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    Home » Casserole

    Lentil Keema Pav Casserole (Vegan Mince Curry bread bake)

    Published: Mar 24, 2023 · Modified: May 8, 2023 by Richa 7 Comments

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    Lentil Keema Pav Casserole on the plate with a bite taken out, text overlay
    image collage of Lentil Keema Pav Casserole in the baking pan and on the plate, text overlay
    Lentil Keema Pav Casserole on the plate
    Lentil Keema Pav Casserole on the plate with a bite taken out
    Lentil Keema Pav Casserole in the baking pan after baking

    Lentil Keema Pav Casserole! 1 Pan Handsfree! A time consuming mince meat curry with dinner rolls, made into an easy-to-make, one-pot meal! It all comes together in a single pan. Think spiced and super flavorful Indian Sloppy joes. Gluten-free option

    Lentil Keema Pav Casserole in the baking pan after baking
    Table of Contents
    • Why You’ll Love Keema Pav Casserole
    • More Vegan Lentil Recipes
    • Recipe Card
    • Ingredients:
    • Tips:
    • How to Make Keema Pav Casserole:
    • Frequently Asked Questions

    Keema is an Indian minced meat curry. There are many variations depending on the region, like this Madras Keema, Green Keema, North Indian Keema naan. This version is adapted from the famous Mumbai keema Pav, which is a super flavorful street style keema served with fresh toasted and buttered dinner rolls. Think super flavorful and spicy Sloppy joes style sandwich. I often use lentils as a meat substitute for the ground meat in keema. Walnuts add great texture as well.

    Making This Indian Street style sloppy joes – Mumbai Keema Pav, from scratch can be a task. BUT I Bake it all up in 1 PAN!
    Bake whole spices and aromatics until golden, then add lentils walnuts and sauces and bake , then top with the dinner rolls and broil. Done!


    There are a bunch of spices for the traditional flavor, use whatever you have, it will turn our flavorful and delicious!. Also for ease of using, think all spices as one ingredient, and it will be just 8 ingredients for the whole dish!

    Normally, you’d simmer lentils from dry on the stovetop, but in this recipe, we are cooking them in the oven. You will still start with dry lentils, but you’ll bake them with liquid and flavorful keema spices right in the baking pan.

    They come out tasty and tender! With no need to stand around the kitchen to sauté the spices and to keep an eye on the lentils!

    Lentil Keema Pav Casserole on the plate with a bite taken out

    Then, instead of making the pav — a soft, Indian bread — from scratch, we are using hot dog buns or pillowy dinner rolls. The buns have a similar texture, and we will brush them with melted vegan butter and spices to give them an amazing flavor.

    You can make just the Aleena lentils and serve with bread, naan or rice. It is delicious every which way!

    Lentil Keema Pav Casserole in the baking pan after baking

    Why You’ll Love Keema Pav Casserole

    • One-pan meal made in 1 Casserole dish
    • Soyfree, easily made nutfree glutenfree
    • Easy to make.
    • Packed with flavor.
    • Topped with pillowy, buttery bread.

    More Vegan Lentil Recipes

    • Vietnamese-Inspired Caramelized “Pork” Lentils
    • Handi Lentils
    • Creamy Vegan Curry Lentils
    • Red Lentil Sweet Potato Curry
    • Lentil Curry Casserole
    Read more: Lentil Keema Pav Casserole (Vegan Mince Curry bread bake)

    Recipe Card

    Lentil Keema Pav Casserole on the plate
    Print Recipe
    5 from 3 votes

    Lentil Keema Pav Casserole (vegan mince curry bread bake)

    Lentil Keema Pav Casserole! 1 Pan Handsfree! A time consuming mince meat curry with dinner rolls, made into an easy-to-make, one-pot meal! Spicy and flavorful Indian Sloppy Joes . Option for Gluten-free nutfree
    Prep Time15 minutes mins
    Cook Time1 hour hr 30 minutes mins
    Total Time1 hour hr 45 minutes mins
    Course: casserole, Main Course
    Cuisine: Indian
    Keyword: keema lentil casserole, keema pav casserole, lentil keema casserole
    Servings: 4
    Calories: 369kcal
    Author: Vegan Richa

    Ingredients

    For the lentil keema:

    • 2 teaspoons oil
    • 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
    • 2 bay leaves
    • 1 cinnamon stick
    • 1 black cardamom pod partly open (or use 2 green cardamom pods partly open)

    For the aromatics:

    • 1 (110 g) medium red onion chopped
    • 6 garlic cloves
    • 1 inch ginger
    • 1 green chili
    • 1/4 cup (4 g) cilantro stems

    For the ground spices:

    • 1/4 teaspoon turmeric
    • 1 tablespoon coriander powder
    • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
    • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
    • 1 teaspoon paprika
    • 1 teaspoon dried fenugreek leaves, Kasuri methi
    • 1/2 – 1 teaspoon garam masala
    • 1/4 teaspoon dried dill
    • 1/4 teaspoon dried sage

    For the lentils:

    • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
    • 3 cup veggie stock or more if needed
    • 3/4 cup (144 g) dried lentils washed and soaked for 15 minutes
    • 1/4 cup (35 g) frozen peas and carrots mix
    • 1/4 cup (29.25 g) coarsely chopped walnuts
    • 3 tablespoons non-dairy yogurt or cashew cream
    • 3/4 teaspoon salt, divided

    To top the keema lentils:

    • 4 vegan hot dog buns or 8 dinner rolls
    • melted vegan butter or oil as needed
    • 1/2 teaspoon paprika
    • Cilantro and lemon juice for garnish

    Equipment

    • 9×12" baking pan

    Instructions

    • Cook whole spices: Preheat the oven to 400ºF. Place a 9×12” baking dish in the oven to heat up while the oven is preheating. Once hot, remove the baking dish carefully from the oven, add the oil and whole spices, mix well, and set it aside.
    • Bake the aromatics: Add the onion, garlic, ginger, green chili, and cilantro stems to a food processor, and process until everything is finely chopped. Then add this mixture to the whole spices mixture. Add the ground spices and 1/2 teaspoon salt, mix really well, and even them out. Bake for 15-18 minutes in the preheated oven, stirring once in between.
    • Once the mixture is somewhat golden, remove the baking dish from the oven and add the tomato paste, yogurt, and veggie stock, and mix really well.
    • Bake the lentils: Add the drained lentils, peas, carrots, walnuts, and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and mix in. Even it out and cover it with parchment paper. Bake in the oven for 1 hour. Brown lentils take a little bit of time to cook.
    • Check at the 50-minute mark to see if the lentils are cooked to your preference, and if you need more liquid. add more warm water or stock (roughly 1/2 -1 cup).
    • Once the lentils are cooked to your preference, remove the baking dish from the oven.
    • Halve the hot dog buns or dinner rolls and place on top of the lentil mixture and brush them with oil or melted vegan butter. Sprinkle salt, paprika, and place the baking dish back in the oven to bake until the bread is golden, 10-12 minutes.
    • Remove it from the oven and add cilantro and lemon juice. Slice and serve immediately.

    Notes

    To make this ahead, make the lentil mixture and keep the dinner rolls separately until ready to serve and then place the dinner rolls on top of the lentil casserole, brush with the oil, and bake as needed. You can also just make the lentil mixture and keep the dinner rolls separately to serve individually as needed.

    Nutrition

    Nutrition Facts
    Lentil Keema Pav Casserole (vegan mince curry bread bake)
    Amount Per Serving
    Calories 369 Calories from Fat 99
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 11g17%
    Saturated Fat 1g6%
    Sodium 695mg30%
    Potassium 630mg18%
    Carbohydrates 55g18%
    Fiber 16g67%
    Sugar 5g6%
    Protein 16g32%
    Vitamin A 1387IU28%
    Vitamin C 11mg13%
    Calcium 172mg17%
    Iron 6mg33%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
    lentils, spices, aromatics, and non-dairy yogurt in bowls on a kitchen counter

    Ingredients:

    • keema spices – Indian Keema has an aromatic blend of spices including cumin and cardamom that lends and incredible flavor to lentils! Here, you’re using individual spices to make the keema mix, so no worries about having to buy a special spice mix.
    • aromatics – Onion, garlic, ginger, chilis, and cilantro depend the seasoning of this vegan lentil casserole.
    • lentils – We are using dried lentils here and baking them in veggie stock and tomato paste until tender as a substitute for the meat
    • non-dairy yogurt – This makes the sauce creamy. You can use cashew cream instead, if needed.
    • walnuts – You bake the walnuts with the lentils for added meaty texture, flavor, and protein. Use sunflower seeds for nutfree
    • hot dog buns or dinner rolls – This is your cheater pav! Use gluten-free buns for a gf variation.

    Tips:

    • To make this ahead, make the lentil mixture and keep the dinner rolls separately until ready to serve and then place the dinner rolls on top of the lentil casserole, brush with the oil, and bake as needed. You can also just make the lentil mixture and keep the dinner rolls separately to serve individually as needed.
    • To make this nut-free, omit the walnuts. 
    • To make this recipe gluten-free, use gluten-free dinner rolls or some gluten-free tortillas or flatbread to serve it.

    How to Make Keema Pav Casserole:

    Preheat the oven to 400º F, and place a 9×12” baking dish in the oven to heat up while the oven is preheating. Once the oven is hot, carefully remove the baking dish, add the oil and whole spices. Mix well, and set it aside.

    oil and whole spices in the baking pan

    Add the onion, garlic, ginger, green chili, and cilantro stems to a food processor, and process until everything is finely chopped.

    onions, garlic, ginger, and chili in a food processor before blending

    If you have a smaller food processor, like I do, process the onion, garlic, ginger, and chili first, then add the cilantro stems.

    adding cilantro stems to chopped onions, garlic, ginger, and chili in a food processor
    aromatics in the food processor after chopping

    Then, add this mixture to the whole spices mixture in the baking pan.


    chopped aromatics added to the baking pan

    Add the ground spices and 1/2 teaspoon of salt, mix really well, and even everything out.

    ground spices added to the chopped aromatics in the pan before baking

    Bake for 15-18 minutes in the preheated oven, stirring once in between.

    Once the mixture is somewhat golden, remove the baking dish from the oven and add the tomato paste, yogurt, and veggie stock, and mix really well. 

    ground spices added to the chopped aromatics in the pan after baking
    adding non-dairy yogurt and tomato paste to the cooked aromatics
    baking pan after adding the liquids and stirring in the other ingredients

    Add the drained lentils, peas, carrots, walnuts, and remaining salt and mix in. Even it out and cover it with parchment paper. Bake in the oven for one hour.

    lentils added to the baking pan before baking

    Check at the 50-minute mark to see if the lentils are cooked to your preference and also if you need more liquid. Add more warm water or stock (1/2 to one cup).

    keema lentils in the baking pan after baking

    Once the lentils are cooked to your preference, remove the baking dish from the oven.

    Halve the hot dog buns or dinner rolls and place on top of the lentil mixture and brush them with oil or melted vegan butter.

    hot dog buns placed on top of the lentils in the baking pan
    hot dog buns sprinkled with cilantro and lemon in the pan before baking

    Sprinkle salt, paprika, and place the baking dish back in the oven to bake until the bread is golden. This should take around 10-12 more minutes.

    Remove it from the oven and add cilantro and lemon juice. slice and serve immediately. 

    Lentil Keema Pav Casserole on the plate with a bite taken out

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Can I make this nut-free?

    Yes! Just omit the walnuts. You can add some coarsely crushed sunflower seeds as substitute.

    Can I make this gluten-free?

    To make this recipe gluten-free, use gluten-free dinner rolls or some gluten-free tortillas or flatbread to serve it.

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    ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ If you Love the Recipe, Please consider rating it using stars in comments! It helps readers and helps more people find the recipe online! I love hearing from you all! ⭐⭐⭐⭐

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    1. Judith

      March 26, 2023 at 4:48 pm

      5 stars
      I loved this casserole! I did double both the walnuts and frozen veggies and buttered both sides of the hotdogs buns. First rate, flavorful comfort food. Requires a lot if spices and a food processor. But worth it.

      Reply
      • Richa

        March 26, 2023 at 6:42 pm

        Yay!

        Reply
      • Sally Sorrell

        March 30, 2023 at 10:16 am

        5 stars
        Another easy and totally delicious recipe. The cinnamon stick added a wonderful warmth to the gently spiced lentils and paired perfectly with pillowy white bread rolls. Thankyou.

        Reply
        • Richa

          March 30, 2023 at 4:42 pm

          Thank you trying and loving the recipe!

          Reply
    2. Mary

      March 24, 2023 at 6:10 am

      Looks delicious! What brand of vegan hot dog buns do you use?

      Reply
      • Vegan Richa Support

        March 24, 2023 at 8:01 pm

        Food for Life, Rudi’s, Aunt Millie’s are good options!

        Reply
      • Richa

        March 26, 2023 at 2:19 pm

        Some local brands are accidentally vegan, so read ingredient list.

        Reply

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