When comfort food meets spice and plant-forward cooking, magic happens. This curry shepherd’s pie brings together rich, warm curry flavors with the cozy feel of a baked casserole—perfect for those looking for something hearty, homemade, and globally inspired.
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
This isn’t your average shepherd’s pie. We swap the meat for protein-packed lentils and mixed vegetables simmered in a bold curry sauce. The topping? A silky mash made from cauliflower and potatoes with a touch of coconut milk for creamy richness and warmth.
It’s gluten-free, vegetarian, and can easily be made vegan by swapping out the ghee for a plant-based oil.
More Recipes with Lentils
- Plant-Based: Italian Sausage with Spicy Creamy Lentil Pasta
- Curry Lentil Turkey Stew
- Vegetarian Chipotle Mushroom Lentil Bean Chili
- Easy Aleppo Pepper Spiced Dill Lentil Chicken Soup
- Green Lentil Kale Stew
- Loaded Cheesy Ground Turkey Red Lentil Pasta
Cooking Tips
Cook's Notebook is your Cooking Tips Resource Guide. Become a better home cook with tips to help you cook more efficiently.
- Make it vegan: Use oil instead of ghee.
- Texture tip: For a super creamy mash, blend the cauliflower and potatoes in a food processor. To prevent it from being gummy, stick to waxy potatoes (like Yukon gold) instead of starchy potatoes (like russet potatoes).
- Storage: Keeps well in the fridge for up to 4 days or frozen in individual portions.
Alternative Cooking Method (Using Dry Lentils)
Need to prep your lentils separately? Simmer ½ cup dry green lentils in 1 ½ to 2 cups water for 20–25 minutes until tender. Drain and fold into the cooked curry filling with the frozen vegetables and coconut milk before assembling.
My Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Purchased: 07/14/23
Update: 08/19/24
My Review: The KitchenAid 3.5 Cup Food Chopper is a must-have in the kitchen at a great price. It’s compact, powerful, and lightweight, making meal prep easier without taking up much space. I love its one-touch operation, perfect for quickly chopping, mixing, and puréeing. Plus, it's easy to clean. Watch me use it for my Spicy Tomato Farro Risotto and Chili Herb Crusted Rainbow Trout recipes. This chopper is essential, especially if you love cooking with lots of gadgets like me!
Storage and Reheating
- Refrigerator: Let the shepherd’s pie cool completely, then cover tightly or store in an airtight container. It will keep in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- Freezer: You can freeze it whole or in individual portions. Wrap well with foil or use freezer-safe containers. Freeze for up to 2 months.
- To Reheat:
- From fridge: Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 20–25 minutes until heated through, or microwave individual servings for 2–3 minutes.
- From frozen: Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then reheat as above. For a quick option, microwave from frozen in 2–3 minute intervals until hot in the center.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here, you will find a list of common questions that I have answered. If you have questions, please write them in the comment section below.
Traditional shepherd’s pie is made with ground meat and a mashed potato topping. This version puts a flavorful twist on the classic by using green lentils and mixed vegetables in a spiced curry sauce, then topping it with a creamy cauliflower-potato mash infused with warm Indian spices.
It’s completely vegetarian, gluten-free, and packed with plant-based goodness.
Mashed potatoes are traditional, but a mix of mashed cauliflower and potatoes (like in this recipe) adds extra nutrition and a lighter, creamier texture. You can even use sweet potatoes for a different twist.
Yes! You can fully assemble the pie ahead of time and store it in the fridge for up to 24 hours before baking. Just let it sit at room temperature for 15–20 minutes before baking, or add a few extra minutes to the bake time.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. To reheat, bake at 350°F until heated through or microwave individual portions. It also freezes well for up to 2 months.
Yes, you can! If using dry green lentils, simmer ½ cup in 1½ to 2 cups of water for about 20–25 minutes until tender but not mushy. Drain any excess water, then fold the cooked lentils into the curry filling along with the vegetables and coconut milk before assembling the shepherd’s pie.
Vegetarian Recipes
Looking for other vegetarian recipes like this? Try these:
- Green Seasoning Recipe | Epis - Haitian Style
- Quick Spicy Potstickers | Chili Momo Tibetan Style
- Quick Parsley Cucumber Tomato Feta Salad
- Marinated Sumac Onions | Easy and Quick
Comfort Food Recipes
Looking for other comfort food recipes like this? Try these:
- Beituti Chicken Shawarma Rice Bowl | Quick and Easy
- Air Fryer Chicken Shawarma | Quick with Beituti
- Creamy Curry Chicken Gnocchi Soup | Caribbean Style
- Creamy Chicken Corn Chowder with Dumplings | Dairy-Free
📖 Recipe
Curry Shepherd’s Pie with Cauliflower-Potato Mash | A Comforting Vegetarian Twist
Ingredients
Cauliflower-Potato Coconut Mash
- 1 ½ cups cauliflower florets
- 2 medium yellow potatoes peeled and diced
- 3 tablespoons unsweetened coconut milk
- 1 tablespoon ghee butter, or oil
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
- ½ teaspoon garam masala
- Kosher salt and ground black pepper to taste
Rich Lentil & Mixed Vegetable Curry Filling
- 1 tablespoon ghee or oil
- ½ medium yellow onion finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger or ½ teaspoon fresh
- 1 jalapeño or serrano, finely diced (optional; adjust to heat level
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon ground coriander
- ½ teaspoon turmeric
- ½ teaspoon garam masala
- ¼ cup crushed fire-roasted tomato sauce
- 1 cup cooked brown or green lentils
- 1 cup frozen mixed vegetables
- 1 cup water or vegetable broth
- ¼ cup unsweetened coconut milk
- Kosher salt, to taste
- Handful of fresh cilantro chopped (plus more for garnish
- a squeeze of lemon juice optional
Equipment
Instructions
- Make the Cauliflower-Potato: Coconut MashBoil potatoes and cauliflower in salted water until fork-tender (12–15 minutes). Drain well. Mash with ghee, coconut milk, turmeric, garam masala, and ground cumin (if using). Add salt to taste and set aside.
- Make the Lentil-Vegetable Curry Filling: In a skillet, heat ghee/oil. Sauté onion until soft and golden (about 5–6 minutes). Add garlic, ginger, and diced jalapeño or serrano (if using). Cook 1–2 minutes until fragrant.Stir in ground cumin, coriander, turmeric, chili powder, and garam masala. Toast for 30 seconds. Add tomato paste and cook until slightly darkened. Stir in lentils, frozen mixed vegetables, and water or broth. Mix well. Pour in coconut milk and let simmer uncovered for 8–10 minutes until thickened but still saucy. Stir in fresh cilantro and a splash of lemon juice to finish. Taste and adjust salt and spice level if needed.
- Assemble & Bake: Preheat oven to 375 °F. Spread the curried lentil filling in a greased 8x8-inch baking dish. Top evenly with the cauliflower-potato mash, smoothing the surface. Bake uncovered for 20–25 minutes until hot and golden. Broil for 2–3 minutes for added browning.Garnish with additional chopped cilantro before serving.
Video
Notes
- If you'd rather cook the lentils separately before assembling the filling, you can simmer ½ cup of dry green lentils in 1½ to 2 cups of water on the stovetop for about 20–25 minutes, or until tender but not mushy.
- Drain any excess water and set them aside.
- Then, proceed with the recipe by sautéing the aromatics and spices as instructed, adding the cooked lentils along with the frozen vegetables and coconut milk to create the rich, saucy filling.
- This method gives you more control over the lentil texture and may speed up the final skillet time if you’re preparing components in stages.
Nutrition
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Chef Maika Frederic
Personal Chef and Educator
Chef Maika is a Haitian-American personal chef, food blogger, and culinary expert passionate about bold flavors and approachable recipes. Owner of Growth Culinary and with years of experience in top kitchens, she shares diverse, flavorful meals and time-saving tips to inspire home cooks. Read More About Just Maika Cooking
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