Pakistani Kima Recipe

If you love the flavor of curry, you’ll absolutely love Pakistani Kima! This dish is literally bursting with flavors, and it reminds me a little bit of some of the dishes my husband and I ate during our two-year stay in Taiwan.

I love using fresh ginger, because I love the zest that the pieces of ginger add to this curry — but feel free to use powdered ginger if your taste buds aren’t quite as adventurous, haha. You can also cut back on the amount of curry used if you are serving this to picky eaters.

Having said that, one of my children loves Pakistani Kima so much that he requests it every year for his birthday dinner!

My mom made this for our family when we were growing up, and she got the recipe from her very used copy of the More with Less Cookbook. I’ve continued making my version of this recipe with my own family, and I honestly love it more each time I make it!

Pakistani Kima is an amazing way to stretch a single pound of meat into so many servings. And, I personally think that the leftovers taste even better the second day!

Ingredients laid out on a table including jasmine rice, canned tomatoes, green beans, spices, potatoes, onion, garlic, and ginger for making Pakistani kima.

Pakistani Kima Recipe Ingredients

3 Tablespoons olive oil (or butter)

1 onion, finely chopped

4-5 garlic cloves, minced

1-2 inch chunk fresh ginger root, peeled and finely diced (or 1 teaspoon ginger powder)

1 pound ground beef (I use venison)

1 1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon pepper

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon turmeric

1 28-oz can crushed tomatoes

3-4 large potatoes, peeled and diced

2 cans green beans

cooked rice

Serves 6-8

Finished kima curry with potatoes and green beans simmering in a thick red gravy in a large pan.

How to Make Pakistani Kima

1. Heat the 3 Tablespoons olive oil in a large electric skillet over medium heat. Add the finely diced onion and sauté until tender. Add in the diced garlic and ginger, and continue cooking and stirring for another minute.

Chopped red onions, garlic, and ginger placed in a pan ready to be sautéed.

2. Add in the ground beef and continue cooking and stirring occasionally over medium-low heat.

Minced meat being stirred with onions and small pieces of ginger in a pan using a black spoon.

3. Stir in the salt, pepper, turmeric, cinnamon, and ginger (if not using fresh ginger) and cook for a minute or two to let the flavors season.

Cooked minced meat browned with chopped onions and spices in a frying pan, forming the base for Pakistani keema.

4. Stir in the crushed tomatoes and diced potatoes and mix well. Put a lid on and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes are tender. Add water as needed throughout cooking so that the mixture doesn’t get too thick (I fill the tomato can with water and usually end up using about half of it).

Kima cooking in a pan with large potato chunks and minced meat bubbling in a tomato based sauce.

5. Add in the cans of green beans and stir. Put the lid back on and continue to simmer for 1-2 minutes.

A wide view of keema curry simmering in a large pan with visible steam rising from the surface. Potatoes and green beans are evenly mixed into the red gravy.

6. Serve over cooked rice.

Pakistani Kima

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If you love the flavor of curry, you’ll absolutely love Pakistani Kima! This dish is literally bursting with flavors and is an amazing way to stretch a single pound of meat into so many servings.

Course dinner, Main Course

Keyword easy dinner, family favorite, gluten free, high protein, homemade, potatoes, weeknight dinner

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 15

Servings

Calories 454kcal

Author Brigette

Ingredients

3 Tablespoons olive oil or butter1 onion finely chopped4-5 garlic cloves minced1-2 inch chunk fresh ginger root peeled and finely diced (or 1 teaspoon ginger powder)1 pound ground beef I use venison1 1/2 teaspoon salt1 teaspoon pepper1/2 teaspoon cinnamon1/2 teaspoon turmeric1 28-oz can crushed tomatoes3-4 large potatoes peeled and diced2 cans green beans4 cups cooked rice

Instructions

Heat the 3 Tablespoons olive oil in a large electric skillet over medium heat. Add the finely diced onion and sauté until tender. Add in the diced garlic and ginger, and continue cooking and stirring for another minute.

Add in the ground beef and continue cooking and stirring occasionally over medium-low heat.

Stir in the salt, pepper, turmeric, cinnamon, and ginger (if not using fresh ginger) and cook for a minute or two to let the flavors season.

Stir in the crushed tomatoes and diced potatoes and mix well. Put a lid on and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes are tender. Add water as needed throughout cooking so that the mixture doesn’t get too thick (I fill up the tomato can with water and usually end up using about half of it).

Add in the cans of green beans and stir. Put the lid back on and continue to simmer for 1-2 minutes.

Serve over cooked rice.