{"id":32216,"date":"2019-11-25T07:23:02","date_gmt":"2019-11-25T15:23:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.feastingathome.com\/?p=32216"},"modified":"2025-11-05T06:12:10","modified_gmt":"2025-11-05T14:12:10","slug":"vegetarian-shepherds-pie","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.feastingathome.com\/vegetarian-shepherds-pie\/","title":{"rendered":"Indian Shepherd’s Pie"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u00a0 A vegetarian Shepherd’s Pie infused with the most fragrant Indian spices, along with black lentils, veggies, gravy and\u00a0topped with curried mashed potatoes. (Feel free to use leftover mashed potatoes!) Truly one of the most delicious vegetarian dinner recipes<\/a> on the blog! Includes a 45-second video!\u00a0<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

\"Vegetarian<\/p>\n

The more grateful I am, the more beauty I see.<\/em>- Mary Davis<\/p>\n

Since we’ve been back from India, this Indian-spiced, Vegetarian Shepherd’s Pie has been on repeat around here. I’ve been making it on Sunday and we’ve been warming up it during the week. So flavorful and cozy!<\/p>\n

It takes about one hour from start to finish if you multitask. But perhaps for the first go around, plan on an hour of hands-on time before baking in the oven.<\/p>\n

How to make Indian Shepherds Pie| 45-second video<\/em><\/h2>\n\n
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What I like about this recipe is you can make it with leftover mashed potatoes (spicing them up with curry powder) and you can make it in stages, cooking the lentils ahead, or even the lentil stew ahead, then assembling the day of.<\/p>\n

This is best made with ghee, because ghee adds such amazing flavor. But of course, it can be “veganized” with vegan butter. \ud83d\ude42 As you wish.<\/p>\n

But to reiterate<\/em>, ghee brings it OVER the TOP!!!<\/p>\n

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How to Make Vegetarian Shepherds Pie:\u00a0<\/em><\/h2>\n
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  1. Boil the potatoes for the mashed potato topping.<\/li>\n
  2. Make the fragrant, Indian-spiced lentil stew. (This is faster if you cook the lentils ahead.)<\/li>\n
  3. Make the flavorful gravy.<\/li>\n
  4. Mash the potatoes and add the curry spices.<\/li>\n
  5. Assemble the Shepherds Pie, spooning the potatoes over the stew.<\/li>\n
  6. Bake for 20 minutes, uncovered in a 350F oven.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

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    MASHED POTATOES:<\/strong> I’ve been using Yukon gold potatoes in my mashed potato recipes- because if you’ve been here a while, you’ll know I prefer to leave the skins on my potatoes, not only for simplicity and ease (of not having to peel them!) \u00a0but also because they are quite nutritious.<\/p>\n

    So slice them into 1-inch slices, and boil in salted water.<\/p>\n

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    INDIAN-SPICED LENTIL STEW-<\/strong>make this while the potatoes are simmering.<\/p>\n

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    Brown the onions in ghee, add garlic, celery, carrots and fragrant garam masala spice.<\/p>\n

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    I also like to add fenugreek leaves, which give this a truly authentic flavor.<\/p>\n

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    Add the cooked<\/span> lentils – and here I really love using little black lentils, sometimes called beluga lentils or black caviar lentils. \u00a0Not only are they “cute” they cook in 20 minutes.<\/p>\n

    But feel free to use any cooked lentil- just not split lentils!\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

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    It really helps make this whole thing faster if you precook the lentils ahead of time.<\/p>\n

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    Then I make a very quick, Indian-spiced “gravy” with some toasted Indian spices, to give this a little boost of flavor.<\/p>\n

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    Toast fennel seeds and cumin seeds in a little ghee. Black Mustard seeds would be nice here too.<\/p>\n

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    Add a little flour- and gluten-free flour works well here too!<\/p>\n

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    Whisk in hot veggie broth, and heat until it thickens into a flavorful gravy.<\/p>\n

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    Pour this into the lentils stew along with a cup of peas. Today I’m using frozen peas. You could also add green beans or chopped spinach.<\/p>\n

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    Then taste the Indian lentil stew and adjust the salt and spice level to your liking.<\/p>\n

    By this point, the potatoes\u00a0will be very tender and ready to mash.<\/p>\n

    Drain and mash them right in the pot you cooked them in. Mash them with ghee, yogurt and a little curry powder, then season with salt and pepper.<\/p>\n

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    Spoon the fluffy\u00a0flavorful curry mashed potatoes over the lentil stew.<\/p>\n

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    Spread them out with a back of a spoon, or spatula, like frosting a cake.<\/p>\n

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    Then bake in 350 F oven, uncovered until the stew is bubbling on the sides, and the potatoes are golden- about 20 minutes.<\/p>\n

    Inhale. It will smell amazing…<\/p>\n

    So several steps here, but if you work quickly (multi-task) or work in stages (cooking the lentils ahead, or making the stew ahead, or making the gravy ahead) \u00a0it will all come together more easily!<\/p>\n

    \"Vegetarian<\/p>\n

    I can’t wait for you to try this recipe for Indian-spiced, Vegetarian Shepherd’s Pie friends! Let me know what you think in the comments below!<\/p>\n

    Have a beautiful\u00a0Thanksgiving\u00a0Week!<\/p>\n

    xoxo<\/p>\n

    More Indian Recipes you may enjoy<\/h2>\n