Description

This stunning vegan lentil “meatloaf” is the perfect centerpiece for any dinner! Healthier than traditional meatloaf, this protein-packed vegan lentil loaf is loaded with lentils, vegetables, and nuts. This lentil meatloaf is so wonderfully hearty and delicious that nobody will miss the meat.

Ingredients

Scale

2 tablespoons water
2 cups cremini mushrooms, thinly sliced
2 medium carrots, chopped into 1/4 inch coins
1/2 large sweet potato, diced into 1/2 inch chunks
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cup walnuts
2 cups cooked green or brown lentils* (rinsed and drained)
2 teaspoons dried thyme
1 teaspoons dried rosemary
5 tablespoons tomato paste
2 tablespoon vegans worcestershire sauce (sub soy sauce or tamari if gluten-free)
1/2 – 3/4 cup panko bread crumbs (gluten-free, if necessary)

Glaze (optional)

1/4 cup ketchup

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

Cook the vegetables. Heat up a large pan over medium heat. Once hot, add 2 tablespoons of water, carrots, onions, sweet potato, mushrooms, and salt. Cover with a lid and cook for 5 minutes. Remove the lid and cook an additional 5 minutes, occasionally stirring. The sweet potato and carrots should be slightly tender but not mushy, and the mushrooms should have wilted.
Prepare the meatloaf mixture.
1. Add the walnuts to a food processor, pulsing just 2-3 times to break them down into small chunks. Avoid over processing!
2. Add the cooked vegetables, lentils, thyme, and rosemary. Pulse a few more times, scraping down the sides of the food processor as needed. The meatloaf mixture should be chunky, not mushy.
3. In a large mixing bowl, add the meatloaf mixture, tomato paste, and worcestershire sauce. Stir until well combined.
4. Then stir in the bread crumbs. Stir in 1/2 cup of bread crumbs to start, then evaluate if you need to add more. If the mixture is very wet, add in the extra 1/4 cup of bread crumbs.
Bake the lentil meatloaf.
1. Pre-heat the oven to 350 F.
2. Line a loaf tin with parchment paper for easy removal, then firmly press the meatloaf mixture into the loaf tin. Make sure to really pack it in!
3. Spoon on the ketchup glaze, evenly covering the top of the meatloaf.
4. Bake for 40 minutes, or until the edges of the meatloaf are slightly dry.
Let the meatloaf cool before slicing. Let the meatloaf cool for at least 15 minutes in the pan. If you don’t let it cool, it will be more likely to fall apart when slicing it. Once cooled, remove from the pan and enjoy!

Notes

* I highly recommend using canned lentils to save time! But if you want to make them yourself, you can do so. Make sure they are not overcooked or mushy, and are very well drained.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 serving
Calories: 346.9 kcal
Sugar: 9.6 g
Sodium: 456.7 mg
Fat: 16.9 g
Saturated Fat: 1.6 g
Unsaturated Fat: 0 g
Trans Fat: 0 g
Carbohydrates: 40.3 g
Fiber: 8.4 g
Protein: 13.3 g
Cholesterol: 0 g

Keywords: lentil meatloaf, vegan meatloaf, lentil loaf