Easy Slow Cooker Keema Curry with Beef Mince

Keema curry is one of those meals that doesn’t look particularly exciting when you describe it as mince and peas, but add garlic, ginger and plenty of spices and it’s completely different!

My version is especially easy because it can all go into the slow cooker together. There is no need to brown the mince first, so it genuinely is one of those recipes you can get ready in a few minutes and then leave alone.

I usually make it with beef mince, although I’ve made a vegetarian version with Quorn mince plenty of times too. I’ve been vegetarian since I was 10, so recipes that can easily work for both meat eaters and vegetarians are always useful in our house.

The spices are a mixture of garam masala, coriander, turmeric, cumin, cinnamon and mild chilli powder, with fresh garlic and ginger too. There isn’t a creamy or tomato-based sauce; keema is supposed to be a much drier curry.

Serve it with rice, add some extra vegetables if you fancy them, or simply make a bigger batch and freeze some for another day.

What is keema curry?

Keema is a curry made with minced meat. You’ll find lots of different versions, so I’m certainly not going to claim mine is the definitive way everyone should make it!

My version uses beef mince with onion and peas and is deliberately really simple because it’s designed for the slow cooker.

The relatively small amount of stock might look odd if you’re used to making curries with lots of sauce, but don’t be tempted to pour loads more in. The mince and onion release liquid as they cook and very little escapes from a slow cooker.

What mince should I use?

I use 300g beef mince in the original recipe.

You don’t need to hunt down a particular percentage of fat just because my old recipe used 5% mince. Choose the beef mince you normally buy and that suits your budget.

Turkey mince is another option if that’s what you have. It will taste slightly different, of course, but there’s no reason you can’t use it with the same combination of spices.

I’ve actually had a reader ask me before whether this recipe would work with turkey mince, so you’re definitely not the only person who’s wondered!

How spicy is this keema?

My recipe only uses a teaspoon of mild chilli powder, so it isn’t intended to blow your head off!

If you’re cooking for someone who doesn’t like much heat, reduce or leave out the chilli powder. I wouldn’t start removing all the other spices though because the garam masala, cumin, coriander, turmeric and cinnamon are giving the keema flavour rather than simply making it hot.

If you like a hotter curry, add more chilli powder or some fresh chilli.

I tend to err on the side of making dinner edible for everyone and letting the people who apparently have asbestos mouths add extra chilli to theirs afterwards!

How to make keema curry in the slow cooker

This really couldn’t be much easier.

Put the mince, chopped onion, peas, garlic, ginger, stock and all the spices into the slow cooker and give everything a good stir.

Cook for 6–8 hours on LOW or around 4 hours on HIGH.

Because keema is supposed to be fairly dry, don’t add extra stock unless it genuinely needs it. There’s only 100ml in my recipe and that’s intentional.

If it does end up a little wetter than you’d like, take the lid off towards the end and cook it on HIGH for a while.

That’s it. No browning the mince, no frying spices in three different pans and, most importantly, not much washing up.

If you’re looking for more dinners you can prepare this way, have a look through my slow cooker recipes.

Can I make keema without a slow cooker?

Yes, and the hob version is much quicker if you’ve got to 5pm and haven’t thought about dinner yet!

Start by gently cooking the garlic, then add the onion and spices and cook for another few minutes.

Add the beef mince and cook it until browned, stirring everything together so the mince is coated in the spices.

Add the frozen peas as the mince is cooking and continue until the meat is thoroughly cooked and the peas are hot.

You may need a little of the stock from the recipe, but remember that you’re looking for a fairly dry curry rather than lots of sauce.

Making vegetarian keema

This is one of the easiest meat recipes for me to adapt because vegetarian mince works really well.

I’ve made it with Quorn mince many times, although there are loads more meat-free mince alternatives available now than there were when I first wrote this recipe.

The important thing is not to assume a vegetarian mince needs exactly the same cooking time as raw beef. Follow the instructions for whatever product you’re using and adapt the method accordingly.

You could also use lentils, or replace some of the mince with lentils if you’re trying to make the recipe stretch further. That’s something I already suggest in my budget family meals because it’s an easy way of getting more portions without simply buying more mince.

If you’re vegetarian like me, have a look through my vegetarian and vegan recipes too because there are loads more ideas there.

What should I serve with keema curry?

Rice is probably the obvious choice and it’s what I usually suggest with this recipe. You can keep it simple with plain boiled rice or have a look through my rice recipes if you want something a bit different.

Couscous isn’t traditional, obviously, but if that’s what you’ve got in the cupboard and you like it then I’m hardly going to send the food police round!

You can also add extra vegetables to the keema itself. Frozen mixed vegetables are particularly easy because you don’t even have to chop anything, and they’re handy if you want to make a relatively small amount of mince go further.

Cauliflower rice is another option if you actually enjoy it. I wouldn’t eat it simply because an old diet plan told me I should, but mixed with ordinary rice I quite like it!

Can I freeze keema curry?

Yes, so this is a good one to double if you’ve got enough room in your slow cooker.

Let leftovers cool appropriately and then divide them into portions before refrigerating or freezing them.

I’d freeze the keema separately from the rice. It takes up less freezer space and means you can decide what you fancy serving with it when you eventually use it.

Reheat it thoroughly before eating and check current Food Standards Agency advice if you’re unsure about safely cooling, freezing or reheating leftovers.

What about Slimming World?

I originally wrote this recipe when Just Average Jen was much more focused on Slimming World, which is why the old article concentrated heavily on using 5% mince, calories and whether ingredients needed to be counted.

That’s not really how I want to talk about food now.

If you’re following Slimming World, Weight Watchers or another particular plan, check the current information for the mince and other ingredients you’re actually using because plans and products change.

Otherwise, just choose a mince that works for you and enjoy your curry!

More curry recipes you might enjoy

If you’re looking for another really easy slow cooker curry, my mushy pea curry is completely different but ridiculously simple and vegetarian too.

My slow cooker chicken tikka masala is a creamier option, while my Moroccan chicken casserole uses orange and warming spices if you fancy something that’s not quite a curry.

You can also browse all my curry recipes, mince recipes or slow cooker recipes depending on what you’ve got in the fridge and what you actually fancy eating.

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