Easy Lamb Curry with Coconut Milk

This easy Lamb Curry is all about fall-apart tender lamb tucked into a rich, warmly spiced tomato and coconut sauce. Onions and garlic create a savoury-sweet base, garam masala, cumin, cinnamon and chilli bring the warmth, and coconut milk pulls everything together into a silky sauce made for spooning over fluffy basmati rice. The best part? After a little prep at the stove, you can leave the pot to gently bubble away until dinner is ready.

What You’ll Need for This Easy Lamb Curry

The ingredient list for this lamb curry recipe is refreshingly short. Nothing fancy, just a few well-chosen spices and plenty of flavour.

• Lean lamb – Lamb goulash or stewing meat is ideal. Lamb leg also works well. Aim for evenly sized chunks so everything becomes tender at the same time.
• Onions and garlic – Three onions may sound generous, but trust me on this one. Cooked until soft and golden, they practically melt into the sauce and give it wonderful depth and sweetness.
• Italian plum tomatoes – Whole canned tomatoes add richness and just enough acidity to balance the coconut milk.
• Garam masala, cumin, chilli and cinnamon – Our little spice line-up. Warm, fragrant and gently spicy without requiring half the spice cupboard.
• Coconut milk – This is what takes the sauce from good to where’s the naan? Full-fat coconut milk gives you the creamiest, silkiest result.
• Ghee or coconut oil – Ghee adds a lovely buttery richness; coconut oil is an easy dairy-free alternative.
• Rice of choice, for serving – Basmati, jasmine or wholegrain basmati all work beautifully. Serve it fluffy and steaming with plenty of that rich curry sauce spooned over the top.

How to Make Lamb Curry in 3 Simple Steps

This easy lamb curry recipe starts with a little chopping and stirring, but after that? The pot does the heavy lifting. Give the lamb time to simmer slowly and you’ll be rewarded with meltingly tender meat and a deeply flavoured sauce.

1. Start with the flavour base. Cook the onions until soft and golden, then add the garlic. In go the tomatoes, which get crushed and cooked down until thick and concentrated. Add the spices and suddenly your kitchen smells very, very good.
2. Add the lamb and coconut milk. Toss the lamb through that gorgeous spiced tomato mixture until every piece is coated. Pour in the coconut milk and enough water to keep the lamb mostly submerged.
3. Let it simmer. Cover the pot and let everything gently bubble away until the lamb is wonderfully tender. Take off the lid towards the end if the sauce needs thickening, then spoon it generously over steamed basmati rice.

Get the exact ingredient quantities in the printable recipe card below.

Tip for Perfectly Tender Lamb

Don’t let the clock be the boss here. Lamb varies depending on the cut and size of the pieces, so check it after about 1½ hours. If it isn’t fork-tender yet, cover it again and give it another 15–30 minutes. If the sauce gets too thick while you wait, a splash of water is all it needs.

5 Reasons You’ll Love This Simple Lamb Curry Recipe

This easy lamb curry delivers big flavour with simple ingredients and very little hands-on effort.

1. Simple ingredients. A few everyday spices create plenty of warm, aromatic flavour.
2. Rich, creamy sauce. Tomatoes and coconut milk make it silky, savoury and perfect for spooning over rice.
3. Fall-apart tender lamb. Slow simmering makes every bite beautifully tender.
4. Mostly hands-off. Once it’s simmering, the pot does the work.
5. Warmly spiced, not too spicy. Aromatic spices bring plenty of flavour without too much heat, making this easy lamb curry a crowd-pleasing choice for most tastes.

More Easy Curry Recipes to Try

If you love this Lamb Curry recipe, there are plenty more warming, spice-filled dishes to try. For another lamb favourite, try my Lamb Curry with Chickpeas or for something equally warming, go for a Garam Masala Curry made with turkey breast or try my classic Garam Masala Chicken Curry. Prefer something meat-free? My Indian Eggplant Curry is a delicious slow-cooked vegetarian option, while this Squash and Red Lentil Curry is perfect when you want a quick weeknight curry.

Elle

Easy Lamb Curry with Coconut Milk

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Easy Lamb Curry with tender, slow-simmered lamb in a rich, creamy coconut-tomato sauce with warming spices. An easy, flavour-packed curry that’s comforting without being too spicy.

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr 50 minutes mins

Total Time 2 hours hrs 5 minutes mins

Servings: 4

Course: Main Dish

Cuisine: Curry, Modern Indian

Calories: 410

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Ingredients

  

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• 2 tablespoons ghee or coconut oil
• 3 small yellow onions, finely chopped
• 4 large garlic cloves minced
• 1 x 400 g can Italian plum tomatoes (e.g. San Marzano)
• 1 teaspoon garam masala
• 1 teaspoon chilli powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 600 g lamb goulash or stewing meat, cut into chunks
• 1 x 200 ml can coconut milk (full-fat)
• 60 ml water, or more as needed

To serve:

• steamed basmati or jasmine rice

Instructions

 

1. Heat the ghee or coconut oil in a large, heavy-bottomed casserole or dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onions and cook for about 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until soft and golden. Add the garlic and cook for another 1–2 minutes, until fragrant.
2. Add the plum tomatoes, crushing them with a wooden spoon. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes have thickened and most of the excess liquid has evaporated.
3. Add the garam masala, chilli powder, cumin, cinnamon and salt. Stir well and cook for about 30 seconds, until fragrant. Add the lamb and cook for 5–7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it has lost its raw colour and is well coated in the spiced tomato mixture.
4. Pour in the coconut milk and add 60–80 ml water, as needed. There should be enough liquid for the lamb to be mostly submerged. Bring to a gentle simmer, cover with a lid and reduce the heat to low. Simmer gently for about 1 1/2 hours, or until the lamb is very tender.
5. Remove the lid and simmer uncovered for a few minutes, if needed, until the sauce has thickened to your desired consistency. Taste and adjust the seasoning, then remove from the heat and serve. Enjoy!

Nutrition

Calories: 410kcal

Notes

• Lamb can vary in tenderness depending on the cut and size of the pieces. Check it after 1½ hours; if it isn’t fork-tender, continue simmering gently, covered, for another 15–30 minutes. If the sauce starts to look too thick, add a small splash of water.

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