Slow Cooker Lamb Curry is a hearty heal that’s easy to prepare & delicious. This easy Indian lamb curry recipe results in fall apart tender meat that’s perfectly spiced. You can also make it on the stove or in your instant pot.
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If you love rich, aromatic curries but don’t always have time to stand over the stove, this Slow Cooker Lamb Curry is the perfect solution. After a few hours, you’re rewarded with fall-apart tender lamb in a creamy, deeply spiced sauce.
Greek yogurt adds silky richness while garlic, onions, and warm curry spices build layers of flavor as the curry cooks low and slow. It’s comforting, fragrant, and surprisingly effortless — just set it, walk away, and let the slow cooker work its magic.
Serve it over fluffy rice or with warm naan to soak up every drop of the sauce. Whether you’re making a cozy weeknight dinner or a make-ahead meal for guests, this lamb curry is a reliable, hands-off recipe you’ll want to return to again and again.
Ingredients needed
- Lamb – Lamb stew meat, lamb shanks, and/or lamb shoulder steaks are all great options. See more below.
- Onions & Garlic
- Olive Oil
- Spices – Curry powder, ground coriander, cumin, salt & pepper.
- Canned Tomatoes
- Chicken Stock – Or, bone broth.
- Greek Yogurt
- Lemon Juice
How to make it
- Brown the lamb in a large skillet before adding it to the slow cooker.
- Note: If you’re short on time, you can skip browning the lamb, but it does add a lot of flavor to this dish.
- Brown onions, garlic and curry powder in the same skillet and then add to the slow cooker.
- Add all ingredients to slow cooker and cook on LOW for 6 hours or HIGH for 4 hours.
- Stir in greek yogurt and serve.
Stovetop directions
- Brown the lamb in a large dutch oven or skillet over medium-high heat. Set aside.
- Add onions, garlic and curry and saute for 3-5 minutes longer.
- Return lamb to skillet along with remaining ingredients (except yogurt).
- Simmer and cook 45 minutes – 1 hour until lamb is tender.
- Stir in yogurt and serve.
Instant pot directions
- Brown the lamb using the SAUTE function of your electric pressure cooker. Set aside.
- Add onions, garlic and curry and saute for 3-5 minutes longer.
- Return lamb to Instant Pot along with remaining ingredients (except yogurt) and cook on manual HIGH pressure for 60 minutes.
FAQs
Yes! If you’d like to make this lamb curry dairy-free, simply substitute 1/2 cup coconut milk for the yogurt.
Sure. You can also use beef, chicken or pork to make this dish.
Variations
- You can add potatoes, cauliflower, peas or green beans to this curry.
- Add potatoes or cauliflower when the lamb is added back to the pot. Or, add frozen green beans or peas during the last 15 minutes of cook time.
How to make ahead and store
This slow cooked lamb curry ill keep in the refrigerator for up to five days. Its flavors will continue to develop over time. You can also freeze this curry for up to three months.
What to serve with it
Although this meal is delicious over basmati rice or quinoa with homemade naan on the side, you can serve it next to a few other Indian-inspired dishes when you feel like recreating your favorite Indian takeout menu:
- More → 25+ Indian Side Dishes
Erin’s wine pairings
- Dry Riesling is a great match for this dish. Its hint of sweetness will tame down the heat while its acidity stands up to the bold blend of spices.
- Gewurztraminer is another lightly sweet wine that will pair well with curry.
- Grenache is a great red wine option for this dish.
- MORE → my 8 favorite lamb wine pairings.
More lamb recipes
More Indian-inspired recipes
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Full Recipe
Slow Cooker Lamb Curry
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 pounds lamb shanks (bone-in (or 2 pounds boneless lamb stew meat, lamb shanks, and/or lamb shoulder steaks))
- 2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 medium onions (minced)
- 4 cloves garlic (minced)
- 2 Tablespoons curry powder
- 1 Tablespoon ground coriander
- 1 Tablespoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup crushed tomatoes
- 1 cup bone broth (or chicken stock)
- 1/2 cup greek yogurt
- Salt and pepper (to taste)
- Juice of lemon
For Serving:
- Basmati rice
- Yogurt
- Cilantro
- Tomatoes and Cucumbers
Instructions
Slow Cooker Directions:
- Heat olive oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium high. Once hot, add the lamb and brown on all sides, working in batches if necessary to avoid crowding the pan. Place in slow cooker.
- Add onions, garlic and curry powder to the skillet and cook until onions have softened, 3-4 minutes. Place in slow cooker.
- Add remaining ingredients (except yogurt) to slow cooker and cook on LOW for 6 hours. Stir in yogurt and season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve with basmati rice, yogurt and cilantro, if desired.
Stovetop Directions:
- Brown the lamb in a large dutch oven or skillet. Set aside.
- Add onions, garlic and curry and saute for 3-5 minutes longer.
- Return lamb to skillet along with remaining ingredients (except yogurt). Bring to a simmer and cook 45 minutes – 1 hour until lamb is tender. Stir in yogurt and serve.
Instant Pot Directions:
- Brown the lamb using the SAUTE function of your Instant Pot. Set aside.
- Add onions, garlic and curry and saute for 3-5 minutes longer.
- Return lamb to Instant Pot along with remaining ingredients (except yogurt) and cook on manual HIGH pressure for 60 minutes. Stir in yogurt and serve.
Notes
Nutrition
This post was originally published in 2019. It was updated in 2023 to add new information and cooking tips. The slow cooker lamb curry recipe remains the same. Enjoy!
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