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–+ servings
Cooked frozen minced meat in a tomato-based sauce, served from an Instant Pot with a spoon scooping it up

Instant Pot Frozen Ground Beef

Cook frozen ground beef in the Instant Pot in under 30 minutes — no thawing required! Includes a quick tomato sauce option for extra flavor
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Author: Miranda | My Anosmic Kitchen
Prep 5 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings :4 servings

Equipment

  • Instant Pot
  • Trivet for Instant Pot

Ingredients
  

  • 1 lb (500g) frozen ground beef
  • 1 cup (240 ml) water
  • 1 tbsp olive oil (optional, for sauce)
  • 1 onion, diced (optional)
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced (optional)
  • 1-2 tomatoes, chopped or 1/2 cup passata (optional)
  • 1 tbsp tomato paste (optional)
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Optional flavor boosters:

  • 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tsp curry paste or vegetable paste,
  • 1 tsp dried herbs (oregano, Italian seasoning)
  • ½ tsp tsp ground spices (cumin, paprika, chili powder)

Instructions 

  • Cook the Beef:
    Place the trivet (metal rack) into the Instant Pot (optional, but helps keep the beef above excess liquid).
    Add 1 cup of water and place the frozen ground beef on top.Seal the Instant Pot and cook on High Pressure:
    1 lb (500 g) → 20 minutes
    2 lbs (1 kg) → 23–25 minutes
    Let the pressure release naturally for 5–10 minutes, then do a quick release.
    Remove the beef, drain off excess liquid, and break up the meat with a fork
  • Make the Sauce (optional)
    Press Sauté and add olive oil.
    Sauté onions until softened, then stir in garlic.
    Add tomatoes, tomato paste, and any optional flavor boosters.
    Return the cooked beef to the pot and stir well.
    Simmer for 5–10 minutes, season with salt and pepper, and adjust spices to taste.

Notes

Trivet tip: Using the trivet keeps the meat elevated and avoids it sitting directly in the water.
Don’t skip the rest time: Letting the pot sit for 5 minutes before releasing helps with even cooking.
Double batch: For 1kg mince, increase pressure cook time to 23–25 minutes.
No sauce? You can skip the second step and simply use the cooked mince for tacos, wraps, or pasta.

Nutrition

Serving: 1servingCalories: 221kcalCarbohydrates: 4gProtein: 27gFat: 10gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0.4gCholesterol: 78mgSodium: 138mgPotassium: 532mgFiber: 1gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 260IUVitamin C: 4mgCalcium: 27mgIron: 3mg
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