The Ultimate Vegetable Lentil Loaf is hearty, delicious and made with pantry staples! It’s customizable to be gluten free, oil free and can be made ahead. Plus, the leftovers make for great vegan meatloaf sandwiches!
After a few attempts (five to be exact) at making this vegan lentil loaf, I have finally come up with a veggie version that tastes pretty darn good and is extremely filling!
I wanted to keep this lentil loaf recipe (aka vegan meatloaf) easy, with ingredients you may already have in your pantry. After doing a little digging, I was able to piece this together from a few resources.
- One source was this recipe from Made to Create, which is wonderfully simple, and also had good reviews from when I shared it on my Facebook page!
- Then there was this one from Oh She Glows, which is a walnut version using apples and raisins, but I wanted one with all veggies (Angela’s looks delicious and I will be trying it later).
- Last but not least, I referenced this recipe at My Vegan Cookbook.
This lentil loaf has great texture, flavor and is super filling. Be prepared, one slice will most likely fill you up, it sure does for me. I’m not kidding when I tell you this is one hearty and filling lentil loaf.
I especially love the glaze for the top of this lentil loaf, which was adapted from Angela’s recipe. You could serve a little extra on the side, or double the amount if you like, slathering a little more over top the lentil loaf once cooked.
For a fall flavored or holiday (Christmas or Thanksgiving) lentil loaf, try this Lentil Walnut Loaf with apple, fennel and sage. It’s just as amazing!
Now on with the recipe – make a loaf and share the love!
Ingredient Notes
In this WFPB recipe, mashed brown lentils are combined with sauteed carrots, onion, celery, oats, flaxmeal and herbs and baked in a loaf pan with a tangy glaze top creating a hearty vegan lentil loaf.
Here is everything you will need:
- Lentils – Use brown lentils for best results as they cook up tender and can easily be mashed. Canned lentils work too, as noted in the recipe card.
- Veggies – The vegetables include the usual mirepoix of onion, carrot and celery, with added red bell pepper. Feel free to sub in other veggies if you like. Some have left comments of adding zucchini for the bell pepper. You get the idea, you can adjust to what you have on hand or prefer.
- Garlic – If you don’t have fresh garlic, use 1 heaping teaspoon of garlic powder.
- Oats – Use old fashioned or quick oats.
- Flour – Any flour will work so use what you prefer or suits your dietary needs. For gluten free, use oat or gluten free flour blend.
- Flaxmeal – We’ll be making flax eggs, combining flaxmeal with water.
- Herbs & Spices – I absolutely love the thyme in this lentil loaf recipe, but have added cumin for a little earthiness and warmth. Feel free to omit the cumin all together, especially if making for the holiday table such as Christmas or Thanksgiving. And if you like spicy, you’ll love the ground chipotle pepper in this recipe with the glaze, it’s such a nice combo of sweet and spice!
- Glaze – The glaze is a flavorful and tangy mix of ketchup (organic pref.), pure maple syrup and apple cider vinegar. Feel free to double the glaze.
How To Make Lentil Loaf
- Cook the lentils. Cook your lentils, let set for about 15 minutes, most of the liquid should be absorbed. Mash or puree about 2/ 3 – ¾ of the mixture. You should be able to easily mash the lentils with a back of a fork or slotted spoon.
- Saute the veggies. While lentils are cooling, saute the vegetables (above right).
- Combine and mix. Add the lentils to the sauteed veggie mixture along with the oats, flour and flax egg. Mix well to combine.
- Pack into loaf pan. Once everything is mixed, pack the lentil mixture into a 9 x 5 loaf pan. It helps to use parchment paper to line the loaf pan, making it easier to remove the loaf using the overhanging paper.
- Add glaze. Spread glaze over top and distribute evenly as possible.
- Bake. Place lentil loaf in the oven at 350 degrees for 45 – 50 minutes.
Top Tips
- Change the seasonings. Don’t be afraid to switch up the seasonings in this recipe. I think Italian seasoning would be great.
- Double the glaze. I’ve had many readers say they double the glaze and I couldn’t agree more!
What To Serve With Lentil Loaf
This lentil loaf pairs great with a variety of sides like these:
- Vegan Mashed Potatoes made in an Instant Pot or stovetop
- Green Beans Almondine
- Crispy Roasted Brussels Sprouts
- Scalloped Potatoes
- Baked Vegan Mac & Cheese
- Healthy Baked Beans (Instant Pot + Slow Cooker)
- Vegan Macaroni Salad
- Savory Sauteed Kale
- Steamed asparagus
- A light and simple salad for freshness
- & Leftovers make great ‘meatloaf’ sandwiches!
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 freezer safe ziplock bags, removing as much air as possible before closing.
- Reheat: I don’t recommend reheating the entire loaf at once because it will most likely become too dry. I do recommend cutting slices and then reheating. Reheat in the microwave or oven at 350 for 5 – 10 minutes.
Make Ahead
You can make your lentil loaf the day or two before and store, uncooked, in the refrigerator until ready to heat. When ready bake according to instructions.
Why Is My Lentil Loaf Mushy?
If you find your lentil loaf is mushy, too much moisture is most likely the culprit, creating a mushy lentil loaf. To combat this, when cooking the lentils, be sure to cook down the water all the way. There should be no more than 1 tablespoon water (and it’s ok if there is none). If using canned lentils, omit the flax egg (there’s plenty of moisture in canned lentils, even after draining).
If you try this vegetable lentil 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.
PrintTHE ULTIMATE VEGETABLE LENTIL LOAF
A wonderfully flavored lentil loaf for the whole family to enjoy. The leftovers make for great sandwiches too!
- Prep Time: 15 min
- Cook Time: 90 min
- Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes
- Yield: Serves 8 1x
- Category: Entree
- Method: bake
- Cuisine: Vegan, American
Ingredients
Loaf
- 1 cup dry lentils (use green/brown)
- 2 ½ cups water or vegetable broth
- 3 tablespoons flaxseed meal (ground flaxseeds)
- ⅓ cup water
- 2 tablespoons olive oil OR steam saute using ¼ cup water
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 small onion, finely diced
- 1 small red bell pepper, finely diced
- 1 carrot, finely diced or grated
- 1 celery stalk, finely diced
- ¾ cup oats (I used GF oats)
- ½ cup oat flour or finely ground oats (any flour of choice will work here too)
- 2 teaspoons dried thyme (or Italian Seasoning)
- 1 teaspoon each garlic powder & onion powder (for good measure!)
- ½ teaspoon cumin, optional
- ¼ – ½ teaspoon ground chipotle pepper, optional
- cracked pepper & sea salt, to taste
Glaze
- 3 tablespoons organic ketchup
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar or balsamic (see notes)
- 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
Instructions
Prepare lentils: Rinse the lentils, remove odd pieces. In large pot add 2 ½ cups water/broth with lentils. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for about 35 – 40 minutes, stirring occasionally. It’s ok if they get mushy, we are going to roughly puree ¾ of the mixture when cooled. Once done, remove lid and set aside to cool (there should only be a little bit of water so do not drain), lentils will thicken a bit upon standing, about 15 minutes is good.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Make flax egg: In small bowl combine flaxseed meal and ⅓ cup water, set aside for at least 10 minutes, preferably in the refrigerator. This will act as a binder and will thicken nicely upon sitting.
Saute vegetables & spices: In saute pan heat oil or water over medium heat. Saute garlic, onion, bell pepper, carrots and celery for about 5 minutes. Add spices mixing well to incorporate. Set aside to cool.
Mash the lentils: Using an immersion blender, food processor, back of a fork or potato masher, blend ¾ of the lentil mixture. For me this was an important part, I tried it other ways and this worked to help as a binder. If using an immersion blender, tilt the pot slightly to the side for easier blending.
Assemble lentil loaf: Combine sauteed vegetables with the lentils, oats, oat flour and flax-egg, mix well. Taste, adding salt and pepper as needed, or any other herb or spice you might like. Place mixture into a loaf pan lined with parchment paper, leaving it overlapping for easy removal later. Press down firmly filling in along the edges too.
Glaze: Prepare your glaze by combining all ingredients in a small bowl, mix until incorporated. I recommend making each tablespoon heaping so you have plenty of this great sauce on top (if using tomato paste and mixture is too thick, add a teaspoon of water, or a little extra vinegar & syrup). Spread evenly over top the loaf.
Bake: Place in center of the oven, and bake in oven for about 45 – 50 minutes. Let cool a bit before slicing.
Serves 8
Serving suggestions: Serve with cooked asparagus, green beans, brussels sprouts, mashed potatoes, roasted red potatoes, scalloped potatoes, savory sauteed kale, baked beans, macaroni salad and/or simple salad, etc.
Notes
Glaze: Use either apple cider or balsamic vinegar. Balsamic will yield a bolder flavor. You may like to double up on the glaze, having some to put on the loaf after it’s removed from the oven.
Omit spicy heat: If you don’t care for a little spicy heat, omit the chipotle powder.
Canned lentils: You can use canned (15oz) lentils (or about 1 ½ – 2 cups), just be sure to drain and rinse them well, and mash about ⅔ – ¾ or so.
Store: Leftovers will last 5 – 5 days in the refrigerator, in covered containers. To keep longer, store in the freezer for 2 – 3 months. To freeze, cut into individual slices with parchment paper between the slices and store in freezer safe containers or bags (if using baggies remove as much air as possible).
Reheat: I do not recommend reheating the entire loaf at once. It will most likely become too dry, as the heat will take too long to reach the center. I recommend cutting slices and reheating.
Make ahead: 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.
RECOMMENDED EQUIPMENT: This loaf pan is a great size, or something similar. For lining the loaf pan I cut these parchment liners in half (affiliate links). For more of my favorite cooking tools, shop my kitchen essentials!
Updated: The Ultimate Vegetable Lentil Loaf was originally published in November 2012. It has been retested and updated with new photos and helpful tips in November 2019. No changes were made to the recipe as it’s still just as good!
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Special K says
Can you freeze whole to cook later?
Deb G says
This was so delicious I have made it again in a double batch to freeze. The glaze was such a hit we made extra for a side to drizzle on as desired. And just for fun, we used the loaf as a base for shepherd’s pie, topping it was mashed potatoes and baking for the last 15 minutes. We left our second batch more textured by mashing only half of the lentils and we added a cup and a half of chopped pecans besides for extra crunch. I’ve raced and shared this recipe with several others in multiple countries! Many thanks!!
★★★★★
Katherine says
can I use steel cut oats?
Barb says
We enjoyed the flavour but it turned out mushy and did not set like a loaf. Cooked it extra long as well. Don’t know what happened
★★★★
Stephanie says
I made this over the weekend and it turned out great! I finished it by the next day. I plan to make this for Thanksgiving and have a few days to try a different version. I love the glaze and I will definitely double it (in addition to an extra serving for people to add more on). I thought the base was a little bland. I didn’t add salt and didn’t taste it before baking (I want salt-free if possible). I’m going to double the chipotle pepper to 1/2 tsp. Also you mentioned to use apple, fennel or sage for Thanksgiving. How much do you recommend adding?
★★★★★
Julie | The Simple Veganista says
So glad you enjoyed the lentil loaf, Stephanie! You could also up the garlic and onion powder to 1 teaspoon each to boost the flavor, but doubling the chipotle would be nice too. For using apple and the other herbs, I would stick with making my Lentil Walnut Loaf which includes the apple, fennel, and sage. It also includes the yummy glaze and is a nice mix of flavors to switch it up with, especially for the holidays!
Stephanie says
Made it 2 more times and it was great! I doubled both the onion & garlic powder & used 1/2 tsp chipotle powder. I also doubled the glaze again which I highly recommend to anyone trying it. My family members liked it & I noticed my neice getting a 2nd serving! They’re not vegan so it’s great to have delicious food that non- vegans also love. I think the flax egg is perfect- no eggs needed & increases the micronutrient content. Thanks again Julie!
★★★★★
Lindsay says
I made this last year for Thanksgiving and loved it! Making again but I’m short on oats…could I use dry cubed bread that I have for stuffing?
★★★★★
Julie | The Simple Veganista says
Great question, Lindsay! I haven’t tried it, but I think using dry cubed bread in place of some of the oats should work fine. Enjoy your holidays!
Mary says
I have made this recipe several times. My family loves it. I substitute red lentils instead of the brown or green lentils. I also add nutritional yeast to the mixture. My grandson also likes the mixture shaped into burgers. The favorite part of the recipe is that you can switch out the spices to whatever you desire. whatever spices you desire. This recipe is very easy to make. Delicious💯
★★★★★
Stephanie says
How much nutritional yeast do you add?
★★★★★
Jaya says
I just made this. It is absolutely delicious!! I doubled the recipe so it made 2 ‘loaves’. I also used eggs instead of the flax seed. I added in sriracha for the chilli flavour. I also used chick pea flour instead of oat flour. It turned out so well. The glaze is wonderful. Thanks so much for this lovely recipe. Will definitely be making it again. One is going in the freezer for another day. :)
Diane Dray says
I’m going to try this recipe. I don’t need it to be vegan, just vegetarian, so I’m interested in how many eggs you used.
Menaka says
I am trying to opt for more vegan dishes and this one was a hit! I loved it and will make it again. Thank youu 😊
★★★★★