This Lamb korma recipe is a beautiful Indian-inspired ground lamb curry packed full of flavor that's quick and easy to make - on the table in 30 minutes! You'll love the freshness of the vegetables and the subtle flavor of the minced lamb (ground lamb) paired with the sweet savoriness of the creamy coconut curry sauce.
Looking for more ground lamb recipes? Be sure to try this Lamb Mince Shepherd's Pie or this Hearty Lamb Meatball Soup, and these Gyro Burgers - some of my favorite recipes!
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❤️ Why You'll Love 30 Minute Ground Lamb Curry Recipe
"This recipe is inspired by one of my favorite Indian dishes, lamb korma. Where I live, Indian cuisine is not easy to find - now I can make it at home whenever the craving strikes!"
Flavorful. This dish utilizes many different spices that come together in perfect harmony. Curry powder, garlic, ginger, and onion are the base aromatics that elevate this delicious dish.
Quick. After a long day of work, the last thing on my mind is cooking an elaborate meal. This dinner can be on the table in 30 minutes so you can spend more time relaxing and watching your favorite show!
Healthy. This recipe is low-carb, keto-friendly (remove the peas), and gluten-free! It can be adjusted to fit your dietary needs. Scroll down for more ideas on How to serve and variations of this dish!
What is Lamb Korma?
Korma is a popular Indian dish that typically consists of braised meat, vegetables, flavorful traditional Indian spices (often cinnamon, cardamon, cloves, curry) and a creamy sauce made from yogurt or coconut milk. Delicious!
What is Lamb Korma made of?
Lamb Korma (also sometimes called lamb curry) is traditionally made with slow-cooked lamb stew meat (or mutton) in a creamy sauce such as yogurt, coconut milk, or a nut-based sauce. Additionally, spices such as curry, garam masala, cinnamon, cardonon, and cloves are often used for flavoring.
Ingredients For Lamb Coconut Curry
Here are the ingredients and equipment you will need to make this creamy lamb korma with ground lamb:
- Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
- Ground Lamb- traditionally in Korma, lamb stew meat is used. You could use that in place of ground lamb. Ground lamb allows makes this dish quick and easy.
- Sweet Onion- you could also use a yellow or red onion in place of a sweet onion.
- Frozen Peas- add more flavor to the dish than canned peas. They also hold up their texture in the dish in comparison to canned. Keto followers: remove the peas.
- Coconut Milk- I used canned coconut milk from my local grocery store. It adds a creamy texture to the sauce while also balancing the flavors.
- Tomatoes- I used beefsteak tomatoes, but you can use whatever your favorite is.
- Garlic- fresh or pre-minced in a jar, you can use either one.
- Ginger Paste- you can use fresh ginger if you prefer, to cut preparation time, I purchased ginger paste.
- Curry Powder- is actually a mixture of multiple spices that are used in traditional Indian, Asian, and Carribean dishes. Curry powder usually contains turmeric, ginger, cumin, pepper, coriander, cinnamon, cayenne pepper, cardamom, and others.
- Salt
- Pepper
- Cilantro- is used for garnish on top, feel free to omit this to your preference.
See the recipe card below for ingredient quantities and complete instructions!
How To Make This Easy Lamb Korma Recipe
Here are the step-by-step instructions for making this quick and easy version of lamb korma curry using ground lamb:
Saute
Start by heating a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add olive oil to the pan and heat. Add your sweet onions and ground lamb meat to the pan. Ground the meat and cook until fully browned and the onions are translucent.
Once cooked, drain any unwanted fat from the pan and return the pan to medium-low heat.
Add the rest
Add all the remaining ingredients to the skillet and stir to combine.
Simmer
Bring your mixture to a simmer and cook the sauce until thickened. This takes approximately 10 minutes.
Season and Serve
Remove from heat and add any additional seasonings to your taste.
Serve with your desired side and garnish with additional fresh cilantro.
What To Serve With Lamb Korma
Here are a few ways to serve this ground lamb curry recipe:
- Rice is traditionally served with Indian dishes such as Lamb Curry, Butter Chicken, and more!
- You can replace rice with a low-carb option such as cauliflower rice.
- Naan bread is another traditional Indian side dish that would be delicious to scoop up any juices.
- Top off your curry with plain yogurt to add extra creaminess!
- Garnish with your favorite fresh herb! Cilantro is found in many Indian dishes and pairs very well with this dish. Chopped nuts and even dried fruit make a great topping as well.
Variations
Here are a few ways you can vary or make substitutions to this recipe:
- Spicy - is your spice tolerance higher than mine? Feel free to play with the spice level in this recipe by using a spicier curry powder or add cayenne pepper.
- Creamy - korma is traditionally a creamy dish. In this recipe, I used just coconut milk, but yogurt or cream may be added as well.
- Feel free to adjust any spices to your taste. Garam masala may be substituted as well.
- If you don't like cilantro, you could top your curry with fresh sliced green onion instead!
- Can't find ground lamb near you - you can easily substitute with ground beef or turkey, diced chicken! All of these would be great in this dish.
- Vegan? Try this dish with roasted cauliflower instead of meat! Cauliflower will be great in this sauce and will complement all the spices and flavors in this dish.
Top Tips
- Frozen peas are best in this because canned peas are just too delicate and would get mushy while cooking in the sauce.
- Use one large skillet pan when cooking this recipe to make cleanup easier!
FAQs
Store your leftovers in the refrigerator in an air-tight container for up to 3 days.
Transfer any leftovers to an air-tight and freezer-proof container, leaving 1" of head space at the top. Freeze for up to 3 months. Tip: make sure you date your container on a piece of tape and stick it to your container to track how long it has been in the freezer.
When reheating from the refrigerator, you can quickly reheat in the microwave. Prepare a new side to try, or check out the How to Serve section for ideas on how to change up your leftovers! When reheating from frozen, I would suggest thawing in the refrigerator 1-2 days before enjoying. Re-heat once thawed either in the microwave or in a skillet on the stovetop.
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Recipe
Lamb Korma
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 pound minced lamb (ground lamb)
- 1 medium sweet onion
- 2 cups frozen peas
- 1 14-ounce can coconut milk
- 2 large beefsteak tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons garlic (minced)
- 1 tablespoon ginger paste
- 1 tablespoon curry powder
- 1 bunch cilantro leaves (chopped; save half for garnish)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- In a large skillet, over medium-low heat, add olive oil and cook ground lamb with the sweet onions until the lamb is fully cooked and the onions are translucent.
- Drain any unwanted fat out of the pan and return to medium-low heat.
- Add all remaining ingredients and stir to combine. (Use only half of the cilantro leaves)
- Bring to a simmer and cook until sauce is thickened, approximately 10 minutes.
- Remove from heat and season to taste. Serve and garnish with remaining cilantro.
Notes
- Don't miss all of our helpful hints, substitution ideas, cooking tips, and other delicious recipes that can be found in our post. Check it out!
- SUBSTITUTIONS: Substitute chicken, pork, ground beef, ground turkey, or fish for the ground lamb in this flavorful curry dish. To make it spicier, purchase a more intense curry powder like phaal or vindaloo. As these two curry powders are the hottest, if your dish is already too spicy, start by cutting your curry powder by half and season to taste.
- TOP TIPS: Watch your heat when cooking this dish. This is a quick saute dish and your ingredients can burn quickly. Continue to stir coconut milk so it doesn't scorch. Make sure to use frozen peas, as canned peas can cook down too much and get mushy.
- SERVING SUGGESTIONS: Serve with a side of naan and garnish with plain yogurt, freshly chopped cilantro, or thinly sliced green onions. Make it a meal and serve over basmati rice, riced cauliflower, or cubed boiled potatoes!
Nutrition
© 2023 Seeking Good Eats™
More Lamb Recipes
- Lamb Mince Shepherd's Pie
- Hearty Lamb Meatball Soup Recipe
- The Best Greek Burger (Gyro Burger)
- Pan-Seared Lamb Steak Recipe
- Roasted Lamb Breast
- Lamb Stew Recipe
- Leftover Lamb Shepherd's Pie
- Lamb Stew (Instant Pot)
Jennifer says
This was delicious! Great use of the ground lamb that I was trying figure out what to use it for. I am surprised no one else has commented. I added frozen peas and carrots instead of just frozen peas since that is what I had.
seekinggoodeats says
Awww thank you!! 🙂 I'm super happy you loved the lamb korma - it's actually one of my absolute favorite recipes!
Jayna says
Can you use frozen Lima beans instead of peas for this?
seekinggoodeats says
Yes, I don't see why not! I am not sure how long they take to cook though. Maybe add them earlier according to what the cooking instructions say? Let me know how it turns out. I love this idea! 🙂
Lisa says
I added coconut cream instead of milk. I also added a good shake of chilli powder to give it a kick. It was beautiful x
seekinggoodeats says
Thank you! So glad you loved the lamb curry - chili powder is a great idea!