Lentil Keema Pav Casserole: One Pan Meal!

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! All of it comes together in a single pan. Think spiced and super flavorful Indian Sloppy joes. Gluten-free option

Keema is an Indian minced meat curry. There are numerous variations depending on the region, like this Madras Keema, Green Keema, North Indian Keema naan. This version is tailored from the famous Mumbai keema Pav, which is a brilliant 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 bottom meat in keema. Walnuts add great texture as well.

Making This Indian Street style sloppy joes – Mumbai Keema Pav, from scratch generally is a task. BUT I Bake all of it 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 normal flavor, use whatever you may have, it is going to turn our flavorful and delicious!. Also for ease of using, think all spices as one ingredient, and it is going to be just 8 ingredients for the entire dish!

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

They arrive out tasty and tender! Without having to face across the kitchen to sauté the spices and to control the lentils!

Then, as an alternative of creating the pav — a soft, Indian bread — from scratch, we’re using hot dog buns or pillowy dinner rolls. The buns have the same texture, and we’ll brush them with melted vegan butter and spices to present them a tremendous flavor.

You’ll be able to make just the Aleena lentils and serve with bread, naan or rice. It’s delicious every which way!

Why You’ll Love Keema Pav Casserole

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

More Vegan Lentil Recipes

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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 mins

Cook Time1 hr 30 mins

Total Time1 hr 45 mins

Course: casserole, Primary Course

Cuisine: Indian

Keyword: keema lentil casserole, keema pav casserole, lentil keema casserole

Servings: 4

Calories: 369kcal

Creator: 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 bottom 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 quarter-hour
• 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

Instructions

• Cook whole spices: Preheat the oven to 400ºF. Place a 9×12” baking dish within the oven to heat up while the oven is preheating. Once hot, remove the baking dish rigorously 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 every thing is finely chopped. Then add this mixture to the entire spices mixture. Add the bottom spices and 1/2 teaspoon salt, mix rather well, and even them out. Bake for 15-18 minutes within 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 blend rather well.

• Bake the lentils: Add the drained lentils, peas, carrots, walnuts, and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and blend in. Even it out and canopy it with parchment paper. Bake within the oven for 1 hour. Brown lentils take just a little little bit of time to cook.

• Check on the 50-minute mark to see if the lentils are cooked to your preference, and when you need more liquid. add more 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 new 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 within 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 individually until able to serve after which place the dinner rolls on top of the lentil casserole, brush with the oil, and bake as needed. It’s also possible to just make the lentil mixture and keep the dinner rolls individually 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

% Every day 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 Every day Values are based on a 2000 calorie weight loss program.

Ingredients:

• keema spices – Indian Keema has an fragrant mix 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 purchase a special spice mix.
• aromatics – Onion, garlic, ginger, chilis, and cilantro depend the seasoning of this vegan lentil casserole.
• lentils – We’re using dried lentils here and baking them in veggie stock and tomato paste until tender as an alternative to the meat
• non-dairy yogurt – This makes the sauce creamy. You should use cashew cream as an alternative, 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 – That is your cheater pav! Use gluten-free buns for a gf variation.

Suggestions:

• To make this ahead, make the lentil mixture and keep the dinner rolls individually until able to serve after which place the dinner rolls on top of the lentil casserole, brush with the oil, and bake as needed. It’s also possible to just make the lentil mixture and keep the dinner rolls individually 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 you can Make Keema Pav Casserole:

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

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

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

Then, add this mixture to the entire spices mixture within the baking pan.

Add the bottom spices and 1/2 teaspoon of salt, mix rather well, and even every thing out.

Bake for 15-18 minutes within 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 blend rather well. 

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

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

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

Halve the new 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 within the oven to bake until the bread is golden. This could take around 10-12 more minutes.

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

Ceaselessly Asked Questions