Easy Instant Pot Lamb Curry

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 Indian curry! We usually enjoy it with instant pot basmati rice or instant pot 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 and Indian food in our house, and the easier, the better! That’s why we love making Indian recipes in the Instant Pot. They’re so simple and pretty hands off too!

Instant Pot chicken curry is one of our favorites, along with 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 pressure cooker lamb curry, however, might be our new favorite delicious recipe - even better than at the Indian restaurant! The lamb pieces are so tender they just melt-in-your-mouth (just like these Instant Pot lamb shanks) and it tastes like it has been slow cooking for hours!

Why this instant pot lamb curry recipe works

1. The recipe calls for leg of lamb, shoulder (lamb roast) or lamb 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! 
2. 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.
3. There’s no long simmering time and everything is made using the Instant Pot (or an electric pressure cooker), so cleaning up is a breeze.
4. The recipe is very versatile and can be made with chicken, beef or pork as well.
5. Yogurt or coconut milk is used to make the curry creamy.
6. It can be made in the slow cooker or Instant Pot.

Ingredients for Indian lamb curry

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 uses garam masala. This is a curry powder made from 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, kashmiri chili powder is added to the curry. Feel free to use paprika as a less spicy substitute.  

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.

Step by step instructions

Step 1: 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).

Step 2: Heat the ghee in the Instant Pot on the sauté setting and add the lamb. Brown lamb on all sides.

Step 5: Pressure cook on high for 25 minutes. Let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes, then use the quick release to release the pressure.

Step 6: Simmer on the sauté setting to thicken, if needed. Add additional salt to taste, if needed.

Step 7: Garnish with chopped cilantro and fresh lemon and serve with basmati rice and/or naan. You can also serve with plain yogurt to mixed in when served for extra tang and creaminess.

Slow cooker lamb curry instructions

You can also make this lamb curry in the slow cooker.

Step 1: Brown the seasoned lamb pieces in a skillet. Remove and sauté the onions and garlic for 1-2 minutes.

Step 2: 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.

Experts tips to make this lamb curry

1. Make sure your lamb is cut into roughly the same size pieces (about 2 inches) so it cooks evenly.
2. 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.
3. Before adding the can of diced tomatoes, drain it well so the curry sauce doesn’t turn out too thin or watery.
4. If the sauce is too thick, just add additional stock. If it's too thin, simmer it longer to reduce it. 
5. If you want an extra thick and creamy lamb curry, use coconut cream instead of coconut milk.
6. 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.
7. Be sure to let the pressure naturally release for 10 minutes. The lamb will keep cooking during this time.
8. 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.
9. For extra tang and creaminess, stir in a couple tablespoons of plain yogurt after cooking is complete.
10. You can also substitute mutton to make mutton curry.

Serving options

• Serve with steamed basmati rice, or any other steamed rice of your preference.
• Serve with a cooling mango lassi on the side.
• A side of naan or any other flatbread of your choice goes great with this lamb.
• Add potatoes during the pressure cooking process (1-2" cubes).
• Add in other veggies like zucchini and spinach after pressure cooking is done and simmer 2-3 minutes.

Frequently asked questions

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