Lamb and Butternut Squash Curry made in the electric pressure cooker (Instant Pot) starts with tender grass-fed lamb, diced butternut squash, creamy coconut milk, and loads of curry flavor. Naturally paleo, whole30, and GAPS for optimal nutrition.
I did not grow up eating curry but it’s quickly become one of our favorite flavors in the house. This Pressure Cooker Lamb and Squash Curry is naturally paleo, whole30 and GAPS friendly – to suit many dietary needs. I serve this over rice for the kids and hubs and over cauliflower rice for myself to keep it grain free.
Instant Pot Lamb & Squash Curry – WATCH the VIDEO
“Grass-Fed” Lamb
When possible, go for New Zealand lamb as they are entirely 100% fed and finished on grass. Ideally, lamb should be exclusively on grass and wild forage like they are naturally designed to do. Unfortunately, that is not the case. Even still, I feel better serving imported New Zealand or even Australian lamb (which are supplemented with grain during drought) than conventional beef raised in America.
In this Lamb & Squash Curry, browning the diced lamb in ghee or grass-fed butter produces a beautiful crispy crust for the meaty pieces. Lamb is generally a fatty animal, therefore, it’s important to brown the meat and cook down the fat and juices it produces. This time is usually hands off with the exception of stirring every so often.
The Instant Pot liner helps keep all the splatters from the meat browning contained, keeping clean-up time short.
Butternut Squash
I love dicing butternut squash in small 1/2 inch cubes. I find that dicing them smaller creates a more uniform and smooth texture for this Lamb and Butternut Squash Curry. I’ve not tried this with other squashes, but I’m sure they would work just as well, as long as hard-skinned squash is used.
Flavorings for Lamb Curry
The addition of coconut milk in this curry neutralizes the wild spices and adds creaminess. If you have garam masala or curry powder, feel free to experiment and use those but….
I am a big believer in blending your own spices and seasonings for freshness and as a more budget friendly approach. As such, this recipe calls for individual spices that most real food kitchens should already be stocked with. If not, you can purchase (click on spice for direct links) ground ginger, ground turmeric, ground cumin, ground coriander, ground paprika, and cayenne pepper here. I’ve also linked most of the ingredients in the recipe card for your convenience if you’re wondering what brand would be best.
Pressure Cooker Lamb and Squash Curry
As mentioned, this Lamb and Squash Curry is naturally paleo, whole30, and GAPS. The coconut milk is hardly noticeable so if you don’t particularly appreciate the nutty taste of coconut – there’s nothing to fear. However, I have used half and half before with great success too.
Pressure Cooker Lamb and Squash Curry
Lamb and Butternut Squash Curry made in the electric pressure cooker (Instant Pot) starts with tender grass-fed lamb, diced butternut squash, creamy coconut milk, and loads of curry flavor. Naturally paleo, whole30, and GAPS for optimal nutrition.
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings 10 servings
Calories 304kcal
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons ghee or pastured butter
- 1 1/2 pounds grass-fed lamb cut in 1" pieces
- 1 yellow onion, large chopped
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 1 tablespoon ground coriander
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 2 1/2 teaspoon real salt
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1/4 cup tomato paste
- 1 13.5 oz full fat coconut milk
- 4 cups butternut squash diced
Instructions
- Press "Saute" on Instant Pot and melt ghee or butter. Add cut lamb pieces in single layer and brown all sides. Stir occasionally.
- While lamb is browning, chop onion and add to browned lamb and continue to saute to soften for about 5 minutes. Add minced garlic and stir. Press "Cancel/Keep Warm" setting.
- Add all seasonings and stir to combine.
- Add tomato paste, coconut milk and butternut squash. Stir well.
- Press "Manual" and reduce time to 10 minutes. Allow to naturally pressure release until safety pin is down.
- Carefully open the lid, and stir to ensure all ingredients are combined. Check for salt & pepper and adjust as needed.
- Spoon over cooked rice, cauli-rice and top with cilantro.
Video
Notes
Leftovers can easily be reheated on the stove top in a small saucepan with a lid on medium heat. | Nutritional Information Disclaimer |
Nutrition
Calories: 304kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Cholesterol: 58mg | Sodium: 677mg | Potassium: 459mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 6180IU | Vitamin C: 14.6mg | Calcium: 59mg | Iron: 2.4mg
Enjoy this curry on a bed of properly cooked rice or faux rice. Garnish with fresh cilantro and jalapenos.
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This tastes incredible. So rich and hearty. I worried the squash would disintegrate but it didn’t. Made this as a meal prep for the week but we can’t stop tasting it. Husband loves it too.
I made this last night for my family and it’s the best instant pot receipt I’ve ever made – simply unbelievable!
Hopefully there are more instant pot recipes in future- thank you so so much! This will be a weekly regular for sure!
Thank you Steve for the kind comment. I do have more Instant Pot recipes here: https://prepareandnourish.com/tag/pressure-cooker/. Enjoy!
Made this for the first time tonight and was delicious enough to prompt my first recipe comment ever! We had neighbors for dinner and everyone from the 7 year old to the 75 year old loved it. I find so many of the quick and easy Instant Pot recipes lack good depth of flavor, but this was not the case. My first recipe from this blog as well, so will definitely look around for more!
So thrilled to hear that Valerie! Thank you for leaving your sweet comment.