at length about what I think is the right blend for garam masala, what you should look for when buying garam masala and I have even given you my recipe for homemade garam masala spice mix. Soon I will give you my recipe for homemade curry powder spice mix and I think you will love it.

A top view of the Kheema Mattar Masala Recipe showing the pretty red color from the sweet paprika - Mince Meat Curry — Beef Mince Curry with Peas – Minced Beef or Ground Beef Curry – Kheema Mattar Masala

Let’s talk ingredients and substitutes (Save/Pin)

Beef mince – Ideally you can use any mincemeat. I have tried it with turkey, lamb, and chicken as well. They all taste delicious but my favorite is still the beef mince, maybe because I grew up eating beef mince curry. If you do use chicken I highly recommend using chicken thigh mincemeat or cooking it for much less time.
Onion – I use red onion because I like the little sweetness it adds when caramelized. But you can use any onion and it will taste just fine
Ginger/garlic – I highly recommend mincing or grating these as it really blends well in the sauce plus no one likes to bite into a piece of ginger or garlic.
Paprika – I love adding sweet paprika when I cannot add cayenne or hot paprika because my kids are small. It really gives the curry a nice rich color. If you love spicy food go ahead and add cayenne or chilly powder and you will love it.
Fenugreek powder – this is a dried herb with a slightly bitter taste and is not commonly found so don’t worry too much and feel free to avoid it. It’s a lovely herb that complements meat dishes really well.
Curry powder – Curry powder is readily available in most supermarkets these days. So, if you don’t have the spices below don’t worry too much, just add two heaping tablespoons of curry powder. Make sure you buy the curry powder that is right for you, not-spicy, medium or hot. I make my own so you can find my homemade curry powder as well as garam masala. So, if you like making your spice mixes, you will love to try these.

Useful Tips and Tools

Use a heavy bottom pot when cooking with spices. This helps prevent the spices from burning. Spices need to be cooked well in a little water and the heavy bottom skillet also works best to maintain even heat.
A sharp knife and chopping board for cutting the chicken. Always use a separate chopping board just for meat or poultry, and another for vegetables.
Also, a wooden spoon works best to stir curries. And yet, avoid using your favorite wooden spoon as some spices may lend their natural dye to the wooden spoons. Wooden spoons are porous.
You can use a food processor or hand blender to chop the veggies.

Today I have served this minced meat curry with peas (kheema Mattar masala) with my Spiced Cilantro Potatoes and homemade fresh chapati. It’s one of our favorite meals.

A top view of the table showing three dishes - Spice Potatoes, Indian Chapati and this Beef Mince Curry with Peas — Beef Mince Curry with Peas – Minced Beef or Ground Beef Curry – Kheema Mattar Masala

How to Make Indian Beef Mince Curry with Peas – Kheema Mattar Masala (Save/Pin)

Prepare

Chop onions fine.
Grate the ginger and mince the garlic.
Add one cup water to the minced beef

Saute

Saute onion in the oil over medium heat for two minutes until translucent.
Add garlic, ginger and bay leave – Saute another minute or two.
Add curry powder, paprika, garam masala, fenugreek powder, and tomatoes – saute well for 2 to 3 mins on low until fragrant and the oil separates from the mixture.
Next, add the beef mince and frozen peas and stir well for 2 to 3 minutes
Season with salt and pepper
Add half the fresh herbs and bring to a boil.
Lower the heat and simmer covered for 15 minutes on medium-low until you see the oil separates from the mince.
Lastly, add lemon juice.
Taste and adjust seasoning.
Check consistency – add water if you need more gravy or cook on medium until excess water is evaporated.
Enjoy!

What do you serve with this Minced Beef Curry?

This curry goes well with any Indian bread, such as chapati or naan. Our family’s favorite is garlic butter naan or vegetable pilaf. And when I’m looking for a low carb option, I eat cauliflower rice. Since the no-fuss cauliflower rice works great for me in place of steamed rice. My kids also love the turmeric cauliflower rice or my mustard dill cauliflower rice.

A garlic butter naan is a variation on the classic Indian naan recipe that is often accompanied with an Indian meal. This simple, easy and effortless recipe makes a deliciously soft and chewy garlic butter naan that just melts in the mouth.

Nigella Garlic Butter Naan Recipe

This whole wheat sweet potato chapati or flatbread is so versatile you can have it for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. This simple, easy and effortless recipe makes the softest sweet potato flatbread ever. Combined with onions and herbs means you can have it on its own or as a bread with your main course.

Sweet potato chapati, sweet potato paratha

Cauliflower rice is the recent trend in the low crab and gluten free diet. These three simple, easy and effortless methods to making your own will have you addicted to healthy and nutritious homemade cauliflower rice even if you are not on any particular diet. Making homemade takes no more than five minutes.

Homemade Cauliflower Rice Steamed Cauliflower Rice (18)

This one pot vegetable rice is kids absolute favorite dish because it's lightly flavored with just the right amount of vegetables. This simple, easy and effortless recipe can be served as a main course on its own for a light meal or as an accompaniment to the main course. The best part is, it takes only 15 minutes to cook so quick one pot meal is a possibility.

Quick One Pot Vegetable Rice Recipe

Frequently asked question

How long with this minced beef curry keep?

Is this ground beef curry spicy?

Minced beef curry can be spicy but this one is not too spicy. I make it less spicy by using more sweet paprika for the color instead of all chilly powder. The sweet smoked paprika gives the lamb that beautiful color.

Can I use ground chicken instead of ground beef?

You can but you will need to cook it for much less time as the ground chicken cooks instantly.

What can I substitute for garam masala?

Garam masala is a blend of warm spices similar to pumpkin spice of gingerbread spice using spices like cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, etc. You can omit the garam masala. You will lack a bit of flavor but it will still be very delicious.

What can I substitute for curry powder?

Curry powder is a blend of easy to find ingredients such as turmeric, coriander, cumin, etc. You probably already have these spices in your kitchen to make your own homemade curry powder.

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This beef mince curry is an Indian classic made with peas. Very similar to a chili with mince meat and beans but here we use frozen peas instead. This simple, easy and effortless mince meat recipe is made using popular curry powder and garam masala which means you do not need a full stocked Indian Pantry. — Minced Beef Curry with Peas, Ground Beef Curry and Frozen Peas

Indian Beef Mince Curry aka Kheema Mattar Masala

Author: Veena Azmanov

5 from 24 votes

Print Pin Rate

Prep Time: 10 mins

Cook Time: 20 mins

Total Time: 30 mins

Calories: 108kcal

$10

Adjust Servings Here: 6 servings

Description

This beef mince curry is an Indian classic made with peas. Very similar to a chili with mincemeat and beans but here we use frozen peas instead. This simple, easy and effortless mincemeat recipe is made using popular curry powder and garam masala which means you do not need a full stocked Indian Pantry.

Equipment /Tools

Saute pan 5 quarts (Calphalon)
Spatula
Cutting boards
Kitchen Knife

Ingredients

500 grams (1.1 lb) Minced beef
1 cup (5.11 oz) Frozen peas
2 tbsp (2 tbsp) Cooking oil
1 (1 ) Red onion chopped
1 tbsp (1 tsp) Garlic minced
1 tbsp (1 tsp) Ginger grated
1 (1 ) Tomatoes large, chopped
2 (2 ) Bay leaves large
2 tbsp (2 tbsp) Curry powder
1 tsp (1 tsp) Sweet paprika sweet or hot
1/2 tsp (0.5 tsp) Garam masala (my homemade recipe)
1/2 tsp (0.5 tsp) Fenugreek powder optional
1 tbsp (1 tbsp) Lemon juice
1 cup (1 cup) Cilantro or parsley chopped

ADJUST SERVINGS HERE – 6 servings