Lentil Loaf (Vegan Meatloaf)

Complete tonight’s family meal with this delicious vegan lentil loaf. The perfectly browned edges and caramelized glaze topping will definitely make it the star dinner entrée. This recipe is easy to make, packed with vegetables, and loaded with protein.

This lentil loaf is the vegan meatloaf you've been looking for! Packed with lentils, cooked quinoa, and a variety of vegetables, it definitely delivers a hearty texture.

And don't worry, this vegan lentil loaf is just as filling and flavorful as mom’s meatloaf. It’s also topped with a sweet and tangy glaze for extra flavor, just like moms.

Ingredients You'll need

Gather all your ingredients to quickly and easily make this vegan meatloaf.

Ingredients notes and substitutes

• Lentils. Use green or brown lentils for the best texture. Red lentils are a bit too soft.
• Quinoa. Any type of quinoa will work. I suggest white quinoa, tricolored quinoa, or red quinoa.
• Breadcrumbs. Plain or herbed-flavored breadcrumbs are best. For a gluten-free option use GF breadcrumbs or oat flour instead.
• Ground flaxseed. In place of eggs, ground flaxseed it used to bind the lentil loaf ingredients together. Ground chia seed can be used as a flaxseed substitute.
• Tahini. If you are all out of tahini no problem. Omit it without too much change in flavor.
• Coconut Aminos. Out of coconut aminos? It can be left out as well. But I don’t suggest omitting both the tahini and coconut aminos.

Instructions

Start by cooking the lentils and preparing the vegetables. Then, use the easy-to-follow steps below to bring this recipe together.

Step 1. Add the cooked lentils to a large mixing bowl.
Step 2. Use a potato masher, or fork, to mash the lentils.

Step 3. Add the remaining ingredients to the bowl.
Step 4. Mix everything together until well combined.

Step 5. Add a sheet of parchment paper to the bottom of your loaf pan. Firmly press the lentil mixture into the pan.
Step 6. Brush the glaze over the top.

Step 7. Bake the lentil loaf in the oven at 350ºF for 30 minutes.

Enjoy lentil loaf any night of the week or as leftovers for lunch.

Or even better, serve it alongside mashed potatoes, wild rice stuffing, and pumpkin dinner rolls for Thanksgiving, Christmas, or Easter dinner.

Your dinner guests will be raving about the delicious flavor of this vegan meatloaf and asking for the recipe.

Recipe FAQ's

Expert Tips

• An 8x4-inch loaf pan is a perfect size for this recipe.
• If you like a little extra glaze for dipping, simply double the recipe. Serve the extra glaze on the side or slather it on top of the lentil loaf after cooking.
• When cooking the lentils, be sure to cook down the liquid all the way. Any excess moisture can cause a mushy lentil loaf.
• Don’t over-mash the lentils. You want some whole lentils for texture.
• Lay a sheet of parchment paper across the bottom and over the sides of the loaf pan. The lentil loaf can easily be removed from the pan by lifting it out with the side flaps. (see the flaps in steps 5-6 above)

Continue to Content

Recipe

Vegan Lentil Loaf

Yield: 1 lentil loaf

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour

Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes

This vegan lentil loaf is easy to make, packed with vegetables, and loaded with protein. It will definitely be the star entrée of any dinner table.

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Ingredients

For the lentils

• ⅔ cup green or brown lentils, uncooked
• ¼ cup quinoa, uncooked
• 1 cup low sodium vegetable broth
• ¾ cup water

Remaining ingredients

• 1 small onion, diced (about ½ cup)
• 1-2 celery stalks, finely chopped (about ⅓ cup)
• 1 medium carrot, grated (about ⅔ cup)
• ½ cup breadcrumbs, gluten-free if needed
• 2 Tablespoon ground flaxseed
• 2 Tablespoons nutritional yeast
• 2 Tablespoons ketchup
• 1 Tablespoon coconut aminos
• 1 Tablespoon tahini
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• ½ to 1 teaspoon Himalayan pink salt, or to taste
• ¾ teaspoon garlic powder
• ⅛ teaspoon ground fennel seed
• pepper to taste

Glaze Topping

• 3 Tablespoons ketchup
• 1 Tablespoon BBQ sauce
• 2 teaspoons maple syrup or agave nectar

Instructions

1. Preparing lentils & quinoa. Start by rinsing the lentils and quinoa. Drain them well and discard the water. Pour the broth and freshwater into a large saucepan. Add the lentils and quinoa to the pot and simmer for 20-30 minutes or until both are tender and fully cooked.
2. Sautéing veggies. In a separate pan, sauté the onion and celery for about 5 minutes to slightly soften. Add the grated carrots and cook another 5 minutes.
3. Mashing lentils. Mash the lentils until about ½ of them are well mashed. They can be mashed in the saucepan they were cooked in or in a large mixing bowl.
4. Mixing ingredients. Add the cooked veggies and remaining ingredients to the lentils. Mix until everything is well combined.
5. Assemble lentil loaf. Lay a piece of parchment paper across your loaf pan so the edges hang over the sides of the pan. This keeps the lentil loaf from sticking to the bottom of the pan and makes it easier to remove it after cooking. Transfer the lentil mixture to your prepared loaf pan and evenly spread it out pressing it into the pan. This step is easiest done by hand, but a spatula will work too.
6. Glaze. In a small bowl, mix together the glaze ingredients. Top the lentil loaf with the glaze.
7. Bake. Cover and bake at 375ºF for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake another 10 minutes.

Enjoy!

Notes

• An 8x4-inch loaf pan is a perfect size for this recipe.
• The added salt is based on the low sodium vegetable broth and the coconut aminos from Trader Joe's (which is sweet rather than salty).  Adjust the salt to taste according to your broth and coconut aminos. Use less if your aminos and broth are salty already. You can always mix in more salt if needed.
• Use gluten-free bread crumbs for a GF lentil loaf.
• When cooking the lentils, be sure to cook down the liquid all the way. Any excess moisture can cause a mushy lentil loaf.
• Don’t over-mash the lentils. You want some chunks for texture.
• Lay a sheet of parchment paper across the bottom and over the sides of the loaf pan. The lentil loaf can easily be removed from the pan by lifting it out with the side flaps.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 6 servings Serving Size: 2 slices
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 190Total Fat: 1gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 261mgCarbohydrates: 37gFiber: 5gSugar: 8gProtein: 10g

**Nutritional info is provided as an estimate based on the ingredients I used and for convenience and as a courtesy only.**

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