Deeply spiced, soul southing, nourishing Aloo Gosht is the quintessentialy Pakistani meat and potatoes dish. Sharing 3 ways to make it below - a Busy Day version (stovetop + Instant Pot), an IP version and a classic stovetop one for whatever works best for you!
🔍 Quick Look: Aloo Gosht
- ⏱️ Prep Time: 10 minutes
- 🍳 Cook Time: 1 hour (varies by cooking method)
- 👥 Servings: 4
- 🔥 Cook Method: Stovetop, Instant Pot.
- ⭐ Difficulty: Easy
- Key to Success: Bhunnai or a well sauteed masala base.
Like most recipes on Sarah's blog this is a fail proof recipe. Its delicious, easy to follow and absolutely delicious. A childhood favorite for me cooked just the way my late mum used to make it. This is always in rotation at my house". - Crystal
Jump to:
- 🔍 Quick Look: Aloo Gosht
- What is Aloo Gosht?
- 3 Ingredient Must Knows:
- How to Make Aloo Gosht
- 5 Must Know Tips for ANY Pakistani Curry
- Meat Timings
- Busy Day Aloo Gosht Shortcut Explained
- Aloo Gosht Questions Answered
- What do I serve Aloo Gosht with?
- 4 Other Pakistani Classics to Master
- EASY Aloo Gosht - Instant Pot, Stove Top + Busy Day Version
- Comments
You know how for many people a Chicken ka Salan is the comfort-your-soul-food? Well for me and my siblings it's Aloo Gosht. It ranks right up there with daal for me.
What is Aloo Gosht?
Literally Aloo Gosht means Potatoes (Aaloo) ad Meat (Gosht), but while this is literally a meat and potato curry it is a lot more than that for every Pakistani or North Indian who grew up eating it. Whether it is made with Goat or Beef or Lamb, made thicker or thinner, each family's version of it is special and this here is my mamas.
3 Ingredient Must Knows:
1.) Meat Matters. What meat you use seems to be a function of where you live/ your family originates from. My family prefers boneless beef for convenience, but bone in goat meat also has terrific flavour. The one thing you MUST remember even if you buy lamb, is that you need a little fat in the meat for both flavour and the tenderness you want when breaking it with a piece of roti.
2.) You Say Potay-to, I say Potah-to: If you have a variety you are a die hard fan of then I promise to stay out of your way, but if not then can I recommend yellow flesh or yukon gold potatoes for the perfect balance between creamy and firm. This is also a sturdy potato and less likely to crumble.
3.) Finish Strong: Those last bits at the end, the adjusting for salt, that little lemon, the garam masala, fresh pepper dhania - don't take them lightly. Add, taste, adjust, make it sing. Taste again, just so you can savour that little concert for one.
How to Make Aloo Gosht
Step One: Saute your whole spices in hot oil
Step Two: Add in your diced onions and saute till the edges turn amber.
Step Three: Add in your ginger and garlic, cook for a minute and then saute in your powdered spices
Step Four: Saute your tomatoes into the masala at medium high heat to dry them
This is the "bhunnai" stage and what you want to see is a breaking down of the curry base into a cohesive paste and then the oil rising over top.
Step Five: Add and brown your meat of choice.
Step Six: Add hot water and simmer until your meat is cooked through.
Step 7: Simmer with the potatoes until it is all beautifully tender.
Step 8: Adjust consistency to your preference, add the 3 end masalas and taste.
Step 9: Garnish with loads of fresh coriander and sliced green chilies
5 Must Know Tips for ANY Pakistani Curry
Tip One: Watch your heat. I default to medium high on my ceramic cooktop, but if you feel like you are in danger of burning things add a splash of water to bring the temperature down. (burnt pastes and spices are no bueno).
Tip Two: To get your tomatoes to break down faster simply add them and cover the pot with a lid for 2 minutes, remove the lid and saute away.
Tip Three: for rich flavour remember to saute the meat with the masala until it starts to stick at the bottom. This is a must do here just as much as it is in a Karahi Gosht or a Beef Biryani.
Tip Four: taste, and taste again. Once you adjust the consistency of the curry to your personal preference you will need to adjust salt and maybe even spice. Go ahead, make it your own.
Tip 5: If you don't start with a half inch of oil in your pot for a curry like this the sauteeing will take a lifetime. Just use the oil, skim it later.
Meat Timings
Cook time can vary greatly by meat and method. Here I am sharing a rough estimate of times, but please note meat can vary from region to region so if you have a sense of what works best then please stick to it! Fresh meat also cooks faster than previously frozen!
Beef: 45-55 minutes stovetop, 22 minutes instant pot.
Lamb: 75-90 minutes stovetop, 30 minutes instant pot.
Veal: 40 minutes stovetop, 18 minutes instant pot.
Goat: 60-80 minutes stovetop, 20 minutes instant pot.
Goat can be tricky in terms of cooking time because the toughness of the meat varies by the age of the animal. With beef, veal which is younger meat is marked separately and cooks faster.
Busy Day Aloo Gosht Shortcut Explained
This approach reverses the cooking process as you tenderize first and saute later, versus saute-tenderize-saute. While eliminating that initial saute does change the flavour weeknight me doesn't mind at all.
100% of the credit for this approach goes to my sister in law who is one of the best cooks I know.
Aloo Gosht Questions Answered
Any bone in curry will have a lighter brothier flavour with more depth so if you have bone in meat handy then absolutely use it, just remember that bone in meat can take a little longer to cook.
You can actually make it up till the meat is cooked through and freeze it for up to 6 months and resume the cooking steps on defrosting.
This very much comes down to personal preference, but my general rule of thumb is if you are eating it with roti you want it a little thicker and with rice you want a thinner brothier curry.
What do I serve Aloo Gosht with?
Love. But apart from that here are come combinations I really enjoy.
4 Other Pakistani Classics to Master
Other classic Pakistani homestyle dishes that we have in regular rotation!
Whichever way you choose to make it I hope this Aloo Gosht fills you with joy. As always I'd love to see your recreations so do tag me on Instagram @flourandspiceblog. Share what you thought of this recipe by rating it below! Happy Cooking!
EASY Aloo Gosht - Instant Pot, Stove Top + Busy Day Version
Equipment
- 1 large pot (10 inches) with high sides OR an Instant Pot
Ingredients
- 1 lb boneless beef chunks or upto 1.5 lbs bone in meat (depending on quantity of bone) (can use goat or lamb)
- ⅓ cup vegetable oil
- 2 roughly diced medium onions
- 3-4 cloves
- 7-8 whole black peppers
- ½ tsp cumin seeds
- 1 tbsp crushed garlic
- 1 tbsp crushed ginger
- ¾-1 tsp red chilli powder
- ⅓ tsp turmeric powder
- 1.5 tsp coriander powder roasted preferred
- 1 ½ tsp salt can adjust later
- 2 tomatoes finely diced
- 2 potatos halved lengthwise and cut horizontally into wedges
Finishing Touches
- ½ tsp garam masala powder
- ½ tsp pepper
- ½ tsp roasted cumin powder (optional)
- handful of cilantro
- green chillies diced to taste
- a squeeze of lemon juice
Instructions
Traditional Approach - Stove top & IP
- Heat a very generous lug of oil on medium high and add your whole spices and then the onions
- Saute till the onions develop a rich colour on the edges - we are going for bronze edges, but not looking to caramelize our onions
- Now add in your ginger and garlic paste saute for a minute
- Add in your powdered spices and saute for another minute
- Keeping the heat on a medium high add in your tomatoes and saute for 3-4 minutes or until they break down and form a paste. In a rush you can always cut back on this step, but it does make for a richer taste.
- Add your meat and saute until it changes colour on all sides and the masala starts to stick to the meat
- For stovetop: Add 2.5 cups of hot water, bring to a boil then simmer for 45-55 minutes or until meat is cooked through and breaks with some pressure. For IP: Add in ¾-1 cup of hot water, cook on high pressure for 20 minutes then quick release for beef, for mutton check after 15 minutes. (see notes)
- Now add your potatoes. For stovetop you can simmer for 15 with the curry base and for IP you can pressure cook for four minutes then quick release.
- Adjust the consistency of the curry for your preference then adjust seasoning. Now top with the final garnishes and enjoy!
Busy Day Version
- Put the beef chunks, onion, whole spices, garlic, ginger, red chilli powder, coriander powder, and salt into a pot with two cups of very hot water. Mix.
- Cover the pot with a lid and bring the mixture to a boil, once it is boiling then bring it to a simmer and let it cook (covered) for 45 minutes to an hour or however long it takes for your beef to get tender. Instant Pot: Manual 20 minutes then quick release
- Once the beef is tender, then crank up the heat to evaporate the water and once the spice paste/masala starts to stick add a generous lug of oil and saute the masala until the oil rises above it's surface.
- Then in go the tomatoes, cook until the oil rises above the surface of the masala.
- Now add in your cup of water, the potato wedges and once again bring to a boil and simmer until the potatoes are tender.
- Now add more water if needed and adjust seasoning.
- Switch off the stove and proceed with adding the finishing touches you like!
maria says
turned out superb! another recipe thats a keeper!
Sarah Mir says
How wonderful!!! thank you Maria!!!!
Saira says
Dear Sarah,
I am so grateful to you. My dear parents have reached the age where it is difficult to cook meals. And they deserve to eat all the meals they love. The nourishment of their body and heart that comes from eating the meals that are familiar, and made with love, cannot be underestimated.
My parents are from Pakistan and came to Canada many decades ago. We grew up well and rooted in traditions, often through food. Of course, it’s hard to match your own mother’s cooking but your recipes allow me to confidently try. Your website and recipes are a treasure for me. I can now make them the family and special occasion meals they enjoy. Without this, there would be a void. I know it may sound dramatic, but the absence is a loss I don’t want them to endure. The sacrifices they have made over a lifetime are enough; ease and enjoyment of food for pleasure are a priority. You have made all of that possible by generously sharing these recipes and your voice. It’s all so meaningful and important, simple as that.
I wish you continued success and joyful cooking!
Sarah Mir says
Saira. This brought me to tears. There is nothing dramatic about what you are saying - I completely understand. They are very lucky to have you there for them in this season of their life - I wish them a lifetime full of delicious joys, although I suspect nothing will beat the joy they get from a caring child like you. Thank you for taking the time to leave this review.
Atiya says
Hi, how much oil? I don’t see that listed, sorry if I am just not seeing it.
Sarah Mir says
No worries! I would say here you need about 1/3 cup, 1/2 if you want more of a traditonal feel!
Coco Lovely says
Aloo Gosht is truly one of those timeless comfort dishes that warms both the heart and soul 😍. I love that you’ve shared multiple cooking methods—it really helps whether someone is short on time or wants the classic stovetop flavor. I’ve also been discovering more food inspirations on In-N-Out flavor guide, and this recipe definitely makes me excited to try a new twist on traditional favorites!
Mrs.K says
This is the 2nd recipe that I have tried of yours and it turned out fantastic like the other one! Wondering why it took me so long to come across your website! I was embarrased that I couldn't make aloo gosht for my husband and kids. My mom would make aloo gosht all the time when I was younger but 'andaaza se' (using a guesstimate) -that was just a big NO for me- I have absolutely NO andaaz at all! I mean those two ingredients are both so hard to get tender as it is! 😆 BUT your recipe was SO thorough with the instructions and details about "Busy day versions", the instant pot settings (and explanation of natural vs. Quick release!), the ingredients, and each and every little bit of info that this was fool proof! My family absolutely loved the aloo gosht and my mom liked it better than HERS and was asking for your website! Thank you so much for sharing your delicious recipes and for making them so easy to follow ❤️
Sarah Mir says
If I could hug my laptop I would! THANK YOU FOR THIS!!!! I am delighted you made it, and that it's mama approved (no small feat I know!) Thank you from the bottom of my heart for this review!