This weeks cracking Lamb Coconut Curry recipe is thanks to the lovely Irena Macri from Irena Macri | Food Fit For Life. I don’t often share other peoples recipes, but Irena is a friend and I really love her cooking style.
This Lamb Coconut Curry is a rich, delicious dish with tender lamb, warming spices, and a creamy coconut milk base. It’s perfect for a hearty, comforting meal, with a balanced combination of protein, healthy fats, and vibrant flavours from the herbs and spices.
Health benefits
Lamb is a great source of high-quality protein, rich in vitamins like B12, which supports red blood cell production. The spices used, like turmeric and fennel seeds, offer anti-inflammatory benefits, while coconut milk provides healthy fats to nourish and satisfy.
Ingredients
This recipe combines diced lamb shoulder, onions, cloves garlic, and celery with fragrant spices such as garam masala and turmeric. Coconut milk forms the rich base, while vegetables like carrots and fresh coriander add texture and freshness. Optional variations make it adaptable to different dietary preferences.
How to make this lamb coconut curry
Start by browning the lamb in your choice of fat, then soften the onions, celery, and garlic with spices. Add coconut milk, tomato paste, water, and sea salt, then slow-simmer for an hour. Add the diced carrots and continue cooking until tender. A final touch of lime juice and fresh coriander brings everything together.
Serving suggestions and how to store
Serve this curry with cauliflower rice, basmati rice or your favourite vegetables for a nourishing meal. It can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days or frozen for longer-term storage. Reheat gently on the stovetop before serving.
Vary this lamb coconut curry to suit your needs
To make it dairy-free, use coconut oil instead of ghee. For a no-heat version, simply omit the red chili. For a vegetarian option, swap the lamb for chickpeas and serve with rice or quinoa for a complete protein.
I’ve made this several times for my family and they always devour it. So here we have it, I know you are going to love this delicious Lamb Curry…
For more healthy curry recipes, click HERE.
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp butter, ghee or coconut oil
- 700 g lamb shoulder - diced
- 1 onion/s (large) sliced
- 1 red chilli/s - finely diced
- 2 stick/s celery - diced
- 3 clove/s garlic - diced
- 2 ½ tsp garam masala
- 1¼ tsp ground turmeric
- 1 tsp fennel seeds
- 1½ tsp ghee (or extra coconut oil)
- 400 ml canned coconut milk (1½ cups)
- 1½ tbsp tomato paste (omit for AIP)
- 250 ml water (1 cup)
- 1 tsp sea salt - or to taste
- 2 carrot/s - diced
Serve
- ½ lime/s - juice (to serve)
- Fresh coriander or parsley - to garnish
- Rice, quinoa or cauliflower rice (to serve)
Method
- Heat a tablespoon of butter, ghee or coconut oil in a casserole dish or a large saucepan.
- Add the lamb and stir on a high heat until slightly browned, about 3-4 minutes.
- Add the onion, chilli and celery and cook for about a minute or two, until slightly softened. Bring the heat down to medium.
- Add the garlic, garam masala, turmeric, fennel seeds and ghee (or extra coconut oil if avoiding dairy). Stir through and cook for a minute to let the spices release their aromas.
- Add the coconut milk, tomato paste, water and sea salt. Stir and bring to boil.
- Turn the heat down to slow simmer and cook for 1 hour, covered with a lid. Stir a couple of times.
- After an hour, add the diced carrot and cook for a further 30-40 minutes, covered with a lid. Stir a few times.
- Sprinkle with some fresh coriander or parsley and a little drizzle of lemon or lime juice before serving.
Serve
- Serve with your favourite vegetables or rice, cauliflower rice or quinoa.
Slow cooker
- This can certainly cooked in a slow cooker. However, as the speed and temperature varies between the many brands of slow cookers, base the amount of liquid you add and the cook time on a similar style of recipe in the guide book for your specific slow cooker. The general rule of thumb is to halve the liquid and double the cook time, but understanding your own slow cooker is the best guide.
Make-ahead
- Re-heat in a pot over a low heat until just hot.
Store
- Store in an airtight container in the fridge.
- Can also be frozen.
Grab Bag Formula Method
- If you've done the **Grab Bag Formula Short Course, this is the method to convert this recipe...
- Place all your prepared ingredients into the Grab Bag.
- Carefully seal your Grab Bag. I close most of the seal then press out as much air as I can then complete the seal. Place the Grab Bag in the freezer.
- To cook, remove the Grab Bag from the freezer, place on a baking tray and thaw in the fridge overnight.
- Tip the contents of the Grab Bag into a large oven proof dish (with a tight fitting lid) or Dutch oven. It may still be a bit frozen; that’s okay. Place the lid on the pot, set your oven to 150°C/300°F (fan-forced) and cook for 4½ hours.
- Taste and adjust the seasoning and spiciness. Sprinkle with some fresh coriander or parsley and a little drizzle of lemon or lime juice before serving.
- ** The Grab Bag Formula Short Course is available to purchase for just AU$46 HERE.ORIf you are a full-access Well Nourished Family member, the course is included in your membership and you can access in the members portal - HERE.
Variations
No-heat
Remove the red chilli to make it less spicy if cooking for the kids - although it’s not very spicy anyway.Dairy-free
Choose coconut oil as the fat.Onion and garlic-free
Replace them with a small bulb of fennel (diced) and a teaspoon of ground cumin.Vegetarian
Replace the lamb with 2 cans of drained and rinsed chickpeas. Serve with rice or quinoa to ensure you have a complete protein.Let me know if this is a winner in your household. Post a comment and rate the recipe below.
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Katie says
This beautiful recipe arrived in my inbox this morning! Thanks – and just in time for me to make for my carnivore house guests!
How long would you suggest in the slow cooker?
Many thanks!
Georgia Harding says
Oh great, glad to help. Katie, I find it hard to give exact times. I’ve owned two slow cookers in my life time and they both cooked very differently (one much quicker than the other). Base the cook time on a similar recipe you’ve already cooked in your cooker (curry or saucy casserole) and you’ll be right. It’s very forgiving (I actually forgot mine was on the stove top this week and cooked it for an extra hour and it was still beautiful). Enjoy G x
Katie says
Thanks Georgia!
Leah says
This curry is simply delicious and so packed with flavour! Thanks for sharing the recipe.
Georgia Harding says
You’re very welcome thrilled you enjoyed it and thanks for your feedback and for rating the recipe G x
Aneta says
Delicious ! I used fennel instead of onion and added some green peas at the end of cooking time. Tried it with cauliflower rice and with roasted buckwheat , both combinations really good.
Georgia Harding says
Beautiful, so pleased you enjoyed it Aneta. Thanks for the feedback and for rating the recipe G x
Tess says
This recipe is such a winner, thank you so much. Every recipe of yours that I’ve tried has felt like kicking a goal. I especially like your caveats at the end so we can tweak the recipe to suit personal needs.
Just love your work, thank you ?
Georgia Harding says
Thanks Tess. So thrilled you loved this and the way I structure my recipes to suit different dietary goals. Appreciate your feedback and thanks for rating the recipe too G x
Elaine says
Love this curry Georgia! Thanks! I have made it twice now and the flavours are just perfects. It’s also so easy to make from scratch without any pre bought pastes etc. served with basmati and quinoa mixed.
Georgia Harding says
So glad you enjoyed it Elaine and cheers for the feedback and for rating the recipe too G x
Ashley says
Wow! This is such a delicious recipe! I’ve made quite a few of your recipes lately Georgia, and this is definitely a stand out favourite. Super simple, and soooo delicious.
Thank you for sharing, will definitely be a regular in our household!
Georgia Harding says
So glad you are enjoying everything Ashley G x
Caitlin Warren says
Delish! I made this in the frying pan with 500g of lamb mince, omitted the water, was missing half the ingredients (no chilli, celery, fennel or lime) and it was still excellent! Served with rice and steamed greens. Thanks for another versatile and resilient recipe Georgia 🙂
Tanya Sholl says
This is seriously good! So simple yet so tasty. Everyone asked for seconds! Including my “I don’t eat curry ” 9 year old. lol.
I added some diced potatoes with the carrots to stretch it further, and served the chilli on the side for the adults. Absolute winner.
Georgia Harding says
So glad you enjoyed it Tanya, cheers for the 5?s too G x
Katie Jodrell says
Love this recipe – the meat is becomes so tender and the flavours are amazing!!
Georgia Harding says
So glad you loved it G x
Donna Webb says
So simple and DELICIOUS! Served it with roast veggies, and steamed peas and greens. What a winner! Thanks, Georgia!
Georgia Harding says
So pleased you enjoyed it Donna and cheers for the 5 stars G x
Julie says
A lovely flavour, everyone in the family enjoyed it, my 10 year old said “it didn’t look that good but it tasted great!” (My presentation wasn’t as nice as yours 🤣)
Well Nourished Team says
Hi Julie, all that matters is the taste! So happy to hear the family enjoyed 😊
Nicola says
Hi Georgia Just wondering if I want to make this in the slow cooker do I just throw all the ingredients straight into the slow cooker or should I brown some of it first?
Many thanks Nicola
Ps Just signed up and did the chicken saag the other night which was lovely
Well Nourished Team says
Hi Nicola, you can put it in the slow cooker without browning. Just reduce the liquid and cook long and slow (approx 6 – 8 hours). If the sauce is still liquidy at the end you can reduce it on stove top or with the slow cooker lid off.
Hayley Fisher says
I have made this recipe multiple times and it’s so delicious. I have just purchased a pressure cooker, how long/what process do you recommend to cook in pressure cooker please 🙏
Well Nourished Team says
Hi Hayley,
You can definitely be adapted to cook in a pressure cooker such as an Instant Pot. Like slow cookers, pressure cookers can vary so check your guide book for a similar recipe. A general rule for pressure cookers is to halve the liquid and quarter the cook time, but again, use your best judgement with your own appliance.
Heather Mark says
Great recipe Georgia,
Thoroughly enjoyed this delicious curry, will definitely be making it again.
Well Nourished Team says
so happy to hear you loved this recipe Heather!