Instant Pot Frozen Ground Beef: Quick Dinner Solution

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It’s 5 pm and your block of ground meat is totally frozen. Don’t worry, this Instant Pot Frozen Ground Beef recipe is here to save the day and your dinner plans! Just add a little water and the frozen block of beef to your IP and put your mind at ease. With no thawing needed, it’s perfect for busy days!

Fork lifting a bite of ground beef in a red sauce over a plate of food.

Why This Recipe Works

Instant Pot Frozen Ground Beef is going to save your dinner time and possibly your sanity.
It is easy to cook frozen ground beef in your Instant Pot, and it finishes in about the same time it would take if you had remembered to thaw it.
Pressure cooker ground beef offers a fast, hands-off, convenient way to cook frozen ground beef.
This Instant Pot ground beef tutorial shows you how to get tender, ready-to-use, perfectly cooked ground meat from frozen in under 30 minutes.
The post also includes a few ways to use the finished product.

🥩 Ingredients

Frozen ground beef on a plate, next to a measuring cup filled with water.

1 pound frozen ground beef – You can also use frozen ground turkey, chicken, or pork. Cooking ground beef from frozen saves time when you forget to thaw. Works best with ground meat that’s in a flat, freezer-safe package or frozen in a thick block.

1 ½ cups water – The water creates steam for the Instant Pot to build pressure and prevents burning during cook time. You can sub beef stock or chicken broth for extra flavor.

⚙️ How to Cook Frozen Ground Beef in the Instant Pot

Add the water and insert trivet: Placing the metal trivet on the bottom of the pot keeps the meat above the water and prevents it from boiling.

Pound of frozen ground beef on a trivet inside an Instant Pot.

Add frozen beef: Place the frozen ground beef on top of the trivet. No need to break it apart. It’s better if you don’t.

Cook: Seal the lid and set to High Pressure for 20 minutes. The pot will take about 10 minutes to come to pressure. After cooking, let the pressure release naturally for 5 minutes, then perform a quick release or remaining pressure.

Pound of cooked ground beef on a trivet inside an Instant Pot.

Check doneness: Remove the lid. If the beef is still pink, remove the trivet, drain the water, and return the beef to the inner pot.

Saute to finish: Press saute function, break up the beef, and cook until no longer pink. Season to taste with your favorite spices and use as desired.

Instant Pot filled with cooked ground beef.

Note: If pressure cooking already thawed or fresh ground beef, cook on High Pressure for 6 minutes, then do a quick pressure release.

🧂 Seasoning Ideas

You can season your ground beef simply with salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, etc. Or try any of these simple and flavorful spice combinations to use in a variety of recipes.

Mexican: Chili powder, cumin, paprika or a packet of taco seasoning
Italian: Oregano, basil, garlic, onion
Asian-inspired: Soy sauce, ginger, sesame oil

Bowl of cooked ground beef next to an Instant Pot.

🥶 How to Store Cooked Ground Beef

Cooked ground meat is perfect for meal prep. You can also portion the cooked beef into 1-cup servings to make weeknight dinners faster.

Let leftover beef cool completely before sealing to avoid condensation from forming.
Store in an appropriately-sized airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.

❄️ How to Freeze Cooked Ground Beef

Allow the cooked beef to cool completely. The best and fastest way is to spread it out thinly on a baking sheet. You can let it cool at room temp or pop it in the fridge if you have the space.
Store in freezer-safe bags. Remove as much air as possible, seal, label and freeze for up to 3 months.
To reheat: Thaw overnight in the fridge or warm in a skillet over low or medium heat with a splash of water.

🍝 What to Serve With Instant Pot Ground Beef

These are just a few ideas of how to use your cooked ground beef. But be sure to check out this post where I lay out over 70 recipes for using ground beef!

Stir into Spaghetti Sauce or Chili
Use in tacos, burritos, or enchiladas
Add to soups or stews
Layer in casseroles or lasagna
Mix into mac and cheese or sloppy joes

🥣 What to Do With Leftover Ground Beef

Make beef quesadillas or a tasty taco salad.
Use for breakfast burritos or add to omelets or scrambled eggs.
Toss into rice bowls with veggies and sauce.
Make loaded baked potatoes.

💡 Recipe Tips and Tricks

For best results, freeze meat in a flat, even shape. It cooks more evenly this way.
Don’t forget to place the trivet on the bottom of the Instant Pot between the meat and the liquids.
Avoid stacking multiple pounds at once. Cook in batches if needed.
If using lean beef (90% or higher), you may need less cooking time to evaporate moisture.
Don’t skip draining the excess liquids if using higher fat content beef to prevent greasy results.

Bowl of cooked pasta shells covered with a saucy ground beef mixture.

FAQs

Can you cook more than one pound of ground meat at a time?

Yes, but make sure pieces are separated slightly and adjust time by adding 3-5 minutes for each additional pound of meat.

Can I skip the trivet?

It’s not recommended. The trivet prevents the meat from sitting directly in water and just being boiled or becoming soggy.

Does this method work for frozen ground turkey?

Yes! Use the same timing for ground chicken or turkey, but always confirm internal temperature reaches 165°F.

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