If you are hoping to offer a delicious vegetarian dinner for Thanksgiving or Christmas, this recipe is for you. When you start with two pre-cooked ingredients, which you can easily buy at the store, the prep work takes less than 10 minutes. Serve it with mashed potatoes and vegan gravy for a comforting, protein-packed meal.
Ingredients You’ll Need
This recipe starts with cooked lentils and brown rice, which you can conveniently buy at the store if you want to save yourself some time. (I use the vacuum-sealed brown lentils from the refrigerated section and warm up a bag of frozen brown rice from Trader Joe’s.) The combination of lentils and rice mimics the texture of ground beef! Once you have the two pre-cooked components, the preparation takes no more than 10 minutes. There’s no onion to sauté or parsley to chop, to help save on time and dishes. Dried spices give this recipe plenty of flavor! Since there are no breadcrumbs required, this recipe is naturally gluten-free, too.
How to Make the Best Vegetarian Meatloaf
Preheat the oven to 375ºF. Add the walnuts to a food processor and pulse them briefly until they look crumbly, almost like coarse flour. Next, add in the cooked lentils, rice, parmesan, cottage cheese, eggs, thyme, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper. Pulse several times, until the mixture looks well combined, but not pureed. There should still be plenty of texture! Prepare a loaf pan by lightly spraying it with oil, then press a piece of parchment paper into the bottom of the pan. This will ensure you can easily remove the lentil loaf later. Transfer the meatloaf mixture to the prepared pan, then spread it out evenly with a spatula. Bake at 375ºF for 1 hour, or until the top has risen in the center and feels relatively firm to the touch. (It’s okay if it’s a little juicy looking when you press on it.) Let the lentil loaf cool in the pan for at least 15 minutes before slicing into it. The loaf may flatten as it cools. Slice into 1-inch thick pieces for a hearty main course. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Reheat individual slices in an oven at 350ºF for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the center is heated through again. Looking for more holiday recipe ideas? Try Wild Rice Stuffing, Sweet Potato Casserole, and Holiday Salad to pair with this delicious meatloaf. If you try this vegetarian meatloaf recipe, please leave a comment and star rating below letting me know how you like it.
