Baked Kheema
Ingredients
- 500g minced meat (mutton or chicken)
- 2 medium onions, very finely chopped
- 2 medium tomatoes, finely chopped
- 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
- ½ cup frozen or fresh green peas
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 tsp coriander powder
- 1 tsp cumin powder
- 1 tsp red chilli powder
- ½ tsp turmeric
- ½ tsp garam masala
- 2 tbsp oil
- Salt to taste
- Fresh coriander and lemon to finish
Steps
- 1
Sauté the base
In an oven-safe skillet or baking dish, heat oil on the stovetop (induction) or in the oven at 200 °C for 5 minutes. Add cumin seeds, then onion. Cook until golden, 8–10 minutes. Add ginger-garlic paste, cook 2 minutes.
- 2
Add tomato and spices
Add tomatoes and all dry spices. Cook until the tomato breaks down and oil separates, about 5 minutes.
- 3
Add the mince
Add the minced meat, breaking up any clumps with a spoon. Mix thoroughly into the masala. Add peas and salt.
- 4
Transfer to oven
If not already in an oven-safe dish, transfer the kheema mixture to one. Spread evenly. Do not cover — you want the top to develop colour.
- 5
Bake
Bake at 180 °C for 30 minutes, then at 200 °C for a final 10 minutes to crisp the top. The surface should be lightly caramelised and any excess moisture evaporated.
- 6
Finish and serve
Add garam masala, stir, and rest for 5 minutes. Finish with coriander and lemon. Serve with roti, paratha, or pav.
Tips for Best Results
💡 Do not cover the dish
Covering traps steam and makes the kheema wet. The point of baking is to drive off moisture and concentrate the flavour — keep it uncovered.
💡 Use mutton mince for best flavour
Mutton mince has more fat than chicken, which self-bastes the meat during baking. Chicken kheema works but is drier — add an extra tablespoon of oil.
💡 Finish at high heat
The final 10 minutes at 200 °C is what creates the characteristic slightly crispy top. Do not skip this step.
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Why Baked Kheema Is Better
Kheema on a gas stove is made in a pan — the meat browns, the masala cooks down, and you stir constantly to prevent sticking. It is a good dish, but the intense, direct heat of a stovetop can dry out the meat if you are not careful, and the flavour development is limited by the 20-minute cook time.
In the oven, kheema cooks surrounded by dry heat for 40–45 minutes. The masala reduces deeply, the meat caramelises on the surface, and the fat from the meat bastes the mixture from inside. The result is a more concentrated, more complex kheema with a slightly crisp top that cannot be achieved on a stove.
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Gas-Free Indian Cooking
Baked kheema is a revelation for anyone used to only stovetop versions. Explore more oven recipes in our no-gas collection.
