Vegan Meatloaf

The next time you need a vegan main dish, try this easy lentil loaf recipe. It comes together quickly (especially with my shortcuts) and is satisfying enough to serve everyone, even non-vegetarians. There’s no mushy texture, and it’s naturally gluten-free, too.

Enjoy it with classic holiday sides, like dairy-free mashed potatoes, vegan green bean casserole, fresh cranberry sauce, and vegan mushroom gravy.

Why You’ll Love this Vegan Meatloaf

It’s not mushy. If you’ve been disappointed with other lentil meatloaf recipes, don’t give up until you try this one.

It’s gluten-free & dairy-free. Perfect for guests with special dietary needs, especially if you have vegetarian or vegan friends.

It doesn’t take long to prepare. When you start with canned or cooked lentils, you’ll need about 10 minutes to process everything together, then it’s ready to bake.

Lentil Loaf INgredients

• Lentils. Use cooked brown or green lentils for the best texture. (Red lentils are naturally mushy.) To save time, buy these pre-cooked from the store, either canned or in a vacuum-sealed pack in the refrigerated produce section.
• Rolled Oats. These replace breadcrumbs, which are typically used as a binder. Buy certified gluten-free oats if you need a gluten-free recipe to avoid cross-contamination during processing.
• Walnuts and Flax Seeds. These are added for texture and binding, so the loaf doesn’t become mushy.
• Veggies. Onion, carrot, and celery are briefly cooked first to bring out their aromatic flavors.
• Tamari. This gluten-free soy sauce adds umami and is easier to find than vegan Worcestershire sauce. Feel free to use regular soy sauce if you don’t need a gluten-free recipe.
• Dried Spices. Thyme, salt, and pepper boost the flavor without the need for chopping fresh herbs.

If you don’t want to make your own glaze for the topping, you could use store-bought BBQ sauce or ketchup instead. (Or omit it completely and just serve the loaf with gravy.)

How to Make Vegan Meatloaf

Step 1:

Preheat the oven to 375ºF and lightly grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan. Press a piece of parchment paper into the bottom of the pan, so the loaf is easy to remove later. (Your future self will thank you!)

Heat a skillet over medium-high heat for 1 to 2 minutes. Once the surface is hot, add a drizzle of olive oil and cook the onion, carrot, and celery until they start to soften, about 8 minutes.

Then, add the garlic and thyme and stir for one more minute.

Step 2:

Add the walnuts to the bowl of a large food processor fitted with an “S” blade and pulse briefly until crumbly. Then, add the lentils, oats, olive oil, flax seeds, tamari (gluten-free soy sauce), cayenne, salt, and black pepper.

Add in the cooked veggies from the previous step, then pulse several times until the mixture starts to stick together.

Test by pressing it between your fingers. It’s ready to go into the loaf pan if it sticks together. (You don’t want the meatloaf mixture to be totally smooth, or it could become gummy in the center.)

Step 3:

Transfer the mixture to the prepared loaf pan and press firmly to pack it in evenly. Bake the lentil loaf uncovered at 375ºF for 20 minutes.

While the loaf bakes, stir the glaze ingredients together in a bowl. When the timer goes off, spread the glaze evenly over the top of the loaf. 

Return the pan to the oven to bake for ten more minutes.

Serving & Storage Tips

When the loaf is done baking, let it cool in the pan for at least 15 minutes.

Then use the parchment paper to lift it out of the pan. Slice and serve warm with your favorite sides. (I usually get about 8 slices that are a little over 1 inch from this loaf, but you can cut larger slices if you prefer.)

Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

More Vegan Thanksgiving Recipes

Vegan Mac and Cheese

Wild Rice Stuffing

Quinoa Stuffed Acorn Squash

Dairy-Free Pumpkin Pie

If you try this vegan meatloaf recipe, please leave a comment and star rating below to let me know what you think. Thanks for visiting!

Vegan Meatloaf with Lentils (Gluten-Free)

4.83 from 90 votes

If you need a vegan main course for Thanksgiving, my family's favorite is this vegan meatloaf. Made with lentils, walnuts, and rolled oats, it's gluten-free and dairy-free, and has a non-mushy texture you'll love. It's ready to eat in less than an hour!

prep20 mins cook30 mins total50 mins

Servings:8 slices

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Ingredients

 

US CustomaryMetric

 

1x2x3x

Lentil Loaf:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil , divided
• 1 cup yellow onion , chopped
• ½ cup carrot , chopped
• ⅓ celery , chopped
• 2 cloves garlic , minced
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme (or 1 tablespoon fresh)
• ½ cup chopped walnuts
• 1 ½ cups cooked lentils (green or brown; see notes)
• 1 cup quick-cooking oats (certified gluten-free, if needed)
• 2 tablespoons ground flax seeds
• 2 tablespoons tamari (gluten-free soy sauce)
• ⅛ teaspoon ground cayenne pepper (optional)
• ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
• ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

Glaze:

• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar (or apple cider vinegar)
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika (optional)

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 375ºF and line a 9-inch by 5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper. (I like to use a spray oil on the pan first, so that the parchment paper will stick in place.)
• In a large skillet over medium heat, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil, onion, carrot and celery. Stir occasionally until softened, about 8 minutes, then add in the garlic and thyme and stir for 1 more minute.
• Add the walnuts to the bowl of a large food processor fitted with an "S" blade, and briefly process them into a crumbly texture. Then add the cooked lentils, oats, flax, tamari, cayenne, salt, and several grinds of black pepper. When the vegetables are tender, add them in, along with the remaining tablespoon of olive oil. (The oil will help make the loaf easier to slice, but you can omit this if you prefer.)
• Pulse several times, just until the mixture starts to stick together when you press it between your fingers. You don't want it totally smooth, for the best texture. (See the photos in this post for reference.)
• Transfer the mixture to the prepared loaf pan, then press firmly to pack it together. Bake uncovered at 375ºF for 20 minutes.
• While the loaf is baking, stir the glaze ingredients together in a small bowl. When the timer goes off, remove the loaf from the oven and spread the glaze over the top. Return the pan to the oven to bake for 10 more minutes.
• Let the loaf cool in the pan for at least 15 minutes, then use the parchment paper to lift it out of the pan. Slice and serve warm.
• Leftover slices can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days, but the leftover loaf will be a little more dry in texture when you reheat it, so you might want to serve it with gravy for added moisture.

Video

Notes

Nutrition information is for 1 of 8 slices. This information is automatically calculated and is just an estimate, not a guarantee.

Veggie Note: You’ll need 1 small yellow onion, 1 large carrot, and 1 large celery rib to get the amount called for in this recipe. (Unless you scale the recipe, which will change the measurements.) Use any other veggies you love in this recipe, such as mushrooms, instead of the carrots and celery.

Food Processor Note: If you don’t have a food processor, you can prepare this in a large mixing bowl. Use a potato masher or fork to mash the ingredients into a texture that sticks together when pressed between your fingers.

Lentil Note: Use one 15-ounce can of cooked lentils, drained and rinsed, in this recipe to save time. If you prefer to cook your lentils from scratch, you’ll need to cook 3/4 cup of dry green lentils with 2 1/2 cups of water. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer until tender, about 20 minutes. Measure the lentils after cooking them to make sure you only use 1 1/2 cups in this recipe. 

Update Note: This recipe received a minor update in November 2024. I added a tablespoon of oil to the lentil loaf to make it easier to slice. I also added the smoked paprika to the glaze and changed the timing of when to add it. If you prefer the original recipe, you can find that here.

Nutrition

Calories: 186kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.001g | Sodium: 526mg | Potassium: 331mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 1585IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 63mg | Iron: 4mg

Author: Megan Gilmore

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: lentil loaf, vegan meatloaf

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