The Ultimate Vegetable Lentil Loaf
The Ultimate Vegetable Lentil Loaf is hearty, delicious, and made with pantry staples! It’s customizable to be gluten-free and 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 easy, with ingredients you may already have in your pantry. So all ingredients are easily accessible!
This lentil loaf has great texture and 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 say this is one hearty, filling lentil loaf!
I especially love the tangy glaze on top. You double the recipe so you have extra on the side, or slather more over the top of 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 – For best results, use brown lentils, as they cook tender and mash easily. 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, substituting 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 GF, use oat or gluten-free flour blend.
- Flaxmeal – We’ll be making flax eggs by combining flaxseed meal with water.
- Herbs & Spices -I absolutely love the thyme in this lentil loaf recipe, but I have added cumin for a little earthiness and warmth. Feel free to omit the cumin altogether, especially if making it for the holiday table, such as Christmas or Thanksgiving. And if you like spicy, you’ll love the ground chipotle pepper in this recipe’s glaze. It’s such a nice combo of sweet and spice!
- Glaze – A flavorful, tangy mix of ketchup (organic preferred), pure maple syrup, and apple cider vinegar. Feel free to double the glaze.
How To Make Lentil Loaf
Cook the lentils. Cook your lentils and let them sit for about 15 minutes; most of the liquid should be absorbed. Mash or puree about 2/3-3/4 of the mixture. You should be able to easily mash the lentils with the back of a fork or slotted spoon.
Sauté the veggies. While the lentils are cooling, sauté the vegetables (see 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 a loaf pan. Once everything is mixed, pack the lentil mixture into a 9 x 5 loaf pan. It helps to line the loaf pan with parchment paper, making it easier to remove the loaf by lifting the overhanging paper.
Add glaze. Spread glaze over the top and distribute it as evenly as possible.
Bake. Place the lentil loaf in the oven at 350 degrees for 45-50 minutes.
Helpful 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. 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 on the 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: Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for 5 – 6 days, in a covered container. Leftovers make great sandwiches!
Freezer: For longer storage, freeze for 2–3 months. To freeze, let the lentil loaf cool completely. Slice into individual cut pieces and store them in freezer-safe containers (affiliate link) with parchment paper between the slices so they don’t stick together. You can also use freezer-safe ziplock bags, removing as much air as possible before closing.
Reheat: I don’t recommend reheating the entire loaf at once, as it will likely become too dry. I do recommend cutting the slices and then reheating them. Reheat in the microwave or in the oven at 350°F for 5-10 minutes.
Make Ahead
You can make your lentil loaf the day or two before and store it, uncooked, in the refrigerator until ready to heat. When ready, bake according to the instructions.
Why Is My Lentil Loaf Mushy?
If you find your lentil loaf mushy, too much moisture is most likely the culprit. 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 of water (and it’s okay 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.
Print Recipe
THE ULTIMATE VEGETABLE LENTIL LOAF
- Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes
- Yield: Serves 8
- Diet: Vegan
Description
A wonderfully flavored lentil loaf with simple veggies and tangy glaze is easy to make and a main dish the whole family can enjoy. The leftovers make for great sandwiches too!
Ingredients
Loaf
- 1 cup dry lentils (use green/brown)
- 2 1/2 cups vegetable broth
- 3 tablespoons flaxseed meal (ground flaxseeds)
- 1/3 cup water
- 2 tablespoons olive oil OR steam saute using 1/4 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 rib, finely diced
- 3/4 cup oats (I used GF oats)
- 1/2 cup oat flour or finely ground oats (any flour of choice will work here too)
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme (or Italian Seasoning)
- 1 teaspoon EACH garlic powder & onion powder (for good measure!)
- 1/2 – 1 teaspoon cumin, optional
- 1/4 – 1/2 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 a large pot, add 2 1/2 cups of water/broth with lentils. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for about 35-40 minutes, stirring occasionally. It’s okay if they get mushy; we’ll roughly puree 3/4 of the mixture once it’s 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 a small bowl, combine flaxseed meal with 1/3 cup water and set aside for at least 10 minutes, preferably in the refrigerator. This will act as a binder and will thicken nicely upon sitting.
Sauté vegetables & spices: In a saute pan, heat oil or water over medium heat. Sauté 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 3/4 of the lentil mixture. For me, this was an important part. I tried it in 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 the mixture into a 9×5 loaf pan lined with parchment paper, leaving the parchment paper 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 and mixing 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 the top of the loaf.
Bake: Place in the center of the oven and bake 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 a simple salad.
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 1/2 – 2 cups), just be sure to drain and rinse them well, and mash about 2/3 – 3/4 or so. Skip the vegetable broth as it is used to cook the dried lentils.
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, place parchment paper between 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 it uncooked until ready to heat; bring it to room temperature and heat according to the 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).
- Prep Time: 15 min
- Cook Time: 90 min
- Category: Entree
- Method: bake
- Cuisine: American
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Great recipe i tweaked as I always do but it was a great inspirating starting point. Thank you!
This is a fabulous vegan recipe. I used a real egg instead of the flax egg and left out the extra water. The only thing is, I don’t like the strong taste of thyme – would leave it out or use oregano. And I appreciated the suggestion to add extra ketchup-1 more tbsp and yummo!!
I also would say to use a glass loaf pan as metal leaves a black residue on the loaf.
New to making vegetarian so I was prepared to hate this, but it’s amazing!! Doubled the glaze and just wow!
love this recipe! i’ve made it twice already. this time i subbed maple syrup for just sugar and added sriracha in the glaze and it came out beautifully.
Hi, added a can of tomato paste and a teaspoon of liquid smoke and some nutritional yeast, it was so good
Hi there, I would love to make this for thanksgiving, but I have a couple questions I hope you can answer.
1. Do I boil the lentils in water or vegetable broth?
2. It says to blend 3/4 of the lentil mixture. What do I do with the remaining 1/4?
Thank you!
Thanks for the questions, Margaret!
1. The lentils will be simmered as directed in the instructions (the first paragraph). You can use broth or water. The broth will yield a more flavorful outcome.
2. All of the lentils will be used.
I hope that helps. Enjoy the lentil loaf and your holiday!
I had been following this excellent recipe, but now make my own Happy Accident version. I mistakenly added the glaze to the loaf mixture, but decided to go ahead and see how that would turn out. I made another batch of glaze to spread on the top, and baked for the usual 45-50 minutes. Extra moist (not wet) and extra delicious! Friends have asked for the recipe, so I typed it up, giving you full credit!
The lentil loaf is currently in the oven but I already know it will be added to my rotation of recipes, it is so simple to make!
I subbed the flax meal for chickpea water, and doubled the carrots and celery instead of the pepper. For the glaze I mixed ketchup, vinegar, and dijon, along with the same spices used in the recipe. Can’t wait to try it!
Thank you for this recipe! I believe I have been making this recipe for the past decade! It has been a hit at Thanksgivings and Christmases over the years. I just made another loaf that I am about to bring to a dinner party with friends. So tasty and satisfying every time I make this! :)
I’m in the process of making this the second time. The first was way too wet. This time I drained the lentils completely. Used the immersion blender and they are again very wet. Not sure what’s going wrong, or if I can salvage this loaf. Perhaps extra oatmeal might absorb some of the liquid. It certainly looks nothing like the crumbly lentil mixture you have in the picture. Seems like a huge waste of time and ingredients at this point.
Sorry you are having issues, Lois. Not sure why the lentils are still so wet, once drained. You can try adding more oats. Also, you can try skipping pureeing to see if that helps. I hope this time it comes out perfectly!