No one will miss the meat in this savory, mouthwatering Vegan Lentil Loaf! Makes a wonderful main dish on a holiday, and is easy enough to make any day of the week. Pair with mashed potatoes and steamed green beans for a comforting, classic meal.
I was never crazy about lentil meatloaf because I just couldn’t seem to get it right. Too often my loaf was mushy, sometimes even kind of gummy tasting. I remember one Thanksgiving making a recipe I was so excited about, and it just wasn’t good at all!
Well, no more! I will teach you how to make the best lentil loaf ever. My recipe is meat-eater approved, just like mom used to make but vegan. It’s the perfect vegetarian main dish for Thanksgiving, Christmas or any other holiday.
It holds together well when you slice it and did I mention it tastes incredible? The topping is probably my favorite part.
You might also enjoy The Best Vegan Meatloaf, which features chickpeas instead of lentils. Don’t forget to make a batch of Vegan Dinner Rolls to go with this healthy lentil mushroom loaf!
Ingredients you need (with substitutions)
- Olive oil – Just a tablespoon to sauté the veggies. Use water or vegetable broth for oil free.
- Onion
- Mushrooms – Even if you dislike mushrooms, I encourage you to try them here. They add bulk and texture but you can’t really taste them.
- Carrots
- Walnuts – If you have an allergy, leave them out. Or use sunflower seeds.
- Lentils – Brown or green. Don’t use red, they are too mushy when cooked. I like to use canned to make the recipe a breeze.
- Ground flaxseeds – They help add structure so the loaf stays together well. May leave out if needed.
- Ketchup – For flavor.
- Vegan Worcestershire Sauce – I can usually find a vegan version at a store near me, such as Annie’s brand.
- Salt
- Dried thyme
- Breadcrumbs – The key to a non-mushy loaf!
How to make Lentil Loaf
Find the complete recipe with measurements below.
If you are cooking your own lentils from scratch, start them now. Add 1 cup of green/brown lentils to a medium pot with 3 cups of water. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for about 30 minutes. Drain well.
In a large pan, cook the onions, mushrooms and carrots for about 5 minutes, until softened. Set aside.
In a food processor, add the walnuts and pulse until a bit crumbly. If you don’t have a food processor, you can chop the nuts small on a cutting board with a large knife, then use a potato masher to lightly mash the lentils once they are done.
If using a food processor, add them to it and pulse just a few times.
Transfer the lentils/walnuts into a large bowl, then add all the other loaf ingredients except the breadcrumbs. Stir well, then add 1/2 cup of the breadcrumbs and mix. Mix in the last 1/4 cup of breadcrumbs if the mixture is still quite wet, but not if it’s dry. If it happens to be too crumbly and dry, add a few tablespoons of water. This will largely depend on the moisture level in your lentils.
Push the mixture evenly into the pan, cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, remove the foil, top with the ketchup topping, and pop it back in for 10 minutes. Remove from oven, let cool for 15-20 minutes before slicing and serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What kind of lentils should I use? Brown or green. Do not use red lentils, they turn to mush when cooked. But I love them for my Best Vegan Lasagna and Red Lentil Dahl!
- Can I use a different topping if I don’t like ketchup? Yes! Sometimes I leave off the ketchup topping and serve with my Easy Vegan Gravy instead. I usually do this for holiday meals when I make The Best Dang Vegan Mashed Potatoes. Gravy. On. Everything.
- Is there a make ahead option? Yes, you can prepare the loaf up to two days ahead of time. Put it together in the pan, but don’t bake it. Cover and refrigerate. When ready to serve, bake it according to instructions.
- How long do leftovers last? In the refrigerator, leftover healthy lentil loaf will keep for 4-5 days. Store in covered containers. It makes the best vegan meatloaf sandwiches!
- Can I freeze lentil loaf? Yes, it freezes well. Let it cool completely, then wrap well and place in a freezer safe container or ziplock bag and freeze. I prefer freezing it in individual slices for easier warming up.
How can I prevent a mushy lentil loaf?
There are a few tips to prevent a mushy loaf. The problem is too much moisture, most likely from the lentils.
I prefer using canned lentils if I can find them, both because it makes the recipe much easier and because when drained, canned lentils aren’t as mushy. I find them to be more consistent.
If you don’t want to use canned that’s fine, but make sure you don’t overcook the lentils and drain them well, even patting them with paper towels, to remove excess moisture.
If the mixture seems really wet, add more breadcrumbs. You don’t want it to be too dry and crumbly, but it shouldn’t be too wet either.
What to serve with vegan lentil loaf
Just like my Vegan Turkey or Vegan Ham, this healthy vegetarian main dish goes with a variety of tasty side dishes:
- Best Dang Vegan Mashed Potatoes
- Vegan Mac and Cheese
- Easy Vegan Gravy
- Vegan Scalloped Potatoes
- Roasted Brussels Sprouts
- Instant Pot Kale
- Vegan Caesar Salad or Festive Kale Salad
- Steamed broccoli, green beans, cauliflower or asparagus
More recipes featuring the mighty lentil!
- Lentil Shepherd’s Pie with Cheesy Mashed Potatoes
- The Best Lentil Soup
- Lemon Lentil Soup
- Lentil Bolognese
Vegan Lentil Loaf
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 small onion, diced
- 8 ounces mushrooms, chopped small
- 1 medium sized carrot, peeled and diced small
- 1 1/2 cups raw walnuts
- 2 cups cooked green/brown lentils (*SEE NOTE)
- 2 tablespoons ground flaxseeds
- 2 tablespoons ketchup
- 2 tablespoons vegan Worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon salt, or more to taste
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/2-3/4 cup breadcrumbs
Topping
- 1/2 cup ketchup
- 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon vegan Worcestershire sauce
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and line a standard loaf pan with parchment paper, for easy removal.
- Heat a large pan over medium heat. Once hot, add the olive oil, onions, mushrooms and carrots. Cook, stirring frequently for about 5 minutes until the vegetables soften and the mushrooms release their juices. Remove from heat and set aside.
- In a food processor, add the walnuts and pulse a few times. They should be in small pieces, but not completely a powder. Now add the lentils and pulse a few times.
- Dump the walnuts/lentils into a large bowl, and add the cooked vegetables, ground flaxseeds, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, salt and dried thyme. Mix well with a wooden spoon. Now add 1/2 cup of the breadcrumbs and fold in. Add the last 1/4 cup if the mixture still seems wet, but if it’s dry (this will depend on the moisture level of your lentils) don’t add more. If the mixture is crumbly for some reason, add a few tablespoons of water.
- Transfer to the prepared loaf pan, and press the mixture evenly and firmly into the pan. Cover with foil, and cook in the oven for 30 minutes.
- Make the topping: Stir all topping ingredients in a small bowl to combine.
- After 30 minutes, remove the foil, spread on the ketchup topping and cook uncovered for 10 more minutes. Let cool for about 15-20 minutes before slicing and serving. Enjoy!
Notes
- For this loaf, I prefer to buy pre-cooked lentils. They tend to be less mushy than when I cook them myself, plus it makes the recipe faster. I find them at Trader Joe’s in the produce section. You can make your own if you want. You will need 1 cup dried lentils and 3 cups of water. Bring to a boil, then simmer for about 30 minutes. Drain well, and pat dry with paper towels to remove excess moisture.
- If you don’t have a food processor, you could chop the walnuts with a heavy knife on a cutting board instead, and then use a potato mashed to slightly mash the lentils in the bowl.
- Switch up the topping by making a batch of vegan gravy instead of the ketchup topping.
- Make ahead – Prep the loaf, cover and refrigerate up to two days before. When ready, bake according to instructions.
- Gluten free – Substitute gluten free breadcrumbs or possibly quick oats.
- Storing leftovers – The loaf will keep for 4-5 days covered in the refrigerator. It also freezes well. Cool, wrap well and freeze either a whole loaf or individual slices.
Nutrition
This recipe was first published in 2019 and has been updated with better writing and information. The recipe is unchanged.
Absolutely DELICIOUS. Had been craving my mom’s meatloaf and this hit the spot. Subbed tonkatsu sauce for vegan Worcestershire (I had none) and rehydrated some shiitakes to use as the mushrooms, but otherwise stayed faithful. Really outstanding. Held up together nicely too. Thank you!
You bet, Liza! I’m so glad the lentil loaf recipe filled your craving for mom’s meatloaf! Thank you for sharing your recipe experience, as well as your awesome review! Happy cooking!
Hi – this looks great and I would like to make it this week. Do you think it would work as well with red lentils? Thank you
I don’t think it would work as well with red lentils, as they just sort of turn to mush when cooked and have no form. Your loaf will be quite mushy.
Do you have a personal preference between this and your “Best Vegan Meatloaf” using chickpeas? Thanks in advance.
I personally prefer this one actually, but I love both. 🙂
Do you rinse your canned lentils before using?
Yes, I do. Often I use the ones from Trader Joe’s that aren’t in a can, but in a vacuum sealed pack in the produce section, and those don’t require rinsing.
Never saw lentils in a can, but I’ve got around 5 pounds of dried, not a biggie to boil them down, drain them and go to town.
Unsurprising though, every other kind of pea/bean is available canned. Well, save red lentils, which do mush out quickly when cooked due to their smaller size. Those pretty much are a parboil style preparation and a real nuisance to avoid mushing out.
Yeah, experimented with red lentils, nearly mastered them, but overall, I’ll keep what little I still have for soup. Grumbling the entire time I’m working with them… 😉
In the US, Kroger has canned lentils in its “Simple Truth Organic” brand. Also Walmart carries organic “Great Value” canned lentils.
I love the idea of freezing in muffins pans. Do you freeze before cooking or after cooking? Also, how long do you cook in the muffin pans?
I usually freeze after cooking, but you could before. I’d say about 25 minutes.
I’ll be giving the muffin pan based version a try after getting my first small loaf pan based down pat. Lost my wife of 41+ years a couple of years back, so scaling back recipes is a challenge.
Got irritated with canned veggies in 8 oz cans costing double what a 14 ounce can costed, so I started canning fresh or frozen veggies in 8 oz jelly jars by the case, with the added benefit of tossing in some garlic and onion. 45 minutes in the pressure canner, only had one jar fail to seal and that got a following day dinner designed around it.
Included, spinach or broccoli rabe in garlic, onions, some chili peppers for mild heat (to taste) and artificial chicken flavored stock. Great drained and used in a sandwich with sharp cheese! Great for dinner as well.
Yeah, back just after fire was invented, I was a chef…
Hi Nora, I used this recipe and filled my red peppers with the mixture. It came out so delicious. Every recipe that I use from your site comes out perfectly and I can certainly count on all the measurements, ingredients and time allowances. Thank you Nora!
You are so welcome, Kristine! I love your idea of the red peppers! Thanks for sharing your fabulous review, and I’m thrilled you loved the recipe! Wishing you lots of happy cooking!
I am very new to a vegan lifestyle. I made this recipe tonight and it had a wonderful flavor. Both my husband and I enjoyed it very much. Neither of us expected it to taste like meatloaf, but were surprised by how crunchy the walnuts are. Did I not chop them fine enough? Perhaps I did not saute them long enough with the carrots, onions and mushrooms? Or is that the texture it should have? Thank you so much for this recipe….for all of the recipes on this site. They all look wonderful.
I’m glad you enjoyed it! If the walnuts were large and very noticeable, then I would say you didn’t chop them enough, but this is really a preference. I usually chop them quite fine so they add a little crunch and texture, but it’s not like you can tell you’re eating nuts exactly. You can also leave them out if you didn’t like the crunch. Thank you so much, and I hope you find many more recipes to enjoy here!
Love this recipe. I traded out mushrooms for black beans and it is delicious. I also make them in muffin tins and freeze for an easy meal.
Hi Lynn. I love your muffin tin idea! Thanks for sharing your fantastic review and ideas!
This is by far the best vegan lentil loaf I’ve found, and I’ve made it several times without mushrooms (I’m one of the rare vegans who doesn’t like them), Black beans are such a good idea Lynn!! I’ll add them tonight. Thank you both! 😊
Can’t wait to try. Can I use oatmeal in place of bread crumbs? Thank you.
Yes, that will work. I’d probably prefer quick oats or just blend/process the rolled oats a few times to break them down a bit.
This lentil loaf is absolutely delicious!!! Thanks so much for sharing!!!
You are welcome, Eileen! Thank YOU for your fabulous review and feedback!
This is THE BEST lentil loaf recipe! Making it right now for the 100th time.
Seriously, how are your recipes the best and the easiest I ever find? To change it up, I look at other recipes and always come back to your blog. Always perfect and delicious. Thank you!!!
Hi Christine. Your kind words are so encouraging! I am thrilled that you love the lentil loaf, and are enjoying all of my recipes! I appreciate your stellar review and feedback! Thank you! Happy cooking!
How many cans is 2 cups of lentils?
Probably about 1 1/2 cans, depending on the size of your cans.
I’ve been making this recipe for years and love it. I was curious if you can wrap it in puff pastry and make a Wellington with it? I know you have a Wellington recipe, but I love this one so much and was hoping I could use it still. Thank you!
I’m sure you could, that’s a great idea!
This recipe is amazing. We always pair it with mashed potatoes and veggies.
One question: I don’t like mushrooms. I usually just omit them. Is there a substitution you recommend?
You could probably use another cup of lentils. Or just leave them out without replacing them, that’s fine too. Glad you enjoy the recipe!
Goodbye tofurkey. I live with a diabetic and sugar Is never used in any recipe so I have become a recipe changer. I make this awesome loaf but my topping is vegan gravy which I flavor with meat masala.. sugar free and still delicious
Hi Robert. I’m thrilled you are enjoying the loaf! Thanks for sharing your fabulous feedback and review!
I made mine in a cupcake muffin pan as part of my meal prep. I freeze them for future enjoyment. They are easy, healthy and delicious! This will certainly be in my rotation of recipe choices. Thank you Nora.
You are welcome. I love your muffin pan and freeze idea! Thanks for your fabulous feedback and review!
I like to put in a pan that I can mold the loaf so the sides and top May brown, Cana lentil loaf be done that way?
We never ate a non-beef loaf!!??
I think that should be just fine, but I haven’t tried it. I hope you love this non-beef lentil loaf!
I have everything but the walnuts… do you think pecans would work? Or almonds
Yes, you can use any type of nut or sunflower seeds in their place. Happy cooking!
After becoming plant based in 2013, one of the things I miss the most is meatloaf. I made your meatloaf tonight, huge hit!!! No more missing meatloaf!!! I did use oats instead of breadcrumbs because that’s what I used in my recipe years ago! Really loved this recipe!!
Hi! Is it possible to just leave out the breadcrumbs or oats? Thank you so much.:)
Hi Ally, the loaf would likely turn out mushy if you left out the breadcrumbs or oats. Almond flour could also work in its place if you’re looking for more substitute options. Hope this helps!
Hello! If made the night prior, will it have to bake for longer than said in the instructions? Thank you!
It shouldn’t need any extra time but if you notice that it doesn’t look quite ready, keep it in the oven for 5 or 10 minutes longer.
If I make ahead and freeze the whole loaf- how do I reheat -from frozen or thaw first?
I think it would be best to thaw first.
The link for “breadcrumbs” isn’t working for me. Did you use Panko breadcrumbs?
I usually use panko as they are the kind I can find vegan. But other breadcrumbs work as well. Thanks!
Looking forward to making this loaf sometime. Is there a healthier option for the ketchup topping?
This was awhile ago so I’m not sure if you’ll see this, but you can use Primal Kitchen’s ketchup- the one in the glass bottle, not the squeeze bottle, as the squeezable one is crazy vinegary- and add dates for the sweetness. I soaked dates in boiling water for about 10 mns, then blended it up with the ketchup. Maybe try 3 medjool dates and see if it’s to your liking, if not, add more. You really do not need to add the worcestershire sauce or added sugar in this recipe. Hope this helps!