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Close-up shot of lamb vindaloo on a plate with rice and some fresh cilantro.
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5 from 8 votes

Lamb Vindaloo Recipe

Lamb Vindaloo is a fall-apart tender spicy South-Indian lamb curry with coconut milk and a splash of vinegar. An easy, foolproof recipe.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time1 hour 30 minutes
Course: Dinner, Lunch, Main Course
Cuisine: Indian
Keyword: Lamb Vindaloo
Servings: 8 servings

Ingredients

  • 4 tbsp oil
  • 4 cups diced onion
  • 3 ½ tsp kosher salt divided use
  • 2 tbsp minced garlic
  • 1 tsp cayenne
  • 2 tsp ground cumin
  • 2 tsp ground turmeric
  • 2 ½ tbsp vinegar
  • 2 tbsp grainy mustard
  • 2 ½ lbs boneless lamb cut in 1 ½” - 2” chunks
  • 2 ½ tsp kosher salt
  • 1 cup coconut milk
  • 2 tbsp minced cilantro to serve

Instructions

  • Heat oil in a large dutch oven over medium heat. Add onions and 1 tsp of the salt. Cook until very soft and nicely golden, about 20 minutes, reducing heat if onions start to brown before they’re soft.
  • Add garlic, cayenne, cumin and turmeric and cook 1-2 minutes, until garlic is soft and spices are fragrant. Add the vinegar and mustard and cook a minute more, stirring frequently. Add the lamb and the coconut milk.
  • At this point, you can simmer on the stove for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, until lamb is tender, or transfer to a pressure cooker, stir in the sauce, and cook on high pressure for 30 minutes and let the steam release naturally. Top with cilantro.

Video

Notes

 
  • Bone-in lamb meat will give you more flavor than boneless, so consider using it if you have a good butcher.
  • This recipe yields a wonderful large batch of curry - handy if you want to feed guests and have leftovers for the freezer. You can also halve the recipe. 
  • It gets better with age. Let it rest overnight or for a couple of days, and you'll notice the flavors develop further.
  • The vinegar and mustard are there to cut through the creamy richness of the sauce.

Nutrition

Calories: 364kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 32g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 0.03g | Cholesterol: 94mg | Sodium: 1890mg | Potassium: 614mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 122IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 54mg | Iron: 4mg