This Karachi-style Pakistani Beef Biryani is a family recipe that is like the classic Student Biryani with it's tender beef, perfect rice, and a clean balanced masala. Instant Pot instructions for the masala, and all your biryani questions (including how to save time!) answered in the post!
🔍 Quick Look: Craveworthy Easy Beef Biryani
- ⏱️ Prep Time: 10 minutes
- 🍳 Cook Time: 1 hr 40 minutes
- 🕒 Total Time: 1 hr 50 minutes
- 👥 Servings: 6
- 🔥 Cook Method: Stovetop and Instant Pot
- ⭐ Difficulty: Medium
- Key to Success: Drying out the biryani masala and cooking the rice just right!
"After numerous failed attempts I can safely say I have found the best, foolproof beginners recipe on the interwebs! I can't believe how simple this recipe was yet it delivered tonnes of flavours. My aloos were intact, rice to salan ration perfect (thanks to Sarah's tip in the notes) This one is definitely a keeper." - Crystal
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Biryani from a Karachiite
I have big feelings about Biryani and I've discussed them in the context of my Chicken Biryani. A biryani is a beautifully layered meat (sometimes also potatoes) and rice dish which artfully builds flavour and when done right there is nothing else quite like it. I am also from Karachi and can assure you that the iconic Karachi Beef Biryani from Student Biryani had a decidedly clean and balanced flavor - as all biryanis should.
Fun fact: someone from the Student Biryani family reached out recently and said this recipe is actually SUPER CLOSE to theirs. WOOHOO!
This recipe, one of the oldest ones on this website, is one of my aunt's signature dishes. It is easy to make even for a beginner and so good that all these years later I have never felt the urge to change it.
Ingredients for Beef Biryani
First up we have the ones for the "korma" or biryani masala and then secondly we have the rice and layering ingredients. Read on for some key ingredient tips.
Beef Biryani Masala
The Meat. Yes, you can absolutely use veal, muton or lamb here, but no matter which meat you go with remember: you need fat. The natural fat in stewing meat like chuck is what keeps your meat from drying out AND it adds flavour to the masala. We don't need big chunks of fat, just nice marbling. This is for any Pakistani recipe be it Aloo Gosht or Biryani.
Spices: The spices you will see are very standard - salt, chili powder, coriander powder, turmeric, garam masala - these alone produce an excellent biryani. If you want more heat then adjust when you taste the masala.
Biryani Layering Ingredients
Rice: basmati only, no substitutions. Thanks. I make an exception for sela rice if you are comfortable cooking with it, but I personally adore the texture of basmati.
Dahi in Dum: The yoghurt in the "dum" is an unusual move, but it adds both moisture and flavour so please don't skip it! I got this tip from one of the most incredible cooks and swear by it.
A Quick Visual Guide for Making Beef Biryani
A Biryani should be so good, so balanced, that you can eat a plate and then another without feeling ill. Achieving that is remarkably easy.
Preparing the Meat Masala
I typically use the Instant Pot to save time, but instant pot and stovetop instructions are in the post!
1.) Saute your whole spices then onions and chilies until the onions start to turn golden
2.) Now add your ginger and garlic, give it a quick whirl and then add spices and saute.
3.) Add the meat cubes and brown them.
4.) Now add in your tomatoes and pressure cook for 17 minutes for beef.
5.) Once the timer goes off, quick release.
6.) Now add potatoes and pressure cook for another 4 minutes and quick release.
7.) Add cilantro, mint, chilies and garam masala and crank up the heat
8.) Stop sauteing when the masala starts to stick and the oil rises above. Taste.
Cooking & Layering the Rice
1.) Boil your rice in it's seasoned water until almost tender. It will break with a little pressure.
2.) Layer half of it in the bottom of your pot.
3.) Add your meat masala, more coriander, mint and chilies.
4.) Now add the remaining half of your rice.
5.) Top with lemon, chilies, fried onions and your diluted coloring.
6.) Let it steam through for 25 minutes on low and then fluff and serve.
Making Biryani Faster: Timesaving Processes
Biryani takes forever because our processes take forever. I used to make the masala first and then the rice and about two hours later my biryani would be ready.
Here are my tips for making it faster and easier!
1.) Take your meat out of the fridge. Cold meat cooks slowly and unevenly.
2.) Wash and Soak your rice first: rinse your rice in water a few times until the run off looks clearer and soak in a bowl of water. Both steps are key for perfect fluffy rice.
3.) Chop your onions and tomatoes and then start on your meat masala.
4.) Use your hands off time: Whether you are cooking it stovetop or in the instant pot this is a fairly long chunk of hands off cooking and you can use this time to prep everything else from the potatoes, cilantro, mint, chilies etc. This is also when I make a raita!
Your Biryani FAQs
Simply layer the Beef Biryani in an oven safe dish, then cover it tightly with foil and put it in the oven at 300F for 25-30 minutes. Add 10 minutes if you have prepped it and refrigerated in advance. Added bonus: you can serve it right in the dish.
Folks I do this ALLLLL the time! If I have the time I prep the masala ahead of time and then cook the rice and steam it through the day of. The masala (without the potatoes and greens) is actually remarkably freezer friendly so you can always double up so you have a stash ready to go
Absolutely!
Yes, this used to be my default masala until I came up with this more flavorful but simplified chicken biryani which gives the chicken the extra moisture and boost chicken often needs.
Yes you can 🙂
Folks, sella is great for a gigantic quantity where you are concerned about rice breaking. Since it is already parcooked and sturdier it is more forgiving. However, for my money, nothing beats the soft fluffy nature of regular basmati.
If you feel your masala is dry then add a little water (and oil) and cook enough for the masala to become cohesive. The oil will give you the 'chiknai' or curry like quality and depth. A little ghee is doable too, or you can serve it with this fabulous green raita.
On Biryanis and Raitas
I am a raita girly so suffice is to say I had to share some of my favorite raitas for you to pair with this Beef Biryani. My surprise favorite: Palak Raita, but the Pudina Raita is always a huge hit too!
More Pakistani Rice Dishes
Here are some more Pakistani rice recipes for you to try!
Thank you for being here! Made this Beef Biryani? I'd love to hear your comments - share them below and do leave a recipe rating! You can also tag me on Instagram @flourandspiceblog
Craveworthy EASY Beef Biryani
Equipment
- Instant Pot OR a Wok/Karahi
- saute pan / wok with lid
Ingredients
For the Meat Masala:-
- 1 pound stewing beef cubed
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 1 tsp whole cumin seeds
- 6-8 whole black peppers
- 3-4 laung (cloves)
- 1 black cardamom (optional)
- 1-1.5 inch piece cinnamon stick
- 2 medium sized onions (for 1 cup sliced)
- 2 thinly sliced green chillies
- 1 ½ tbsp ginger paste (measuring spoons)
- 2 tbsp garlic paste (measuring spoons)
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp red chilli powder
- ½ tsp turmeric powder
- ½-1 tsp red chilli flakes
- 1 tsp coriander powder
- 1-2 medium tomatoes diced see notes
- 4-6 dried plums or aloo bukharay. can omit and sub with lemon juice (see notes)
- 2 medium potatoes cut into 1.5 inch pieces
- 1 tsp garam masala
For the Rice:
- 2.5-3 cups rice
- 2.5-3 tablespoons salt (see notes)
For the finishing touches:
- ½ cup chopped cilantro
- ⅓ cup chopped mint (optional)
- Juice of a lemon or lemon slices
- 1 tsp of yogurt mixed with 2 tbsp water
- Rang/Yellow coloring
- 4-6 green chilies
- handful of prefried onions (optional)
Instructions
Rice
- Wash rice to drain away excess starch and then soak and set aside
- Boil the rice in salted water when your potatoes are just done so that the rice is still warm when you layer it.
Meat Masala - Instant Pot
- Heat ½ cup oil in saute mode instant pot and add your whole spices
- When they sputter and smell toasty add your onion and green chilies and cook till the edges of the onion are golden
- Now add your ginger and garlic paste, saute for a minute
- Add the spices, give it a quick mix
- Stir in the beef, sauteeing until the beef cubes are evenly browned.
- Stir in your tomatoes, dried plums (if using), and 1.5 cup of hot water.
- Pressure cook (manual) for 15 minutes, the meat should be cooked through, but not tender.
- Quick release then add the potatoes and put it back to pressure for 4 minutes.
- Quick release and then saute to dry up the excess liquid - I like to remove my potatoes here and add them back in later to avoid breaking them. The masala should be so dry that it starts to stick to the bottom and the oil rises to the top.
- Taste and adjust seasoning - you want a little salty and a little spicy - if you have not used dried plums add lemon juice at this point along with your garam masala, half your mint, cilantro, chilies.
Meat Masala - Stovetop
- Heat ½ cup oil in a large pot on medium high heat and add your whole spices
- When they sputter and smell toasty add your onion and green chilies and cook till the edges of the onion are golden
- Now add your ginger and garlic paste, sauté for a minute
- Stir in your spices and cook for another minute.
- Now add in your meat cubes, sautéing until the beef cubes are evenly browned.
- Stir in your tomatoes, dried plums (if using), and 2 cup of hot water and let the mix simmer on low until the meat is cooked through but not tender, typically 45-50 minutes.
- Now add in your potatoes and simmer till they're cooked through.
- Crank up the heat and dry out the masala, I like to take out the potatoes to avoid a potato mash scene. Cook until the excess water dries out and the masala starts sticking to the bottom.
- Add half your mint, half your cilantro, half your chilies, your garam masala and lemon (if using). Taste and adjust seasoning - you are going for bold here!
Layering
- Layer half the rice in the pot you used to cook it, then the meat masala, then scatter remaining cilantro, mint and chilies over top and follow it by the remaining half of the rice.
- Mix a little food color with yogurt and drizzle over top.
- Cover the pot and cook on the lowest heat for 25 minutes.
- Use a flat spoon or a small plate and gently mix it to avoid breaking the rice and serve with raita and kachumbar.
Crystal says
After numerous failed attempts I can safely say I have found the best, foolproof beginners recipe on the interwebs! I can't believe how simple this recipe was yet it delivered tonnes of flavours. My aloos were intact, rice to salan ration perfect (thanks to Sarah's tip in the notes) This one is definitely a keeper.
Sarah Mir says
Yayyyyy!!! I am SO SO happy to hear that! thank you so much!!!!
Himanshu says
It turned out finger-licking, mouthgasmic good.
I am no cook by any means, I just manage enough to do healthy meals prep each week while my friends are pro chefs and big time foodies. I treat food just as fuel and don’t care about taste texture but my friends do care big time. I had a house warming to go to friend all my close friends were coming. I looked up this recipe and opted to bring this dish. It’s was simple to make and my pro chef friends complimented that it was on point, amazing.
So definitely a winner and I have added it to my weekly meal items.
Thank you Sarah
Sarah Mir says
Himanshu! That makes me SO SO happy!!!! Thank you for sharing this kind review and I am thrilled you all enjoyed it!
Malahat says
I've tried many biryani recipes over the years and this is one of the best I've made. I've cooked it twice now and have gotten compliments each time. The lemon juice is a tasty added touch. Thank you!
Sarah Mir says
Thank you so much for leaving this review! I do love the lemon in it too!
Minahil says
Excellent recipe, I had 1.5 lbs of beef cubes so I increased everything by half. Ended up using a boxed spice mix, but added an extra teaspoon of coriander powder and red chilli powder each since I had more meat and rice. This was my first time making biryani ever and it turned out great!
Sarah Mir says
Absolutely thrilled to hear it! Thanks for sharing your tweaks!
Romeen says
Made this for Eid dinner and it was a hit. Everyone loved it. I like that it didn’t taste overwhelmingly of spices and how easy it was to make. Thank you for a keeper recipe.
Sarah Mir says
Yay! This was last nights dinner for us too and I did find myself thinking I prefer it to the heavier versions out there!
Somayya says
Assalaamualaikum. Made this yesterday for iftaar. It was a hit with the family. Jazakillahkhairan for sharing.
Sarah Mir says
Wsalam! Am very very happy to hear that! thank you for sharing!
Nadia says
I’m excited to try this for iftar! I think I will use 3 lbs of meat, should I just triple everything? Also if I’m prepping it ahead of time, after I make the rice and the meat mixture, can I put it into a foil tray and the next day can I put it in the over to give the dum? Or it has to be on the stove? I don’t think I have a big enough pot 😆. Thank you!
Sarah Mir says
You can absolutely prep it a day ahead and put it in the oven! If you are making it for iftar I find that people tend to eat more meat then and you can possibly dial back the rice a little!
Nadia says
Thanks!! Yes it’s for iftar, will let you know how it goes!
Sukaina JP says
Tried this recipe over the weekend and wow!! It was delicious! Easy to follow recipe and turned out perfectly. I have messed up biryani in the past but this was excellent!
Sarah Mir says
SO happy to hear this worked for you! Thank you Sukaina!
Sithy says
Made this recipe for a party using 4 lbs of beef and it came out perfect. I followed the recipe and just quadrupled everything. It came together so quickly and tasted like it had been cooking for hours. Now I want to make a small batch just for my family so I can really enjoy it.
Sarah Mir says
Alirght! I AM THRILLED to hear that! Thank you for taking the time to review and rate it!
Simrath Dempsey says
Just made this for a baptism for my husbands cousin! It turned out really good. Made it on the stovetop instead because I didn’t want to drag out the instant pot, but will definitely try again.
Sarah Mir says
That's fantastic to hear! Thank you SO SO much!
Sonia Naz says
My mouth really watered to see your recipe. I'll try it myself tomorrow. Is it really tasty in real?
Sarah Mir says
We love it and hope you try it!
Kiran Parvez says
Hi Sarah. Thanks for the recipe. If I want to use chicken instead of beef and am not using Instant pot, what should I do differently?
sarahjmir@gmail.com says
Hi kiran!!! Just do everything until you add the meat and sauté then add the other ingredients including fat chunks of potatoes and about a cup and a wuaetee of hot water and bring to a simmer until the chicken is done. Then dry up the masala and layer!
Mahvish says
Hello, I'm wondering if I were to use undercut beef strips, how long should I cook the meat for? Many thanks!
sarahjmir@gmail.com says
Hi Mahvish - Beef strips won't get you that biryani feel, but if you want to use them then I would guess that they'd take half an hour to be nice and tender
Karen kendell says
thanks seems quite easy to make imust try it our
sarahjmir says
really hope you do!!!
Abina says
Thank you for my Sunday lunch idea! Can't wait to try this recipe:)
sarahjmir says
any time 🙂 ...you know you, me and ruchi should do a full on meat lunch at my house one day hehe