Learn how to cook hamburger meat in the Instant Pot, even if it’s still frozen! If you forgot to thaw the ground meat, you can still get dinner on the table fast!
Have you ever forgotten to pull the meat out of the freezer for dinner, but you didn’t realize it until it was already too late?
Me too!
I have a few “back pocket” types of recipes when that happens, like Instant Pot Frozen Chicken Breast, 30-Minute Cashew Chicken, or 15-Minute Italian Meatballs.
But I know the real problem is me, and I’ve been working really hard to stack the habit of “thawing meat” with “kitchen clean-up,” because I’ll never forget to clean the kitchen, but I can EASILY forget to thaw the meat, LOL.
Sometimes, even that fails, and I’m still scrambling to come up with a Plan B for dinner.
If this sounds like you, know that you are not alone. Here’s how to cook hamburger meat in the Instant Pot from FROZEN in under 30 minutes!
INGREDIENTS NEEDED FOR INSTANT POT GROUND MEAT
To cook frozen ground beef instant pot style, you only need ground meat and water!
- Ground Beef. Whether you use lean ground beef or a fattier blend, it all cooks with the same method.
- Water. For the bottom of the Instant Pot to help it come to pressure.
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HOW TO COOK HAMBURGER MEAT IN THE INSTANT POT
Learning how to cook hamburger meat in the Instant Pot couldn’t be easier! Follow these simple instructions:
Step 1. Measure 1 cup of water (for a 6-quart IP) or 1 ½ cups of water (for an 8-quart IP) into the Instant Pot.
Step 2. Place the trivet in the Instant Pot, and 1-2 pounds of frozen ground beef on top of the trivet. Make sure you’ve removed all packaging material from the ground beef!
Step 3. Cook on HIGH pressure for 20 minutes for 1 pound or 23 minutes for 2 pounds. Let the pressure release naturally for at least 5 minutes (longer is fine too). Turn the pressure release valve to release the remaining pressure.
Step 4. Use a potato masher or wooden spoon to break up the ground beef and use it in your favorite ground beef recipes!
You can store extra cooked ground meat in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 5 days, or freeze it for up to 6 months. I like to place a portion of ground beef in each freezer bag so it is easy for the next meal.
This method works perfectly for tacos, chili, meat sauce and pasta, any recipe you like that uses smaller pieces of meat. It’s not great for making burger patties. You’ll need thawed meat for delicious burgers on the grill.
You can also cook ground turkey using this method!
BEST TIPS FOR HOW TO COOK GROUND BEEF
This is the best way to cook hamburger meat that is about 1” thick. If your ground beef is thicker or shaped in a tube, use a meat thermometer to make sure the internal ground beef temperature reaches 160F.
Want to know how to cook ground beef in bulk? Use this method! You can cook 3 to 4 pounds at a time if your Instant Pot is large enough to hold them. Remember that an Instant Pot full of frozen items will take longer to come to pressure.
INSTANT POT GROUND BEEF RECIPES
Now that you have your ground meat ready to go, try these recipes to make with ground beef:
- Ground Beef Taco Meat
- Beef Stroganoff
- Beef Tamale Pie
- Homemade Hamburger Helper
- Cheeseburger Soup
- Meaty Spaghetti Sauce
- Stuffed Peppers
- Shepherd’s Pie
RECIPES TO MAKE WITH GROUND BEEF THAT FIT YOUR MACROS
I love this method for how to cook hamburger meat for when I forgot to pull the meat out of the freezer, but I ALSO love it as an option to meal prep my protein for the week!
Then I can use it in a bunch of different ways to make meals that fit with my macros.
Protein. Obviously, the ground beef itself gives me protein, but I can add to it, whether that’s a Mexican-flavored meal with beef and beans, a cheeseburger with bacon, or a quinoa salad with beef.
Fat. If I have fat available for a meal, a taco salad is a great option, because I can load it up with my favorite toppings. Cheese, sour cream, and avocado all give me healthy fats and great flavor!
Carbohydrates. My favorite way to use ground beef that includes carbs is in a Korean Beef Bowl with brown rice.
FAQS FOR INSTANT POT GROUND BEEF
How do you cook ground beef in a pressure cooker?
Just follow this super simple recipe, and you’ll have perfectly cooked ground beef in less than half an hour. It’s hands-off and super convenient to cook it from frozen – ideal for those days that you forgot to pull the meat from the freezer!
Do you need to brown ground beef before pressure cooking?
No, you don’t need to sear the ground beef before cooking it in the Instant Pot. In fact, this ground beef recipe is designed to be cooked from frozen! It’s quick, easy, and convenient!
How should you season ground beef instant pot recipes?
I like to cook my Instant Pot ground beef without any seasoning, so that I can add whichever seasonings I want when I use it in recipes. If you want to add spices right away, stick with simple seasonings like salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
How do you stretch Instant Pot ground beef to make it go further?
There are lots of ways to stretch ground beef! Read my post 17 Ways to Stretch Ground Beef and Save Money for ideas.
MORE INSTANT POT BEEF RECIPES
- Instant Pot Beef Brisket
- Instant Pot Beef Stew
- Beef and Broccoli
- Korean Beef Bowls
- Beef Ragu
- Cheeseburger Soup
- Classic Pot Roast
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Learn how to cook hamburger meat in the Instant Pot, even if it’s still frozen! If you forgot to thaw the ground meat, you can still get dinner on the table fast!
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 23 minutes
- Total Time: 28 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
- Category: Main Meals
- Method: Instant Pot / Pressure Cooker
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 2 lbs. frozen ground beef (908g)
- 1 ½ cups water (for the bottom of the Instant Pot (needed to come to pressure). (355g)
Instructions
- Measure 1 cup of water (for a 6 qt IP) or 1 ½ cups of water (for an 8 qt IP) into the Instant Pot.
- Place the trivet in the Instant Pot, and then add 1-2 pounds of frozen ground beef on top of the trivet. Make sure you’ve removed all packaging material from the ground beef!
- Cook on HIGH pressure for 20 minutes for 1 pound or 23 minutes for 2 pounds. Let the pressure release naturally for at least 5 minutes (longer is fine too). Turn the pressure release valve to release the remaining pressure.
- Use a potato masher to break up the ground beef and use it in your favorite recipes!
Notes
- This works best with ground beef that’s about 1” thick.
- If your ground beef is thicker, or shaped in a tube, use a meat thermometer to make sure the internal temperature reaches 160F.
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