Cook ground beef in your Instant Pot from fresh or frozen with this easy method. Instant Pot ground beef is incredibly convenient, super versatile, and can be used in a variety of meals.
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If you're looking for an easy way to cook a large amount of ground beef, this recipe is for you. You can use your pressure cooker or Instant Pot to easily cook several pieces of fresh or frozen ground beef, to be used in any of your favorite dishes.
This is such a time saving method, and it allows you to prepare ground beef to use in several dishes throughout the week. As the meat is steamed, it will be juicy and tasty, and you can season it however you'd like.
Why you'll love it
- Easy way to prepare ground beef
- You can pressure cook frozen ground beef as well as fresh
- Meal prep a big batch of beef at the same time
- Use in your favorite dishes or recipes
- Season the meat however you like!
- Super convenient
- Kid approved
Ingredients
Ground beef: You can use this method on fresh or frozen ground meat.
Water: Always add water, or any other liquid, to the bottom of your Instant Pot. This allows the appliance to get to pressure. If you omit the water, you will almost certainly overheat the Instant Pot, resulting in the dreaded Instant Pot Burn Message.
Instructions
You can find full instructions + ingredient measurements in the recipe card at the bottom of this page
One: Pour water into an Instant Pot, and place a metal trivet or steaming basket on top. Place your ground beef on this trivet to lift it up above the water.
Two: Seal the lid, and pressure cook for 6 minutes for fresh meat, or 15 minutes for frozen ground beef. Allow the pressure to release naturally for up to 10 minutes, then perform a quick release.
Three: Discard the liquid. Use two forks or a spatula to break up the meat.
Top tips
- Place the meat on top of a metal trivet, or in a steaming basket. This allows the meat to be steamed rather than boiled, and improves the texture.
- If you wish to season the meat, I recommend sprinkling the seasoning on top.
- Use a spoon, spatula or fork to break up the cooked meat.
- You can easily pressure cook several blocks of meat the same time. This is a great option if you plan on using ground beef in multiple meals over the next few days.
Serving suggestions
Instant Pot ground beef can be added to a variety of dishes which typically requires you to brown the mince first. If you're looking for different flavor options, see the variation section below. Here are some of my most popular recipes that you can use this pressure cooked beef with:
- Minced Beef Pasta Bake
- Slow Cooker Bolognese
- Instant Pot Chili Mac
- Slow Cooker Chilli Con Carne
- Crockpot Cabbage Roll Soup
- Hamburger Soup
- Slow Cooker Stuffed Pepper Soup
Variations
Other types of ground meat: You can also use this method to cook ground turkey, ground pork or ground chicken in the Instant Pot.
Taco meat: Sprinkle ¾ of a packet of your favorite taco seasoning over the meat before pressure cooking. After the meat is cooked, you add the remaining seasoning to the meat.
Italian style: Sprinkle the ground beef with Italian seasoning or dried herbs before pressure cooking. Then, combine the cooked ground beef with your favorite pasta sauce, and serve.
Asian stir fry style: Coat your cooked ground beef with a stir fry sauce and toasted sesame seeds. You can optionally add some stir fried vegetables, and serve it with rice.
Leftovers
Store leftover pressure cooked ground beef in a sealed container in a refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat it and serve, or use it in a variety of meals through the week.
This recipe is PERFECT for meal prep. Cook up a big batch, and you have browned ground beef ready to use in any dishes you like. I particularly love this method when I am making slow cooker meals, as they often require you to brown the beef separately first.
Frequently asked questions
Yes! Raw ground beef cooks perfectly in and Instant Pot, as does any ground meat like pork, chicken or turkey.
You can cook as much meat as you can fit in your Instant Pot, but never fill it above the max fill line. The cooking time will stay the same, even if you add multiple packets of ground beef.
You might also like these recipes
- Instant Pot Frozen Meatballs
- Air Fryer Roast Beef
- Instant Pot Vegetable Beef Soup
- Ground Beef and Broccoli
- Instant Pot Carnitas
- Instant Pot Pulled Pork Shoulder
If you make this recipe, make sure to post a photo to Instagram with #hintofhealthy!
Recipe
Instant Pot Ground Beef
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 cup water
Instructions
- Pour 1 cup of water into the bottom of your Instant Pot. Place a trivet on top, and place the ground beef on top of the trivet.
- Seal the lid, and select the PRESSURE COOK or MANUAL setting. Select high pressure, and set the timer for 6 minutes for chilled ground beef, or 15 minutes for frozen ground beef.
- After the pressure cooker has finished, you can leave it to release pressure naturally for up to 10 minutes. Then, perform a quick release, and remove the lid.
- Use a wooden spoon or spatula to break the ground beef up. Discard any liquid from the bottom of the Instant Pot, and use the ground beef in your favorite dish.
Video
Notes
- This recipe has only been tested with a 6 qt Instant Pot. Other sizes might take slightly longer to get to pressure.
- Store leftover ground beef in a sealed container in a refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
- Sprinkle any seasoning on top of the beef before pressure cooking, or cook it unseasoned.
Lars
Nice blog to follow while preparing recipes.Thank you so much for sharing with us.
Sandytoes
I’ve had this “recipe” in my Paprika app for some time, but forgot about it until today. It worked perfectly with fresh beef in my 3qt Mini, with w pounds of meat. Timing is spot on, too. I’m so happy to be able to move more recipes into my Dump Recipes folder. Thank you!