Keema is a traditional Indian dish made of spiced ground meat such as lamb, onion, and usually peas or potatoes.
Lamb Keema with Peas
I love this Lamb Keema with Peas because it is easy to make and tastes great. It’s one of my favorite Indian dishes that I often order at restaurants, so I wanted to recreate a lighter version of it to enjoy at home when the mood strikes. More of my favorite Indian recipes are this Instant Pot Indian Chicken Pulao, Indian Shrimp Curry, and Indian Spiced Cauliflower and Potato.
While the ingredient list for this lamb keema recipe may be long, it’s actually pretty simple to make.
How to Make Lamb Keema
- Sauté the onion in ghee or butter in a large pan for eight minutes.
- Add the garlic and ginger and cook for two minutes.
- Add the ground meat and brown.
- Season the meat and onions with all the spices.
- Add the chili, cilantro, bay leaf, tomato sauce, and water. Then reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes.
- Pour in the frozen peas and simmer covered for another five to ten minutes.
What’s keema made of?
My keema uses lean ground lamb, a mix of Indian spices, and other ingredients for maximum flavor.
- Vegetables: Onion, frozen peas, tomato sauce
- Meat: Lean ground lamb, or use ground chicken or turkey
- Spices: Coriander, cumin, chili powder, turmeric, garam masala, cinnamon, cayenne pepper, salt, and pepper
- Extra Flavor: Garlic, ginger, cilantro, chili pepper, bay leaf
How to Serve Lamb Keema
To complete your meal, you can serve lamb keema over white or brown rice or wrapped in naan bread. Leftovers make great stuffed peppers.
Variations and Tips:
- Swap the ground lamb for ground chicken, turkey, or beef.
- Add diced potatoes or spinach to the keema.
- Omit the cayenne if you want a mild keema.
- Refrigerate for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
More Lamb Recipes You’ll Love:
- Grilled Harissa Lamb Chops
- Frenched Rack of Lamb
- Za’atar Lamb Chops
- Grilled Rosemary Lamb Chops
- Roasted Boneless Leg of Lamb
Lamb Keema with Peas
Ingredients
- 1 large onion, minced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp ginger, chopped
- 2 tsp butter or ghee
- 1 lb lean ground lamb, from loin or shoulder
- 1 tsp coriander
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1 tsp turmeric
- 1 tsp garam masala
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 chili pepper, minced (or more to taste)
- 2 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped
- 1/4 cup tomato sauce
- 1 bay leaf
- salt and fresh pepper
- 1 cup frozen peas
Instructions
- In a large saute pan, heat ghee or butter and onions on medium heat. Cook about 5 minutes, until soft.
- Add garlic and ginger; cook another 1 to 2 minutes.
- Add ground meat to pan and brown.
- Season with salt, pepper, cumin, coriander, cayenne, chili powder, turmeric, garam masala and cinnamon. Stir well.
- Add chopped chili pepper, cilantro, bay leaf, tomato sauce and 1/2 cup of water.
- Reduce heat to low and cover. Simmer 15 minutes.
- Add frozen peas and simmer covered another 5 minutes.
