Protein Rich Lentil Loaf A Meatless Centerpiece

Our recipe combines hearty lentils with vegetables, herbs, spices, cheese, and egg to create a tasty and satisfying meat-less alternative to meatloaf.

Lentil loaf as a vegetarian centerpiece

Ingredients & substitutions for lentil loaf

How to make a vegetarian lentil loaf

Serving suggestions

Variations

Storage & Make Ahead

Similar recipes

You’ll love this recipe because it’s easy to make with simple ingredients and combines the protein–rich, meaty texture of the loaf with the saucy, tangy topping. Like our mushroom Wellington, vegetarian lasagna, and stuffed butternut squash, this recipe is lovely for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Eve holidays. You can prep most of it in advance in a loaf pan and bake it shortly before serving it. The loaf slices beautifully. It has a rich, earthy flavor and a slightly chewy, lentil–based texture. It’s not that different from your classic meatloaf made with ground beef. While this lentil loaf recipe is vegetarian – it includes an egg and grated parmesan cheese; it is easy to make vegan by omitting the egg and substituting a non-dairy cheese for the parmesan. Enjoy it next to a side of mashed potatoes or roasted potatoes, cornbread, green bean salad, roasted glazed carrots, sweet potato casserole, or Brussels sprouts. No matter how you serve it, it’s a guaranteed crowd-pleaser.

For the lentil loaf

Flavor base

A good flavor base is the most essential step in giving flavor to your lentil loaf. You’ll need extra virgin olive oil and chopped carrot, onion, celery, and garlic to make it. Cook them gently until they soften to bring out their flavor. We also like adding some tomato paste to enrich the loaf’s flavor and give it a light red hue, making this recipe look great.

Lentils

You can make lentil loaf with brown, green, or French green lentils. Avoid split red lentils, as they won’t keep their shape well and will be harder to shape into a loaf. Also, both canned lentils and homecooked dry lentils are suitable for this recipe. If you use canned lentils, rinse them with water and drain them well in a sift. If you use dry lentils, you need to cook them first. To boil dry lentils, rinse them under water first, then simmer them in a pot with plenty of lightly salted boiling water for 30 to 45 minutes or until tender. Once cooked, drain them well in a sift. Here’s our complete guide on how to cook lentils.

Oats

Oats are an essential ingredient in lentil loaf because they help the lentils stick together and add substance and chew to the recipe. You can use quick-cooking oats or rolled oats. Quick-cooking oats are rolled thinner and sliced finer than rolled oats, and we slightly prefer them in this recipe.

Herbs & Spices

We recommend dried oregano, paprika, and fresh parsley. Substitute dried thyme, basil, Italian herb mix, or rosemary for thyme.

Egg (optional)

The egg adds substance and helps the loaf stick together. However, the egg is not essential, and if you are vegan, you can keep it out without adjusting the recipe. There’s no need for ground flaxseeds.

Parmesan cheese

Grated parmesan cheese adds flavor. Substitute a non-dairy parmesan or any other vegan cheese. You can substitute two tablespoons of soy sauce, tamari sauce, or vegan Worcestershire sauce for parmesan.

Salt & Pepper

We recommend sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.

For the ketchup glazing

This is a simple ketchup-based tomato glaze that you can customize based on your taste and diet preferences. We make it with:

Ketchup: pick your favorite brand. Apple cider vinegar: to add tanginess and a poppy mouthfeel. Sub any other vinegar. Brown sugar: you can keep it out if you prefer. It adds flavor. Garlic and Onion Powder: for aroma. You can use one or both. Salt and black pepper: just a pinch.

Preheat the oven to 375°F or 190°C. Line a 9×5 (23 cm x 12 cm) loaf pan with parchment paper, letting some paper hang out so you can pull the loaf out once it’s cooked. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet. Add the finely chopped onion, carrot, celery, and pressed garlic, and cook gently for 10 minutes, stirring often. Add the tomato paste, salt, black pepper, paprika, and dried oregano, and keep cooking while stirring for one more minute. If the pan gets dry, add a splash of water. Tip: The veggies should become soft and shiny without browning. Turn the heat off and add lentils, drained from their liquid, oats, and finely chopped parsley. Stir until well combined, transfer the lentil-oat mixture into a food processor, and pulse until coarsely blended. Tip: You can blend it into the skillet with an immersion blender. That’s how we did it in the video, and it worked beautifully. Transfer the mixture to the skillet or a large bowl, stirring in the beaten egg and the grated parmesan. Tip: if you are vegan, omit the egg and substitute non-dairy cheese for the parmesan. Mix until well combined, then transfer the mixture into your prepared loaf pan and compact it with the back of a spoon. Bake at 375°F or 190°C for 30 minutes. Whisk together the ketchup, apple cider vinegar, sugar, salt, garlic powder, and onion powder in a separate bowl. After 30 minutes, remove the lentil loaf from the oven, pour the ketchup glaze on top, and bake for 15 more minutes. Pull the loaf out of the pan by pulling the parchment paper hanging on the sides. Arrange the loaf on a cutting board or serving platter and slice it into 2/4-inch (2 cm) slices.

Roasted potatoes or sweet mashed potatoes. Sautéed green beans or green bean salad. Fennel and orange salad, arugula salad, or kale salad. Roasted and glazed carrots or roasted carrots and Brussels sprouts. Roasted Brussels sprouts or air fryer Brussels Sprouts. Creamy Broccoli Salad or Broccoli and Cauliflower Salad. Or check out all our side dishes.

Roasted Potatoes

Roasted Carrots

Sautéed Green Beans

Roasted Brussels Sprouts

Make the loaf as instructed (without the ketchup glaze) and bake it for 40 minutes at 375°F or 190°C. Take it out of the oven, slice it, and drizzle with our delicious mushroom gravy recipe.

Barbecue-glazed lentil loaf

If you want a bolder glaze for your lentil loaf, our barbecue sauce recipe might suit you. It combines a delicious smokey aroma with a sweet, tangy, savory flavor. We make it with ketchup, soy sauce, apple cider vinegar, sugar, mustard, smoked paprika, garlic, onion powder, and a splash of hot sauce. Check out our BBQ sauce recipe.

Vegan lentil loaf

To make a vegan meatloaf, substitute non-dairy cheese for parmesan. If you don’t want non-dairy cheese, you can substitute two tablespoons of soy sauce or tamari sauce for the parmesan. You can omit the egg; the recipe works well without it, and you won’t need an egg replacement. Refrigerator: keep leftovers in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Freezer: Let the lentil loaf leftovers cool down completely, then transfer them to a freezer-friendly container and freeze them for up to 3 months. Thaw and Reheat: Thaw slowly, over several hours, in the refrigerator. Reheat in the microwave for 3 to 5 minutes. LENTIL RECIPES: Lentil pasta, Bolognese with lentils, Mujaddara, Dal, lentil curry, lentil vegetable soup, Moroccan lentil soup, lentil tabbouleh, lentil chili, and lentil stew.