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Keema pav (kheema pav) is classic Indian street food of spiced ground lamb or chicken served on buttered toasted rolls, and it’s lovingly nicknamed Indian sloppy joes. This version is made in the Instant Pot or on the stovetop for a quick and easy mince curry meal!
Whenever I travel, I always gravitate towards street food when I want to experience local flavor. Not only is street food a great way to sample regional cuisine, but it’s also a lot more affordable than sitting down to a fancy meal! Additionally, it’s a lot less formal, and usually a lot more fun.
I’ve never been to India, but I learned how to make kheema pav from an Indian friend years ago. It’s a popular street food that originated in Mumbai, India (when it was still called Bombay). My friend told me they lovingly call it Indian sloppy joes!
After you taste this recipe you’ll understand why. If you’re a fan of sloppy joes and want to venture out and try new flavors, give this recipe a try.
What is Kheema Pav?
Kheema pav (or keema pav) is also called kheema masala. You’ll also see it called Bombay sloppy joes or Mumbai sloppy joes.
In India, keema (or qeema) refers to minced meat, aka ground meat. This dish is basically ground lamb or chicken that’s flavored with tomato, onion, garlic, ginger, and Indian spices.
The richly spiced meat is then served on top of toasted buttered rolls. It’s topped with red onion and fresh cilantro to brighten it up. I also add sliced jalapeño because I like it a little on the spicy side. If you leave the jalapeño off, the lamb or chicken keema itself is full of spiced flavor, but not spicy heat.
It’s saucy, messy, and delicious, and perfect street food!
Keema Pav Ingredients (With Lamb or Chicken)
Breaking It Down
Ingredients Explained
In this section I explain the ingredients and give substitution ideas where applicable. For the full recipe (including the ingredient amounts), see the recipe card below.
- Ghee – This is also known as clarified butter; it lends a rich, slightly nutty base flavor.
- Ground lamb – Also known as lamb mince. Or you can use ground chicken.
- Onion – For savory depth.
- Garlic and ginger – Garlic and ginger lend complex aroma and flavor.
- Garam masala spice mix – You can usually find this spice blend right in the spice aisle of regular grocery stores. It’s also available in Indian grocery stores, or you can buy this Indian spice mix on Amazon.
- Salt, coriander, cumin, turmeric, Indian chilli powder – This blend of spices creates an authentic kheema pav flavor profile.
- Water – You need to add water to avoid getting the burn warning on the Instant Pot. Also, a little bit of water helps the spices coat the meat in a luscious sauce.
- Tomato paste – To thicken the sauce and add body.
- Slider-sized rolls + butter – To serve keema pav the traditional way like how you’d find this street food in India.
- Jalapeño, red onion, cilantro, and lime – These optional garnishes and toppings bump up the flavor and freshness.
How to Make Keema Pav
Instant Pot or Electric Pressure Cooker Instructions
This dish is quick and easy in an Instant Pot or other electric pressure cooker. Here’s how to do it:
- Use the “Sauté” function to brown the meat, stirring occasionally. (TIP: You can use just about any kind of ground meat you like in this recipe. Lamb or chicken mince are popular choices.)
- Add the onion, garlic, and ginger and cook for another minute.
- Stir in the spices, water, and tomato paste.
- Cook on “Manual, High Pressure” for 5 minutes.
- Let the pressure naturally release for 10 minutes before doing a quick pressure release.
Stovetop Instructions
No need to worry if you don’t have an electric pressure cooker! Keema pav is also simple to make on the stovetop:
- Brown the meat in a large skillet over medium to medium-high heat, stirring occasionally and breaking up the meat into crumbles.
- Add the onion, garlic, and ginger and cook for few minutes, stirring frequently.
- Stir in the spices, water, and tomato paste.
- Bring up to a boil, and then turn the heat down and cook until the liquid is evaporated and the sauce is thickened, stirring frequently.
Storage
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Tips For the Best Kheema Pav Recipe
- If you don’t like lamb, you can opt for ground chicken or whatever kind of ground meat (aka mince) you like instead. Although it might not be traditional, you can also use beef if that’s your preference.
- Make sure your spices are fresh. Spices lose potency after a while, especially after they’re ground. If your spices have been in your pantry for a few years, smell and taste them before using and replace if necessary.
Frequently Asked Questions
To keep the carbs down, you can use your favorite keto buns for serving. Another option is to make this into a sloppy joe salad bowl with a base of leafy greens and any other vegetables you like. Or you can serve the mince curry along with low carb side dishes, such as steamed broccoli or riced cauliflower.
Yes! Mutton and lamb are both sheep meat. The difference is the age, with lamb typically 1 year old or younger and mutton over 2 years old. Mutton has a more intense flavor, and can have a gamey, musky taste. This recipe is a great place for mutton because the aromatics and spices help cover mutton’s gaminess.
More Indian Recipes to Make
- Palak Paneer Recipe (Indian Spinach Curry with Paneer Cheese)
- Instant Pot Cauliflower Pav Bhaji
- Easy Low Carb Butter Chicken
Let’s Connect
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Keema Pav Recipe With Ground Chicken or Lamb aka Indian Sloppy Joes (Instant Pot or Stovetop)
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Equipment
- Instant Pot (see Notes for stovetop instructions)
Ingredients
Kheema:
- 1 tablespoon clarified butter ghee
- 1 pound ground lamb or ground chicken (see Notes)
- 1 medium onion diced
- 4 cloves garlic crushed
- 1 inch piece fresh ginger grated
- 1 1/2 teaspoons garam masala spice mix
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon coriander
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1/2 teaspoon Indian chilli powder
- 1/2 cup water
- 4 tablespoons tomato paste
For Serving (Optional):
- 12 slider-sized rolls split in half
- 6 teaspoons salted butter
- Sliced jalapeño
- Minced red onion
- Fresh cilantro leaves
- Fresh limes cut into wedges
Instructions
To Make the Kheema:
- Sauté. Turn the electric pressure cooker on, press “Sauté”, and wait 2 minutes for the pot to heat up. Add the ghee and once melted, add the ground lamb and cook until browned, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally to break up the meat. Stir in the onion, garlic, and ginger, and cook 1 minute more. Press “Cancel” to stop sautéing.
- Cook. Add the garam masala, salt, coriander, cumin, turmeric, red chile powder, water, and tomato paste, and give it a stir. Turn the pot on "Manual, High Pressure" for 5 minutes, and then let the pressure naturally release for 10 minutes before doing a quick release.
To Serve:
- Toast the rolls. Butter the inside of each roll with 1/2 teaspoon butter and grill it in a skillet over medium heat.
- Assemble. Divide the meat mixture between the 12 grilled rolls. Top each with sliced jalapeño, minced red onion, and fresh cilantro leaves. Serve along with fresh lime wedges to squeeze on top of the meat.
Notes
- Net Carbs: 4g per serving (not including the optional ingredients for serving)
- Nutrition Information: The nutritional information for this recipe was calculated for the kheema, and doesn’t include the optional ingredients for serving.
- Low Carb: Without the buttered rolls, this dish is low carb. To keep it low carb, serve it on keto rolls, on a bed of leafy greens, or along with steamed broccoli or cauliflower rice as a side dish.
- What Type of Ground Meat: If you don’t like lamb, you can opt for ground chicken or whatever kind of ground meat you like instead. Although it might not be traditional, you can also use beef if that’s your preference.
- Storage: Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- Brown the meat in a large skillet over medium to medium-high heat, stirring occasionally and breaking up the meat into crumbles.
- Add the onion, garlic, and ginger and cook for few minutes, stirring frequently.
- Stir in the spices, water, and tomato paste.
- Bring up to a boil, and then turn the heat down and cook until the liquid is evaporated and the sauce is thickened, stirring frequently.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is automatically calculated and should be used as an approximate.
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This post was first published on An Edible Mosaic on June 29, 2020, and updated on April 29, 2026.
I’m the writer, recipe developer, photographer, and food stylist behind this blog. I love finding the human connection through something we all do every day: eat! Food is a common ground that we can all relate to, and our tables tell a story. It’s my goal to inspire you to get in the kitchen, try something new, and find a favorite you didn’t know you had.
Free Bonus
Made these on the stove since I didn’t have my Instant Pot with me and they turned out fantastic! Thanks for inspiring me(;
I just made this tonight and it’s not bad! A little different taste than ground beef but I’m waiting until tomorrow to make the sandwiches. I subbed coconut oil for the butter since I can’t do dairy and it works. We’ll see how it tastes tomorrow on pretzel buns! Thanks for the recipe! It’s the first time I ever used ground lamb.