This recipe for Indian shepherds pie is the perfect fusion of British comfort food and Indian spice. Fragrant ground meat is nestled below a blanket of spiced mashed potatoes, both having the vibrant flavors of Indian cuisine. This fusion dish combines the best of two worlds, offering comfort and flavor in every bite.
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Table of Contents
ℹ️ Introduction
This Indian shepherd’s pie puts a spicy twist on the classic shepherds pie recipe, and I think you’ll love it! My delicious Indian fusion recipe combines the heartiness of traditional shepherd’s pie with the bold flavors of South Asian cuisine.
My kids love classic shepherd’s pie, and I make it often. One day, I had leftover keema (Indian spiced minced meat) and potato bhaji (Indian spiced potatoes). I had this wild idea to bake the two together to create a new take on shepherds pie! It turned out so well, and now I make this spicy shepherds pie more often than my old recipe.
❤️ WHY YOU SHOULD TRY THIS RECIPE!
- If you love the flavors of Indian-spiced ground beef (keema) and Indian-spiced potatoes (like potato bhaji), you’ll love this recipe, which combines the two. It is the best of both worlds: classic Western comfort food with Eastern flavor.
- Every time I serve it, I get oohs and aahs – everyone loves the recipe – and you will, too.
- Kids love the recipe! If they aren’t into spice, substitute the chili powder with paprika and omit the green chilis.
- It’s an easy recipe to make ahead, so it’s perfect for entertaining.
- It’s a meal-in-one because you really don’t need a side dish.
- You can customize the spice level to make it more or less spicy, depending on your tastes.
This dish is actually called cottage pie if you make it with ground beef and shepherd’s pie if you make it with ground lamb. But most people call it shepherd’s pie either way!
I have used both lamb and beef; they are equally good. The ground meat is simmered with aromatic spices such as garam masala, cumin, turmeric, and red chili powder.
Frozen peas and cilantro add color and freshness to the savory meat. The minced meat mixture is then topped with spiced, creamy mashed potatoes. The potato topping is very similar to the potato filling used in Indian potato cutlets or masala dosa.
And don’t be intimidated by the lengthy ingredient list, it’s mostly spices.
Feel free to use Yukon gold potatoes or russet potatoes. Cook the potatoes in an Instant Pot or boil them in water. I prefer the Instant Pot because I can set it and forget it.
💡 Tips for Indian-Spiced Shepherds Pie
- Drain the fat from the meat after browning the beef or lamb mince. Use lean ground beef to make the dish healthier.
- Use ground turkey. If you don’t eat beef or lamb, use ground chicken or ground turkey instead.
- Use good quality, fresh spices. If your spice powders have been sitting in your cabinet for years, do yourself a favor and toss them. Fresh ingredients make a better dish. I toast whole coriander and cumin seeds and grind them in a spice grinder.
- Taste the meat and potatoes and adjust seasonings as needed.
- Use green chili for more spice. I prefer to use serrano peppers rather than jalapenos because they are more consistent in their spice. Jalapenos can be hit or miss, with some being spicy and others mild.
- Brown the onions for the kheema (beef filling) really well. Properly browning the onions caramelizes their natural sugars and adds color and flavor to the dish. Cook over medium heat till the onions turn a rich golden brown. If you know you’ll be short on time, brown the onions ahead of time and store them in the fridge until you’re ready to make the filling.
- Use a potato ricer to make the mashed potatoes. I recently got a potato ricer, which has been a game-changer for mashed potatoes; I can’t believe I missed out on this tool all these years—the potatoes are so smooth! It looks like a very large garlic press! You put the potato pieces into the ricer and squeeze, resulting in mashed potatoes with no lumps. Of course, you can use a potato masher, which will give the potatoes a more rustic texture.
- You can customize the spice levels by varying the amount of chili powder or substituting all or some of the Kashmiri chilli powder with paprika. You can also add more chopped green chilies to give the curried shepherd’s pie more heat.
- Use freshly ground garam masala. My recipe for garam masala is so fragrant and flavorful. You can use prepared garam masala too.
- Make sweet potato mash for a change. Swap out the potatoes for sweet potatoes. They have a very different flavor profile and are delicious with the keema—not to mention healthier!
- Use a large enough pan. If you use a pan that is too small, the meat could bubble up and drip down the sides of the dish.
- If you want to save time, make the meat and potatoes ahead of time. You can even assemble the dish, cover it, and refrigerate it. Bake right before serving.
- Allow the shepherd’s pie to cool slightly before serving.
✅ Why Trust Neena at Paint the Kitchen Red?
I’m Neena, and I’ve spent a lifetime perfecting the recipes I share. My years of practice have honed my skills, resulting in consistently delicious and easy meals. My experience (including hits and misses!) enables me to provide valuable insights, troubleshooting advice, and innovative recipe ideas. Every recipe is tested multiple times, so you can be sure it works the first time!
❓ FAQS
Yes, this recipe is suitable for freezing. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before baking.
Because it’s so hearty, you really don’t need to have a side dish, but a salad would go well with it.
You can add carrots, corn, and bell peppers with the peas.
You can make this recipe vegetarian by substituting the meat with lentils or a plant-based ground meat substitute like Beyond or Impossible.
If you wish to substitute curry powder, omit the coriander, cumin, turmeric, chili powder, and fennel powder.
🧂 Minced Meat and Potato Mash Ingredients
- Use yellow onions or red onions. Red onions have a more robust flavor.
- Ginger garlic paste can be used instead of minced ginger and garlic.
- Tomato paste can be substituted with two medium finely chopped tomatoes (you can also coarsely blend them). Cook them until they break down.
- Either vegetable oil or olive oil works well.
- You can use ground beef or ground lamb. Make sure you drain the fat.
- Chopped cilantro can be added to the filling and topping, to taste.
- Serrano peppers or jalapeno peppers work well. I prefer to use serrano because I feel their spice level is more consistent.
- I like to roast and freshly grind whole coriander and cumin, but you can also use store-bought ground coriander and cumin.
- Ground turmeric is essential to Indian cooking and is also good for you.
- Kashmiri chili powder is a milder Indian chili powder. Substitute any part of the chili powder with paprika to make the dish even milder.
- Fennel is a common spice in Kerala cuisine, which I grew up with. You can use whole fennel seeds or fennel powder or choose to omit it.
- I also prefer to use homemade garam masala from my mom’s recipe, but you can use store-bought garam masala. I prefer to use one without coriander or cumin.
- I like to use russet potatoes or Yukon gold potatoes for mashed potatoes. I prefer to cook them in the Instant Pot, but you can also boil them.
- I don’t add any cream or butter to the potatoes, but if you like them rich and creamy, add two tablespoons cream to the potato mixture.
- I like to dot the potatoes with small pieces of butter before baking. (Not pictured above)
Quantities and details are provided in the recipe card at the bottom of this post
📝 How to Make Indian-Inspired Shepherds Pie
- Saute onions, tomatoes and beef
- Add peas, make the potato topping
- Assemble the pie and bake.
Saute Onions, Tomatoes, and Beef
- Heat a skillet, large saute pan, or dutch oven over medium high heat and add oil. Once the oil is hot, add the onion, minced garlic, minced or grated ginger (or ginger-garlic paste), and green chili (if using). Stir frequently. Lower the heat if necessary to ensure onions caramelize and don’t burn. Fry well until golden brown. This process can take up to 20 mins. See tip below.
- Once the onions have browned, add tomato paste and a tablespoon of hot water. Cook the tomato paste, stirring frequently, until the oil separates, about 5 minutes. Add some more hot water if the mixture starts sticking to the bottom of the pan.
- Add the coriander, cumin, turmeric, chili powder, fennel powder, salt, and pepper. Mix well, till fragrant, about 20 to 30 seconds.
- Add the ground beef. Cook and stir, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, until the meat is browned.
✏️ PRO TIP FOR BROWNING ONIONS QUICKLY
- Increase the heat to medium-high to speed up the browning of the onions. When the onions start sticking to the bottom and getting brown, deglaze with a tablespoon or two of water or chicken broth.
- Scrape up the brown bits (fond) and incorporate them back into the onion mixture.
- Keep doing this until the onions are a deep golden brown but not burnt! You need to watch them closely because they can burn easily at higher temperatures.
Add Peas, Make the Perfectly Spiced Potato Topping
- Once the beef is cooked, stir in the frozen peas, reduce the heat, cover, and let it simmer for about 10 minutes. Stir in garam masala and heat briefly. Stir in cilantro.
- Cook the potatoes in the Instant Pot or boil them in a saucepan. Use a potato ricer to rice the potatoes into small pieces. If you don’t have a ricer (I highly recommend getting one — it’s a game-changer!), mash with a potato masher until smooth.
- Heat a small pan and add oil. When the oil heats up, saute onion, garlic, ginger, and green chili (if using). Add turmeric, chili powder, salt, and pepper, and saute briefly.
- Add onion mixture to the mashed potatoes.
Assemble the pie
- Stir the spices into the mashed potatoes, mixing thoroughly. If the potatoes are too thick or you prefer a rich, creamy potato topping, add some butter or heavy cream. We will be dotting the potatoes with butter.
- Transfer the beef filling to a large casserole dish.
- Spread the mashed potatoes over the top of the ground beef.
- Use a spoon or fork to make designs across the top to create texture. This also allows the potatoes to have some peaks and valleys that brown. Dot the potatoes with butter. Bake in a preheated oven until done. Garnish with cilantro, if desired.
More Indian-Inspired Recipes
- Curry pasta is my Indian spin on pasta. The one-pot pasta recipe has the flavors of chicken tikka masala and is a must-try!
- Chicken curry soup is sure to be a hit. This coconut curried chicken soup is easy to make and full of flavor!
- Coconut curried risotto is another delicious fusion dish. The vegetarian risotto is my take on Italian risotto with Indian spices.
Indian Style Shepherds Pie Recipe
Ingredients
Ground Meat Filling
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 ½ cups onions chopped
- 1 tablespoon garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon ginger minced or grated
- ½ jalapeno pepper or serrano pepper, chopped
- 2 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon coriander powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin powder
- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
- ½ teaspoon Kashmiri chili powder
- ¼ teaspoon fennel powder
- ½ teaspoon black pepper powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 ¼ lb ground beef 90% lean – or ground lamb (557 grams)
- 12 oz frozen peas (340 grams)
- ½ teaspoon garam masala (Try my homemade garam masala)
- ¼ cup cilantro chopped
Potato Topping
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- ½ cup onion finely chopped
- 2 teaspoon garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon ginger minced or grated
- ½ jalapeno pepper or serrano pepper, chopped
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
- ¼ teaspoon Kashmiri chili powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper powder
- 1 ½ lbs Yukon gold potatoes or russet potatoes (680 grams) – peeled and cut into 1 ½ inch cubes
- 2 tablespoon heavy cream or to taste (optional)
- 1 tablespoon butter cut into small cubes
Instructions
Ground Meat Filling
- Heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high heat in a large saucepan or dutch oven.
- When oil is very hot, add onion, garlic, ginger, and green chili; fry well until deep golden brown. Lower the heat if necessary, to make sure onions caramelize and don’t burn. Stir frequently.
- Add tomato paste mixed with a tablespoon of water or broth and fry, stirring frequently.
- Cook until the oil separates and the mixture becomes paste-like, about 5 minutes. If the mixture starts sticking to the bottom of the pan, add a bit of hot water to deglaze. Reduce heat to medium low.
- Stir in coriander, cumin, turmeric, chili powder, fennel powder (if using), black pepper, salt. Saute briefly till fragrant, about 20 seconds.
- Increase heat to medium-high and add beef. Saute the beef until the beef is no longer pink. If needed, stir in a few tablespoons of hot water to keep the food from burning or sticking to the bottom.
- Add the frozen peas, lower heat to medium low, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes.
- Stir in garam masala and heat through.
- Remove from heat and stir in chopped cilantro.
Potato Topping
- Heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high heat in a small saucepan.
- When the oil is very hot, add the onion, garlic, ginger, and chili pepper. Saute until the onions are softened. Lower the heat to medium-low.
- Stir in the turmeric, chili powder, salt, and black pepper. Saute briefly till fragrant, about 20 seconds. Set aside.
- To cook the potatoes in the Instant Pot: Add 1 cup water to the Instant Pot. Place a steamer basket in the Instant Pot, and add the potatoes to the basket. Close the lid and pressure cook on high pressure for 5 minutes with a 10 minute natural release.
- To cook the potatoes on the stove: Add them to a large saucepan and add enough cold water to cover them by an inch. Heat the pan on high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and cook for about 15 minutes or until the potatoes are fork tender. Drain the potatoes.
- Place the potatoes in a large bowl and mash the potatoes with a potato masher until smooth, or use a potato ricer.
- Add the reserved spices to the potatoes and mix well. Add 1 to 2 tablespoons of cream (or butter) if the potatoes are too thick.
Assemble the Dish
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (180 degrees Celsius).
- Spread the meat mixture in a large casserole dish. Spread the potatoes over the meat in an even layer. Use a large enough dish to make sure the meat doesn't overflow.
- Using a fork, make swirly designs on the potatoes to create texture and allow the potatoes to brown in parts. Dot the potatoes with the butter.
- Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or just until the potatoes begin to brown. Transfer to a cooling rack for at least 10 minutes before serving. See Note 1.
Notes
- Note 1: Place the dish on a baking sheet to prevent the meat from bubbling up and dripping.
Nutrition
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I am not a certified nutritionist. I provide my best estimate of nutritional information merely as a courtesy to my readers. If you depend on nutritional information for dietary or health reasons, I suggest using your favorite online nutrition calculator to confirm the nutritional value of this recipe based on the actual ingredients that you use.
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Anju says
Neena, finally got around to making this kheema shepherds pie! Thank you so much for this recipe! It’s sooooo delicious!
Neena Panicker says
Hi Anju, I’m so glad to hear that you loved the Indian spiced shepherds pie! Thank you for taking the time to comment.