Lamb Vindaloo Recipe (With 3 Cooking Options)

This flavorful and fiery lamb vindaloo is the ultimate Indian curry dinner. It has fork-tender pieces of lamb that are simmered in a deliciously rich vindaloo sauce. Plus, you can make it on the stovetop, in the instant pot, or in a slow cooker!

THE BEST LAMB VINDALOO

Lamb vindaloo can be found on practically any Indian takeout menu. And once you've tasted it, you'll see why. It's one of my favorite things to order from an Indian restaurant, so I decided to make my own homemade version!

And I wanted to make lamb vindaloo curry recipe that was not only super easy to make at home, but also one that didn't sacrifice any of the dish's fantastic flavor.

Spoiler alert, I think I succeeded with this recipe!

This vindaloo has tender bites of lamb marinated in a mouthwatering, flavorful vindaloo sauce that is seasoned to perfection. 

And if you've never made curry or lamb before, don't be intimidated. The prep and active cooking time only come out to about 20 minutes total, and the rest is just letting your stove – or your instant pot or slow cooker – do its thing!

Now, the meat will have to marinate for a few hours, so just keep that in mind when you're planning out when you want to enjoy this delicious meal.

And while you're waiting for the meat to marinate, you can whip up these 5-ingredient biscuits that make the perfect side.

Oh, and if you want a traditional curry recipe, give this Instant Pot chicken curry a try!

 

Ingredients You'll Need

 For the lamb vindaloo:

• Lamb shoulder
• Large onion
• Cloves of garlic
• Dried chili peppers
• Cinnamon sticks- if you don't have whole cinnamon sticks, use ½-1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon or ground allspice per stick.
• Bay leaf
• Water- add more if necessary
• Parsley- for decorating

For the vindaloo curry paste:

• Cumin
• Black pepper
• Dried chili peppers
• Garlic cloved
• Ginger powder
• Turmeric powder
• Cloves powder- you can use an equal amount of nutmeg powder. 
• Sumac- you can swap it with ½ teaspoon of lemon zest or lemon juice.
• Olive oil
• Lime juice
• Tomato puree 
• Salt

You can use many of the same ingredients to make our Instant Pot paella recipe next!

STEP 1: PREPARATION

First, lightly toast the cumin and peppercorns in a pan, and then add to a blender or food processor along with the garlic, ginger powder, turmeric powder, cloves powder, sumac, olive oil, lime juice, and tomato puree.

Then blend all of these ingredients until a compact paste-like mixture forms.

Next, chop the lamb into large cubes, place in a bowl, and pour the vindaloo sauce over it, completely covering the meat. Then let it marinate in the fridge for 3-4 hours.

STEP 2: ADDING FLAVOR TO THIS LAMB VINDALOO

Once your meat is fully marinated, you can get started on the curry.

First, take out a thick-bottomed skillet and heat up your olive oil over medium-high heat. Then add the chopped onion and garlic and cook until the onion has softened.

Next, add the dried chili peppers, cinnamon sticks, and bay leaf and lower the heat and let the spices simmer for a couple of minutes.

STEP 3: COOKING THE LAMB

Once your spices are tempered, add the marinated lamb to the skillet and turn it to medium heat. 

Let the meat and sauce come to a simmer, then pour in the water and cover the pan.Next, let everything cook for 2 hours on medium heat, stirring occasionally and adding more water if it starts to look too dry. Once the lamb is so soft that it falls apart when you stick a fork in it, it is done.

Finally, transfer your warm lamb vindaloo to a serving bowl and decorate with fresh parsley. And for the best experience, serve it with a side of Spanish Rice or French Bread.

How To Make Lamb Vinadloo In The Slow Cooker

You can also make this delicious vindaloo curry in the slow cooker! Like with the Instant Pot, do the prep and sauté parts of the recipe first, then add everything to the slow cooker. Then let it cook for 5 hours on high or 9 hours on low.

More Dinner Recipes

If you liked this delicious lamb vindaloo curry, we have a ton of recipes that I think you'll like just as much!

Give one of these a try next:

• Pan seared lamb chops
• Cube steak
• Lamb Breast
• Braised beef shank
• Chicken hearts
• Instant Pot Japanese curry