Instant Pot Ground Beef (Fresh or Frozen)

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Learn how to cook frozen ground beef or fresh ground beef in the Instant Pot in less than 30 minutes to make dinner time easy and stress-free! Whether you forgot to thaw your hamburger meat for recipes like our Ground Beef and Rice Skillet or just need dinner on the table fast, this tutorial will save the day!

Why You Should Cook Ground Beef in an Instant Pot

Using an instant pot to cook ground beef is way more than just a convenient way of cooking, it’s a cooking hack that will end up being a lifesaver for you someday, trust me. Pressure cooking is a whole new level of cooking anyway, but coming up with a way to make frozen meat in a hurry, it’s a game changer.

You can also read our step by step tutorial for how to cook ground beef in the microwave when you are in a pinch!

How many times have you started to cook dinner on busy days only to realize you forgot to thaw the ground beef or been short on time and needed a fast and easy way to throw together a ground beef recipe? I know that most of us have been there. It happens to me all the time!

Below you will learn step by step how to cook ground beef from fresh as well as what to do if your ground beef is frozen. Either way, you can take these simple steps to the best ground meat cooking hack and you’ll be happily eating dinner in no time!

How Long Does it Take to Cook Ground Beef in an Instant Pot?

The amount of cooking time depends on whether your ground beef is fresh meat or frozen meat. Frozen ground beef will take 20-25 minutes and fresh or thawed ground beef will take only 6-8 minutes, excluding pressure release time.

Steps for Cooking Frozen Ground Beef in the Instant Pot

Step 1:

Measure 1 cup of water for a 3 or 6 quart instant pot, or 1.5 cups for an 8 quart instant pot. Pour the water into the bottom of the inner pot. Then place a metal rack or trivet inside the inner pot.

Step 2:

Place the frozen beef inside the instant pot, on the metal rack. Seal the instant pot and make sure the vent on the lid is closed.

Note: Be sure that all the packaging from the ground beef is completely removed. To remove stuck packaging from frozen ground beef, simply run it under cold water in the sink until the packaging can be peeled off. Do not use warm water as this is dangerous because it can activate any bacteria that may have been on the meat during processing.

Step 3:

Once you have confirmed that the lid is sealed and the vent is closed, set the instant pot to high pressure and cook for 20 minutes for 1 pound of ground beef (or ground turkey).

Step 4:

Once 20 minutes have passed, allow the pressure to release from the instant pot naturally for 5 to 10 minutes, then do a quick release of any remaining pressure.

Note: It’s NOT safe to remove the lid from your Instant Pot before the pressure has been released from the pot. The floating valve on the lid will drop, signaling that the pressure is gone, when it is safe to remove the lid.

Step 5:

Once you have removed the lid, use a meat thermometer to check the temperature of the meat. The ground beef is fully cooked when its internal temperature has reached 160-165 degrees. If it has not reached this temperature, seal the pot again and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes.

Step 6:

Remove your ground beef from the instant pot once the temperature has reached 160-165 degrees and drain excess liquid and fat.

Step 7:

Place the ground beef in a mixing bowl and use a utensil to break it up. Your ground beef is ready to be added to a ground beef recipe such as a Ground Beef and Potato Skillet or easy Ground Beef Pasta Dinner.

Cooking Thawed or Fresh Ground Beef in the Instant Pot

When it comes to cooking fresh or thawed ground beef in the instant pot you have two choices: sauté or steam. Steaming the meat is a hands off approach, whereas sautéing will require the same attention as cooking your ground beef on the stovetop.

Sautéing Fresh or Thawed Ground Beef in an Instant Pot

Step 1:

Hit the sauté button on your instant pot, pour in a little olive oil in the bottom of the pot, let the pot heat up for 2-3 minutes, and cook your ground beef as you usually would on the stovetop.

During this time you can add any seasonings you want to add such as taco seasoning, garlic powder, salt, pepper, fresh parsley, Italian seasoning, onion powder, or whatever your recipe calls for.

Step 2:

Once your meat appears to be done, check the internal temperature with a meat thermometer to ensure it has reached at least 160 degrees.

Step 3:

Remove the cooked beef and drain the fat and excess liquid before adding to your recipe. You can even add the meat back into the instant pot after it’s drained and then pour in your spaghetti sauce for an easy meal right in your instant pot.

Completing the recipe in the instant pot as well makes it make sense to use your instant pot to sauté ground beef. Otherwise, I would just sauté fresh ground beef on the stove.

Steaming Thawed Ground Beef in an Instant Pot

Step 1:

Measure 1 cup of water for a 3 or 6 quart instant pot, or 1.5 cups for an 8 quart instant pot. Pour the water into the bottom of the instant pot. Then place in a metal rack or trivet inside the inner pot.

Step 2:

Place the ground beef inside the instant pot, on the metal rack. Seal the instant pot and make sure the vent on the lid is closed. Be sure to leave your meat in the brick-like shape in came in so it cooks evenly. Set to high pressure and cook for 6 minutes.

Step 3:

After 6 minutes, allow the natural release of pressure for 5 to 10 minutes, then do a quick release of any remaining pressure.

Step 4:

Once you have removed the lid, use a meat thermometer to check the temperature of the meat. The ground beef is fully cooked when its internal temperature has reached 160-165 degrees. If it has not reached this temperature, seal the pot again and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes.

Step 5:

Remove your ground beef from the instant pot once the temperature has reached 160-165 degrees and drain excess liquid and fat.

Step 6:

Place the cooked ground beef in a mixing bowl and use a wooden spoon to break it up. Your ground beef is ready to be added to your ground beef recipe.

And there you go! Your ground beef is ready to make Mongolian Noodles, Mexican Casserole, or Goulash! Happy eating!