If you’re craving a rich, spicy curry in less than an hour, this Pressure Cooker Lamb Madras is a must-try. It’s packed with tender lamb, aromatic spices, and a deep tomato-based sauce — all made in your Ninja Foodi (or any electric pressure cooker).
What You Need
Note: Scroll to the recipe card at the bottom for the ingredients quantities and full detailed method.
Lamb – I used 800g diced lamb shoulder, but lamb leg also works well. Trim off any large pieces of fat to avoid an oily sauce.
Onion – a finely chopped onion forms the flavour base. I used frozen chopped onion to save time — no need to defrost first.
Garlic – fresh or frozen both work well. I used frozen chopped garlic straight from the freezer for convenience.
Ginger – fresh or frozen ginger. I used frozen chopped ginger.
Curry Paste – I used Patak’s Madras and it worked perfectly — I used about two-thirds of a 283g jar (180g). Adjust to taste depending on how spicy you like it. You can use any type of curry paste.
Chopped Tomatoes – I used two tins (800g total) which made up the bulk of the sauce. This is also plenty of liquid for the pressure cooker to reach pressure without adding extra water. The lamb will release even more moisture as it cooks.
Tomato Purée – adds depth and richness to the sauce.
Fresh Coriander – for garnish and a burst of freshness at the end.
Making Lamb Madras in a Pressure Cooker
The beauty of this recipe is how quickly the lamb becomes fall-apart tender. It’s perfect if you don’t have time to cook a lamb curry in a slow cooker.
Start by switching your Ninja Foodi to Sauté mode. Add a splash of oil, then add the onion. Let it soften for 5–6 minutes until lightly golden.
Next, add the garlic, ginger, and curry paste. Stir for a minute or two. Some ingredients may start to stick to the base of the pot, try to scrape them off as it cooks, but don’t worry, we will deglaze it properly before setting of the pressure cooker function.
Add the diced lamb and stir so each piece gets a nice coating from the paste. Let it brown for around 4–5 minutes. You don’t need to cook it through here, just add some colour.
Stir in the tomato purée and chopped tomatoes. If anything has caught on the bottom of the pot, scrape it up with a wooden spoon or silicone spatula. If necessary add a tiny splash of water if you need to loosen it. Leave what you have scraped up in the pot, this all adds flavour to the final dish.
Now it’s time to pressure cook. Pop the lid on, check that the valve is set to SEAL, and set it to cook on High Pressure for 30 minutes. It will take about 10–15 minutes to come to pressure before the timer starts counting down.
Once the cooking time is done, leave it for a natural release of 5 minutes, then carefully switch the valve to VENT to release the rest of the pressure.
If you like your curry thicker, switch back to Sauté mode and let it bubble for a few minutes until it has thickened up. Sprinkle with fresh coriander, and it’s ready to serve.
What To Serve With Lamb Curry
This lamb curry is delicious with:
- Basmati rice or pilau rice (I made this one in a rice cooker).
- Garlic naan
More Pressure Cooker Recipes
If you liked this pressure cooker recipe you could try:
- Pressure Cooker Chicken Curry
- Pressure Cooker Gammon Joint
- Pressure Cooker Pulled Pork
- Pressure Cooker Beef Stew
- Pressure Cooker Marry Me Chicken
- Pressure Cooker Chicken and Chorizo
I hope you enjoyed this pressure cooker recipe for the Ninja Foodi 15-in-1. Let me know in the comments what you think – or ask me any questions there.
Pressure Cooker Lamb Curry (in a Ninja Foodi)
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Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp oil for sautéing
- 1 onion finely chopped (fresh or frozen)
- 180 g Madras curry paste Patak’s or similar – about two-thirds of a jar
- 3 cloves garlic minced (fresh or frozen)
- 1 inch piece fresh ginger grated, or 1 tsp chopped frozen ginger
- 800 g diced lamb shoulder or leg trimmed of excess fat
- 800 g chopped tomatoes 2 x 400g tins
- 1 tbsp tomato purée
- Fresh coriander chopped, for garnish
Instructions
- Set your pressure cooker to sauté mode. Add the oil and chopped onion, cooking for 5–6 minutes until softened and lightly golden. Add the garlic, ginger, and curry paste, stirring for 1–2 minutes until fragrant.
- Add the diced lamb and stir to coat in the paste. Brown on all sides for about 4–5 minutes. Switch off the sauté mode.
- Stir in the tomato purée and chopped tomatoes. If anything has stuck to the bottom of the pot, scrape it off with a wooden spoon — add a small splash of water if needed to deglaze.
- Secure the lid and ensure the valve is set to SEAL. Cook on High Pressure for 30 minutes. It will take around 10–15 minutes to come to pressure.
- Release pressure – Allow a natural release for 5 minutes, then carefully turn the valve to VENT to release any remaining pressure.
- Thicken & serve – If the sauce is too thin, use the sauté mode to simmer for a few minutes until thickened. Garnish with fresh coriander and serve with your favourite side (rice, naan etc)
Notes
- No extra water is needed — the tomatoes and lamb provide enough liquid for the pressure cooker to reach pressure.
- Adjust curry paste to taste — use more or less depending on desired spice level.
- Leftovers keep in the fridge for up to 3 days or can be frozen for up to 3 months.
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an estimate.