This lentil loaf is my go-to entrée for the holidays. It has a robust flavor and a hearty texture. It doesn’t fall apart, isn’t too mushy or too dry, and doesn’t lack textural variety. This recipe is vegan, grain-free (gluten-free), soy-free, and can easily be made nut-free.
Even if you are experienced in the kitchen, there are always a few recipes that can throw you off your game. Often times the challenges stem from trying to make a specific dish a little healthier or working with strict ingredient guidelines – as is the case with this vegan lentil loaf recipe.
The main problem with most lentil loaves is texture. A lot of recipes rely either on oats, breadcrumbs, or both. Oats are an excellent binder, but turn mushy when combined with wet ingredients and then cooked for an hour in the oven. Breadcrumbs are great a great binder too, but can turn pasty and dry out the loaf too much. Neither scenario is ideal. The trick is to use a variety of binders that produce a tender (not mushy) and sturdy (not crumbly) loaf.
Another problem with a lentil loaf is that all the ingredients have already been cooked. This means that the proteins and starches no longer cling together and don’t really change shape when you cook them for a second time. Have you ever noticed how a veggie burger doesn’t shrink on the grill the way a meat burger does? So, you need to build texture into the loaf right from the start.
When you dial in these two elements, your lentil loaf will have a textural variation and nuance to match its great flavor.
Tips for Making Lentil Loaf
Ingredients
The list of the ingredients for this lentil loaf is by no means short, but don’t let that intimidate you. Once you have all the ingredients prepped, the recipe comes together quite quickly.
- Brown lentils: the type of lentils you use for the loaf is really important. Brown lentils work the best. They are not too mushy when cooked (like split red, yellow, or white lentils) but still break down a little bit (not like black or French lentils). They are also not as pasty as beans or peas. If you cant find brown lentils, whole red lentils work too.
- Walnuts: in a moist environment (cooked lentils, mushrooms, vegetables), walnuts soften up and offer just a bit of pleasing resistance to each bite. Their flavor is also mild enough to not distract from the savory flavor of seasoned lentils and vegetables. Pecans would work really well too.
- Mushrooms and vegetables: I absolutely love mushrooms in lentil loaves, veggie burgers, or even meatballs. They provide a wonderful umami-rich flavor and a hearty, chewy texture. Mushrooms and vegetables also impart moisture, so the lentil loaf doesn’t turn out too dry and crumbly.
- Chickpea breadcrumbs and flaxseed meal: the combination of chickpea breadcrumbs and flaxseed meal do a great job at bridging the gap between liquids and solids by capturing the moisture and transforming it into a binder. Regular breadcrumbs work too (coarsely ground are better than finely ground). but chickpea breadcrumbs have a superior “crispy” texture due to their flaky nature.
- Herbs: the herbs I use regularly in this lentil loaf recipe are thyme and rosemary. Each of these herbs has a unique, complex flavor but both add a small amount of warmth and lemony – peppery undertones. Other good options are marjoram, oregano, or even parsley.
- Salt: soy sauce, tamari, and coconut aminos all have a wonderful umami flavor, but they also add moisture. So use salt instead.
How to Make Lentil Loaf
This lentil loaf is relatively easy to make, but does require some prep.
- Cook the lentils. If you’re using dried lentils, cook them to the point that they’re just done – still firm and not falling apart. This way, the lentils add a creamy texture without turning mushy. You can also purchase jarred lentils, but cooking legumes from scratch is so quick and easy that there really isn’t any reason not to.
- Sauté the mushrooms and vegetables. It might be an extra step, but really want to sauté all the vegetables and mushrooms before adding them into the lentil loaf. Sautéing helps to eliminate the vegetables water content and condense their flavor. Another benefit of cooking the vegetables is that you can season them to make them even more flavorful.
- Process all the ingredients. Add the walnuts into a food processor fitted with an S blade and pulse until the walnuts are coarsely ground. Add the rest of the ingredients and process until just combined. The degree to which you process the ingredients is really important. If the lentils aren’t mashed enough, the lentil loaf will fall apart. If they are mashed too much, the lentil loaf will be too mushy, having a paste-like texture. Aim for having about three quarters of the lentils partially mashed.
- Season. Since all the ingredients in the loaf are cooked, taste the mixture before transferring it into a loaf pan. This is the time to add additional seasonings.
- Bake. Transfer the lentil loaf mixture into a parchment paper-lined loaf pan and bake it at 375°F/190°C until golden brown on the edges and slightly dry to the touch, for 35-45 minutes. Once baked, let the lentil loaf rest in the pan for at least 15 minutes. This is really important because the loaf firms up as it cools. If you remove the loaf from the pan straight out of the oven (when it’s still hot), it might not retain its shape.
How to Serve Lentil Loaf
The lentil loaf is great on its own, but to make it a complete meal, you can serve it with mashed potatoes and gravy (the recipes are in my cookbook). All together it makes for a great entrée for Thanksgiving or Christmas.
Another option is to top the loaf with a glaze, adding a nice contrast of flavor, and serve it with a green salad.
How to Store & Reheat Lentil Loaf
- Refrigerating: allow the lentil loaf to cool completely. Transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 5 days.
- Freezing: allow the lentil loaf to cool completely and slice into individual pieces. Transfer to an airtight, freezer-safe container, separating each slice with a piece of parchment paper (so the loaf slices don’t stick to each other as they freeze), and freeze for up to 3 months.
- Reheating: slice the loaf first (if it’s not sliced already). Then lay the individual slices on a bare baking sheet and reheat in a 350°F/175°C oven until warmed through (the time will vary depending on whether reheating from refrigerated or frozen).
MORE VEGAN MEATLOAF RECIPES
This loaf is made with lentils. However, you can make vegan “meatloaf” with pretty much any legumes you like:
- Chickpea loaf: this loaf is very flavorful, savory, and comforting. It has a nice crust and soft interior that just melts in your mouth.
- Bean loaf: the bean loaf is quite different from both the chickpea loaf and the lentil loaf – it calls for fresh fines herbs (rather than dried herbs) and uses oats (rather than chickpea flour or chickpea crumbs) as the main binder. It looks just as stunning at the center of a holiday table though.
If you try any of these recipes, please, leave a comment and rate the recipe below. It always means a lot when you do.
Lentil Loaf
Ingredients
- 1 1/3 cups brown lentils , soaked*
- 1 Tbsp. olive oil
- 1 yellow onion , chopped
- 3 cloves garlic , minced
- 2 cups cremini mushrooms , chopped
- 2 carrots , chopped
- 2 stalks celery , chopped
- 2 tsp. dried marjoram
- 2 tsp. dried thyme
- 1 tsp. dried rosemary
- 1 cup walnuts
- 1/3 cup chickpea breadcrumbs **
- 3 Tbsp. flaxseed meal ***
- 3 Tbsp. tomato paste
- salt , to taste
- black pepper , to taste
Instructions
- Cook the lentils. Add the soaked lentils into a medium pot, cover with water by several inches, and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low, season with salt, and simmer, uncovered, until the lentils are fully tender, 20-30 minutes. Top with water as necessary to keep the lentils submerged at all times. Sample a lentil at the 20-minute mark to see how tender the lentils are. You're looking for a just tender lentil with a tiny bit of bite. Once cooked, drain the lentils.
- Sauté the mushrooms and vegetables. Heat the olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and sauté until translucent, 5-7 minutes. Add the mushrooms, carrots, and celery, season with salt, and sauté until the vegetables begin to soften, 3-5 minutes. Add the marjoram, thyme and rosemary and sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Preheat the oven. Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven. Heat the oven to 375°F/190°C.
- Process all the lentil loaf ingredients. Add the walnuts into a food processor fitted with an S blade and pulse until the walnuts are coarsely ground. Add the rest of the ingredients and pulse to loosely combine, pausing to scrape down the sides as necessary. Be careful not to purée. If the mixture is too wet, add more chickpea breadcrumbs. If it's too dry, pulse a little more.
- Season. Taste and adjust the flavor as needed, adding more salt for saltiness, marjoram for a floral aroma, thyme for an earthy flavor with lemony-minty undertones, and rosemary for a woodsy flavor with aromas of lemon and pine.
- Bake. Transfer the lentil mixture into a parchment-lined loaf pan, spread, and press into an even layer. Brush the top with a little bit of oil to help the loaf retain moisture. Bake the lentil loaf, uncovered, until golden brown on the edges and slightly dry to the touch, 35-45 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly, 10-15 minutes. Then gently remove from the pan.
- Serve. Carefully cut the loaf into 12 even slices and serve it with a side of mashed potatoes and gravy.
- Store. Leftover lentil loaf keeps well in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. For longer term storage, freeze in an air-tight container for up to 3 months.
- Reheat. Slice the loaf first (if it’s not sliced already). Then lay the individual slices on a bare baking sheet and reheat in a 350°F/175°C oven until warmed through (the time will vary depending on whether reheating from refrigerated or frozen).
Thank you for another exciting and different récipe!
Just wondering, any options to swap the breadcrumbs with? You know, ketogenic friendly 🙂
Thank you!
I used oat fiber…we are also keto
Hi Maria – you could probably grind my multi-seeded crackers into a fine meal and use that instead of the breadcrumbs. I tried this recipe with psyllium as well as just flaxseed meal (in place of the breadcrumbs) and I didn’t like the results. The loaf ended up having almost like a “slimy” texture. Definitely don’t recommend those two. Some of my “keto friends” use almond flour in place of breadcrumbs, but I haven’t tested it for this recipe, so I can’t guarantee the results. Please, let me know how it goes if you give this recipe a try 🙂
Greetings
Will definitely give’t a try.
Regards
Jes
Hope you enjoy it, Jes! 🙂
Hi
You can use panko it is available in Amazon.com unfortunately it is not available here in Canada at least in my local health stores and not available in Amazon.ca
Select the one that is paleo approved or low cab keto
I am making this meat loaf today but I will make it in round backing dish like a pie or pizza
Panko bread crumbs are easily obtained at No Frills in Canada.
I often use Simple Mills Artisan Bread baked into muffins then grind up the next day for breadcrumbs.
What is the oven setting
Thank you for catching that Andrea! 375°F/190°C
Thank you
Just made this recipe and it is extremely delicious!
Half the quantity serves two adults.
Will make it for Xmas and serve with Davidson’s Plum jam.
Thank you so much Petra!
I am so happy you enjoyed the loaf. Thank you so much for the feedback! I appreciate it more than you know ❤
Hi First of all, amazing recipe!! Especially as a vegetarian it works Kind of like a meat Substitute for me so thank you! I was Wondering if you could share the amounts in grams. They don’t sell Cups in italy so just to be exact i’d love to know!
Hi Lara – I totally forgot to add the metric measurements. So sorry about that. I have just added them 🙂
Thank you, Petra for this recipe. I changed mushrooms with corn from the can, flaxseed meal with wholewheat flour and breadcrumbs with polenta. Texture and flavours are great! Looking forward to prepare thus loaf with mushrooms. Thanks again, Petra!
Thank you so much for sharing your feedback and substitutions, Jenya! So happy you made it work ❤️
We always remember how your delicious hearty lentil loaf made our holiday season Christmas full of happiness and proud with your other recipes on the family gathering making a healthy joyful feast ❤️ thank you so much dear Petra for all your amazing hearty efforts teaching us healthy recipes ♀️✍️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Aw, thank you so much, Rajaa! You’re always so kind. I really appreciate you taking the time to comment on my recipes ❤️
Petra your lentil meatloaf was awesome.
Thank you
I am happy you enjoyed it Andrea! Thank you so much for the feedback ❤️
You are welcome. Im gonna try the cookies it is perfect for me because I have celiac and I’m also vegan so thank you very much
Hope they turn out great, Andrea! 🙂
Petra, your videos are beautifully simple. Beauty in the simplicity. They are even soothing. The result is a very effective presentation that gets right to the point in a calm manner. Nice camera work, too. A pleasure to watch.
Thank you so much, Robert! I really appreciate the kind and encouraging words.
I totally agree her simplicity and presentation is sooooo beautiful & so pleasant to watch over and over again
Aw, thank you so much!
Delicious, thank you. I used oats instead of breadcrumbs and carrots instead of bell pepper. Turned out great!
Thank you so much for the feedback, Hope! So happy you enjoyed it! ❤️
Hi Petra,
I was wondering if you might share your gravy recipe and mashed potatoes recipe, that went with the meatloaf?
Thank you!!
Erika
Hi Erika – thank you for your comment. I am currently working on a cookbook with dinner recipes, and the gravy and mashed potatoes are part of the cookbook. So, I probably won’t be sharing those recipes on my blog. Thank you for your understanding.
Wow, this is amazing!! so tasty!!
Thank you so much for the wonderful feedback, Elzina! ❤️ So happy you enjoyed the recipe!
Hello!!!
Thanks for sharing and for your timing…
Please can you help …
To tell how we make Tofu if it’s possible…
Again big thanks
Thank you! I will probably disappoint you but I have never made tofu at home. There are a lot of tutorials (for making tofu) online, so hopefully you will be able to find what you’re looking for.
what substitute can we use for bread crumbs and what is marjoram?
Hi Meena – unfortunately, I haven’t found a good substitute for breadcrumbs in this recipe. However, I am working on a different recipe without breadcrumbs, so stay tuned. Marjoram is a herb very similar to oregano.
I will try this recipe this week. How about using TVP instead of breadcrumbs?
Are the lentils cooked with a pot cover or not? Thanks.
Hi Janet – no, you don’t need to cover the lentils. Simmer the lentils, uncovered, for 20-30 minutes.
This lentil loaf was very good! Thank you so much for the recipe. My husband does not like new things, and certainly not lentils. I have tried many different recipes and he never liked them, but he likes this one. Thank you so much. Now my husband will eat lentils:)
That’s so awesome! Thank you so much for the feedback, Birgitte! My husband is exactly the same 😉 (doesn’t like lentils, but does like this lentil loaf).
Hi Petra! Can I bake Lentil Loaf in Airfryer?
Hi Raimonda – I have never tried it, so I’m not sure, sorry! I have tried lentil burgers and those worked just fine. However, my worry with the lentil loaf is that it won’t hold its shape properly. The lentil loaf firms up in the oven and then as it cools. Air frying the loaf without any “supporting dish” (such as the loaf pan) might be tricky.
I see.. Thank you for the answer. I will make this tomorrow. Anyway…
Petra! You and your blog is adorable!!! Your recipes looks sooooo delicious!!! On YouTube channel I watched all of them and I can tell you is AMAZING! Another day I made brownies they are absolutely delicious Thank you so much for a healthy and tasty recipes you share with us! ❤️
Thank you so much, Raimonda! ❤️ Your comment just made my day!
gracias, lo probaré para la cena de navidad
Hope you enjoy it, Carmen! 🙂
Amazing recipe I’ll definitely try it! I’m afraid I’ll not find brown lentils, is it possible with red or yellow? ☀️
Thank you Irene! Red and yellow lentils tend to disintegrate when cooked because of their “split” nature, making them ideal in soups or stews. However, I had somebody comment on my YouTube channel that they tried this recipe with red lentils with success. However, I haven’t tried it myself, so I can’t guarantee the results. I would just recommend not cooking the lentils until they completely fall apart. Brown lentils are the most common type, but if you can’t find them in your local grocery store, see if you can find green lentils, which are the closest to brown lentils in terms of texture. Hope the loaf turns out great! 🙂
Thanx Petra for a delicious recipes and spreading the idea of healthy eating for the sake of people, animals and the environment.. No doubt vegan food has so many varieties.. Beautiful web, like your yt channel as well. Keep updating us. Cheers and happy holidays!
Aw, thank you so much for the kind words, Jasmin! ❤️
A wonderful loaf. Made it the other day and it was delicious.
Thank you so much for the feedback, Marilena! So happy you enjoyed the lentil loaf! ❤️
Hi Petra,
Thank you for all your professional insight into combining and sustituting foods. Your recipes are so delicious and you coach us through them so well. I am curious on the lentil loaf if there is a sustitute for the tomatoe paste? Come to find out tomatoes are a food I should stay away from which is very challenging as tomatoes are in everything. Thank you in advance.
Thank you for such a kind comment, Rhonda! ❤️ Hmm, that’s tough. I would say that the best substitute would be some other flavorful paste or perhaps even some other vegetable puree, such as pumpkin puree with a little bit of lemon juice. The tomato paste is there for moisture and rich flavor. Most simply, you could try leaving it out and add a splash of lemon juice (to balance the flavors).
Hi petra
Could i sub brown lentils for green?
Hi Anoud – I think that green lentils would work just fine. Just keep in mind that green lentils are bigger than brown lentils, so they take a little longer to cook. Hope you enjoy the recipe 🙂
Hi, thank you for sharing your recipes with us, I have one question what can I substitute in place of the mushrooms, as I can’t easily digest them?.
Hi Elina – the mushrooms are a pretty key flavor in this recipe, but roasted eggplant or even zucchini would be a great substitute. I am not a fan of using liquid seasonings in this recipe, but adding a little bit of tamari would help with the umami flavor you would normally get from mushrooms.
Hi Petra!
I love everything about this recipe however, we have nut allergy in our family.
Any recommendation for nut alternative?
Thank you in advance!
Hi Mira – would sunflower seeds work? They are a great substitute for nuts.
We just made this tonight. Loved it Petra! Thanks for sharing.
That makes me so happy! Thank you so much for the feedback and rating, Tom!