Ground Beef Keema Rice Bowl Recipe

Patterson Watkins/Mashed

There are plenty of recipes to try when you're craving Indian food, and if you happen to prefer meatier mains, then keema might just be the perfect option. Keema is a popular South Asian dish that generally refers to minced meat (beef and lamb are popular protein choices), but it becomes something truly special thanks to the infusion of plenty of spices and aromatics like onion, ginger, or garlic. No matter what type of meat you use, keema is incredibly versatile, making it a great option for transforming into a more specific curry, be it a comforting keema aloo (packed with potatoes), keema pav (served on soft bread rolls), or Pakistani-style keema matar, which pairs the minced meat with peas. 

This ground beef keema rice bowl recipe, brought to us by developer Patterson Watkins, further proves the versatility of the dish. "This dish has two things going for it — it is extremely flavorful (bursting with tantalizing aromas and tasty seasonings), and it is super easy to make," Watkins tells us. She also calls it a "pleasantly casual meal that is perfect for weekdays." And it's true — this recipe comes together in just over 30 minutes, and it yields enough to feed a family of four. The meat itself is packed with both whole and ground spices like cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, garam masala, and coriander (your kitchen is going to smell amazing), and the bowl features basmati rice, cucumber, yogurt, tomatoes, and red onion, making for a perfectly balanced meal that hits all the right notes.

Patterson Watkins/Mashed

You'll begin this recipe by preparing the keema itself, which starts with an infused oil made from olive oil, a bay leaf, cardamom pods, a cinnamon stick, and whole cloves. You'll then saute the aromatics — minced shallot, minced ginger, minced garlic, and minced serrano pepper — in the oil, before adding the ground beef, garam masala, cumin, coriander, turmeric, and chili powder. Tomato puree and beef broth are the final two ingredients to round out the keema.

As for building the rice bowls, you'll need cooked basmati rice, chopped tomatoes, sliced cucumber, and thinly sliced red onion. Cilantro, whole milk yogurt, and lime wedges make for final garnishes, and you may want some naan or roti on hand for serving as well.

Patterson Watkins/Mashed

Patterson Watkins/Mashed

Patterson Watkins/Mashed

Patterson Watkins/Mashed

Patterson Watkins/Mashed

Patterson Watkins/Mashed

Patterson Watkins/Mashed

Patterson Watkins/Mashed

Patterson Watkins/Mashed

Patterson Watkins/Mashed

Patterson Watkins/Mashed

Patterson Watkins/Mashed

Patterson Watkins/Mashed

We've already touched on just how versatile keema is, and that versatility translates to these rice bowls, too. If you're interested in switching up the keema itself, Watkins recommends reaching for a different protein, be it lamb, mutton, or even ground turkey or chicken. "I would think vegan ground meat alternatives would work well with this recipe too," she adds.

Otherwise, while you can get as creative as you'd like with the keema bowl toppings of choice, Watkins highlights just how well the included toppings in this recipe work with the beef. "The trio of fresh additions I used in this recipe is the standard: tomatoes, cucumbers, red onion," Watkins says. "You can leave these unseasoned, like I did, or toss them in a minty raita-like dressing or a simple EVOO and vinegar drizzle." Cilantro is a staple herb in Indian cuisine, so it makes sense that it's included in this rice bowl, but you can pair it with mint for an extra layer of freshness. Finally, Watkins strongly recommends serving with a bready wrap of some sort, like the called-for naan in this recipe, but she notes that roti, paratha, or chapati are all great options.

The first few steps of this recipe involve sauteing a bay leaf and whole spices in oil — a technique also known as blooming spices, and one that is very effective in establishing more depth of flavor. "These whole spices (cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, bay) need a little coaxing to release their aromatic properties," Watkins explains. Heating said spices in either oil or ghee gets the job done, "unlocking their aromatic and flavor compounds," as Watkins puts it. While blooming the spices isn't strictly necessary, it does make for an overall tastier keema (and it doesn't require much time). 

If you don't happen to have whole spices in your kitchen but you do have the ground versions, then you can still use those, but you can skip the blooming steps and go straight to sauteing the aromatics and cooking the beef. From there, when you add the other ground spices, add in tiny pinches of cinnamon, cloves, and cardamom — but we really do mean teensy, tiny pinches. "Ground versions of these spices can overwhelm your dish, be very conservative with them," Watkins advises.