Maple-Glazed Vegan Lentil Loaf
Brown or green lentils, toasted walnuts and oats give this vegan loaf a satisfying texture, while a maple-balsamic tomato glaze adds a sweet and tangy finish.
Servings: 8 slices
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
Serving: 1slice | Calories: 140kcal | Carbohydrates: 19g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Sodium: 377mg | Potassium: 169mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 6g