This leftover lamb curry is a delicious and easy way to use up any leftover lamb you have on hand. It is simple, flavorful, and comforting, this recipe will add some extra flavour and excitement to your weeknight meals.
This recipe is simple to follow and can be customized to your liking. Let me show you how to make this amazing simple homemade curry. Serve with my easy and quick jeera rice (cumin rice) or garlic butter rice and a side of naan bread. So good!
Related recipe: leftover turkey curry with coconut milk and leftover pork curry.
Leftover lamb curry recipe
This is not Jamie Oliver or Nigella Lawson's leftover lamb curry recipe, my version of this recipe is simple and packed full of flavor. Today's recipe is a great way to use up any leftover lamb you have on hand. It's also a delicious and easy way to add some extra flavour and excitement to your weeknight meals.
If like me you served other protein other than roasted lamb on Easter then you are likely going to have leftovers. If you have up to 500g (or a pound) of roasted leftover lamb then this recipe is for you. This leftover lamb curry feeds a family of 4 conveniently.
This quick and easy, flavourful and comforting leftover Indian lamb curry is sure to become a regular favorite. The fragrant spices used complement the lamb so well. Enjoy it with steamed rice, naan bread, or roti and you have a delicious meal that your family will love! Guaranteed!!!
Related recipes: Sweet potato and chickpea curry, easy sausage curry, butter bean curry and Instant pot lentil curry.
There are many reasons why you will love this easy leftover lamb curry. Let me just mention a few
Delicious and flavorful: The combination of lamb, spices, and tomatoes creates a rich and satisfying dish you can't resist. The flavors in this simple Indian curry are bold yet it doesn't take away from the natural taste of the lamb.
Easy to make: You don't have to be a skilled chef to put together this curry together. All you need to do is make the tomato curry base then add the leftover lamb to take the whole dish to 100%. You can even add some extra vegetables such as potatoes, peas or cauliflower to make it a complete meal.
It is versatile: You can serve it with a variety of sides, such as rice, naan bread, or even potatoes.
It is economical: Leftover lamb is often cheaper than buying fresh lamb. If your leftover lamb is up to 500g (or a pound) then this is definitely a recipe to make without breaking the bank. With this recipe, not only do you save money but you have a completely new dish that is delicious and healthy.
What you will need
To make this homemade leftover curry you will need the following handful of ingredients
- Leftover lamb
- Vegetable oil
- Cinnamon pod
- Curry powder
- Ginger paste
- Garlic paste
- Bird eye chilies
- Tomato paste
- Cardamon powder
- Fennel seeds
- Passata
- Chicken seasoning
- Salt and pepper
- Fresh coriander leaves (also known as cilantro)
How to make leftover curry
Place a skillet on medium high heat, add vegetable oil and heat until hot. Add sliced onions and fennel seeds to the hot oil and saute until the onions are soft and translucent. Add garlic and ginger paste, and tomato paste and cook for 1-2 minutes stirring occasionally so that it doesn't burn.
Add curry powder, garam masala and cardamon powder and cook for another 30 seconds just until fragrant.
Pour in the passata and ½ cup of water into the sauteed aromatics, add chicken powder, birds eye chili, and cinnamon pod and stir to combine, deglazing the bottom of the pan at the same time. Reduce the heat and simmer for about 10-15 minutes stirring occasionally.
Add cubed lamb and stir to combine, taste and adjust seasoning to taste with salt and black pepper (Add additional water or stock if need be). Simmer for additional 15-20 minutes or until the sauce has thickened.
Add chopped cilantro, stir to combine, Take it off the heat, and serve warm over boiled basmati rice, naan bread, or roti.
Here are some additional tips for making a great leftover lamb curry
- Don't be afraid to experiment. There are endless possibilities when it comes to making lamb curry. So have fun and try different combinations of spices and ingredients until you find a flavor that you love. You can also adjust the amount of spices to your taste.
- Fancy a coconut lamb curry instead, I don't blame you, it is creamier, sweeter and richer. Add coconut milk to the tomato sauce 10-15 minutes before you take it off the heat for the flavors to meld.
- You can use leftover chicken or beef for this recipe. If you are vegetarian or vegan and would like to try the flavors in this curry then feel free to use vegetables or store-bought vegan/vegetarian meat instead.
- If you are using fresh lamb, sear it in vegetable oil for a few minutes just until brown on the outside. Remove it from the pan and cook the spices and tomatoes for about 10-15 minutes. Return the browned lamb to the tomato sauce, add chicken broth and stir to combine. Reduce the heat and bring the curry to a gentle simmer until the lamb is fully cooked and tender.
- I added whole bird eye chili into the curry for a milder heat but if you like it spicy then feel free to chop the fresh chili peppers before adding it to the curry.
How to store and reheat
This leftover lamb curry can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days in an airtight container.
To reheat, place the cold curry into a pot and bring to a gentle simmer over low heat and serve. If the sauce is too thick, add some water for thinning it out. Alternatively, you can reheat it in the microwave.
You can also freeze this curry in an airtight container for up to 3 months. To reheat from frozen thaw overnight in the fridge and then warm as described above. Enjoy!
More quick and easy curry recipes you will love
Instant pot butter chicken curry
Leftover Lamb Curry
Ingredients
- 500 g leftover lamb cubed into bite sizes
- 3 Tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 cup brown onion finely chopped
- 1 cinnamon pod
- 1 Tablespoon curry powder I used hot curry powder
- 1 Tablespoon ginger paste
- 1 Tablespoon garlic paste
- 3 birds eye chili
- 2 Tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon cardamon powder
- ½ teaspoon garam masala
- 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
- 500 g Passata
- 2 teaspoon chicken seasoning powder
- Salt and pepper to taste
- fresh cilantro leaves chopped
Instructions
- Place a skillet on medium high heat, add vegetable oil and heat until hot. Add sliced onions and fennel seeds to the hot oil and saute until the onions are soft and translucent.3 Tablespoons vegetable oil, 1 teaspoon fennel seeds, 1 cup brown onion
- Add garlic and ginger paste, and tomato paste and cook for 1-2 minutes stirring occasionally so that it doesn't burn.1 Tablespoon ginger paste, 1 Tablespoon garlic paste, 2 Tablespoons tomato paste
- Add curry powder, garam masala and cardamon powder and cook for another 30 seconds just until fragrant.1 Tablespoon curry powder, ½ teaspoon garam masala, 1 teaspoon cardamon powder
- Pour in the passata and ½ cup of water into the sauteed aromatics, add chicken powder, birds eye chili, and cinnamon pod and stir to combine, deglazing the bottom of the pan at the same time. Reduce the heat and simmer for about 10-15 minutes stirring occasionally.3 birds eye chili, 500 g Passata, 2 teaspoon chicken seasoning powder, 1 cinnamon pod
- Add cubed lamb and stir to combine, taste and adjust seasoning to taste with salt and black pepper (Add additional water or stock if need be). Simmer for additional 15-20 minutes or until the sauce has thickened.500 g leftover lamb, Salt and pepper to taste
- Add chopped cilantro, stir to combine, Take it off the heat, and serve warm over steamed rice, naan bread, or roti.fresh cilantro leaves
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional data: Please note that the nutrition label provided is an estimate based on an online nutrition calculator. It will vary based on the specific ingredients and brands you use. Under no circumstances will thedinnerbite.com be responsible for any loss or damage resulting for your reliance on nutritional information.
And there you have it, a simple and delicious leftover curry recipe you can make at home in 35 minutes. As always, if you made this recipe, I would love to hear from you! Kindly rate the recipe 5 star and leave me feedback in the comment section below. Tag me @thedinnerbite on Instagram and save it away to your Pinterest. Please subscribe to the blog if you haven’t for free new recipes in your inbox
Marg says
Sounds good. Making it today. Don't have garage masala? Yes great the way you add ingredients in each step. Thanks. Obviously this is low fat and carbs. Xx
Ajoke says
Thanks Marg. I hope you enjoyed it.
Sheila Brown says
Can ground cinnamon be used instead of a cinnamon pod
Ajoke says
Yes, you can use about 1/2 a teaspoon or less depending on how you like cinnamon flavor in your food. x
Apteryx says
Ajoke, love love love the way u include the ingredients with each step. Wish more did. Saves endless scrolling up n down. Now if u wld just add the button to stop timeouts life wld be perfect. Like yr recipes🌟
Ajoke says
Aw, thank you so much. I hope you enjoy making the recipe.