Saffron-Infused Lamb with Apricots and Almonds

By Lauren Mitchell, Test Kitchen Director · Reviewed by AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-04-14 · Updated 2026-04-14

Tender lamb slow-cooked in a fragrant yogurt and saffron sauce with sweet dried apricots and toasted almonds for balanced richness. This indian ready in about 170 minutes pairs lamb shoulder, plain yogurt, dried apricots for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 520 calories and feeds 4, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Ingredients

• 1.5 pounds lamb shoulder
• 1 cup plain yogurt
• 1/2 cup dried apricots
• 1/4 cup almonds
• 1/4 teaspoon saffron threads
• 2 tablespoons ghee
• 1 large onion
• 4 cloves garlic
• 1 tablespoon ginger
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup water

Instructions

1. Step 1: Cut lamb shoulder into 1-inch cubes and pat dry with paper towels. Heat 1 tablespoon ghee in a heavy pot over medium-high heat until shimmering, then sear lamb cubes until golden brown on all sides, about 5 minutes total.
2. Step 2: Finely chop 1 large onion and mince 4 garlic cloves and 1 tablespoon ginger. Add remaining 1 tablespoon ghee to the pot, then cook onions until golden, about 8 minutes. Stir in 1 teaspoon ground cumin, 1 teaspoon ground coriander, and 1/2 teaspoon turmeric, cooking for 1 minute until aromatic.
3. Step 3: Add 1 cup plain yogurt and 1 teaspoon salt, stirring constantly to prevent curdling. Stir in 1/2 cup dried apricots and 1/4 cup saffron threads soaked in 2 tablespoons warm water for 10 minutes. Add 1/2 cup water and seared lamb, then bring to a gentle simmer.
4. Step 4: Cover pot, reduce heat to low, and cook for 2 hours until lamb is fork-tender, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
5. Step 5: Toast 1/4 cup almonds in a dry skillet over medium heat for 3 minutes until golden and fragrant. Remove from heat and coarsely chop.
6. Step 6: Stir chopped almonds into the lamb mixture and cook uncovered for 10 minutes to thicken the sauce, until it coats the back of a spoon.