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Mushroom Lentil Loaf Recipe ~ Vegan

March 17, 2018 By florentina 16 Comments

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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.

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Vegan Mushroom Lentil Loaf Recipe with Veggies and Italian Tomato Sauce
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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!  
Vegan Mushroom Lentil Loaf Recipe with Veggies and Italian Tomato Sauce
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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.

Vegan Mushroom Lentil Loaf Recipe with Veggies and Italian Tomato Sauce
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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.

Lentil Veggie Loaf
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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 4 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.

Nutrition

Calories: 278kcal | Carbohydrates: 46g | Protein: 16g | Fat: 4g | Sodium: 624mg | Potassium: 780mg | Fiber: 13g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 4395IU | Vitamin C: 61.2mg | Calcium: 95mg | Iron: 5.7mg

Environmental Information

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Filed Under: Entrees, Lentils, Mushrooms, Plant-Based, Thanksgiving, Vegan Recipes

Hi, I'm Florentina! I'm the voice behind the easy Plant-Based recipes here at the Veggie Society. Peluci is our COO and taste tester in chief! Continue reading…

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Comments

  1. Chloe

    March 20, 2018 at 1:50 am

    This lentil loaf was a major hit in our family, all gone in one day so I’ll be making it again for Easter together with your Shpherd’s Pie with the mushrooms. I would just say to double the recipe if you have more than 4 hungry people, you’ll be happy you did.

    Reply
  2. Elise

    March 23, 2018 at 7:34 am

    Made the lentil loaf for dinner tonight – It was delicious but took way longer than anticipated to prep maybe because I chopped everything by hand and didn’t use the food processor. I forgot to add the bread crumbs (and I had specifically purchased gluten free) … husband enjoyed very much. Next time I will add hot peppers.

    Reply
  3. Edward

    June 18, 2018 at 9:06 am

    Made this today for Father’s Day. Very tasty meal. However, I too forgot to add the bread crumbs 😩 I will definitely make this dish again and be sure not to forget anything!

    Reply
    • florentina

      June 18, 2018 at 11:03 pm

      I’m going to add it to the notes: “Don’t Forget the Breadcrumbs” lol

      Reply
  4. Judy

    October 29, 2018 at 4:02 am

    Hello – while I pretty much figured it out, the recipe doesn’t say at which step to add the breadcrumbs. Thank you.

    Reply
    • florentina

      October 30, 2018 at 5:03 am

      Hey Judy, you are correct, I updated that last step where you need to add the breadcrumbs. Sometimes the ingredients will turn out more moisture so it’s a good idea to add more breadcrumbs. It all depends however so you’ll just learn to have a feel for it in the future and nail it every time! So happy you still loved it 🙂

      Reply
  5. Judy

    October 29, 2018 at 4:12 am

    Finally made this and was not disappointed. Mine could use a bit more binding, but didn’t completely fall apart. Any suggestions for this would be helpful. P.S. There is nowhere in the instructions that state when to add the bread crumbs so I just added it to the last mixing step. Would like clarification on #4 – by Add you mean adding the walnut parmesan, lentils and oats to the existing veggie mixture right? And then half of the whole mixture gets chopped in the food processor? Or is it combining those 3 in a separate bowl and then half of it gets put in the food processor. If so do we also do the second half in the food processor? Thank you kindly.

    Reply
    • florentina

      January 13, 2019 at 4:39 am

      Sorry for the confusion Judy! Yes you are correct, add the walnut parmesan, oats and lentils to the pan with the sauteed veggies. Then you chop up half of that mixture in the food processor just for texture, it helps bind the loaf together. Then you mix everything together again and add the breadcrumbs before shaping your lentil loaf. I hope that makes more sense now, I updated the instructions to reflect that too. So happy you still enjoyed it 🙂

      Reply
  6. Kristen Hobar

    March 18, 2019 at 2:38 pm

    Loved this recipe! Will definitely be making it again. For one loaf I used the marina sauce per the recipe but, the second loaf I added vegan cheese and ketchup (my father has always made his meatloaf this way). Neither loafs were disappointing. Thos recipe is definitely time consuming but well worth it. Thanks for sharing this amazing recipe!

    Reply
  7. Sharon

    November 23, 2020 at 4:28 am

    Very flavorful and delicious. Excellent recipes. 🙂

    Reply
  8. Jamie

    March 5, 2021 at 11:26 pm

    I can’t seem to find French lentils at any store near me. Does anyone know what lentil would be the best substitute?

    Reply
    • florentina

      March 5, 2021 at 11:48 pm

      Hi Jamie, any brown or green lentil should be fine here instead of the French variety.

      Reply
  9. Joys

    April 25, 2022 at 7:00 am

    Wonder if black lentils would work with this?

    Reply
    • florentina

      April 25, 2022 at 5:26 pm

      Sure, use them if you got them!

      Reply
  10. Stephanie

    May 20, 2022 at 11:53 pm

    Can I use dried herbs if that’s all I have at the time?

    Reply
    • florentina

      May 21, 2022 at 5:52 pm

      Sure, taste as you go however and use about a teaspoon of dried herbs instead of a tablespoon of fresh.

      Reply

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Hi, I'm Florentina! I'm the voice behind the easy Plant-Based recipes here at the Veggie Society. Peluci is the taste tester in chief! About Veggie Society…

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