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close up lamb curry with rice and greens
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Easy Lamb Curry Recipe

Learn how to make a creamy lamb curry with spices, tomato, and coconut milk. This easy one-pan recipe is rich, flavorful, and perfect for any night.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time1 hour
Total Time1 hour 15 minutes
Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: Indian, Mediterranean
Keyword: comfort food, one pot, slow-cooked, Spicy
Servings: 4 people
Author: Karina Carrel

Ingredients

  • 1 kg lamb fillet or neck
  • 2 red onions finely chopped
  • 2 tbsp ghee
  • 2 tsp grated ginger
  • 5 cloves garlic chopped
  • 2 tsp cumin
  • 2 tsp madras curry powder
  • 1 tsp turmeric
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1 tsp ground coriander
  • ½ tsp chilli powder
  • ¼ tsp ground cardamom
  • 2 tsp honey
  • 1 red chilli finely chopped
  • 1 tsp salt
  • ½ cup vegetable stock
  • 1 cup passata
  • 1 cup light coconut milk
US - Metric

Instructions

  • Heat the ghee in a large pan over medium heat until melted.
    Pot with ghee melted
  • Add the chopped onion and salt. Stir and cook for about 2 minutes.
    Onion in a pot with melted ghee
    • A pinch of salt here helps draw out moisture so the onions soften faster.
  • Continue cooking the onions until soft and slightly translucent.
    Onion being cooked in the melted ghee
  • Add the garlic, ginger, and spices. Stir well to combine.
    Onion, garlic and rest of spices in a pot
    • Let the spices cook for about 30 seconds to remove any raw taste and deepen the flavor.
  • Cook until the mixture darkens slightly and becomes fragrant.
    Cooked onions mixed with garlic, ginger, and spices in a pan.
  • Add the lamb pieces directly into the pan.
    Raw lamb pieces added on top of spiced onions in a pan.
  • Stir to coat the lamb in the onions and spices. Cook for about 2 minutes.
    Lamb pieces coated in spices and onions while cooking.
    • You’re just sealing the outside here, not fully cooking the lamb.
  • Pour in the passata, coconut milk, and vegetable stock. Add the honey.
    Tomato passata, coconut milk, and stock being poured into the pan with lamb.
    • Scrape the bottom of the pan as you pour to lift all the flavor.
  • Stir until the sauce is fully combined.
    Lamb curry mixture being stirred into a creamy sauce.
  • Bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat to low and cook until the lamb is tender.
    lamb covered with curry sauce
    • Keep the heat low. High heat will make the lamb tough instead of tender.
  • Let the sauce reduce and thicken as it cooks.
    Thickened lamb curry with rich sauce coating the meat.
  • Finish with yogurt and fresh coriander. Serve with rice or naan.
    finished lamb curry dish served wit rice and naan

Notes

Using a different cut of lamb can change the final result. Cuts like shoulder or neck have more fat and connective tissue, which break down during cooking and give you a richer sauce. Lean cuts will cook faster but won’t have the same depth.
If you prefer to use a slow cooker, this recipe adapts well. After building the base in the pan, transfer everything to a slow cooker and cook on low for 6–8 hours or high for 3–4 hours, until the lamb is tender.
The flavor will continue to develop as it sits. This curry often tastes even better the next day once everything has had time to settle.
If your curry tastes slightly flat at the end, it usually just needs a small adjustment. A pinch of salt or a squeeze of lemon can help bring everything together.
  • Cut the lamb into similar sizes so it cooks evenly
  • Skim off excess oil at the top if needed before serving
  • Stir gently toward the end to keep the lamb pieces intact
You can make this dish using a Dutch oven for even heat and better control while simmering. If you’re using bone-in cuts or lamb with bones, they can add extra flavor to the sauce as it cooks.
Happy Cooking! Xx
 

Nutrition

Calories: 992kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 44g | Fat: 81g | Saturated Fat: 39g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 31g | Cholesterol: 211mg | Sodium: 929mg | Potassium: 1029mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 859IU | Vitamin C: 29mg | Calcium: 92mg | Iron: 7mg