• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Health My Lifestyle
  • Meal Planner
  • Recipes
  • Learn
    • Nutrition
    • Lifestyle
  • Shop
    • Vegan Fat Loss Meal Plan
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Start Here
  • Meal Planner
  • Recipes
  • Learn
  • Shop
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • search icon
    Homepage link
    • Start Here
    • Meal Planner
    • Recipes
    • Learn
    • Shop
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • ×

    Home » Recipes » Main Dishes

    Vegan Lentil Loaf (Easy + Gluten-Free)

    Nov 13, 2019 · Modified: Oct 31, 2020 by Rachel · This post may contain affiliate links.

    Jump to Recipe

    A perfect replacement for meatloaf - this lentil loaf is delicious and full of flavor! It's perfect to serve for the holidays or just when you want a classic meatloaf made vegan style.

    Getting ready for the holidays? This meatless meatloaf recipe is sure to be a crowdpleaser! I've served it at several Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners and have always had raving reviews! (Except for that one friend who hates lentils and beans of all shapes and sizes. I still don't understand how someone can hate beans. I digress.)

    This loaf includes a wonderful glaze on top that really pulls the whole thing together. Some recipes call for barbecue sauce but I wanted to keep this healthier with less processed ingredients so I made my own. I love that this recipe has so much flavor, is filling, yet healthy as well!

    This loaf comes together quickly which is perfect for that busy day when you just don't feel like doing a ton of chopping. And with a few basic kitchen tools, you'll have yourself a spectacular meal in no time!

    Easy Gluten Free Vegan Lentil Loaf Recipe

    Kitchen Equipment You'll Need

    • Blender - to make a vegetable slurry
    • Food Processor - to quickly pulse everything together (can also use a blender that has a pulse option)
    • Loaf pan (can also use a flat baking sheet and form the dough into a loaf)

    How to Make

    Cook the lentils the day before or used canned lentils. I find this results in a better texture than hot, just-cooked lentils. Brown lentils are best because they mash easier and give the final loaf a more meaty look.

    I wanted the final result to be closer to traditional meatloaf without big chunks of vegetables. I also find that it holds together better this way. Too many chunky vegetables = crumbly, sad loaf. And we definitely don't want that!

    So instead, we roughly chop vegetables just to fit into our blender, then whiz them up into a finely chopped slurry. Having them finely diced like this also allows them to cook up faster. And you know I'm all about saving time in the kitchen!

    Then we transfer the slurry to a skillet and cook through.

    Meanwhile, pulse the lentils in a food processor with the oats, flax, bread crumbs, tomato paste, maple syrup, mustard, and parsley. Then add the lentil mixture to the vegetable slurry and mix to combine to form a "dough."

    Transfer the dough to your loaf pan or form a loaf shape on a flat baking sheet. Bake for about 40 minutes at 375°F or 190°C, then cover with the glaze/basting sauce and bake for another 10 minutes.

    Easy Gluten Free Vegan Lentil Loaf Recipe

    How to Store

    You can store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

    To reheat, cut into slices first. This loaf reheats well in the microwave or you can reheat in an oven at 350°F for 5-10 minutes.

    Make Ahead

    You can make the dough and sauce a head of time, then store separately in the refrigerator for a day or two. When ready, follow the baking instructions. So easy!

    Easy Gluten Free Vegan Lentil Loaf Recipe

    What to serve with vegan lentil loaf

    Roasted asparagus on a plate up close
    Air Fryer Roasted Asparagus
    A sliced open cooked sweet potato on a plate with a fork and knife.
    5-Minute Baked Sweet Potato
    Easy Vegan Stove Top Stuffing
    Easy Vegan Stovetop Stuffing

    If you enjoyed this recipe please leave a comment below and give it 5 stars! Or on Pinterest (don’t forget to follow me!) you can now add pictures into reviews, too, and be sure to help me share on facebook!

    This recipe first appeared in the Health My Lifestyle Meal Planner. If you’re looking for more easy, healthy recipes the Meal Planner is full of them! You can easily narrow down exactly what you’re looking for with the extensive filtering options, plan out your week in seconds or grab a customizable pre-made plan, track your calories and goals, and more! Try for free! Check out the Meal Planner here.

    Easy Gluten Free Vegan Lentil Loaf Recipe

    Vegan Lentil Loaf

    The perfect replacement for meatloaf - this lentil loaf is delicious and full of flavor! It's perfect to serve for the holidays or just when you want a classic meatloaf made vegan style.
    5 from 2 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    course: Main Course
    cuisine: American
    servings: 8
    prep time: 15 mins
    cook time: 50 mins
    total time: 1 hr 5 mins
    Author: Rachel

    Ingredients

    • ½ cup yellow onion
    • 1 ¼ cup mushrooms , roughly chopped
    • 1 cup red pepper , roughly chopped
    • 1 large carrot , roughly chopped
    • 3 cloves garlic , minced
    • ½ teaspoon salt
    • ½ teaspoon pepper
    • 2 cups brown lentils , cooked
    • ½ cup rolled oats, or quick oats
    • 2 tbsps flax meal
    • ½ cup whole grain bread crumbs, *
    • 2 tbsps tomato paste
    • 1 tbsps pure maple syrup
    • 1 tbsps yellow mustard
    • 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped

    Basting sauce:

    • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
    • 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
    • additional water to thin to basting consistency

    Instructions

    • Pre-heat oven to 375°F or 190°C.
    • Roughly chop the onion, mushrooms, red pepper, and carrot. Add them to the blender and pulse until it becomes a chunky slurry.
    • In a large skillet, add the vegetable slurry with the minced garlic, salt and pepper and cook over medium heat until heated through (5-10 minutes). Set aside.
    • Meanwhile, in a food processor, pulse the lentils, oats, flax, bread crumbs, tomato paste, maple syrup, mustard, and parsley. It should be slightly chunky; do not over pulse. Add lentil mixture to the vegetable slurry and mix to combine and form a "dough."
    • Use a loaf pan lined with parchment paper. If you don’t have a loaf pan, you may form the dough into a loaf shape on a baking sheet. Place dough into the loaf pan, and gently press the top to form a bread shape on top. Bake for 40 minutes.
    • A few minutes before the 40 minutes are up mix together the basting ingredients in a small bowl. When the loaf is ready, drizzle the basting sauce on top and spread it around evenly. Return it to oven for an additional 10 minutes.
    • When it's done baking, remove from oven and let stand for 15 minutes before serving. Slice and enjoy!

    Notes

    *In order to be gluten-free, select a gluten-free breadcrumb.
    Day-old or canned lentils work best for this.
    Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

    Nutrition Per Serving

    Sodium: 261mg Calcium: 32mg Vitamin C: 30mg Vitamin A: 2220IU Sugar: 7g Fiber: 7g Potassium: 422mg Calories: 145kcal Saturated Fat: 1g Fat: 2g Protein: 7g Carbohydrates: 28g Iron: 3mg
    Want to eat healthier but don't know where to start?Get a free customizable meal plan and stop the struggle!

    Pin this for later:

    A perfect replacement for meatloaf - this lentil loaf is delicious and full of flavor! It's perfect to serve for the holidays or just when you want a classic meatloaf made vegan style. #vegan #lentilloaf #veganroast #veganmeatloaf #glutenfree
    Share this:

    More Plant Based Main Dishes

    • Easy Pita Pizzas 3 Ways
    • The Best Coconut Vegan Shrimp
    • Crispy Marinated Air Fryer Tempeh
    • 30+ Best Vegan Stew Recipes

    Did you grab your free meal plan yet?

    Sign up here to download it instantly!

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Leora

      November 11, 2020 at 10:55 am

      Your recipe looks delicious. Can you please clarify if the lentils are 2 Cups Dried? (That we cook in advance.) Or Two Cups after they are cooked. Thank you very much.

      Reply
      • Health My Lifestyle

        November 11, 2020 at 11:03 am

        Thanks, Leora! It's two cups of cooked lentils. You can used canned lentils which are already cooked or cook from dry (about 1 cup dried).

        Reply

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    I'm Rachel and I'm here to help you transition to a healthy plant-based diet in the easiest way possible. I share simple recipes and tips you can implement today to make it practical and approachable. Read more about my plant-based journey

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest

    HML Favorites

    three healthy pita pizzas with lots of veggies and toppings

    Easy Pita Pizzas 3 Ways

    Coconut crusted vegan shrimp on a plate with lemon wedge.

    The Best Coconut Vegan Shrimp

    Fork holding a piece of marinated crispy air fried tempeh.

    Crispy Marinated Air Fryer Tempeh

    Collage of four vegan stews.

    30+ Best Vegan Stew Recipes

    Don't Miss Out!

    Sign up to receive recipes, tips, and more!

    Privacy Policy & Disclosure

    Top Recipes

    Homemade Pea Protein Powder (Easy + Vegan)

    Just 5 ingredients and 5 minutes to whip these up. These bars are so easy to make, you'll never buy store-bought granola bars again. They are very filling, boasting 9g of protein using only whole food ingredients, and are vegan and gluten free! #granolabar #vegansnack #easysnack #vegan #glutenfree #healthysnack

    5-Ingredient No-Bake Granola Bars (Vegan + Gluten Free)

    Healthy Vegan Snickers Overnight Oats are going to have you wondering if you're eating breakfast or dessert. They're filling, delicious, high protein, and taste like candy! They're also gluten-free and sugar-free. #snickers #overnightoats #veganbreakfast #postworkoutsnack

    Vegan Snickers Overnight Oats

    This carrot bacon recipe is so easy and great for when you want the delicious sweet and smoky-ness of bacon! Just 8 simple ingredients, a peeler, and an oven or air-fryer is all you need. Vegan bacon can be made in many ways but this carrot bacon is one of the simplest and most similar looking to actual bacon. And did I mention delicious? #carrotbacon #veganbacon #plantbased #vegan #veganrecipe #veganbreakfast #plantbasedbreakfast #meatfree #meatlessmeals

    Carrot Bacon

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    Enjoying these recipes?
    Now you can Buy Me a Coffee to help support the creation of new ones. Thank you!

    About

    • Privacy Policy & Disclosure
    • Accessibility Policy
    • About

    Shop

    • My Favorites
    • Vegan Fat Loss Meal Plan & Nutrition Guide

    Stay Connected

    • Sign Up! for a free meal plan and updates
    • Contact
    • Meal Planner Support

      Featured In

      Logos of publications that Rachel from Health My Lifestyle has been featured in including Eat This Not That, Everyday Health, Greatist, MSN, My Fitness Pal, Vegan Life Magazine, and One Green Planet.

      As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

      Copyright © 2022 Health My Lifestyle LLC