This Instant Pot Beef Curry, sometimes referred to as a stew, is a simple Pakistani beef dish made with boneless stew meat cooked with onions, yogurt, and whole spices. It’s a true dump-and-go recipe with just about 10 minutes of prep before the Instant Pot does the work.
“This recipe is nothing short of amazing!!! There are literally indescribable flavors in every bite. Plus, the recipe layout is straightforward and simple to follow.”
Chris
Navigation
- What Is This Beef Curry, Actually?
- Ingredients You’ll Need
- How To Make Pakistani Beef Curry In The Instant Pot
- What Cut Of Beef To Use
- How Long Does It Take To Make Pakistani Beef Curry (Or Stew) In The Instant Pot?
- Tips To Make Pakistani Beef Curry In The Instant Pot
- How To Make This Beef Curry On The Stovetop
- How To Double This Recipe – Key Tip
- Easy Instant Pot Beef Curry Recipe
What is this Beef Curry, actually?
This dish is a bit hard to label. It arrived in my life as a flavor-packed surprise introduced by a family member who called it Isto (a transliteration of “stew”). The texture and technique aren’t what I normally associate with Western stews—the meat isn’t swimming in gravy and there aren’t visible vegetables—so calling it a stew felt odd.
The recipe blends elements from beef korma, bhunna gosht (sautéed meat), and beef masala, but it doesn’t fit any single category perfectly. Ishtu (pronounced “Ishtew”) in South Asian tradition is meat cooked with a lot of onions and whole spices—what’s often called khara masala. It behaves more like a curry in taste and finish, so I’ll refer to it as both stew and curry to honor its roots.
Ingredients You’ll Need
The recipe relies on common whole spices used across Indian and Pakistani kitchens—items that are usually available in well-stocked grocery stores. Along with those spices you’ll need onions, yogurt, garlic, ginger, and a handful of almonds to enrich the texture and lend a Mughal-inspired finish.
How To Make Pakistani Beef Curry In The Instant Pot
This is one of the easiest Instant Pot recipes. In short:
- Marinate the beef in vinegar and enough water to cover it—this tenderizes the meat and removes any strong odor.
- Add all ingredients listed in the “To Pressure Cook” section to the Instant Pot (order is not important). Drain and rinse the marinated beef, then add it in and stir to combine. No extra water needed.
- Secure the lid, seal, and pressure cook on High for 45 minutes using the Meat/Stew setting. Let the pressure naturally release for 10–15 minutes, then manually release remaining pressure.
- While the meat cooks, prepare the almonds by briefly microwaving them in water, cooling, and peeling the skins.
- After pressure cooking, use the High Sauté setting and cook until most of the moisture evaporates and the curry thickens—this takes patience but develops deep flavor. Toward the end, add crushed ginger and peeled almonds, sauté a few minutes more until oil begins to separate, then finish with cilantro.
What Cut of Beef to Use
Use pre-cut beef stew meat—typically from the shoulder (chuck) or round. Shoulder pieces tend to be more tender and are my preference. Aim for cubes about 1–2 inches; larger pieces should be cut down so they cook evenly.
How Long Does It Take to Make Pakistani Beef Curry (or Stew) in the Instant Pot?
The pressure cook time is 45 minutes on high, plus a 10–15 minute natural pressure release. The final sauté to reduce moisture takes roughly 15–20 minutes. Most of the total time—about 1 hour 30 minutes—is hands-off, with the exception of the finishing sauté. If you’re in a rush, you can finish the reduction on the stovetop for faster evaporation.
Tips to make Pakistani Beef Curry in the Instant Pot:
- Slice onions thinly if you want a stronger onion presence; finely chop if you prefer them to melt into the sauce.
- Adjust yogurt and onion quantities to control final sauté time and intensity of the masala: more yogurt and onion = longer sauté and richer masala; less = shorter sauté and a more bhunna-style finish.
- Yogurt will curdle under high pressure; this is normal and will resolve as you reduce the curry while sautéing.
How to make this Beef Curry on the Stovetop
You can cook this on the stovetop by combining the Instant Pot ingredients in a heavy pot with enough water to cover the meat. Bring to a boil, cover, then simmer gently for 2½–3 hours or until tender. Finish by sautéing down excess moisture and adding the final ingredients as described above.
How to Double this recipe – Key Tip
Doubling the ingredients is straightforward and the pressure cook time remains the same. However, you’ll have more liquid to reduce afterward. To prevent the meat from overcooking or shredding while you reduce the sauce, either transfer the cooked beef to a pot on the stovetop to finish the reduction, or remove the meat from the Instant Pot before reducing and add it back once the masala reaches the desired consistency.
Serving Suggestions
This relatively dry curry pairs best with flatbreads like roti or naan, which let you enjoy its texture and nuanced spices. It also complements lentils such as masoor dal. Discard whole spices as you serve and eat.
Leftover ideas: Remove whole spices, lightly shred the beef, and use it as a filling for parathas, sandwiches, tacos, or salads. It reheats beautifully and adapts to many uses.
Recipe
Instant Pot Pakistani Beef Stew (Curry)
Ingredients
Marinade:
- 1 lb (454 g) beef stew meat, cut into 1–2 inch cubes
- 2 tbsp white vinegar
To Pressure Cook:
- 1 large yellow onion (~220 g), chopped or sliced
- ¼ cup neutral oil
- 6 garlic cloves (leave whole)
- 8 dried red chili peppers (reduce quantity if using hotter chilies)
- 2 tsp coriander seeds
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- ¼ tsp whole cloves
- ¼ tsp whole black peppercorns
- 1-inch cinnamon stick
- 2 whole green cardamom pods
- 1–2 whole black cardamom pods
- ½ tsp turmeric powder
- 1 1/4 tsp kosher salt
- ¾–1 cup plain whole milk yogurt (see note)
After Pressure Cooking:
- 1-inch ginger, crushed
- 2 tbsp whole raw almonds (~15–16 almonds), blanched and peeled
- 1 tbsp cilantro, finely chopped, for garnish
Equipment
- Instant Pot or other electric pressure cooker
Instructions
- To marinate: Combine the beef and vinegar in a medium bowl and add enough water to cover. Set aside.
- Add all ingredients from the “To Pressure Cook” list into the Instant Pot. Drain and rinse the marinated beef, then add it to the pot and stir. No extra water is needed.
- Close and seal the lid. Select Meat/Stew on High Pressure for 45 minutes. When done, allow a natural release for 15 minutes, then quick-release any remaining pressure.
- Meanwhile, prepare the almonds: Place almonds in a small microwave-safe bowl, cover with water, microwave 1 minute, drain, rinse with cold water, and peel the skins.
- Remove the lid and select High Sauté. Sauté until most moisture evaporates and the curry thickens, about 15 minutes. Stir more frequently toward the end to prevent sticking.
- Add crushed ginger and peeled almonds, sauté 2–3 minutes more until oil starts to separate. Taste and adjust salt. Garnish with cilantro and serve with naan or roti. Discard whole spices when serving.
Notes
Note 1: Using less yogurt reduces the final sauté time but will yield a less saucy masala and more of a bhunna (sautéed meat) texture.
Doubling: If you double the recipe, keep the same pressure cook time. You will have more liquid to reduce; to avoid over-shredding the meat, consider removing the cooked beef before reducing the sauce and add it back once the masala reaches the desired consistency, or finish the reduction on the stovetop with the meat set aside.