Best Vegan Lentil Loaf
Hearty and filling, this flavorful vegan lentil “meatloaf” is the perfect weeknight supper or special dish to serve vegan guests. Unlike other lentil loafs, it doesn’t get soggy, and it makes great leftovers for lunch the next day!
Servings: 10 slices
Calories: 180kcal
Ingredients
For the Lentil Meatloaf
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 onion, diced
- 1 carrot, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2½ cups cooked brown or green lentils
- 2 shallots or green onions, diced
- ½ cup walnuts
- ¾ cup whole wheat breadcrumbs
- 1 flax egg (1 tbsp flaxseed + 2.5-3 tbsp water)
- 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- ¼ tsp cumin
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- ½ tsp ground pepper
- ½-1 tsp salt
For The Tomato Glaze
- 3 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
- ½ tsp sweet paprika
- ¼ tsp salt
Instructions
- Line a loaf pan with parchment paper and set aside.
- Chop garlic cloves, onion and carrot in very small pieces.
- Sauté garlic and 1 tbsp olive oil in a large pan over medium heat until fragrant. Then add onion and carrot and sauté for 4-5 minutes or until onion is translucent.
- Chop shallots and add it to the other vegetables. Cook for two more minutes.
- Place the cooked vegetables in a big bowl and add 2 cups of the cooked lentils. Using a hand blender, puree the vegetable/lentil mixture until it forms a smooth paste. Then add walnuts and blend again. This can be done with a food processor as well.
- Add all the spices, the rest of the lentils, breadcrumbs, the flaxseed egg, 1 tbsp olive oil, balsamic vinegar, soy sauce and salt and stir to combine.
- Transfer the mixture to the prepared loaf pan, pressing with a spoon to get a compact loaf.
- For the glaze, whisk all the ingredients together and spread it with a spoon over the top of the loaf.
- Bake for 40 minutes at 350 degrees F, or until golden brown on the edges.
Notes
Top Tips for Making The Best Vegan Lentil Loaf
- Make sure your lentils aren't wet when you combine them with the rest of the ingredients! That will result in a soggy meatloaf!
- If you don't have a food processor or hand blender, you can chop the walnuts fine with a chef''s knife and use a potato masher to mash the lentils with the other ingredients in a large mixing bowl.
- When blending the ingredients for the lentil loaf, blend until the ingredients are still slightly chunky - you don't want it to be fully pureed.
- Feel free to make extra glaze! It's fun to use as a dipping sauce for the meatloaf once it comes out of the oven (this is especially fun for kids!)
- If you want to add some heat, try adding some cayenne, crushed red pepper, or chipotle chili powder into the lentil mixture before baking.
- Feel free to use pre-steamed or canned lentils instead of dry to save time.
Nutrition
Serving: 1slice | Calories: 180kcal | Carbohydrates: 22g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 644.5mg | Potassium: 371mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 5.5g