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.
I didn’t care for the mushrooms, so probably will omit them next time. Added red pepper, garlic, celery leaves and a dash of liquid smoke. I subbed oats for the breadcrumbs and added an egg and it worked out fine. Subbed spicy ketchup for the topping and it was good. It made a lot more than expected, though, so I ended up using a 9” x 13” pan. My hubby wasn’t a huge fan but was a good sport and ate it, anyway.
I put off making this because I thought it would be disappointing. Wow, was I wrong! It’s delicious and has moved to our favorites list, Thanks for a great recipe.
You’re welcome!
Can I make this without mushrooms?
Yes, you could just leave them out.
My son is allergic to walnuts which nut would be the best substitute for this recipe?
Almonds or sunflower seeds are good choices, even pecans would be good. Hope that helps!
I made this tonight for dinner after seeing Erin Ireland try it. I can confirm it was delicious! I’m adding this to my stack of go to recipes! I had a little extra that didn’t fit in to my loaf pan (since I was a little over on some of the measurements) and I baked a few lentil “meatballs” alongside the loaf. Awesome!
The lentil ‘meatball’s sound great! Glad you enjoyed it.
I made this tonite & it was a success even my husband who is not vegan liked it
That’s fantastic!
It was a hit! I made entirely too much. Does this freeze well?
Yes, it freezes very well! Thank you.
I would love to make a bigger batch of this to share at a potluck… maybe 9×13 casserole dish? What do you think about doubling the recipe and how much to adjust cook time? It also won’t be as deep a loaf. Thanks!
I’m not sure as I haven’t tried this, but I think it could work. I honestly don’t know about the time though, maybe similar? I would just watch and see when it seemed done.
I made this as a loaf and it was delicious!! My husband loved it too and said it was better than any real meatloaf he’s ever had. Was wondering if I could follow same recipe and make it into meatballs? If yes, would cook time and temp be the same? Thank you!!
I’m so happy you enjoyed the lentil loaf! I’m sure it would work as meatballs but I haven’t tried it. I imagine they would only need to bake for 20-30 minutes that way. Same temp should be fine. Thanks!
If I’m using gravy instead of the ketchup topping, do I just leave it in the oven covered for 40-45 or do I still uncover after 30 for an additional 10-15? Or do I just remove at 30 minutes? 🙂
I already love it just by tasting the mixture!! Can’t wait to try it when it’s done!!
You could probably just cook it covered the entire time (40 minutes). Hope that helps and you enjoy the loaf!
I ended up just going with the ketchup topping this time and WOW was it delicious! I’ve been vegan for over 5 years and I’ve never made a lentil loaf before. There are soooo many recipes out there and I’m glad this is the one I went with!! It tasted phenomenal and held together nicely. This is will be perfect for thanksgiving tomorrow (Today’s was a test run). I’ll skip the ketchup tomorrow and just cook for the full 40 covered. Thanks for this awesome recipe. Looking forward to trying some of your others!
I’m so happy you liked it! I can’t believe you’ve never made one in 5 years, wow! I made so many before coming up with the recipe, after many disappointing loaves. Happy Thanksgiving!
I would love to make this tonight but I don’t have vegan Worcestershire sauce. Is there something I can sub for it? Or just leave it out?? Thanks!
You could just leave it out, no worries. Enjoy!
It’s ideal! Really nice savory flavor with all of those mushrooms, and the texture of the nuts is lovely. This will definitely be one of my go-to meals.
Wonderful! Thanks for the feedback, and I’m glad you liked it!
Best Recipe Ever! I couldn’t stop eating. I will be making for Thanksgiving!
I’m so glad you liked it!
Hi Nora
Could I make it a day in advance, keep in the fridge and then bake the next evening?
Thanks.
Yes, that would work! You may need to increase the cooking time since it will be very cold straight from the fridge.
I added a touch of garlic and celery to the mirepoix mixture and then added a bit of pepper and double the top sauce. I also used mini loaf pans – cute and perfectly portioned. DELICIOUS!
Could something be substituted for the breadcrumbs? GF oats, potato starch, etc?
GF oats would probably work quite well, I’m not so sure about potato starch. You could sub a mix of oats and almond flour.
Thanks for sharing the recipe. I just wanted to ask if there is a nut allergy can we replace the walnuts for something else or omit them, Thanks.
You can omit them if needed, but they add a nice texture.
I plan on trying this with sunflower seeds! Maybe that would work for you too. 🙂
Panko has started making GF bread crumbs and there are a few other brands available now! You could also use ground up GF oats
Made the lentil load tonight. It took me longer than I expected but it turned out better than I thought it would. I wouldn’t make it again though as it made too much for two. I’m hoping some of the leftovers will freeze.
Delicious!
I made this lentil loaf and everybody loved it! Even the non-vegans!
If I don’t have flax seed could I use chia?
Yes you can.
This is so delicious! I made it as written and it still eats a tiny bit wet. Have you ever added oatmeal? I used to do that back in the day when I made meatloaf with meat.
I haven’t added oats to this loaf, but yes you could certainly do that. The moisture level depends a lot on your lentils. If you make your own, don’t drain them well, or even sometimes if you do, moisture levels will vary. I just add breadcrumbs accordingly, so maybe next time add either a little more breadcrumbs or oats would be fine as well. Thank you!
Hi Kate. I’m glad you like the flavor of the vegan meatloaf. Here are some tips taken from the recipe posting on how to avoid a meatloaf that is too wet:
When using canned lentils, which I prefer, ensure they are well drained. Canned lentils aren’t as mushy.
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.
I hope this helps!
This looks wonderful! Are the calories posted for a serving size or the entire loaf?
Calories listed are for the serving size, or 1/8th of the loaf.
This looks so yummy but I’m allergic to tree nuts. Is there a substitute for the walnuts? Thx!
You could leave them out, or try using sunflower seeds or pepitas instead if you have a tree nut allergy. Thanks!
Hi Nora! I have had your other vegan meatloaf on the to-make list for a while but never got around to it. Which one would you recommend trying first?! Also, I’m not a fan of mushrooms. Can I easily omit them, or do I need to sub with something else?
Hi Heidi! Goodness, it’s a hard choice! 🙂 I love them both. I am quite found of the Lentil Loaf these days, so I would probably recommend it first, but I don’t think you could go wrong with either! You could leave the mushrooms out, but I’m not a mushroom fan either and I can’t detect them in this loaf. Thank you!
what can I sub for the walnuts as one member is allergic to them. Anxious to try this as have tried many other
lentil loaves and they are not what I want.
Hopeful here
Can they have pecans or cashews? If so, you could sub those for the walnuts. If it needs to be nut free, you can omit them and it will turn out still. They do add a texture and flavor I love but it will still be quite good without them! Hope that helps.
Fantastic recipe! A good lentil loaf like this one is a must have in the recipe rotation. Thanks!