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Home / Vegetarian / Perfect lentil loaf recipe

Perfect lentil loaf recipe

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Delicious and brimming full of lentils, nuts, veggies, spices, and topped with an incredible BBQ sauce, our hearty vegan lentil loaf is a real crowd-pleaser. We’ve been making this veggie meatloaf for years, and experimenting with the different flavors, and we think you’ll agree that we’ve got the recipe just right!

Homemade lentil loaf cut into slices with fresh thyme, ready to eat.

Why you’ll love this vegan lentil loaf recipe

  • It’s a delicious vegan centrepiece for a Sunday dinner, Thanksgiving dinner or Christmas dinner.
  • It’s super tasty and is always polished off in our house, even the meat eaters love it.
  • You can make it ahead and even freeze it.
  • All the ingredients are 100% vegetarian and vegan.

“This is the best lentil loaf I’ve ever tasted” said my friend who’s been a vegan for 25 years. That made my day, my job was done!

What ingredients do I need?

You’ll need all the ingredients shown in the photograph below.

Ingredients for making a veggie lentil loaf, water, maple syrup, treacle, balsamic vinegar, garlic c;loves, red onion, sweet potato, fresh thyme, mushrooms, pecans, chili powder, green and brown lentils, Worcestershire sauce, bread crumbs, walnuts, English mustard, coconut oil, tomato paste, salt and pepper, garlic powder.

What lentils will I need to make a lentil loaf?

We’ve used a variety of cooked lentils.

Puy lentils, brown and green lentils.

If you prefer, you could use just one type of lentil.

Should you cook vegetables before adding to vegan meatloaf?

Yes, you should.

In our lentil loaf, we saute the vegetables, this way they don’t go into the loaf raw, and the flavors are released more.

It’s always best to use cooked vegetables.

Two meatless meatloaf on dishes and ready to eat.

How do I avoid mushy lentil loaf?

Nobody wants a mushy loaf.

There’s a couple of ways to avoid that wet mushy texture

Make sure that all the water is out of your canned lentils, pat them with kitchen paper if necessary.

You can also add more breadcrumbs to soak up the excess liquid from the pre-cooked lentils, but be careful, it’s a fine line between a mushy loaf and a dry one!

What should I serve with my vegan lentil loaf?

Our lentil loaf is perfect when served with mashed potatoes, steamed green beans, roasted parsnips, roasted carrots, parsnip puree, roasted cauliflower, and vegan gravy – please note these are not necessarily vegan side dishes.

We think these delicious pan fried morel mushrooms would be really great with a slice of lentil loaf and maybe some air fryer carrots, and air fryer asparagus.

What to serve with vegetarian lentil loaf, Yorkshire pudding, stuffing, roasted carrots and red wine gravy,

What equipment will I need to make this recipe?

You’ll need a skillet, food processor, and a prepared loaf pan.

What can I use instead of nuts?

If you’d like a nut-free lentil loaf, then use rolled oats instead.

How to store and heat leftovers

Leftovers? What are they?

Seriously though, any leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for up to five days.

To freeze simply bake your easy lentil meatloaf and leave it to cool down to room temperature.

If you are going to freeze it, we always slice it, dry freeze the slices, and then place the frozen slices into freezer bags.

Alternatively, you could slice them and use parchment paper slices to separate the slices.

When you’re ready to use them, just defrost in the fridge overnight and then cook for approximately 15 minutes on 140°C/275°F

A lentil loaf, freshly made with a sprig of rosemary on top.

Recipe notes and tips

  • Can’t eat nuts?
    If you’d like a nut-free lentil loaf, then use rolled oats instead.
  • Making ahead?
    You can keep your loaf in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days or freeze it in slices.
  • Is your loaf mushy?
    Don’t let your meatless meatloaf go mushy, if the lentils look too wet then dry them with kitchen paper, and if the lentil mixture looks too wet then add additional breadcrumbs slowly until you get the right consistency.
  • Got a crumbly loaf?
    Try using flax egg to help hold it together.
  • Don’t have a loaf tin?
    Use a muffin tin instead, you can have mini lentil loaves instead.
  • Beware of the barbecue sauce
    It’s not your typical sauce, it’s created to be really strong and to compliment the flavors of the loaf.
  • Out of green or brown lentils?
    Use red lentils instead.
  • Don’t have balsamic vinegar?
    Use apple cider vinegar instead.
  • Can’t get hold of vegan Worcestershire sauce?
    Use soy sauce instead.
  • Quality equipment
    Use good quality loaf pans and you won’t need to line them, but if you are in any doubt use a parchment lined loaf pan or vegan butter.
Absolutely delicious slices of lentil loaf, ready to eat.

How to make our delicious vegan lentil loaf with step-by-step instructions

Making our vegan meatloaf recipe is easy if you follow our simple instructions.

Preheat your oven to 175°C/350°C.

For the lentil loaf

Prepare your loaf tin by wiping vegan butter all around the sides and bottom, then set it aside.

Lay your walnuts and pecan nuts on a baking sheet and roast for 10 minutes.

Roast walnuts and pecans.
Roast the nuts in the oven.
Saute onions, garlic and mushrooms.
Sauté the onion, garlic, mushrooms, and vegan Worcestershire sauce.
Saute carrots and sweet potato.
Cook the sweet potato and carrot.

Meanwhile in a large skillet over medium heat, add your coconut oil, red onion, garlic, and mushrooms and season with salt and pepper and vegan Worcestershire sauce, stirring often, and cook for 5-8 minutes until the onions are caramelized, and then set aside.

Using the same skillet, add more coconut oil and lay the sweet potatoes and carrots, in a single layer, cover, and cook for 6-8 minutes until golden brown, you may have to do this in batches.

Once cooked set aside.

Pulse nuts in food processor.
Add the nuts to a food processor and pulse until they are a rough consistency.
Add cooked veggies and pulse.
Add the cooked vegetables and pulse.
Place in bowl and add tomato paste, and Worcestershire sauce.
Place the mixture in a mixing bowl, and add tomato paste and vegan Worcestershire sauce.

Add your roasted nuts to a food processor and blitz until they are a nut meal, then add your red onion, garlic, mushrooms, sweet potatoes, carrot, and fresh thyme, and give it a few pulses to combine.

Finally, add in your mixed lentils, season with salt and black pepper, and pulse to combine, you don’t want a puree.

Add breadcrumbs.
Add breadcrumbs.
Stir to combine.
Stir to combine.
Place in prepared loaf tin and press to compress.
Place in a prepared loaf tin.

Now, add the mixture to a large mixing bowl and add tomato paste, vegan Worcestershire sauce, and wholemeal breadcrumbs, then stir to combine, until you have a loose dough.

In your prepared tin, add the mixture and press it firmly down to compress it, this will ensure you don’t get a crumbly loaf.

For the sauce

Place tomato paste, English mustard, liquid smoke, black treacle, maple syrup, balsamic vinegar, water, chili powder, garlic powder, and fine sea salt in a mixing bowl and whisk vigorously to combine, whisk until the sauce thickens.

Add balsamic vinegar, water, chili powder, garlic and salt.
Add tomato paste, mustard, liquid smoke, treacle, maple syrup, balsamic vinegar, water, chili powder, garlic powder, and salt.
Stir to combine into a sauce.
Stir to combine.

Then, add a ¼ inch – ½ inch (approx. 1cm) to the top of your vegan meatloaf, spreading as evenly as possible.

Now, place the loaf in your oven and bake for 45 minutes, once cooked, remove it from the oven and set it aside for 5 minutes.

Add the bbq sauce to the top of the lentil loaf.
Spread the sauce on top of the loaf.
Two tins of meatloaf fresh out of the oven.
Cook.
Two meatless meatloaf on dishes and ready to eat.
Slice and serve.

Once slightly cooled, remove from the tin.

Serve your new favorite loaf and enjoy!

We hope you enjoy making and eating our delicious vegan meatloaf and would love to hear how you got on with it.

Please leave a comment below or feel free to ask any questions you may have.

More delicious recipes for you to try

  • Nut roast
  • Air fryer Brussels sprouts
  • Roast potatoes
  • Yorkshire puddings
  • Roasted parsnips
Delicious nut roast freshly cooked with roasted potatoes.

Nut roast recipe: So good, you’ll forget it’s vegan!

Close up of air fryer Brussels sprouts.

Air fryer Brussels sprouts; once you air fry sprouts you’ll never go back!

Honey roasted parsnips freshly made.

Easy roast parsnips

Oven roasted potatoes ready to eat.

Perfect oven-roasted potatoes every time

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Delicious vegan lentil loaf.
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PERFECT LENTIL LOAF

Brimming with lentils, nuts, veggies, spices, & topped with a tasty BBQ sauce, this is the best lentil loaf recipe ever! If you're looking for what to give a vegetarian or vegan this holiday, then this is a perfect choice! Perfect for Sunday dinner, Thanksgiving & Christmas dinner, the whole family will love this.
Prep Time35 mins
Cook Time45 mins
Total Time1 hr 20 mins
Servings10
Calories390
Course: Main course
Cuisine: American
Author: Mandy Applegate | Splash of Taste
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Utensils

Loaf pan or tin
Large skillet

Ingredients

For the lentil loaf

  • 100 g Walnuts
  • 100 g Pecans
  • 1 tbsp Coconut oil
  • 1 Red onion
  • 1 Clove of garlic minced
  • 100 g Shitake mushrooms thinly sliced
  • 100 g Chestnut mushrooms (Crimini ) thinly sliced
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 20 ml Vegan Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tbsp Coconut oil
  • 250 g Sweet potato peeled and thinly sliced
  • 1 Carrot peeled and sliced
  • 5 g Fresh thyme
  • 125 g Puy lentils cooked
  • 125 g Green lentils cooked
  • 125 g Brown lentils cooked
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 50 g Tomato paste
  • 30 ml Vegan Worcestershire sauce
  • 40 g Wholemeal breadcrumbs

For the sauce

  • 120 g Tomato paste
  • 1 tbsp English mustard
  • 2 tsp Liquid smoke
  • 2 tbsp Black treacle
  • 2 tbsp Maple syrup
  • 2 tbsp Balsamic vinegar
  • 120 g Water
  • ½ tbsp Chili powder
  • ½ tsp Garlic powder
  • ¼ tsp Fine sea salt
Metric – US Customary

Instructions

  • Preheat your oven to 175°C/350°C.

For the lentil loaf

  • Prepare your loaf tin by wiping vegan butter all around the sides and bottom, then set aside
  • Lay your walnuts and pecan nuts on a baking sheet and roast for 10 minutes
    100 g Walnuts, 100 g Pecans
    Process shots for making homemade meat free meatloaf, roast the nuts, saute onion, garlic, mushrooms & vegan Worcestershire sauce, cook sweet potato and carrot.
  • Meanwhile in a large skillet over medium heat, add your coconut oil, red onion, garlic, and mushrooms and season with salt and pepper and vegan Worcestershire sauce, stirring often, and cook for 5-8 minutes until the onions are caramelized, and then set aside
    1 tbsp Coconut oil, 1 Red onion, 1 Clove of garlic, 100 g Shitake mushrooms, 100 g Chestnut mushrooms (Crimini ), Salt and pepper, 20 ml Vegan Worcestershire sauce
  • Using the same skillet, add more coconut oil and lay the sweet potatoes and carrots, in a single layer, cover and cook for 6-8 minutes until golden brown, you may have to do this in batches. Once cooked set aside
    1 tbsp Coconut oil, 250 g Sweet potato, 1 Carrot
  • Add your roasted nuts to a food processor and blitz until they are a nut meal, then add your red onion, garlic, mushrooms, sweet potatoes, carrot, and fresh thyme, and give it a few pulses to combine. Finally, add in your mixed lentils, season with salt and black pepper, and pulse to combine, you don't want a puree
    5 g Fresh thyme, 125 g Puy lentils, 125 g Green lentils, 125 g Brown lentils, Salt and pepper
    Process shots for making lentil loaf, blitz nut, add cooked veggies, add tomato paste & Worcestershire sauce.
  • Now, add the mixture to a large mixing bowl and add tomato paste, vegan Worcestershire sauce, and wholemeal breadcrumbs, and stir to combine, until you have a loose dough. In your prepared tin, add the mixture and press it firmly down to compress it, this will ensure you don't get a crumbly loaf
    50 g Tomato paste, 30 ml Vegan Worcestershire sauce, 40 g Wholemeal breadcrumbs
    Process shots for making delicious meat free meatloaf, add breadcrumbs, stir to combine and place in loaf tin.

For the sauce

  • Place tomato paste, English mustard, liquid smoke, black treacle, maple syrup, balsamic vinegar, water, chili powder, garlic powder, and fine sea salt in a mixing bowl and whisk vigorously to combine, whisk until the sauce thickens
    120 g Tomato paste, 1 tbsp English mustard, 2 tsp Liquid smoke, 2 tbsp Black treacle, 2 tbsp Maple syrup, 2 tbsp Balsamic vinegar, 120 g Water, ½ tbsp Chili powder, ¼ tsp Fine sea salt, ½ tsp Garlic powder
    Process shots for how to make a meatfree meatloaf, add tomato paste, English mustard, liquid smoke, treacle and maple syrup, vinegar, water, chili powder, garlic powder, salt and stir to combine.
  • Then, add a ¼ inch – ½ inch (approx. 1cm) to the top of your vegan meatloaf, spreading as evenly as possible. Now, place the loaf in your oven and bake for 45 minutes, once cooked, remove it from the oven and set it aside for 5 minutes. Once slightly cooled, remove from the tin. Serve your new favorite loaf and enjoy!
    Process shots for making a vegetarian meatloaf, spread sauce on the top of the loaf, cook and slice and serve.

Notes

  • Can’t eat nuts?
    If you’d like a nut-free lentil loaf, then use rolled oats instead.
  • Making ahead?
    You can keep your loaf in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days or freeze it in slices.
  • Is your loaf mushy?
    Don’t let your meatless meatloaf go mushy, if the lentils look too wet then dry them with kitchen paper, and if the lentil mixture looks to wet then add additional breadcrumbs in slowly until you get the right consistency.
  • Got a crumbly loaf?
    Try using flax egg to help hold it together.
  • Don’t have a loaf tin?
    Use a muffin tin instead, you can have mini lentil loaves instead.
  • Beware of the barbecue sauce
    It’s not your typical sauce, it’s created to be really strong and to compliment the flavors of the loaf.
  • Out of green or brown lentils?
    Use red lentils instead.
  • Don’t have balsamic vinegar?
    Use apple cider vinegar instead.
  • Can’t get hold of vegan Worcestershire sauce?
    Use soy sauce instead.
  • Use good quality loaf pans and you won’t need to line them but if you are in any doubt use a parchment-lined loaf pan or use vegan butter.

Nutrition

Calories: 390kcal | Carbohydrates: 47g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 7g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Sodium: 322mg | Potassium: 828mg | Fiber: 16g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 4992IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 102mg | Iron: 5mg

Disclaimer

Please note that nutrient values are estimates only. Variations can occur due to product availability and manner of food preparation. Nutrition may vary based on methods of origin, preparation, freshness of ingredients, and other factors.

More easy recipes

  • Applesauce banana bread – deliciously sweet and bursting full of banana flavor from Feast for a Fraction.
  • Cranberry apple salad – a delicious festive salad from our friend Glenda Embree
  • Pretzel crack – sweet, salty, crunchy and so good from Call Me Pmc
  • Check out our vegan recipes

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How To Make Lentil Loaf

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About Mandy from Splash of Taste

A vegetarian for over 35 years, Mandy has taught herself to be creative in the kitchen. Traveling extensively, Mandy loves learning and adapting vegetarian recipes from across the world.

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