This festive vegan lentil loaf is packed with flavor and makes for a lovely vegetarian main-entree for a holiday meal.
Oh boy do I have a treat for you today! It’s a vegan lentil loaf that’s like the meatloaf my mom used to make only with lentils instead of meat. It’s amazingly flavorful and works beautifully as a vegetarian or vegan main-entree for a holiday meal. That said, don’t be surprised if you find the meat-eaters in your life enjoying it as well.
This lentil loaf has plenty of flavor and texture and like traditional meatloaf, this vegan lentil loaf has a sweet and savory tomato-based glaze, but it’s homemade and free of refined sugar. Maple syrup is one of my favorite natural sweeteners and I knew it’s subtle sweetness would pair nicely with the flavors of the loaf so I started experimenting. It gives the loaf the perfect amount of sweetness and a bit of a nostalgic factor for those of us that were served traditional meatloaf as kids.
The nice thing about this particular lentil loaf (besides the flavor, which is amazing btw) is that it holds together really well and doesn’t crumble when you cut it for serving.
WATCH HOW TO MAKE THIS VEGAN LENTIL LOAF:
Ingredients & Substitutions:
dry brown or green lentils – I wouldn’t recommend making this loaf with red lentils because unfortunately they’re too soft.
vegetables – celery, carrot, onion and garlic
walnuts – pecans would work as well. You can also swap in more lentils for the nuts if you’d like to keep this recipe nut-free.
rolled oats – you can sub the oats for breadcrumbs if needed.
tamari – soy sauce, liquid aminos or coconut aminos can be subbed for the tamari. I just prefer to use tamari to keep this loaf gluten-free.
tomato paste
ground flaxseed – or ground chia seeds
nutritional yeast – you can leave out the nutritional yeast if needed. It does adds a nice savory flavor, so I do recommend picking some up at the grocery store if you don’t have any on hand. Look for it in the natural foods section or with the condiments at your local grocery store. Of course you can also order it online.
olive or avocado oil
pure maple syrup – remember to use 100% pure maple syrup, not the processed syrups sold for pancakes. Literally the first ingredient on those syrups is corn syrup or high fructose corn syrup… no thanks!
apple cider vinegar
balsamic vinegar
seasonings and spices – bay leaf, dried thyme, dried oregano, dried basil, cayenne pepper, ground pepper and sea salt
Dry vs. Pre-Cooked Lentils
For this recipe I used dry lentils. The 1/2 cup of dried lentils results in about 1 1/2 cups of cooked lentils. To make this recipe even easier, you can totally use pre-cooked, steamed lentils. I would measure out about 1 1/2 cups and skip steps 2 and 3 within the recipe below.
I’ve seen steamed lentils at different grocery stores in the produce section. Stores like Kroger carry the Melissa’s steamed lentils and steamed lentils are one of my favorite items to buy from Trader Joe’s.
How to Make Lentil Loaf
Prepare the lentils by rinsing them and adding to a pot with water and a bay leaf. Bring the water to a boil, then reduce heat down and simmer covered until all the liquid is absorbed and lentils are tender (about 15-20 minutes). Remove from heat, discard the bay leaf and set the lentils aside to cool. This step can be done in advance.
Toast walnuts by spreading them onto a baking sheet and toasting in the oven for about 8-10 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool.
Heat oil over medium heat in a medium sauté pan and cook onions, garlic, carrots and celery until they’ve softened and become fragrant. About 5-10 minutes. Once cooked remove from stovetop to cool.
Add lentils (reserve ½ cup for later), cooked veggies, toasted walnuts, oats, tamari, tomato paste, ground flaxseed, nutritional yeast, maple syrup, apple cider vinegar, thyme, oregano, basil, cayenne pepper, ground pepper and sea salt to your food processor. Pulse until mixture is just combined and the texture is to your liking. You want the mixture to be combined enough to stick together, but you don’t want it to be completely pulverized.
Stir in the reserved lentils and press mixture into parchment lined loaf pan.
In a small bowl stir together glaze ingredients and spread the glaze over top of the loaf.
Bakecovered with foil for 25 minutes. Uncover and bake for about 8 more minutes. Let the loaf rest 15 minutes before cutting and serving.
How to Prep Lentil Loaf in Advance
If you want to prep the lentil loaf ahead of time I recommend prepping it fully, covering it with foil or plastic wrap and keeping it in the fridge for 1-2 days before baking as instructed in the recipe.
How to Store Leftovers
Leftovers should keep for up to 5 days in the fridge, but you can freeze the lentil loaf too. To freeze, just bake the lentil loaf and let cool to room temperature, wrap slices in foil or plastic wrap and freeze for up to 1 month. To reheat, thaw slice(s) in the fridge then heat in the microwave or bake in a 275°F oven until the lentil loaf slice has heated through, about 15 minutes.
If you make this vegan lentil loaf be sure to leave a comment and star rating below letting us know how it turned out. Your feedback is so helpful for the EBF team and our readers!
This festive vegan lentil loaf is packed with flavor and makes for a lovely vegetarian main-entree for a holiday meal.
Ingredients
1/2 cup dry brown (green) lentils
1 1/3 cup water
1 bay leaf
1 Tablespoon olive oil or avocado oil
1/2 large onion (about 1 heaping cup), chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 stalk of celery, chopped
1 carrot, peeled and chopped
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1 cup rolled oats
3 Tablespoons tamari
3 Tablespoons tomato paste
2 Tablespoons ground flaxseed
2 Tablespoons nutritional yeast
2 teaspoons pure maple syrup
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
Maple Sweetened Glaze:
2 Tablespoons tomato paste
1 1/2 Tablespoons pure maple syrup
1 Tablespoon balsamic vinegar
pinch of sea salt
Instructions
Pre-heat oven to 375°F.
Prepare lentils by rinsing them and adding to a pot with water and a bay leaf. Bring the water to a boil, then reduce heat down and simmer covered until all the liquid is absorbed and lentils are tender (about 15-20 minutes). Remove from heat, discard the bay leaf and set the lentils aside to cool. This step can be done in advance.
In the meantime toast walnuts by spreading them onto a baking sheet and toasting in the oven for about 8-10 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool.
Heat oil over medium heat in a medium sauté pan and cook onions, garlic, carrots and celery until they’ve softened and become fragrant. About 5-10 minutes. Once cooked remove from stovetop to cool.
Add lentils (reserve ½ cup for later), cooked veggies, toasted walnuts, oats, tamari, tomato paste, ground flaxseed, nutritional yeast, maple syrup, apple cider vinegar, thyme, oregano, basil, cayenne pepper, ground pepper and sea salt to the food processor. Pulse until mixture is just combined and the texture is to your liking. You want the mixture to be combined enough to stick together, but you don’t want it to be completely pulverized.
Stir in the reserved lentils and press mixture into parchment lined loaf pan. I used a 9″ x 5″ x 2½”.
In a small bowl stir together glaze ingredients and spread the glaze over top of the loaf.
Bake covered with foil for 25 minutes. Uncover and bake for about 8 more minutes. Let the loaf rest 15 minutes before cutting and serving.
Store leftovers in a sealed container for up to 5 days in the fridge. Or freeze for up to 1 month.
To prep the lentil loaf ahead of time: I recommend prepping it fully, covering it with foil or plastic wrap and keeping it in the fridge for 1-2 days before baking as instructed in the recipe.
To freeze the lentil loaf: bake lentil loaf and let cool to room temperature, wrap slices in foil or plastic wrap and freeze for up to 1 month. To reheat, thaw slice(s) in the fridge, then heat in the microwave or bake in a 275°F oven until the lentil loaf slice has heated through, about 15 minutes.
Thank you for this great recipe, we fell in love with the dish in an instant. I didn‘t plan to make something THAT delicious when I made it, I just had some cooked lentils leftover…but BOOM. We will absolutely make this again and add it to our favorites. Today, we reheated the leftover from yesterday – cut up and topped with vegan metly cheese – and it was even better. I will recommend this dish also to may parents, so they can have a vegan loaf too. Greetings from Germany!
Ahh yay that makes me so happy to hear, Sara!! So pumped you loved this lentil loaf. Thanks for trying it and for coming back to leave a review. I SO appreciate it. 🙂
This was incredible! I was going to swear off lentil loaves after my first attempt (think saw dust). But this! Only thing I did different was added some chopped red bell pepper and mushrooms because I love them both. This recipe is going on repeat
Woo!! That makes me so happy to hear, Jess. I’m pumped you loved this recipe. Thanks for making it and for coming back to leave a review. I so appreciate it!
I’m not vegan or a vegetarian however my doc suggested that I move in this direction.This is the first vegan recipe I’ve ever made. Saying that, if all your vegan recipes are as delicious as this loaf, I don’t think I’ll have any issues converting! Very good and company worthy.
Ahh that makes me so happy to hear, Ruth!! I’m so glad you loved this recipe. Thanks for making it and for coming back to leave a review. I really appreciate it. 🙂
Amazing! As my partner took his first bite he said “this is amazing. I love this”. It turned out really well!
I subbed the balsamic in the glaze for tamari as I didn’t have any. Otherwise, made it exactly as directed! Served it with roasted sweet potato, red peppers and kale.
This is the best meatloaf period. I was going to make one using beyond meat but found this recipe instead. Amazing it tastes just like the meatloaf I used to make.
Woo!! That makes me so happy to hear, Tina. I’m so glad you loved this lentil loaf. Thanks for coming back to leave a review. It means the world to me. <3
I made this for Thanksgiving and have just made it again for Christmas – the perfect centerpiece for a vegan feast, enjoyed by vegans and carnivores equally. We cooked up leftovers as a hash the next day – delicious! Thank you for the best vegan ‘meatloaf’ recipe I’ve found yet.
Meal prepped this for the week with some veggies and it turned out sooo good! My lentils cooked weird and came out very mushy and it still tasted great. Definitely making again!
I made this recipe for my boyfriend and I for Thanksgiving and my goodness did it come out amazing! It looked like meatloaf and my family (non-vegans) liked it too. Thank for sharing your brilliant talent. 🔥🤤
Ahh yay, I’m so pumped this lentil loaf was a hit with your family for Thanksgiving.Thanks for making it and for coming back to leave a review. I so appreciate it!
I LOVE this! Perfect main dish for thanksgiving, especially being able to prep ahead of time. I also made this before my daughter was born and froze it for easy meals during those newborn days. Thanks for this recipe!
My whole family was amazed at this lentil loaf.
Firstly, it looked dry in the photos. It isn’t! I did add about 1/2 cup water while in the food processor because it was too dry when blending.
Secondly, I am not someone who has ever liked the tomato paste on top of meatloaf (when I ate meat) so I don’t know why I thought I’d be different now. Go with your instinct-don’t put the tomato on if it is not your style and it’ll still be delicious. I think I’ll do a much room gravy for it instead of tomato next time.
Thirdly, my 2.5 year old helped me with this and I am positive almost all my measurements were off. It did not matter in the least!!! This recipe is so good it has built in fail safes. Thank you!!!! Can’t wait to try some more.
Woo!! I’m so glad this lentil loaf turned out for you, Annie. I really appreciate you making it and coming back to leave a review. It means the world to me. 🙂
absolutely delicious! had a seitan roast gone wrong and made this. didn’t put the glaze on since I made for thanksgiving and didn’t want those flavors with the meal. Really great recipe, will be making many times again. gracias!
Ahh yay, that makes me so happy to hear, Isabelle! I’m super glad this lentil loaf was a hit. Thanks for making it and for coming back to leave a review. I so appreciate it. 🙂
Wow! Just made this and it is fantastic! I made it in muffin tins for individual servings to freeze. It is perfectly seasoned and holds together well. The only thing I did differently was to do half celery, half bell pepper. This is definitely going into the rotation. Thank you so much for a great recipe!!
Love that you made this recipe in a muffin tin and super happy to hear that it turned out well. Thanks for making it and for coming back to leave a comment + star rating. I so appreciate it. 🙂
This is incredible! I made it for dinner tonight. My Husband and I really enjoyed it and I will definitely be making it regularly. I served it with steamed Broccoli, but will also serve it with Mashed Potatoes the next time. I already had Mashed Potatoes this week! Thank you for such a great recipe.
Yay!! So glad you both enjoyed this lentil loaf, Suzy. Thanks so much for making it and for coming back to leave a comment + star rating. I really appreciate it. 🙂
Great recipe! I only had whole flax seeds so I was worried about the binding factor, and so I added some chia seeds as well. Not sure if that did the trick or if it would have been OK without them, but the texture was just right. I also accidentally put in 1/2 teaspoon of thyme instead of 1/4, and could tell that was too much, but that was my fault, not yours! I will definitely make this again (with the correct amount!). I love a tasty, healthy, affordable meal made with pantry staples. I served with roasted broccoli and cauliflower.
I’m glad you enjoyed this recipe and good to know it worked with red lentils. Thanks for making it and for coming back to leave a review. I so appreciate it!
Leave a Comment
Love this recipe! Will i mess up the recipe if i don’t let ingredients cool before mixing together?
★★★★★
Nope! It should be just fine. 🙂
Thank you for this great recipe, we fell in love with the dish in an instant. I didn‘t plan to make something THAT delicious when I made it, I just had some cooked lentils leftover…but BOOM. We will absolutely make this again and add it to our favorites. Today, we reheated the leftover from yesterday – cut up and topped with vegan metly cheese – and it was even better. I will recommend this dish also to may parents, so they can have a vegan loaf too. Greetings from Germany!
★★★★★
Ahh yay that makes me so happy to hear, Sara!! So pumped you loved this lentil loaf. Thanks for trying it and for coming back to leave a review. I SO appreciate it. 🙂
This was incredible! I was going to swear off lentil loaves after my first attempt (think saw dust). But this! Only thing I did different was added some chopped red bell pepper and mushrooms because I love them both. This recipe is going on repeat
★★★★★
Omg that makes me SO happy to hear!! So glad you loved it, Amy. Thanks for making it and for coming back to leave a review. I so appreciate it!!
Omg. It was amazing, I didn’t have celery but I added zucchini, mushrooms, cilantro, & parsley -it wasdelicious!!
★★★★★
Woo!! So glad you loved this recipe, Brooke. Thanks for coming back to leave a review. I so appreciate it. 🙂
Absolutely delicious!!!!! Made it yesterday, there were no leftovers so I’m making it again today!! Thank you for this new family favourite!
★★★★★
Woo!! That makes me so happy to hear, Jess. I’m pumped you loved this recipe. Thanks for making it and for coming back to leave a review. I so appreciate it!
I’m not vegan or a vegetarian however my doc suggested that I move in this direction.This is the first vegan recipe I’ve ever made. Saying that, if all your vegan recipes are as delicious as this loaf, I don’t think I’ll have any issues converting! Very good and company worthy.
★★★★★
Ahh that makes me so happy to hear, Ruth!! I’m so glad you loved this recipe. Thanks for making it and for coming back to leave a review. I really appreciate it. 🙂
This recipe is delicious. This gets cooked at least once a week in my household. I modify it slightly to avoid nightshades and it is still delicious!
★★★★★
Ahh yay!! That makes me so happy to hear, Anita. Thanks for making it and for coming back to leave a review. I so appreciate it!
Amazing! As my partner took his first bite he said “this is amazing. I love this”. It turned out really well!
I subbed the balsamic in the glaze for tamari as I didn’t have any. Otherwise, made it exactly as directed! Served it with roasted sweet potato, red peppers and kale.
★★★★★
Ahh yay!! So glad this lentil loaf was a hit!! Thanks for the review. I really appreciate it!
This is the best meatloaf period. I was going to make one using beyond meat but found this recipe instead. Amazing it tastes just like the meatloaf I used to make.
★★★★★
Woo!! That makes me so happy to hear, Tina. I’m so glad you loved this lentil loaf. Thanks for coming back to leave a review. It means the world to me. <3
I made this for Thanksgiving and have just made it again for Christmas – the perfect centerpiece for a vegan feast, enjoyed by vegans and carnivores equally. We cooked up leftovers as a hash the next day – delicious! Thank you for the best vegan ‘meatloaf’ recipe I’ve found yet.
★★★★★
Woo!! So glad this lentil loaf is a hit. Thanks for coming back to leave a review. I so appreciate it. 🙂
Meal prepped this for the week with some veggies and it turned out sooo good! My lentils cooked weird and came out very mushy and it still tasted great. Definitely making again!
★★★★★
I’m glad this lentil loaf still turned out for you, Brynn! What kind of lentils did you use?
AMAZING! So flavorful, good texture. Reminds me exactly of meatloaf. Thank you!
★★★★★
Woo! That makes me so happy to hear, Caitlin. I’m so glad this lentil loaf was a hit! Thanks for coming back to leave a review. I appreciate it. 🙂
I made this loaf yesterday. It was delicious! I’ll definitely make it again.
★★★★★
Yay!! So glad you loved this recipe, Victoria. 🙂
I made this recipe for my boyfriend and I for Thanksgiving and my goodness did it come out amazing! It looked like meatloaf and my family (non-vegans) liked it too. Thank for sharing your brilliant talent. 🔥🤤
★★★★★
Ahh yay, I’m so pumped this lentil loaf was a hit with your family for Thanksgiving.Thanks for making it and for coming back to leave a review. I so appreciate it!
I LOVE this! Perfect main dish for thanksgiving, especially being able to prep ahead of time. I also made this before my daughter was born and froze it for easy meals during those newborn days. Thanks for this recipe!
★★★★★
So glad you’re loving this recipe, Jenn!! I appreciate the review. 🙂
My whole family was amazed at this lentil loaf.
Firstly, it looked dry in the photos. It isn’t! I did add about 1/2 cup water while in the food processor because it was too dry when blending.
Secondly, I am not someone who has ever liked the tomato paste on top of meatloaf (when I ate meat) so I don’t know why I thought I’d be different now. Go with your instinct-don’t put the tomato on if it is not your style and it’ll still be delicious. I think I’ll do a much room gravy for it instead of tomato next time.
Thirdly, my 2.5 year old helped me with this and I am positive almost all my measurements were off. It did not matter in the least!!! This recipe is so good it has built in fail safes. Thank you!!!! Can’t wait to try some more.
★★★★★
Woo!! I’m so glad this lentil loaf turned out for you, Annie. I really appreciate you making it and coming back to leave a review. It means the world to me. 🙂
absolutely delicious! had a seitan roast gone wrong and made this. didn’t put the glaze on since I made for thanksgiving and didn’t want those flavors with the meal. Really great recipe, will be making many times again. gracias!
★★★★★
Yay!! So glad this lentil loaf turned out for you, Melissa. Thanks for making it and for coming back to leave a review. I really appreciate it!
This was delicious! Perfect texture and flavour. My husband who usually hates lentils went back for seconds!
★★★★★
Ahh yay, that makes me so happy to hear, Isabelle! I’m super glad this lentil loaf was a hit. Thanks for making it and for coming back to leave a review. I so appreciate it. 🙂
Is this recipe possibe to make without a food processor? If so, how..blender, nutribullet? Sounds delicious.
Hey Donald – You can certainly try making this in a blender, it might just require a little extra effort. Keep me posted how it turns out for you!
Could you use pre cooked lentils?
Definitely! I make a note about that in the blog post. 🙂
I’m new to a plant-based diet and my boyfriend is a carnivore but both absolutely LOVED this! Thanks !
★★★★★
Ahh yay, this makes me so happy to hear!! I’m pumped it was a hit with both of you. 🙂
Wow! Just made this and it is fantastic! I made it in muffin tins for individual servings to freeze. It is perfectly seasoned and holds together well. The only thing I did differently was to do half celery, half bell pepper. This is definitely going into the rotation. Thank you so much for a great recipe!!
★★★★★
Love that you made this recipe in a muffin tin and super happy to hear that it turned out well. Thanks for making it and for coming back to leave a comment + star rating. I so appreciate it. 🙂
This is incredible! I made it for dinner tonight. My Husband and I really enjoyed it and I will definitely be making it regularly. I served it with steamed Broccoli, but will also serve it with Mashed Potatoes the next time. I already had Mashed Potatoes this week! Thank you for such a great recipe.
★★★★★
Yay!! So glad you both enjoyed this lentil loaf, Suzy. Thanks so much for making it and for coming back to leave a comment + star rating. I really appreciate it. 🙂
Great recipe! I only had whole flax seeds so I was worried about the binding factor, and so I added some chia seeds as well. Not sure if that did the trick or if it would have been OK without them, but the texture was just right. I also accidentally put in 1/2 teaspoon of thyme instead of 1/4, and could tell that was too much, but that was my fault, not yours! I will definitely make this again (with the correct amount!). I love a tasty, healthy, affordable meal made with pantry staples. I served with roasted broccoli and cauliflower.
★★★★★
So glad you enjoyed this recipe, Alex! Thanks for making it and for coming back to leave a comment + star rating. I appreciate it. 🙂
Great recipe ! I really like this rich taste and texture even though I have used red lentils instead of brown ones. Definitely going to do it again !
★★★★★
I’m glad you enjoyed this recipe and good to know it worked with red lentils. Thanks for making it and for coming back to leave a review. I so appreciate it!