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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.
“I am such a fan of this meatloaf! Have made it for many Friendsgivings over the years and never had any leftovers. Both vegetarians and carnivores absolutely love it. Thank you for this brilliant recipe!!”
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.)
Don’t have a food processor?
You can mix this loaf in a large bowl instead. Simply use a potato masher or fork to mash the ingredients until they stick together.
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.
Lentil Meatloaf Recipe FAQs
This loaf may dry out if you cook it completely ahead of time, so it’s best to cook the components (like the lentils and veggies) ahead of time and store them in the fridge until you’re ready to assemble the loaf. If you must bake it in advance, serve it with gravy for added moisture when reheated.
Yes, you can swap apple cider vinegar for balsamic in the glaze, if you prefer.
Leftover slices can be served in sandwiches with cranberry sauce, or as a topping for bowls and salads.
More Vegan Thanksgiving Recipes
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)
Ingredients
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.
Made this as a side dish for thanksgiving and it was soo good! Even better leftover the next day on a roll with mashed potatoes and cranberry sauce. Can’t wait to make again!
Loved this! No substitutions. Other similar recipes I’ve tried use chickpeas as an ingredient (which I did not care for at all) this one is the real deal. I’m planning to use it next as a base for shepherds pie 🙂
It was so dry. How is only 2 tablespoons of liquid going to give it moisture? I liked the flavor. I liked how it stayed firm. I read all the reviews and can’t understand how people aren’t saying it is too dry??
The only thing I did different was I didn’t have quick cooking oats so processed them first myself. Could they have gotten too processed and that sucked out too much of the moisture?
I just finished waiting the 10 minutes to cool in the pan. I was so intrigued I just tried a small slice right away before plating.
Before I became WFPB meatloaf was one of my favorite comfort meals. After adopting a WFPB way of eating, I’ve tried several recipes. I’ve had a lot of disappointments. I am giving this recipe 5 stars for not only the texture and amazing flavor, but also how simple it was to prepare and the fact I had every single ingredient already on hand.
I made this recipe exactly as described and I will not change a thing. I am going to make another loaf tonight and use it for meal prep for the work week.
Thank you for sharing.
I’m so glad you loved it! Thank you for taking the time to leave a comment and star rating. I really appreciate it!
I’m looking forward to making this! Is this recipe freezer-friendly?
I have made this and it’s amazing. Just prepped it for tonight and dinner plans changed. How long can I keep in the fridge before baking? Want to save for tomorrow if possible!
I imagine it would keep well in the fridge for at least 3 days. You might need to bake it a little longer if it’s starting off cold from the fridge. I’d love to hear how it turns out for you when you bake it!
I made it and added all the herbs and seasonings I usually add to my meatloaf and it has wonderful flavor. The mix smelled like meatloaf going into the oven and tastes like meatloaf when it came out. Texture is a little soft but it’s really tasty.
This is the best! Thanks so much. We loved it immensely. The next day cold leftover sandwiches were honestly next level.
I’ve made this recipe and haven’t tasted it yet, although it smells delicious. This being said, the inside is not cooking and is still very mushy, even after raising the temperature and leaving it in longer, it’s been in almost an hour and still doesn’t seem cooked. I don’t think I blended it it too liquid, it looked like the picture. Not sure what to do… Maybe leaving it sit for 10 minutes as directed should help it seem more like a meatloaf texture. It this normal?
I hope it firmed up for you as it cooled, Natalie. Let me know how it turned out!
Not sure who reposted it, but there are details that were not included. I use almond milk, Smart Balance instead of butter, and non dairy cheese The only thing that keeps it from being vegan are the eggs. As far as cooking, I have a low power microwave, so I cook it on DEFROST for 40 minutes. If you are using an oven, use 350℉ for 1 hour 45 minutes to 2 hours. Let it stand for about 10 minutes after cooking. Hope this helps. Bon appetit!
Do you have a nut free version? Also, could I maybe use brown rice in place of the walnuts?