Vegan Lentil Loaf (Vegan Meatloaf)
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Published Nov 05, 2021, Updated Nov 18, 2022
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This hearty vegan lentil loaf is packed with flavor, loaded with plant-based protein and makes for a delicious vegetarian 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 entree for a holiday meal. That said, don’t be surprised if you find the meat-eaters in your life enjoying it as well.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- This lentil loaf has plenty of flavor and texture like traditional meatloaf but… it’s vegan!
- The sweet and savory tomato-based glaze is free of refined sugar and absolutely delicious.
- This vegan meatloaf holds together super well and doesn’t crumble when you cut it for serving.
- It’s the perfect meatless meal for a casual weeknight but fancy enough for a holiday meal as well!
WATCH HOW TO MAKE THIS VEGAN LENTIL LOAF:
Ingredients & Substitutions
- dry brown or green lentils – you need to purchase dry brown or green lentils for this recipe. I don’t recommend making this loaf with red lentils because unfortunately they’re too soft and your loaf will be mushy
- vegetables – celery, carrot, onion and garlic add a ton of flavor and texture to this recipe! You’ll sauté the veggies before adding them to the rest of the ingredients.
- 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 – I’m using rolled oats in place of breadcrumbs to help bind this loaf together. If you don’t need a gluten-free option, you can use breadcrumbs!
- 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 – adds a robust flavor to the loaf! It’s also a key ingredient of the tomato-based glaze that tops this loaf.
- ground flaxseed – or ground chia seeds to bind the loaf together. Plus, you get extra healthy fats and fiber!
- nutritional yeast – you can leave out the nutritional yeast if needed. It does add 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 nutritional yeast online.
- olive or avocado oil – to sauté the vegetables in.
- pure maple syrup – remember to use 100% pure maple syrup, not the processed syrups sold for pancakes. The first ingredient on those syrups is corn syrup or high fructose corn syrup… no thanks!
- apple cider vinegar – part of the glaze that tops this loaf. The acidic vinegar really helps the flavors pop!
- balsamic vinegar – I love using a high quality balsamic for the glaze.
- 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 Melissa’s steamed lentils and steamed lentils are one of my favorite items to buy from Trader Joe’s.
tip! If you're using dry lentils make sure you don't overcook them and to drain them well. If your lentils have too much moisture in them it can result in a mushy lentil loaf.
How to Make Lentil Loaf
Prepare the lentils by rinsing them and adding them 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 them 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 the 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 the mixture into a parchment-lined loaf pan.
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.
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.
Serving the Lentil Loaf
As I mentioned, this lentil loaf is the perfect vegetarian main for a holiday meal, but you can also serve this for a regular weeknight meal.
If you’re making it for Thanksgiving or Christmas you might consider serving it alongside a few holiday side dishes. I’d recommend my healthy sweet potato casserole (also vegan!), this healthy green bean casserole, my wild rice stuffing or even something simple like these roasted root vegetables.
For a non-fussy meal you could pair the lentil loaf with a simple salad (this garlicky kale salad would be perfect) or go more traditional with a side of mashed potatoes (or mashed cauliflower). You could also keep it really easy and do baked sweet potatoes as a side dish.
How to Store and Reheat 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.
More Lentil Recipes to Try
- Kale Sweet Potato Lentil Salad
- Lentil Tuna Salad
- Mediterranean Lentil Salad
- Cabbage Lentil Soup
- Butternut Squash Red Lentil Stew
- Lentil Meatballs
More Holiday Recipes
- Quinoa Spinach Salad
- Butternut Squash Quinoa Stuffing
- Healthy Apple Crisp
- Apple Cider Vinegar Brussels Sprouts
- Brussels Sprout Chopped Salad
- Roasted Delicata Squash
- Kale Salad with Roasted Butternut Squash
- Sourdough Stuffing
Be sure to check out my full collection of vegan Thanksgiving recipes and all of the vegan recipes here on EBF!
If you enjoyed this recipe, please consider leaving a ⭐ star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below.
Vegan Lentil Loaf
Ingredients
- ½ cup dry brown, green lentils
- 1 ⅓ cup water
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil or avocado oil
- ½ large onion, about 1 heaping cup, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 rib of celery, chopped
- 1 carrot, peeled and chopped
- ½ cup chopped walnuts
- 1 cup old fashioned 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
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ¼ teaspoon ground pepper
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
Maple Sweetened Glaze:
- 2 Tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 ½ 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.
Video
Notes
- 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.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I can’t judge your recipe because I didn’t follow it 100% – I used sauteed sprouted lentils instead, processed in an electric grinder into a paste.
Also, did not have any flax seed. Also, added about a cup of carrot juice pulp. Otherwise, it was much the same as yours, including the seasonings. The result was nice, and I thank you for placing this recipe here for us.
So glad you liked this recipe, Samia! Thanks for the review and for letting me know what changes you made!
This is delicious!! Thank you!
Yay! So happy to hear you loved the lentil loaf, Rebecca. Thanks so much for the review!
I made this after u heard that lentil were good luck to eat for New Years, and I was a good excuse to try a new recipe. I am vegan but the rest of my family is not, so they don’t always what what I make for dinner. This was delicious, and don’t just ask me, even my pickiest eater liked it. This was such a hit, I’m definitely making this again!
Ah yay!! Happy to hear this lentil loaf was a hit amongst your family, CJ. Thanks so much for trying out the recipe and coming back to leave a review!
The most delicious loaf I’ve ever eaten! I prepared it the day before and baked it yesterday for our Christmas dinner. I’m vegan and my husband is a meat eater and our kids eat what they want to eat. And from our Christmas menu, our almost 2year old daughter spat out the beef tenderloin and ate your delicious lentil loaf instead. Thank you so much for your recipe!
Ah this makes me so happy to hear, Magdalena! So pumped to hear your daughter loved it as well. Thanks for trying it out and coming back to leave a review. I really appreciate it!!
My son has a very limited diet, and I had lots of lentils on hand, so I was looking for something I could make with ingredients he could tolerate and that he might like, and thankfully I found your recipe. Even though I had food processor issues and was not able to grind all of the ingredients the way I was hoping to,I must say, this is the best meatloaf I have ever had.Even though we are not vegan, I could totally become one and just live off of this wonderful recipe. Thank you so much for sharing it! Many blessings to you!
Yay!! This makes me so happy to hear, Sharon. So thrilled this vegan lentil loaf was a hit, Sharon. Thanks for trying out this recipe and coming back to leave a review. I really appreciate it!
Hello, do you have any suggestions on what I can use instead of oats or breadcrumbs? I have celiac, but am also
allergic to oats.
Thank you!
Mmm… I’m not sure! Maybe gluten-free breadcrumbs if you can find some or you could make your own. 🙂
Made this yesterday, kept in the fridge overnight and baked it today. Delicious!!!
Easy to follow recipe and tastes so good!
Yay! Happy to hear this was a hit, Lynn. Thanks for the review :).
The only confusion for me right now it says to mix in lentils but to reserve 1/2 cup. 1/2 a cup is what I started with.
You will be using 1/2 cup of dried lentils which will result in about 1 1/4 cup of cooked lentils. Hopefully that makes sense!
This was delicious, we loved it! Thank you!
Happy to hear, Erin! Thanks so much for making it and coming back to leave a review. I so appreciate it!
This has been my go to recipe for years! As other commenters, one isn’t enough. I usually make two loaves at once to keep up with demand. Fabulous Recipe!
Woo!! So happy to hear this lentil loaf has been such a hit. Thanks for the review, Heike! I so appreciate it!
I was just going to say that I wanted to double the recipe but don’t have 22 loaf pans. Do you think I could use a 9×13 pan? So excited to try this!
Hey Katie! I haven’t tried it, but I bet that could work. The cook time would likely change as the loaf probably wouldn’t be as thick. Let me know if you try it and how it turns out!