Name: Lamb Dhansak
Prep time: 7 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 37 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 10 pods cardamom (seeds only); 3 tbsp canola oil (or any neutral oil); 2 lbs (900g) lamb (diced (lamb shoulder ideally)); 2 large onions (finely diced); 4 cloves garlic (minced); 1 tbsp ground cumin; ½ tbsp ground coriander; ½ tbsp ground turmeric; ½ tsp salt; 1 tsp ginger paste or freshly grated ginger; ½ cup (100g) split red lentils (rinsed well); 14 oz (400g) crushed tomatoes; 1 cup (240ml) chicken stock (or low sodium chicken broth); 1 red chili (roughly chopped (with seeds)); 1 stick cinnamon; 1 bay leaf; 1-2 tbsp honey (or to taste (optional)); 2 tbsp cilantro ((coriander) to serve); salt and pepper to season

Lamb Dhansak

If you love a cozy curry that delivers big flavor with minimal effort, this Pressure Cooker Lamb Dhansak is about to become your new go-to. It’s rich, gently spiced, and naturally thickened with lentils—giving you that signature dhansak…

Serves 4

Prep 7 minutes

Cook 30 minutes

Total 37 minutes

Jump to the recipe

This Lamb Dhansak is rich, hearty, and packed with flavor. Tender lamb, red lentils, and warming spices come together in an easy, family-friendly curry that’s perfect for busy weeknights.

If you love a cozy curry that delivers big flavor with minimal effort, this Pressure Cooker Lamb Dhansak is about to become your new go-to.

It’s rich, gently spiced, and naturally thickened with lentils—giving you that signature dhansak texture without any extra work. Even better? The pressure cooker does all the heavy lifting, transforming simple ingredients into a deeply comforting curry in under 40 minutes.

Let’s be open and upfront about one thing here… I can’t claim this Dhansak recipe is in any way authentic. I only know that it tastes really good and it is really easy, especially in a pressure cooker.

It uses spices that I always have handy: ground cumin, turmeric and coriander, along with one I use relatively rarely, cardamom pods. You can buy ground cardamom, but it really doesn’t taste even remotely similar to grinding the little seeds from the pods yourself.

A bowl of lamb curry garnished with cilantro and a cinnamon stick, served alongside yellow rice with a wooden spoon. Lime wedges, spices, and fresh cilantro are arranged on a dark wooden table.

Lucy’s Pro Tip

Get to Know Dhansak

This beloved Indian curry dish that comes from the Parsi community in Gujarat. It uses meat, lentils and warming spices that create a rich, sweet and tangy dish. Dhansak is traditionally made with mutton or chicken and known for its thick, hearty texture, thanks to the red lentils that break down as the curry cooks.

How to Make Lamb Dhansak

Sear the lamb either in the Instant Pot or in a large pan, in batches, so it has a chance to really brown instead of stew. Set the lamb aside.
Add more oil in your Instant Pot and cook the onions for 5 minutes, stirring often so that they don’t stick. Add the minced garlic, spices, salt and ginger and stir for a couple of minutes – your curry will start smelling amazing.
Return the browned lamb to the pot and add the split red lentils, tinned tomatoes, stock, chili, cinnamon stick and bay leaf. Give it a little stir, cover and cook at high pressure for 20 minutes.

Four-panel image showing the process of cooking a Lamb Dhansak recipe in an Instant Pot: sautéing meat, then onions, adding spices and butter, and finally adding tomatoes and whole chili peppers. Hands are stirring with a wooden spoon.

Let the steam release naturally for 10 minutes, then manually release the rest. Taste and check the seasoning – I found that my curry needed a touch of sweetness, so I added a little honey. This is just my personal preference though and entirely optional.
Your curry will be now ready, delicious and naturally thickened by the red lentils – no cornstarch required here!

A hand holds a white ladle filled with thick, chunky Lamb Dhansak stew over an open Instant Pot containing more of the flavorful Lamb Dhansak recipe.

Recipe Notes

Serving suggestions: Pair your lamb dhansak with a generous helping of fluffy basmati or pilau rice to soak up all that rich, flavorful sauce. I love adding a spoonful of cooling yogurt or raita on the side to balance the spices, plus some warm naan or flatbreads for scooping everything up. If you’re going all in, a little mango chutney or a simple onion salad on the side really rounds things out.
Storage: If you have leftovers (and honestly, this is one of those dishes you hope you do), store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3–4 days. The flavors deepen overnight, making it even better the next day. When reheating, add a splash of water to loosen the sauce and bring it back to life. It also freezes beautifully for up to 2 months—perfect for future curry cravings.

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