LENTIL WALNUT LOAF WITH APPLE, FENNEL & SAGE
Perfect for the holidays this Lentil Walnut Loaf with apple, fennel and sage is hearty, full of flavor and makes a great centerpiece for the holiday table! Recipe is naturally vegan and can be made in advance!
It’s been two years since my last lentil loaf recipe!
I’ve adapted this new vegan lentil loaf from the other, The Ultimate Vegetable Lentil Loaf, on TSV which is still a big hit. It’s a great all-around loaf and I hope you all find this new lentil loaf flavor combination just as delicious!
I thought this time I’d create something with a whole new flavor profile and this vegan lentil walnut loaf with apple, fennel & sage is completely different and absolutely delicious.
I love this flavor combination and think it’s a perfect fall-winter loaf or one that can be rotated for variation all year long.
All the flavors come through making every bite just as good as the last!
- Apple adds a little sweetness, which is not overpowering at all.
- Fennel and sage are a perfect pairing of herbs.
- Walnuts give a little extra texture, but can be optional if your allergic or don’t care for them.
- The glaze is super simple with just organic ketchup, apple cider vinegar and pure maple syrup. It has a slight tanginess which is a nice contrast to the other flavors.
A note on the fennel seeds: In case you’re wondering what else to do with your fennel seeds, I’ve used them in a few recipes like this Cannellini Bean & Fennel Flatbread, Mushroom and Buckwheat Soup and the Rustic Cabbage, Potato & White Bean Soup. See all the recipes on TSV using Fennel. If they are new to your pantry, you can purchase them knowing you can use them in other recipes!
How To Make Lentil Walnut Loaf
- Cook your lentils, let set for about 15 minutes, most of the liquid should be absorbed. Mash or puree about 3/4 of the mixture. You should be able to easily mash the lentils with a back of a fork or slotted spoon.
- While you’re working on the lentils, prepare your vegetables and apple and saute with herbs.
- Add the lentils to the sauteed veggie mixture, along with the oats, flour, applesauce, and walnuts. Mix well to combine.
- Once everything is mixed, pack mixture into a 9 x 5 loaf pan. Spread glaze over top and bake. Feel free to add a sage leaf on top before baking for decoration.
- Once done, remove lentil walnut loaf from oven, let cool, slice and enjoy!
Serving Suggestions
This lentil walnut loaf is pretty versatile and will go many sides. Here are a few of my favorite options:
- Serve with Mashed Potatoes or Scalloped Potatoes
- Serve with this creamy Roasted Fennel & Potato Soup or Roasted Butternut Squash Soup
- Pair with comfort foods like this Baked Vegan Mac & Cheese
- Serve with a side of Crispy Roasted Brussels Sprouts, Green Beans Almondine or Savory Sauteed Kale
- Add a salad like this Roasted Butternut Squash & Brussels Sprouts with Pecans & Cranberries
- Or keep it light with a simple leafy green salad on the side for freshness!
How To Store Leftovers
- Refrigerator: Keep leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 5 – 6 days, in a covered container. Leftovers make for great sandwiches!
- Freezer: To keep longer, store in the freezer for up to 2 – 3 months. To freeze, let the lentil loaf cool completely. Slice into individual cut pieces and store in freezer safe containers (affiliate link) with parchment paper between the slices so they don’t stick together. You can also use or baggies, removing as much air as possible before storing.
How To Reheat Your Lentil Loaf
I don’t recommend reheating the entire loaf at once because t will most likely become too dry, as the heat will take to long to reach the center. I do recommend cutting slices and then reheating.
Make Ahead
You can make your lentil walnut loaf the day or two before and store uncooked in the refrigerator until ready to heat, and bake according to instructions.
If you try this lentil walnut loaf recipe, please let me know! Leave a comment and rate it below. I love to hear what you think, or any changes you make.
PrintLENTIL WALNUT LOAF
Perfect for the holidays this lentil loaf is hearty, full of flavor and will make a great centerpiece for the holiday table!
- Prep Time: 20 min
- Cook Time: 1 hour 20 min
- Total Time: 1 hour 40 minutes
- Yield: Serves 8
- Category: Entree
- Cuisine: Vegan
Ingredients
- 1 cup green/brown lentils, rinsed
- 2 1/4 cups vegetable broth or water
- 1 tablespoon olive oil or 1/4 cup water
- 1 small onion, diced (about 1 1/4 cup)
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 celery stalks, diced (about 1 cup)
- 2 carrots, diced or grated (about 1 cup)
- 1 small apple, cored, peeled and diced or grated (use firm crisp like fuji, gala or granny) (about 1 cup)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons fennel seeds, use whole or lightly crushed
- 1 1/2 teaspoons sage or 2 tablespoons fresh minced
- 3/4 cup oats, quick or rolled (I used quick) or bread crumbs
- 1/4 cup flour (spelt, almond, oat, GF all-purpose, etc.)
- 1/2 – 3/4 cup unsweetened organic applesauce
- 3/4 cup finely chopped walnuts
- salt & pepper to taste (I used white pepper)
Glaze
- 6 tablespoons organic ketchup
- 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
Instructions
Cook lentils: In a dutch oven or large pot, add vegetable broth and lentils, bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat to low and simmer for 40 – 45 minutes, most to all liquid should be absorbed. (If most liquid is not absorbed, cooked until it is mostly absorbed. If by chance your liquid absorbs too fast, add a tad more water as needed and continue the process.) Lentils should be overcooked and tender. Set aside to cool, uncovered, for 15 minutes. Mash lentils with the back of a spoon or fork, or roughly puree using an immersion blender or food processor, about 2/3 – 3/4 of the lentil mixture.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Toast walnuts: Spread walnuts on a small rimmed baking pan, place in oven and toast until fragrant, about 10 -15 minutes. Set aside to cool..
Prepare vegetables and apple: Heat oil in a medium size pan over medium heat, add onion, garlic, celery and carrot, saute for about 5 minutes. Add apple, fennel, sage salt & pepper, heat for another 3 – 4 minutes.
Combine everything: Add the sauteed mixture with the lentils and mix. Add flour, oats, walnuts and 1/2 cup apple sauce, mix well to combine. If mixture seems to dry, add a little more apple sauce, mix again. Taste for seasoning adding extra herbs, salt and pepper as needed.
Line a 9 x 5 loaf pan with parchment paper, (this will make for easy removal later), add mixture and press down gently but firmly to remove any air pockets, fill in along the edges as well.
Make glaze: In small bowl, mix together the glaze and spread over top lentil loaf as evenly as you can. Here you can even add a fresh sage leaf in the center of the loaf, it won’t burn, it may roll a bit on the edges, and will add a nice decoration.
Bake: Place loaf in oven, on middle rack, and bake for 45 – 50 minutes. Remove from oven, let cool 10 minutes, remove from pan using the edges of the parchment paper. You may like to mix a bit more sauce and spread over top. Place loaf on serving dish, cut and serve individual slices.
Serving suggestions: Serve with roasted or mashed potatoes, or potato & cauliflower mash, a side of green beans or any combo of roasted brussels sprouts, carrots, butternut squash and beets. A simple fresh green salad with a light vinaigrette is also a great side! Leftovers make for great sandwiches!
Makes 8 slices.
Notes
If you don’t use a good vegetable broth while cooking the lentils, I recommend add in 1/2 teaspoon of onion and garlic powder, along with a big pinch of salt. The lentils are the base of the recipe and should have good flavor.
If mixture is too wet, add a tad more flour or oats/bread crumbs. If mixture is too dry, add a tad more applesauce.
I’ve used both oats and bread crumbs. Both were great. I didn’t notice that the oat flavor came through at all (or maybe I’m just adapted to them).
I don’t recommend reheating the entire loaf at once. It will most likely become too dry, as the heat will take to long to reach the center. I recommend cutting slices and reheating. If you need, you can make your lentil loaf the day before and store uncooked until ready to heat, bring to room temperature and heat according to instructions above.
If you love fennel and sage, by all means add an extra 1/2 teaspoon of each! Or an extra tablespoon of fresh minced sage.
If allergic to walnuts, omit them completely.
RECOMMENDED EQUIPMENT: This loaf pan is a great size, or something similar. For lining the loaf pan I cut the parchment these parchment liners (affiliate links).
Updated: Lentil Walnut Loaf was originally published in November 2014. It has been retested and updated with new photos and helpful tips in November 2019. Recipe has stayed the same and is still delicious!
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Hi, I just wanted to let you know I use butternut squash “rice” instead of the carrots and i think the flavor is a little richer than with the carrots.
Yum, that sounds like a wonderful substitution! Thank you for sharing, Michael!
I have made this recipe numerous times as it is one of my favourite dishes. I like the moist texture and the sage apple and fennel are subtle but flavoursome. Thank you for creating and sharing this delicious dish.
I just made it but forgot the flour. I hope it turns out anyways. I’m super excited. When I realized I had forgotten it, it was already in the oven with the glaze. Next time.
Omg this is effing amazing!!!! Made without glaze and the flavor!!!!!!!
Wait, I’m confused. In the ingredient list there are three cloves of garlic and then they are never mentioned again… Do they get sautéed along with the other veggies? Am I missing something?
Thanks for bringing it to my attention, I’ve updated the recipe instructions to include the garlic (somehow I missed it). Enjoy, and do let us know if you try the recipe!
Thank you for your response! I did try the recipe and it was delicious!
I’ve been making this for Thanksgiving and Christmas for the last three or four years. It’s hands down the best lentil loaf! The smell of the veggies, apple and herbs cooking on the stove top is amazing!
I omit the applesauce and use Eden brand canned lentils (rinsed). It’s perfect every time.
Favorite recipe, favorite blog. Keep up the good work Julie.
Awe, your comment makes my day, thank you so much! And I love the the tip of using of canned lentils!
Happy holidays to your and yours! Cheers :)
Thank you for this recipe – I loved it! It came out a bit soft, possibly because I subbed canned lentils and forgot to account for the fact that I’d need a larger volume of canned lentils than dry. I also didn’t have celery on hand, so used extra carrots. Despite these changes, it was really delicious, and I will definitely make it again.
Wonderful! So glad it was flavorful, and the substitutions worked. It could very well have been the difference in the lentils used as to why it was soft. Cheers :)
Hi Julie, thank you for this recipe. I haven’t made it as yet, but hope to for an indoor foodie market. I’d like to produce the recipe as mini loaf cakes. Do you foresee a problem?
Shalom
Donna
Hi Donna, yes, you can use this recipe to cook in mini loaf pans. Bake at 350 as directed, for 30 – 35 minutes. I’d love to know how it goes for you using mini loaf pans! Happy everything!
I love your loaf recipes!
Thank you so much for the kind words! This one is delicious, I need to make it again soon in between everything else. :)
Hello, I made this recipe last week and it was such a success. Thank you so much for posting it, it’s going to save myself and the rest of the veggies at the Christmas table this year! I was wondering, do you (or any of the other readers who may have some experience on these culinary matters) think I could make the mix ahead of time, like the day before and then cook the next day? Or would it be better to do it all on the day it will be served?
Hi, sorry about the delayed response. I’m so glad you enjoyed this loaf. I love it too!
I haven’t tried it yet, but I would think it would work just fine to make it ahead and cook the next day. I do suggest letting it come to room temperature before cooking. If you put it in the oven straight from the refrigerator it will may need to cook a little longer. I would love to know how it goes for you if you decide to make it ahead and cook in on the day of.
Happy holidays to you and yours!