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This lightened-up version of hamburger curry (Pakistani Kima) is a family favorite that I first discovered years ago in my well-worn copy of the More-With-Less Cookbook(affiliate link). Made with simple pantry ingredients, ground beef (or turkey), potatoes, peas, and warm curry spices, it comes together in one pot for an easy weeknight dinner.
Best of all, it’s mild enough that even folks who “don’t like curry” end up loving it—my sister swears she could eat it every single day!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
WW and Family-Friendly: A satisfying, lower-point version of classic Pakistani Kima that works for WeightWatchers and still pleases the whole table.
One-Pot Dinner: Everything cooks together, making cleanup quick and easy.
Simple Budget-Friendly Ingredients: Uses ground beef (or turkey), potatoes, and frozen peas—pantry and freezer staples.
Customizable: Adjust the spice level, swap in sweet potatoes or cauliflower, or make it vegetarian with lentils or plant-based crumbles.
Great for Leftovers: Flavors deepen as it sits, making it perfect for meal prep or freezing in portions for later.
Ingredients and Substitutions
Nonstick cooking spray – a lighter, more WW friendly alternative to the suggested butter.
Chopped onion – I opted for yellow onion in this recipe, however white, sweet, or red should work as well.
Minced garlic – either fresh or from a jar. I used 1/2-teaspoon granulated garlic instead since this is all I had on hand.
Lean ground beef – To keep the calories, fat and WW Points low choose the leanest beef possible. Ground turkey or vegetarian crumbles would also work.
Curry powder – a fragrant blend of spices that typically includes turmeric (giving it a golden color), along with spices like coriander, cumin, fenugreek, and chili peppers. It can have a mild to moderately spicy heat level, depending on the amount of chili powder. (I used a combination of curry powder and garam masala(affiliate link) which tends to be more aromatic and less earthy, with a rich warmth and slight sweetness from spices like cinnamon and cardamom.)
Salt – an essential in cooking because it does much more than just make food “salty.” It helps to brighten, intensify and balance flavors.
Canned diced tomatoes – I often opt for the petite diced tomatoes in recipes when I can get them.
Diced potatoes – I used white potatoes, but any potato should work in this recipe, even sweet potatoes.
Frozen peas and/or green beans – adds nourishing flavor, texture and color to this curry. Substitute whatever vegetables you have on hand or prefer.
How Many Calories and WW Points in this Easy Hamburger Curry (Pakistani Kima)?
According to my calculations, each serving has:
Calories: 185
WW Points: To see your WW Points for this recipe, track it in the WW App! (You must be logged into WW on a smartphone or tablet.)
Old Points:5PointsPlus
To keep the calories and WW Points low, I skipped the recommended 3 tablespoons of butter and opted for extra lean ground beef.
How to Make Hamburger Curry, Step-by-Step
Step 1: Gather and Prep all your ingredients
Step 2: Cook the meat, onions and garlic
Coat a large, deep skillet or Dutch oven with nonstick cooking spray. Add the meat, onion, and garlic. Cook, stirring and breaking up the meat, until it is no longer pink.
Step 3: Simmer until done
Add everything else to the pot and simmer, covered until the potatoes are done.
Cooking Notes, Additions and Substitutions
For the lowest points opt for 95% lean ground beef. You could also use ground turkey or veggie crumbles if you prefer.
Adjust the seasonings to suit your tastes. I used a combination of mild sweet curry powder and garam masala(affiliate link). Additional chiles, more curry powder, ground turmeric, ginger, cinnamon, etc. would all be nice.
Be sure to dice your potatoes small so they cook in the allotted time. I used white potatoes but sweet potatoes would be good too.
Add more vegetables to increase the volume for minimal calories. Green beans, cauliflower, zucchini, corn, carrots, mixed vegetables would all work.
Coat a large deep skillet with nonstick cooking spray and set it over medium heat. Add the beef, onions and garlic. Cook, stirring and breaking up the meat, until it is no longer pink.
Stir in the remaining ingredients; cover and simmer 25 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender.
Serving size: 1 heaping cup
WW Points: 0
Check the WW Points for this recipe and track it in the WW app. (Must be logged into WW on a smartphone or tablet.)
5PointsPlus (Old plan)
Serve over steamed rice or cauliflower rice to keep your carbs and WW Points to a minimum.
Make dinnertime and dessert easier with my Slow Cook Yourself Slim Ultimate eBook Bundle. It is packed with simple, satisfying WW-friendly recipes designed for busy cooks who love comfort food without the guilt.
About Martha McKinnon
Weight Watchers Lifetime Member, Yoga Practitioner and Blogger who loves to share her passion for trying to create a happy, healthy, balanced life in what often feels like an overwhelming out of control world.
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