Hairy Bikers Lamb Vindaloo​ Recipe

This rich, spicy Lamb Vindaloo is made with tender lamb shoulder, a blended paste of chillies, garlic, and ginger, red wine vinegar, and potatoes. Marinated for two hours and slow-cooked in the oven, the lamb becomes meltingly soft in a bold, tangy sauce. It serves 6 and takes around 2 hours to cook.

I make this every time we have friends over for a curry night. The marination step and oven method give it a proper restaurant feel, and the potatoes soak up all the spice.

Lamb Vindaloo Ingredients

For the Lamb and Marinade

• 1.3 kg boneless lamb shoulder, trimmed and cut into 4cm chunks
• 100ml red wine vinegar
• 2 tbsp sunflower oil
• 2 tsp flaked sea salt

For the Sauce

• 125ml sunflower oil
• 3 medium onions, finely sliced
• 1 medium onion, roughly chopped
• 6 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
• 3 long red chillies, roughly chopped (do not deseed)
• 25g fresh root ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
• 1 tbsp English mustard powder
• 1 tbsp ground cumin
• 1 tbsp ground coriander
• 1 tbsp ground paprika
• 2 tsp ground turmeric
• 2 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 2 tsp flaked sea salt
• 2 bay leaves
• 500ml cold water
• 500g potatoes (Maris Pipers work well), peeled and cut into 2.5cm chunks

How To Make Lamb Vindaloo

1. Trim and marinate the lamb: Remove any hard lumps of fat and sinew from the lamb, keeping some fat for flavour. Cut into 4cm chunks. Mix the vinegar, 2 tbsp oil, and 2 tsp salt in a large non-metallic bowl. Add the lamb and turn to coat. Cover and chill for 2 hours.
2. Cook the sliced onions: Heat 3 tbsp of sunflower oil in a large non-stick frying pan. Add the sliced onions and cook gently over a medium-low heat for 15 minutes until softened and lightly browned.
3. Make the spice paste: Put the chopped onion, garlic, chillies, ginger, mustard powder, cumin, coriander, paprika, turmeric, cayenne, and cinnamon in a food processor. Blend to a smooth paste. Stir the paste into the fried onions with 2 tbsp oil and cook for 5 minutes until thickened and darkened. Transfer to a large flameproof casserole.
4. Brown the lamb: Drain the marinated lamb and keep the marinade. Brown the lamb in batches over medium-high heat in the frying pan, adding a splash of oil for each batch. Transfer to the casserole as you go. Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C Fan / Gas Mark 4).
5. Build the sauce and bake: Pour the reserved marinade and 500ml cold water into the casserole. Add the salt and bay leaves. Bring to a simmer, then cover with greaseproof paper and a lid. Cook in the oven for 45 minutes.
6. Add the potatoes: Remove the casserole from the oven and stir in the potato chunks. Replace the paper and lid and return to the oven for a further hour, or until the lamb and potatoes are very tender.
7. Season and serve: Taste and adjust seasoning with a little extra salt if needed. Serve hot with rice or warm naan bread and a spoonful of cooling yoghurt.

What Is the Secret to Perfect Lamb Vindaloo?

• Do not skip the marination: The two-hour vinegar marinade is what gives this vindaloo its signature tang and helps tenderise the lamb. Cover and chill the bowl the whole time.
• Brown the lamb in small batches: Overcrowding the pan will steam the meat rather than sear it. Work in 4 to 5 batches for a proper golden crust that adds real depth to the sauce.
• Blend the spice paste until smooth: A smooth paste coats the onions evenly and gives the sauce a rich, restaurant-style finish. Scrape the sides of the food processor to make sure nothing is left chunky.
• Use Maris Piper potatoes: They hold their shape well during the long oven cook while still absorbing the spiced sauce. If you enjoy slow-cooked lamb dishes, this same potato trick works brilliantly.
• Adjust the heat to your taste: For a milder curry, deseed the red chillies or reduce the cayenne. For more fire, add an extra chilli or a pinch more cayenne at the paste stage.

What Should You Serve on the Side?

Plain basmati rice is the classic partner, and it does a brilliant job of soaking up the rich, tangy sauce. Warm naan bread or chapatis work well for scooping too.

A cooling cucumber raita or a simple yoghurt side will balance the heat nicely. A fresh kachumber salad with sliced onions, tomatoes, and a squeeze of lemon adds crunch and freshness alongside the soft, slow-cooked lamb. If you are planning a full curry spread, a chicken curry or a simple dal makes a good second dish.

Does This Keep Well?

Let the vindaloo cool completely, then transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days. The flavours often deepen overnight, so leftovers can taste even better the next day.

This curry freezes well for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating gently on the hob until piping hot all the way through.

Nutrition Facts

• Serving Size: 1 serving (approx. 350g)
• Calories: 620 kcal
• Total Fat: 38g
• Saturated Fat: 12g
• Cholesterol: 130mg
• Sodium: 850mg
• Total Carbohydrate: 28g
• Dietary Fibre: 4g
• Sugars: 5g
• Protein: 48g

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between a vindaloo and a madras? A vindaloo uses vinegar in the marinade and sauce, giving it a distinctive tangy heat. A madras relies more on tomato and chilli powder for its flavour, without the sour vinegar note.

How does the Hairy Bikers lamb vindaloo compare to The Curry Guy version? The Hairy Bikers version uses an oven-baked method with potatoes and a blended spice paste. The Curry Guy takes an Indian restaurant base-sauce approach cooked entirely on the hob, which produces a different texture and flavour profile.

Can I make this vindaloo ahead of time? Yes, and it actually tastes better the next day once the spices have had time to settle. Cook it fully, cool, refrigerate overnight, and reheat gently on the hob until piping hot.

Can I use a different cut of meat instead of lamb shoulder? Lamb leg works but dries out faster since it is leaner, so bone-in shoulder or neck fillet give the best results. You could also try goat for a more traditional Goan approach.

Why does vindaloo use potatoes? The name vindaloo comes from the Portuguese “carne de vinha d’alhos” (meat with wine and garlic), but “aloo” in Hindi means potato. Over time, potatoes became a standard addition to many vindaloo recipes, including the Hairy Bikers’ lamb recipes.

Try More Recipes:

• Hairy Bikers Lamb Shanks Recipe
• Hairy Bikers Chicken Curry Recipe
• Hairy Bikers Keema Curry Recipe

Hairy Bikers Lamb Vindaloo Recipe

Author: Alex Saidani Cooking Method:Oven Cuisine:British Courses:Dinner Main

Difficulty:BeginnerPrep time: 30 minutesCook time:1 hour 45 minutesRest time:2 hours Total time:4 hours 15 minutesServings:6 servingsCalories:620 kcalCooking Temp:180 CEstimated Cost: $ Best Season:Summer

Description

Hairy Bikers Lamb Vindaloo is a rich, tangy curry made with marinated lamb shoulder, a blended spice paste of chillies, garlic, and ginger, red wine vinegar, and potatoes, slow-cooked in the oven until tender. It serves 6 and is perfect for a weekend curry night.

Ingredients

• 1.3 kg boneless lamb shoulder, trimmed and cut into 4cm chunks
• 100ml red wine vinegar
• 2 tbsp sunflower oil (for marinade)
• 2 tsp flaked sea salt (for marinade)
• 125ml sunflower oil (for sauce)
• 3 medium onions, finely sliced
• 1 medium onion, roughly chopped
• 6 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
• 3 long red chillies, roughly chopped (do not deseed)
• 25g fresh root ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
• 1 tbsp English mustard powder
• 1 tbsp ground cumin
• 1 tbsp ground coriander
• 1 tbsp ground paprika
• 2 tsp ground turmeric
• 2 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 2 tsp flaked sea salt (for sauce)
• 2 bay leaves
• 500ml cold water
• 500g potatoes (Maris Pipers), peeled and cut into 2.5cm chunks

Instructions

1. Trim and marinate the lamb: Remove hard fat and sinew, keeping some fat for flavour. Cut into 4cm chunks. Mix vinegar, 2 tbsp oil, and 2 tsp salt. Coat the lamb, cover, and chill for 2 hours.
2. Cook the sliced onions: Heat 3 tbsp oil in a large non-stick frying pan. Cook the sliced onions over medium-low heat for 15 minutes until softened and lightly browned.
3. Make the spice paste: Blend the chopped onion, garlic, chillies, ginger, and all ground spices in a food processor until smooth. Stir into the fried onions with 2 tbsp oil. Cook for 5 minutes until thickened. Transfer to a flameproof casserole.
4. Brown the lamb: Drain the lamb and keep the marinade. Brown in batches over medium-high heat, adding oil as needed. Transfer to the casserole. Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C Fan / Gas Mark 4).
5. Build the sauce and bake: Pour the reserved marinade and 500ml water into the casserole. Add salt and bay leaves. Bring to a simmer, cover with greaseproof paper and a lid. Cook in the oven for 45 minutes.
6. Add the potatoes: Remove from the oven, stir in the potato chunks. Replace the paper and lid. Return to the oven for a further hour until lamb and potatoes are very tender.
7. Season and serve: Taste and adjust seasoning. Serve hot with rice or naan and cooling yoghurt.