Vegan Lentil Loaf (Vegan Meatloaf)
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Add as Google Trusted SourceThis vegan lentil loaf is savory, hearty and holds together beautifully when sliced. It makes a comforting plant-based main for family dinners or holiday meals.
This recipe was inspired by the meatloaf my mom used to make, but I wanted to recreate it with real, plant-based ingredients. The key is reserving some of the cooked lentils before pulsing the mixture, then stirring them back in so the loaf has texture instead of becoming completely puréed.
The maple-balsamic tomato glaze gives it the sweet and tangy finish that makes this version stand out. I loved the mixture so much that I eventually used it as the base for my lentil meatballs, too!
Table of Contents
- Why You Gotta Try This One
- WATCH HOW TO MAKE THIS VEGAN LENTIL LOAF:
- Ingredients Needed
- Substitutions
- How to Make Vegan Lentil Loaf
- Brittany’s Tips
- What to Serve with Lentil Loaf
- How to Prep Lentil Loaf in Advance
- How to Store Leftovers
- Frequently Asked Questions
- More Lentil Recipes to Try
- Maple-Glazed Vegan Lentil Loaf Recipe
“Thank you, I love this recipe. It comes out perfect every time and my family loves it too, even though a few are carnivores 🙂 I think the savory spices and sweet/tangy glaze really makes this recipe stand out.”
Why You Gotta Try This One
- Made without imitation meat: Lentils, vegetables, oats and walnuts create the loaf, so you don’t need any specialty vegan meat substitutes
- Make-ahead friendly: You can assemble the entire loaf one or two days before you plan to bake it
- Easy to adapt: Replace the walnuts with additional lentils for a nut-free option and use certified gluten-free oats if needed
- A proven crowd-pleaser: Hundreds of readers have rated the recipe, and many say the meat eaters in their families enjoy it too
WATCH HOW TO MAKE THIS VEGAN LENTIL LOAF:
Ingredients Needed
- brown or green lentils – these varieties hold their shape best and give the loaf structure. Avoid red lentils because they become too soft.
- water and bay leaf – cook the lentils while adding a subtle layer of flavor.
- olive oil or avocado oil – used to sauté the vegetables before they’re added to the loaf.
- onion, garlic, celery and carrot – build the savory flavor and add moisture.
- walnuts – give the loaf richness and a meatier texture once toasted.
- old-fashioned rolled oats – help bind the mixture together. Use certified gluten-free oats if needed.
- tamari – adds salty, savory flavor while keeping the recipe gluten-free.
- tomato paste – adds concentrated tomato flavor to both the loaf and glaze.
- ground flaxseed – acts as an egg-free binder.
- nutritional yeast – adds another layer of savory flavor without dairy.
- maple syrup – naturally sweetens the loaf and its glaze.
- apple cider vinegar – provides acidity to balance the richer ingredients.
- maple glaze – a sweet and savory mixture of tomato paste, pure maple syrup, balsamic vinegar and sea salt that bakes into a glossy topping.
Find the full ingredient list with measurements in the recipe card below.
Substitutions
- Nut-free version: Swap the walnuts for roasted sunflower seeds. You can also leave them out and use more cooked lentils instead.
- Oat swap: No rolled oats? Breadcrumbs are your best substitute. Just be sure to use certified gluten-free breadcrumbs if needed.
- Tamari swap: Regular soy sauce works if gluten isn’t a concern. For a gluten-free and soy-free option, try coconut aminos.
- Skip the nutritional yeast: Don’t have any on hand? That’s okay! The loaf will still turn out without it.
How to Make Vegan Lentil Loaf
Step 1: Cook the lentils, toast the walnuts and sauté the vegetables. Reserve ½ cup of the cooked lentils, then add the remaining loaf ingredients to a food processor.
Step 2: Process until combined but still textured, then stir in the reserved lentils.
Step 3: Press the mixture into a parchment-lined loaf pan and spread the prepared glaze on top.
Step 4: Bake covered for 25 minutes, then uncovered for 8 minutes. Rest for 15 minutes before slicing.
Brittany’s Tips
- Let it rest before slicing: Allow the baked loaf to sit for the full 15 minutes. This gives it time to firm up and helps the slices hold together.
- Use cooked lentils as a shortcut: Instead of starting with dry lentils, use 1½ cups of fully cooked brown or green lentils sold in the refrigerated produce section. Remove any excess moisture before adding them to the loaf.
- Keep some texture: Reserve ½ cup of the cooked lentils before using the food processor. Pulse the remaining mixture only until it holds together, then stir the whole lentils back in. Overprocessing can make the loaf mushy.
What to Serve with Lentil Loaf
This lentil loaf makes a delicious plant-based main, but it definitely needs a few good sides to round out the meal. Here are some of my favorite pairings:
- Go with the holiday classics: Serve it with my healthy sweet potato casserole, healthy green bean casserole or wild rice stuffing.
- Add something creamy: Pair it with mashed sweet potatoes or mashed cauliflower.
- Freshen up the plate: My garlicky kale salad adds fresh flavor and a nice contrast to the warm loaf.
- Don’t skip the cranberry sauce: A spoonful of healthy cranberry sauce adds a bright, sweet and tangy element.
- Save room for dessert: Finish the meal with a slice of my creamy vegan pumpkin pie.
How to Prep Lentil Loaf in Advance
Assemble the loaf in the loaf pan, add the glaze and cover it tightly. Store it in the refrigerator for up to 2 days, then bake it in the same pan according to the recipe. If you covered it with plastic wrap, remove the plastic and cover the pan with foil before baking.
How to Store Leftovers
- In the refrigerator: Let the lentil loaf cool completely, then store it in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
- In the freezer: Wrap individual slices and place them in a freezer-safe container. Freeze for up to 1 month.
- To reheat: Thaw frozen slices in the refrigerator overnight. Reheat them in the microwave or in a 275°F oven for about 15 minutes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Lentil loaf is a meatless main that is shaped and baked like traditional meatloaf. Instead of ground meat and eggs, this recipe uses lentils, vegetables, oats, walnuts and flaxseed.
I haven’t tested this recipe with canned lentils, so I recommend cooking dry brown or green lentils or using packaged cooked lentils from the refrigerated section. Canned lentils tend to hold more moisture, which could make the loaf softer.
Yes. Finely chop the walnuts and cooked vegetables, then mash most of the lentils with a fork or potato masher. Mix everything thoroughly by hand, leaving some of the lentils whole for texture.
I haven’t tested freezing the loaf before baking. For the most reliable texture, bake it first, let it cool completely and freeze it in individual slices.
More Lentil Recipes to Try
If you enjoyed this recipe, please consider leaving a ⭐ star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below.
Maple-Glazed Vegan Lentil Loaf
Ingredients
- ½ cup dry brown, or 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
- Preheat oven to 375°F.
- Rinse the lentils, then add them to a saucepan with the water and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 15–20 minutes, until the lentils are tender and the water has been absorbed. Remove and discard the bay leaf, then set the lentils aside to cool.½ cup dry brown, 1 ⅓ cup water, 1 bay leaf
- 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.½ cup chopped walnuts
- 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.½ large onion, 3 cloves garlic, 1 rib of celery, 1 carrot, 1 Tablespoon olive oil or avocado oil
- Measure ½ cup of the cooked lentils and set them aside. Add the remaining cooked lentils, cooked vegetables, toasted walnuts, oats, tamari, tomato paste, ground flaxseed, nutritional yeast, maple syrup, apple cider vinegar, thyme, oregano, basil, cayenne pepper, black pepper and sea salt to a food processor. Pulse until just combined and the mixture holds together, being careful not to purée it.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
- Stir in the reserved lentils, then press the mixture firmly into a parchment-lined 9 × 5-inch loaf pan.
- In a small bowl stir together glaze ingredients and spread the glaze over top of the loaf.2 Tablespoons tomato paste, 1 ½ Tablespoons pure maple syrup, 1 Tablespoon balsamic vinegar, pinch of sea salt
- 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
- Lentils: ½ cup dry lentils yields about 1½ cups cooked. Reserve ½ cup of the lentils after cooking. As a shortcut, use 1½ cups fully cooked refrigerated lentils and skip the cooking step.
- Nut-free option: Replace the walnuts with roasted sunflower seeds or additional cooked lentils.
- Make ahead: Assemble the loaf, add the glaze and refrigerate it in the covered loaf pan for up to 2 days. Bake as directed.
- Storage: Refrigerate leftovers for up to 5 days or freeze individual slices for up to 1 month.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Like This Recipe? Rate & Comment Below!
What would you recommend to make it nut free?
Hi Trish – You can leave out the walnuts in this recipe! Hope you enjoy!
You don’t even need the food processor! We moved house and while trying to find the food processor, I prepped the loaf. We had company and I completely forgot to process it and just baked it as is (I doubled the glaze cuz that’s how I found I liked it best previously) and it turned out great! Thanks again B.
I made as directed. Though the ingredient list seems long, it was easy to prep, assemble, bake. This is a 5 star recipe; taste, ease, quality! The glaze was divine-don’t skip it! What I love is that I generally have all these ingredients on hand so this will be a recipe I can throw together almost anytime! I did not use a loaf pan but instead just formed on a sheet tray and it retained shape and baked perfectly with a lovely light browning on the bottom. Thank you for this lovely recipe!
Yay! I am so excited to hear that this recipe turned out great for you and that you’re loving it, Theresa. Thank you for your review + star rating, I really appreciate it!
YUMMY! So good
Yay! I am so glad you are loving this recipe, Aimee. Thank you for your review + star rating, I appreciate it.
Made this for Christmas dinner. Left out nutritional yeast but found it oist, flavourful and definitely on my ‘cook again’ list.
Excellent! I am excited to hear that you are loving this recipe and that it turned out great for you, Jane. Thank you so much for coming back and sharing your review & star rating, I so appreciate it!
I hadn’t heard of lentil loaf until a vegan friend mentioned it at thanksgiving. Always looking for healthy recipes and I love your blog so gave this one a try- first I found! I’ll say that the flavor is very good but as a meat eater, I found it quite dry. I will definitely make again and just double the sauce mixture, so that I have leftover sauce to eat with it like a gravy! Also, great to know that it can be made ahead for a quick weeknight meal!
Absolutely! I am glad that you found and are enjoying this recipe. I also recommend making sure not to over blend in the food processor, that could also be the cause of it drying out a bit, but I would always suggest extra sauce, it is SO good. Thank you for coming back and sharing your review + star rating, I really appreciate it!
Such a great recipe! I make it for thanksgiving and even my meat eating friends love it! They always request it again year after year!
Aw yay! I am so excited to hear that this recipe is a hit, Franny. Thank you so much for sharing your review + star rating, it means so much to me.
I’ve had many a bad lentil loaf, and this one was probably the best one I’ve had yet. Definitely adding into my monthly rotation!
Oh YAY! I am excited to hear that this recipe is a hit, Tyler. Thank you for sharing your review + star rating, I really appreciate it.
Good, easy recipe that tastes great and is very economical besides!
WOO! I am happy to hear that you are loving this recipe, Judy. Thank you for sharing your review + star rating, I so appreciate it!
This was delicious! Well done.
Thank you! So glad you loved this lentil loaf, Jill. Thanks for making it and for coming back to leave a review. I appreciate it!
this was so good. my 3 year old called it cake and ate a ton! I will be making this again within the week!
Yess! I am excited to hear this recipe is a hit, even for your 3 year old, Nicole. Thank you for sharing your review + star rating, it means so much to me.