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Instant Pot Lamb Curry is made with tender and juicy lamb, warm Indian spices, tomatoes and coconut milk. Normally slow cooked for hours, this lamb curry cooks in less than an hour in the pressure cooker!
There is nothing more comforting than the warming spices and rich flavors of curries! We usually enjoy them with basmati rice or jasmine rice with a side of naan bread to soak up all the delicious curry sauce!
It’s no secret that we’re huge fans of curries in our house, and the easier, the better! That’s why we love making them in the Instant Pot. They’re so simple and pretty hands off too!
Instant Pot chicken curry is one of our favorites, and so is this Instant Pot Japanese curry! And how about Instant Pot chana masala? It’s a chickpea curry that’s ready in less than 30 minutes!
This lamb curry, however, might be our new favorite. The lamb is so tender it just melts-in-your-mouth (just like these Instant Pot lamb chops or Instant Pot lamb shanks) and it tastes like it has been slow cooking for hours!
Jump to:
Why this recipe works
- The recipe calls for lamb leg, shoulder or stew meat, all of which are tough cuts of lamb that require slow cooking for hours in order to tenderize. The Instant Pot achieves tender results in less than an hour!
- Lamb curry is great for meal prep. Curries are usually more flavorful the next day, so feel free to save leftovers for lunch or make a batch for easy weekday dinners.
- There’s no long simmering time and everything is made in the Instant Pot, so cleaning up is a breeze.
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Ingredients
For a full list of ingredients and quantities, check out the recipe card at the end of this post.
You’ll need 1 pound of lamb for this recipe. You can use leg, shoulder or stew meat.
One tablespoon of ghee is used to brown the lamb. This is a clarified butter where the milk solids have been removed. You can buy ghee or learn how to make ghee yourself!
For a fragrant and warming blend of spices, the recipe calls for 3 teaspoons of garam masala. This is a mixture of ground spices such as coriander, cumin, cardamon, fennel, cloves, peppercorns, cinnamon and nutmeg. I normally use homemade garam masala but you can also use store-bought.
For a mild spicy flavor, ½ teaspoon of kashmiri chili powder is added to the curry. Feel free to use paprika as a less spicy substitute.
To add a subtle earthy and spicy flavor, and some color, ½ teaspoon of turmeric is added to the curry. A little goes a long way here!
The recipe calls for just ¼ cup of chicken stock. You can use store-bought or make your own like this Instant Pot chicken bone broth.
You’ll need 1-15 ounce can of diced tomatoes. Make sure to drain the can well so the curry sauce isn’t too watery.
Lastly, for a rich and creamy curry, the recipe requires ½ cup of coconut milk. Make sure you use full fat and not lite coconut milk which is too watery for curry.
Step by step instructions
Cut the lamb in 2" pieces and mix with the spices and salt. Let sit for one hour (optional but recommended for the best flavor).
Heat the ghee in the Instant Pot on the sauté setting and add the lamb. Brown lamb on all sides.
Add the garlic, onions and ginger and cook 1-2 minutes.
Add the chicken stock, tomatoes and coconut milk and stir to combine.
Pressure cook on high for 25 minutes. Let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes, then use the quick release to release any remaining pressure.
Simmer on the sauté setting to thicken, if needed. Add additional salt to taste, if needed.
Garnish with chopped cilantro and fresh lemon and serve with basmati rice and/or naan.
Experts tips
- Make sure your lamb is cut into roughly the same size pieces (about 2 inches) so it cooks evenly.
- Once the lamb is coated in the spice mix and salt, if you have time, I recommend letting it sit for an hour. This helps tenderize it and seal in the juices.
- Before adding the can of diced tomatoes, drain them well so the curry sauce doesn’t turn out too thin or watery.
- If the sauce is too thick, just add additional stock. If it's too thin, simmer it longer to reduce it.
- If you want an extra thick and creamy lamb curry, use coconut cream instead of coconut milk.
- I used a 6 quart Instant Pot for this recipe. If you have a larger 8 quart Instant Pot, it will just take longer to pressurize.
- Be sure to let the pressure naturally release for 10 minutes. The lamb will keep cooking during this time.
- While the cooking time is 25 minutes on high pressure in the Instant Pot, you’ll also need to factor in time for pressure to build and release.
Common questions
This isn’t an overly spicy curry. It contains more warming spices than hot spices. If you like your curries with a little heat, feel free to add a pinch of cayenne pepper.
For the best flavor, you’ll want to use bone-in lamb like lamb shoulder, leg (including the shank) or stew meat. You can also use boneless shanks or shoulders, if you prefer.
If the curry is too thin, you can let it simmer a few minutes longer so it can reduce. You can also use a cornstarch slurry and gradually stir it into the curry until it has thickened to your liking.
We usually pair it with Instant Pot basmati rice or coconut jasmine rice, but it would also be delicious with Instant Pot cilantro lime rice or Instant Pot Spanish rice. Naan bread or roti are a must, and so is this mango lassi, which is a great way to finish off the meal!
Storage and reheating
I think curries are even more flavorful as leftovers, so you can definitely keep this curry stored in an airtight container in the fridge to enjoy for 3-4 days.
You can also freeze lamb curry for up to 3 months. Just portion it into freezer safe containers or bags for easy storage and defrosting.
To reheat, just warm it on the stovetop in a saucepan. If the curry is frozen, just let it defrost in the fridge overnight before reheating.
More lamb recipes
- Sous Vide Lamb Shoulder
- Mongolian Lamb
- Sous Vide Rack of Lamb
- Sous Vide Lamb Shanks
- Sous Vide Lamb Chops
- Spicy Lamb Tacos
- Teriyaki Marinated Grilled Lamb Chops
If you love this recipe, leave a comment below and let us know your favorite thing about it. We'd also love to connect on Instagram! Follow us at @went_here_8_this for awesome recipes and all sorts of fun food stuff 🙂
Recipe
Instant Pot Lamb Curry
Ingredients
- 1 pound lamb leg, shoulder or stew
- 1 tablespoon ghee
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon grated ginger
- ½ onion chopped
- 3 teaspoons garam masala
- ½ teaspoon kashmiri chili powder
- ½ teaspoon turmeric
- 2 teaspoons salt adjust to taste
- ½ cup coconut milk
- ¼ cup chicken stock
- 1-15 ounce can diced tomatoes drained well
- 1 lemon for serving
- basmati rice for serving
- cilantro for garnish
Instructions
- Cut the lamb in 2" pieces and mix with the spices and salt. Let sit for one hour (optional but recommended for the best flavor).
- Heat the ghee in the Instant Pot on sauté setting and add the lamb. Brown lamb on all sides.
- Add the garlic, onions and ginger and cook 1-2 minutes.
- Add the chicken stock, tomatoes and coconut milk and stir to combine.
- Pressure cook on high for 25 minutes. Let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes, then use the quick release to release any remaining pressure.
- Simmer on the sauté setting to thicken, if needed. Add additional salt to taste, if needed.
- Garnish with chopped cilantro and fresh lemon and serve with basmati rice and/or naan.
Slow Cooker Instructions
- Brown the seasoned lamb pieces in a skillet. Remove and sauté the onions and garlic for 1-2 minutes.
- Add all remaining ingredients to the slow cooker (except chicken stock) and cook for 4 hours on high heat, or 8 hours on low heat.
Expert Tips:
- Make sure your lamb is cut into roughly the same size pieces (about 2 inches) so it cooks evenly.
- Once the lamb is coated in the spice mix and salt, if you have time, I recommend letting it sit for an hour. This helps tenderize it and seal in the juices.
- Before adding the can of diced tomatoes, drain them well so the curry sauce doesn’t turn out too thin or watery.
- If the sauce is too thick, just add additional stock. If it's too thin, simmer it longer to reduce it.
- If you want an extra thick and creamy lamb curry, use coconut cream instead of coconut milk.
- I used a 6 quart Instant Pot for this recipe. If you have a larger 8 quart Instant Pot, it will just take longer to pressurize.
- Be sure to let the pressure naturally release for 10 minutes. The lamb will keep cooking during this time.
- While the cooking time is 25 minutes on high pressure in the Instant Pot, you’ll also need to factor in time for pressure to build and release.
Nutrition
Cynthia Hammer
I am confused as you say lamb with a bone is more flavorful. If you cut the lamb into chunks, where does the bone come into play?
Danielle
Looks like that was just a copy and paste from another lamb recipe where we are cooking a whole chunk instead of cut up pieces. You're right, it doesn't make sense LOL! I took that comment out.
Abhishek
This recipe is not lamb curry. It’s a curry inspired stew at best. We do not use chicken broth or coconut milk to make lamb or mutton curry in India. No yogurt is also a glaring omission. Whatever you made probably tastes good but it’s a spicy stew at best.
Danielle
Hi. Yes, all the recipes on my site are inspired by recipes from other countries and cultures, but most are not authentic. They are only meant to taste good. It may not be an authentic Indian lamb curry, but it is a curry that uses lamb as the protein. I appreciate your input!
Natalie
I never prepared lamb curry, but I found your recipe, and now I just have to make this. Looks so delicious and quite easy. I'm saving this to try. Thanks!
Danielle
I hope you love it 🙂
Gwynn
This recipe was delicious and so easy to make in my instant pot.
Danielle
Thanks!
Denise
This is just the recipe I needed. I bought some lamb because it was such a good price at the grocery store and we usually just eat it as a roast. This is going to be so easy and yummy. Thanks for sharing!
Danielle
Hope you love it Denise!
Shashi at Savory Spin
Growing up, lamb curry and naan were one of my favorite meals and yours looks so hearty and tasty!
Danielle
Thanks Shashi!
Rachna
Curries are an absolute soul food for me. I cook them often. Yours looks really delicious.
Danielle
I totally agree! They are the best. Thanks!