How Cook Frozen Beef in the Instant Pot

How to cook frozen ground beef in the Instant Pot pressure cooker –  I will show you just how easy it is to turn frozen ground beef into perfectly cooked meat in about 30 minutes for all of your favorite ground beef recipes.  

This post is sponsored by The Beef Checkoff.  As always, all opinions are my own.

Why This Recipe Works

It’s 4 pm and you just realized you forgot to take something out of the freezer for dinner.  Don’t panic!  I’ve got you covered.

Did you know you can cook frozen ground beef in the Instant Pot pressure cooker in about 30 minutes?  That’s right. From frozen solid to perfectly cooked in a little over half an hour.

The pressure cooker is able to cook the meat quickly using steam pressure.  The sealed pot builds up pressure which makes steam from the liquid inside.  That steam pressure helps the food cook faster.  It also forces moisture into the food so meats come out tender and juicy.

How to Cook Frozen Ground Beef in the Instant Pot Pressure Cooker

This recipe is really quite simple.  There are only a few ingredients – frozen ground beef, salt and pepper (I use my homemade House Seasoning Blend for a more complex flavor) and water.

To begin, place a trivet into you Instant Pot or pressure cooker.  You don’t want the meat to come in direct contact with the water.

Next, season the meat on one side, place it, seasoned side down on top of the trivet and season the other side.

Then, add the water to the pot.  Set your pressure cooker to cook on high pressure for the designated time and follow the release instructions.  (See recipe.)

You can easily tell if the meat is cooked through by using a meat thermometer.  It should register at least 160 degrees.

Not sure what temperature to cook beef to?   I’ve put together this handy Beef Cooking Cheat Sheet with handy cooking tips, temperatures, cuts of beef and more!

>> Download my FREE Beef Cheat Sheet << 

When the process is finished, you’ll have perfectly seasoned and cooked meat to use in all of your best ground beef recipes.

How to Make Fresh Ground Beef in the Instant Pot Pressure Cooker

You can also cook fresh ground beef in the Instant Pot pressure cooker.  You would simply adjust the cooking time.  (See recipe.)

My Best Ground Beef Recipes

Once the ground beef is fully cooked in the Instant Pot pressure cooker, you can use it in a number of easy recipes.

Nutritionally, beef packs a powerful punch of many essential nutrients that help busy families go further when it comes to the chaos of back to school and maintaining overall health.

A 3-ounce serving of cooked lean beef provides:

• Approximately 25 grams of protein, which is essential for building and maintaining muscle mass, as well as helping you feel satisfied after meals
• About 44% of the daily value for Vitamin B12, involved in energy metabolism and brain function
• About 36% of the daily value for Zinc, which helps maintain a healthy immune system – important for back to school!
• About 12% of the daily value for Iron, which is key for transporting oxygen to your muscles

You can learn more about the nutritional benefits of beef here.  You can also find more delicious recipes for beef here.

Here are some of my family’s favorite ground beef recipes:

Sloppy Joes

Quick and Easy Shepherd’s Pie

The Ultimate Chili

Cheeseburger Soup

Walking Tacos

Tools Used to Make this Ground Beef

Instant Pot: This is pressure cooker is such a timesaver in the kitchen!

Meat Thermometer: This is my all-time favorite digital thermometer.  Never overcook meat again.

Meat Chopper: This is such a handy tool for making perfect ground beef crumbles.

Looking for More Easy Instant Pot Recipes 

• Instant Pot Chicken Marsala
• 20 Instant Pot Chicken Recipes
• Best Instant Pot Recipes

Looking for more?  Check out all of the best pressure cooker recipes on It Is a Keeper.

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4.6 from 35 votes

Instant Pot Ground Beef

How to cook frozen ground beef in the Instant Pot pressure cooker -  I will show you just how easy it is to turn frozen ground beef into perfectly cooked meat in about 35 minutes for all of your favorite ground beef recipes.  

Prep Time5 mins

Cook Time24 mins

Total Time29 mins

Course: Main Dish

Cuisine: American

Keyword: ground beef, instant pot, pressure cooker

Servings: 6 people

Calories: 192kcal

Author: Christina Hitchcock

Ingredients

• 1-2 pounds ground beef, frozen - (if using fresh, see notes)
• 1 teaspoon House Seasoning Blend
• 1 cup water

Instructions

• Place the trivet in the Instant Pot pressure cooker pot.
• Add the water to the bottom of the pot.
• Season one side of the beef with 1/2 teaspoon House Seasoning Blend.
• Place the beef, seasoned side down on top of the trivet.
• Season the other side of the beef with the remaining House Seasoning Blend.
• Attach the lid to the pressure cooker and ensure that the vent is in the "sealed" position.
• Set to high pressure for 24 minutes (if using fresh ground beef see notes).
• Once cooking is complete, do a quick pressure release and carefully remove the meat from the pot.
• Discard any liquid and fat in the bottom of the pot.
• Break up the ground beef and use in your favorite recipes.

Notes

If cooking fresh ground beef, adjust manual cooking time to 6 minutes.

Nutrition

Calories: 192kcal | Protein: 12g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 53mg | Sodium: 440mg | Potassium: 204mg | Calcium: 14mg | Iron: 1.5mg

Did You Make This Recipe?Show me on Instagram! Mention @itsakeeperblog or tag #itisakeeper! I'd love to see what you're up to in the kitchen!

Helpful Tips for All Recipes on It Is a Keeper

• Want to scale a recipe up or down? Simply type in a new serving amount and the recipe will automatically adjust! 
• When a recipe call for House Seasoning Blend, you can use this recipe or substitute salt and pepper to taste.  
• I always use unsalted butter in my recipes.
• I always use a meat thermometor to test for doneness when cooking meat.  This one is my favorite.  
• When a recipe is made in the oven, it should be pre-heated to the temperature in the recipe, unless otherwise noted.
• The nutritional information provided in this recipe is an estimate.  Learn more on how I calculate nutritional information for my recipes.