Name: Mushroom Lentil Loaf
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 60 min
Ingredients: 2 cups French lentils (-cooked & drained well ( start with 1 cup dry)); 1 large carrot (-grated or finely finely chopped); 1/2 yellow onion ( or 1/2 leek) (-chopped); 1 cup cremini mushrooms (-chopped); 1 cup red bell pepper (-diced); 1/2 cup quick oats; 2 tbsp walnut parmesan (( or nutritional yeast flakes)); 1/2 cup bread crumbs (-plain whole wheat or gluten-free); 3 cloves garlic (-grated); 2 tbsp flax meal ((I used flax & chia mix)); 1/3 cup + 2 tbsp Italian marinara sauce; 1.5 tbsp liquid aminos; 1 tsp onion powder; 3/4 tsp smoked paprika; 1/4 tsp sea salt ((or to taste)); 2 tbsp thyme leaves (-fresh); 2 tbsp fresh Italian parsley (-roughly chopped); 3 tbsp onion chives (-chopped); 2 tbsp basil leaves (-for garnish); 1 drizzle olive oil or a splash of water

The best vegan mushroom lentil loaf recipe loaded with meaty mushrooms, oats, veggies and fresh herbs covered in a blanket of smooth Italian tomato sauce. Healthy, filling, meatless, oil-free and super tasty.

Vegan Mushroom Lentil Loaf Recipe with Veggies and Italian Tomato Sauce

Perfect for Sunday dinner any time of the year but also festive enough to grace your holiday table during Thanksgiving, Christmas or Easter served on a bed of these divine avocado mashed potatoes.

What Is a Lentil Loaf ?

A.K.A. vegan meatloaf that is made with lentils, mushrooms and veggies, meatless and cruelty-free! Whole Foods Plant based, no eggs, no cheese, no oil! Hearty, nutritious and beyond delicious, loaded with tons of nutrition and Italian flavor, you’ll be licking your plates sparkling clean.

How to Make It:

You start by sautéing all your veggies with onions or leeks and boiling the lentils. Everything gets combined then half of the mixture pureed. It’s all about the right texture to form our perfect loaf. We mix everything together again and add some breadcrumbs to help the loaf perfectly come together. You can gluten-free bread crumbs here or whole wheat, whatever works for you. Bake the loaf for 30 minutes until set then brush it with your favorite Italian sauce and bake another ten minutes. Easy!

It’s important to use the tiny French lentils variety when making this recipe. We need them to hold their shape throughout the cooking process so we can control the final texture. Don’t use the red variety as they won’t hold together as needed and you might end up with a pile of mush.

Personally I want the leftover slices to hold together enough to make a sandwich perfect for dunking in a bowl of vegan mushroom gravy.

What Are French Lentils ?

Tiny lentils grown in the Puy region of central France, hence the name ” lentilles du Puy ” or Puy lentils. They have a nutty earthy flavor with a firm texture even after cooking which makes them ideal for this mushroom lentil loaf recipe and to be used in salads and rustic soups that you don’t plan to blend into obliteration.

If you prefer to keep your dinner more casual and way faster, you can also shape the loaf mixture into burger patties, pan sear them in a hot cast iron skillet and serve on toasted buns with lots of tomato sauce or gravy for dipping.

How Do You Reheat Mushroom Lentil Loaf ?

Place the leftover loaf on a parchment lined baking dish and bake in a preheated 300”F oven until heated through, 45 minutes or so. The quick route would be to pop it in the microwave for a couple of minutes, just make sure to only use glass or ceramic, never use any plastic in the microwave.

What to Serve With:

Vegan Mashed Potatoes

Broccoli Mac and Cheese

French Potato Salad

Creamy Green Beans

Italian Tomato Sauce.

note worthy: There are about 50 different varieties of lentils, all loaded with soluble fiber and protein: 1 cup lentils contains 18 g of protein and 16 g of fiber. Unlike beans they do not need any presoaking and are ready under 30 minutes depending on the variety used.

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Mushroom Lentil Loaf

The best vegan lentil loaf recipe loaded with mushrooms, carrots, peppers, oats and fresh herbs covered in a blanket of smooth Italian tomato sauce. Healthy, filling and super tasty.

Course Main Course

Cuisine Italian

Keyword Lentil Veggie Loaf

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 50 minutes

Total Time 1 hour

Servings people

Calories 278kcal

Author Florentina

Ingredients

2 cups French lentils -cooked & drained well ( start with 1 cup dry)
1 large carrot -grated or finely finely chopped
1/2 yellow onion ( or 1/2 leek) -chopped
1 cup cremini mushrooms -chopped
1 cup red bell pepper -diced
1/2 cup quick oats
2 tbsp walnut parmesan ( or nutritional yeast flakes)
1/2 cup bread crumbs -plain whole wheat or gluten-free
3 cloves garlic -grated
2 tbsp flax meal (I used flax & chia mix)
1/3 cup + 2 tbsp Italian marinara sauce
1.5 tbsp liquid aminos
1 tsp onion powder
3/4 tsp smoked paprika
1/4 tsp sea salt (or to taste)
2 tbsp thyme leaves -fresh
2 tbsp fresh Italian parsley -roughly chopped
3 tbsp onion chives -chopped
2 tbsp basil leaves -for garnish
1 drizzle olive oil or a splash of water

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350”F.
In a large skillet over medium flame saute the onion (or leeks), mushrooms and carrot with a pinch of sea salt and a splash of water, veggie broth (or a drizzle of olive oil) until softened. About 10 minutes or so. (If using leeks make sure to rinse them really well after chopping as they can be quite full of dirt and grit)
Stir in the bell pepper, garlic, paprika, onion powder, liquid aminos, flax meal, 2-3 tablespoons of marinara sauce and the fresh herbs (reserve some herbs for garnish). Remove from heat.
Add the walnut parmesan, lentils and oats to the pan with the sauteed veggies and mix to combine.
Transfer half of the mixture to the bowl of a food processor and finely chop but not totally pureed, so keep a close eye on it.
Transfer the chopped mixture to the bowl with the reserved sautéed veggies, add the breadcrumbs and use your hands to mix it well. Taste and adjust seasonings with the sea salt.
IMPORTANT: The loaf should stick together nicely by now, however If you feel like it is too wet you can add more breadcrumbs at this point.
Dump the mixture onto a parchment lined baking sheet and shape into two loaves ( helps if you lightly oil your hands first). Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes.
After 30 minutes have passed, carefully spoon the marinara sauce over the top and the sides of the loaves and bake another 10 minutes or so.
Remove the lentil loaves from the oven and allow to cool for 15 minutes before slicing. Serve garnished with fresh basil and chives on a bed of mashed potatoes with extra tomato sauce on the side.