The best vegan lentil loaf recipe loaded with meaty mushrooms, oats, veggies and fresh herbs then covered in a blanket of smooth Italian tomato sauce. Protein packed, healthy, filling, meatless, without eggs, oil-free and super tasty. The leftovers make a nice hearty vegan meatloaf sandwich you’ll be happy to have in your lunchbox.
Vegan Lentil Loaf
A.K.A a vegan meatloaf that is made of lentils, mushrooms and veggies; meatless, kind and good for you! The recipe is whole food plant based compliant, no eggs, no cheese, no oil. Hearty, savory and beyond delicious, this loaf is loaded with tons of nutrition and Italian flavor, you’ll be licking your plates sparkling clean.
Perfect for Sunday dinner any time of the year but also festive enough to grace the holiday table for Thanksgiving, Christmas or Easter. Serve it on a bed of these fluffy vegan mashed potatoes and some creamed spinach on the side. The leftovers can be enjoyed cold in a sandwich or pressed with some vegan cheese in a panini press.
How It’s Done
You start by sautéing all your veggies with onions (or leeks) and boiling the lentils. Everything gets combined then half of he mixture chopped up in the food processor. It’s all about getting the right texture to form the perfect loaf. We combine everything together again and start adding in some bread crumbs to hold the loaf together and absorb any extra moisture. Shape and bake the loaf for 30 minute until set then brush it with your favorite tomato sauce and bake another 10 minutes or so. Easy, delicious!
About the Lentils
I love using tiny French lentils in this recipe as they hold their shape beautifully during the cooking process which helps control the final texture of the loaf. They grow 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 recipe but also to be used in salads and rustic soups that you don’t intend to blend into obliteration.
All things considered, any green or brown lentil variety should work fine in a lentil loaf, but do not use red lentils here as they pretty much disintegrate during cooking and you might end up with a pile of mush. Personally I want any leftovers to slice up nicely and hold together tight enough to make a sandwich perfect for dunking in a bowl of mushroom gravy. Canned green or brown lentils could be used in a pinch, just make sure to rinse and drain them well first.
Recipe Tips + FAQs
- Make Burger Patties – If you prefer to keep your dinner more casual and way faster, you are welcome to shape the vegan meatloaf mixture into burger patties. Pan sear in a cast iron skillet and serve on toasted buns with lots of tomato sauce and gravy for dipping.
- Make it Gluten-Free – This loaf can easily be made gluten free by simply using gluten-free breadcrumbs.
- Use a Loaf Pan – If you don’t feel like shaping your loaf you can simply pack it into a parchment lined loaf pan and call it a day.
- Add Ins – To give it a little Italian sausage flair add in a couple of teaspoons of both fennel seeds, sage and oregano.
- Storage – Any leftover loaf can be stored in the fridge in an airtight container up to 5 days. Individual slices wrapped in parchment paper and bagged can be frozen up to 4 months.
- Reheating – Preheat your oven to 300″F. Place the leftover loaf on a parchment lined baking dish and bake in the preheated oven until heated through, 45 minutes or so. Alternatively you can reheat individual slices in a cast iron skillet on the stop top. The quickest route would be to pop it in the microwave for a couple of minutes, just make sure to only use glass or ceramic dishes, never use plastic for microwaving food.
- note worthy: There are about 50 different varieties of lentils out there 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 in about 30 minutes depending on the variety used or so.
Serving suggestions…
- Vegan Green Bean Casserole
- Avocado Mashed Potatoes
- Vegan Scalloped Potatoes
- Vegan Mac and Cheese
- Dinner Rolls
- Olive Oil Mashed Potatoes
- Italian Bread Recipe
- Vegan Stuffing
- Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese
- Creamy Potato Salad.
how to make vegan lentil loaf
Vegan Lentil Loaf (Vegan Meatloaf)
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.
Servings 4 people
Calories 278kcal
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)1 large carrot, 1/2 yellow onion ( or 1/2 leek), 1 cup cremini mushrooms, 1 drizzle olive oil or a splash of water
- 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.1 cup red bell pepper, 3 cloves garlic, 2 tbsp flax meal, 1/3 cup + 2 tbsp Italian marinara sauce, 1.5 tbsp liquid aminos, 1 tsp onion powder, 3/4 tsp smoked paprika, 2 tbsp fresh Italian parsley, 3 tbsp onion chives, 2 tbsp thyme leaves
- Add the walnut parmesan(or nutritional yeast) 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.2 cups French lentils, 2 tbsp walnut parmesan, 1/2 cup quick oats
- 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.1/2 cup bread crumbs, 1/4 tsp sea salt
Shape + Bake
- Dump the mixture onto a parchment lined baking sheet and shape into two loaves (it 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.1/3 cup + 2 tbsp Italian marinara sauce
- 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.2 tbsp basil leaves, 3 tbsp onion chives
Notes
- Make Burger Patties - If you prefer to keep your dinner more casual and way faster, you are welcome to shape the vegan meatloaf mixture into burger patties. Pan sear in a cast iron skillet and serve on toasted buns with lots of tomato sauce and gravy for dipping.
- Make it Gluten-Free - This loaf can easily be made gluten free by simply using gluten-free breadcrumbs.
- Use a Loaf Pan - If you don't feel like shaping your loaf you can simply pack it into a parchment lined loaf pan and call it a day.
- Add Ins - To give it a little Italian sausage flair add in a couple of teaspoons of both fennel seeds, sage and oregano.
- Storage - Any leftover loaf can be stored in the fridge in an airtight container up to 5 days. Individual slices wrapped in parchment paper and bagged can be frozen up to 4 months.
- How do you reheat lentil loaf? - Preheat your oven to 300"F. Place the leftover loaf on a parchment lined baking dish and bake in the preheated oven until heated through, 45 minutes or so. Alternatively you can reheat individual slices in a cast iron skillet on the stop top. The quickest route would be to pop it in the microwave for a couple of minutes, just make sure to only use glass or ceramic dishes, never use plastic for microwaving food.
- Can I use canned lentils? - Canned green or brown lentils could be used in a pinch, just make sure to rinse and drain them well first.
- 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 in about 30 minutes depending on the variety used.
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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