Out of all my favourite vegan recipes, this lentil loaf ranks in my top 10. This is a big deal, considering I’m in love with no less than 3,000 foods at any given moment. The original loaf recipe hails from talented chef and author, Terry Walters. I’ve enjoyed playing around with the recipe countless ways since I first made it in 2011. There’s just something about the combo of hearty, stick-to-your-ribs lentils, shredded carrots and sweet apple, chunky celery, toasted walnuts, and a sweet tangy glaze to finish it all off. It’s total comfort food to me.
I find myself eating the cold leftovers for breakfast in the morning. It gets crumbled over salads, stuffed into wraps and buns, and more recently thrown onto pasta sauce over a bed of spaghetti squash. I once ate half a loaf in the span of about 8 hours. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner. I guess it could be worse! To complicate matters, Eric is also a huge fan and we often find ourselves vying for the last slice…
The only issue I have with the recipe I made a couple years ago is that it’s quite labour intensive. For this version, my goal was to simplify the recipe without compromising the flavour and texture. I also played around with different ingredients and amounts. I’ll be sharing my 3rd trial with you today – it’s actually my new favourite out of all of them I’ve made. Make sure to see my notes below for a few tips I’ve picked up along the way.
Glazed Lentil Walnut Apple Loaf, Revisited
Yield
1 loaf
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
Adapted from 2011 recipe, which was adapted from Terry Walters.
Ingredients
For the loaf
- 1 cup uncooked green lentils
- 1 cup walnuts, finely chopped and toasted
- 3 tbsp ground flax + 1/2 cup water
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1.5 cups diced sweet onion
- 1 cup diced celery
- 1 cup grated carrot
- 1/3 cup peeled and grated sweet apple (use a firm variety)
- 1/3 cup raisins
- 1/2 cup oat flour
- 3/4 cup breadcrumbs
- 2 tsp fresh thyme (or 3/4 tsp dried thyme)
- salt & pepper, to taste (I use about 3/4 tsp sea salt + more Herbamare)
- red pepper flakes, to taste
For the balsamic apple glaze
- 1/4 cup ketchup
- 1 tbsp pure maple syrup
- 2 tbsp apple butter (or unsweetened applesauce in a pinch)
- 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
Directions
- Preheat oven to 325°F. Rinse and strain lentils. Place lentils into pot along with 3 cups of water (or veg broth). Bring to a boil and season with salt. Reduce heat to medium/low and simmer, uncovered, for at least 40-45 minutes. Stir frequently & add touch of water if needed. The goal is to over-cook the lentils slightly (see pictures in post). Mash lentils slightly with a spoon when ready.
- Toast walnuts at 325°F for about 8-10 minutes. Set aside. Increase oven temp to 350°F.
- Whisk ground flax with water in a small bowl and set aside.
- Heat a teaspoon of olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Sautee the garlic and onion for about 5 minutes. Season with salt. Now add in the diced celery, shredded carrot and apple, and raisins. Sautee for about 5 minutes more. Remove from heat.
- In a large mixing bowl, mix all ingredients together. Adjust seasonings to taste.
- Grease a loaf pan and line with parchment paper. Press mixture firmly into pan. Whisk glaze ingredients and then spread half on top of loaf. Reserve the rest for a dipping sauce.
- Bake at 350°F for 40-50 minutes, uncovered. Edges will be lightly brown. Cool in pan for at least 10 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack. I usually wait until loaf is cool before slicing.
Tip:
Note: Use Gluten-free oat flour and breadcrumbs if necessary. If you need a nut-free version you might want to try using toasted sunflower seeds.
I used to have a problem with my lentil loaves falling apart on me. I’ve since discovered that it really helps to over-cook the lentils a bit, so the consistency of the lentils is doughy, almost like mashed potatoes. As you can see in the photos, the lentils are the perfect consistency to bind with the other ingredients.
In addition to playing around with the ingredients, I also switched up the sizes of the tins/pans:
Trial 1: I made 4 mini loaves (the green and red ones).
Trial 2: I used a muffin tin. I got about 16 portions out of the batter which was great, but I made the mistake of using paper muffin liners and they completely stuck to the paper. Next time I will grease the tins well and not use paper liners. I also cooked them a bit too long (40 mins at 350F) and they dried out more than I’d like.
Trial 3: I made 2 medium-sized loaves using 9×5 loaf tins and baked for about 45 minutes or so. Keep in mind you can also use one big loaf tin too!
The loaves freeze well too. Just make sure to fully cool the baked loaves before wrapping and freezing.
If you are looking for a nut-free version, you might want to try using toasted sunflower seeds. I probably wouldn’t use a full cup of seeds, but maybe 1/2-3/4 cup. For a gluten-free loaf, use GF oat flour and breadcrumbs and of course be sure to check all other ingredients.
As for serving suggestions, this loaf is great paired with applesauce, sautéed greens, and mashed/roasted potatoes.
With any luck, I might have a few left for our Thanksgiving dinner on Saturday. If you are celebrating Thanksgiving this weekend, have a wonderful holiday!
Looking for more Thanksgiving recipes? Check out my Thanksgiving Recipe round-up here, featuring high-protein garlic mashed potatoes, holiday salad, pumpkin garlic knots, and more.
You were so right about not using the paper liners. non-stick spray worked like a charm and these were delicious!! I was skeptical as a new vegan and have always turned my nose up at any entree in the form of a loaf but wow!!! The apple butter is subtle and the consistency is perfect!
I made this a couple nights ago with minor substitutions. I added extra garlic, dried cranberries in place of raisins, cooked the lentils with bay leaf in the water, and used sage instead of thyme in the loaf. I had to use more sea salt than mentioned, but the flavor is really terrific. Also, for the sauce I omitted the apple butter and used a little mustard in place of it for some pungency. The one problem for my taste was the texture. I find it a bit mushier than desired. Because I loved the flavor, do you have a suggestion of an addition ? I was thinking about adding chopped sunflower seeds for more of a crumbly texture. Otherwise, I find it to be more of a stuffing recipe.
Tonight I will slice and grill the loaf portions, make additional sauce and serve with roasted potatoes from my garden, green beans and homemade wheat rolls.
What do you suggest subbing for the bread crumbs to make it gluten-free?
i know this response is a little late but you could try stale (or toasted) gluten free bread ground into a fine powder (:
I think the flax is used to bind the loaf? I wonder if I could substitute chia seeds? Thanks!
Hey Susan, Yes it is a binder. I haven’t tried chia seeds yet, so I’m afraid I don’t know for sure. I would use ground chia seed and not whole flax seed if I was going to try it out though. Let me know how it goes!
I made the lentil “loaf” but instead of making a loaf, I made a pie. I grated potatoes and a little onion (oh, the non-vegan part coming…) and an egg to bind, then put into a pie shell–baked for 30 min at 400, brushed a little oil on and cooked another 10 minutes. Then I started the lentil mixture, and poured it into the pie shell. The depth was perfect, and the crunchiness of the potato shell was great. I followed someone’s suggestion of adding mustard instead of apple butter, and it was delicious! Thanks!
Can’t wait to make this! It appears that there is corn in it, but no corn is listed in the recipe. Is that lentils or carrots I’m seeing?
Am planning on making this for Thanksgiving this year (yes, I plan ahead that much – I LOVE the holiday season). Any thoughts on how this would turn out if I got everything together and in the loaf pan the day before and kept it in the fridge overnight before cooking? Thanks for everything you do for us!!!
I want to make this tomorrow night, and I have everything to make it except walnuts :( I have lots of pecans and almonds though. Do you think the pecans would substitute well in it? I hate to make a special trip to the store just for walnuts if another nut will work just as well. I’m so excited to try it!
I will totally be making this for my vegan Thanksliving potluck! I love the mini loaf-pans, they’re adorable.
Angela~ I just wanted to say THANK YOU for this amazing recipe. I know you work hard to tweak everything you make and it shows – If it comes from OhSheGlows I know it will be terrific, and this recipe did not disappoint! :-D I’ve been wanting to try this since you posted the updated version, and I finally took the plunge tonight. SO worth the time and I will SO be making this again soon – a double batch to freeze I think! Family approved as well. Thanks for making my day!!!
PS I used “apple balsamic” instead of regular balsamic for the glaze. Oh.My.Goodness. Delish!!! :)
Angela,
Wow! I just finished cleaning up after dinner and I am so impressed with this recipe. I’m 15 years old and the only vegan in a house (and family) full of meat loving italians so I have to cook for myself. Even though I’m new to cooking (I’ve only been a vegan for about 2 weeks and a vegetarian for a month), this recipe was easy to follow and it came together beautifully. Thanks for giving me my first (delicious!) experience with lentils. I’m so glad I have so much leftover I can’t wait to eat this again tomorrow!
-Angelica
Thank you SO much for this recipe! I made for dinner the other night and my BF and I LOVED IT! I baked it in muffin pans and love how easy it is to reheat that way. I freezed about half the recipe so now we’ve got a few quick and easy (and delicious) snacks/meals waiting for us. My vegetarian sister-in-law is due with her first baby in February and I’m already planning to make her and my brother a big batch of these to keep in the freezer for those first sleepless weeks :) Thanks again!
Ciao Angela!
Many compliments for your blog and amazing work, both with the recipes and the great pictures…good luck for your book!
I have a question regarding this loaf. Do you think it could be crumbled up ( once it cooled down or the day after) and used as a base for “ghostly” mashed potatoes with additional glaze on the side ? (http://www.pinterest.com/pin/29343835042304881/)
Grazie for your advice :)
Elisa
Hi Elisa,
Those potato ghosts are hilarious!!!
Yes I do think your idea would work great. good luck!
I tried the lentil meatloaf tonight and I have made several of your dessert recipes. You’re like a vegan Ina Garten. With all the unhealthy southern cooking shows on Food Network, they would be wise to hire a healthy alternative like you.
What’s the best sub for walnuts. Can’t wait to try
I’m so excited to try this recipe out this Thanksgiving. I was dreading the long search to find something for the day and just stumbled on this. It’s perfect. It looks delicious, healthy and easy to make.
Hey Erica, This is great news – thanks for letting me know!
Meat loaf is such a comfort food for me, and this was still an amazing vegetarian loaf. I devoured it in a week, giving it to my healthy friends. My husband and kids wouldn’t touch it. I added broccoli and I definitely would not leave the glaze out.. It was delicious.
I made this tonight. It was quite good, but I think next time I would season mine more. However, I HATE the smell/taste of the ground flax mixed with water. Even once cooked, I could still detect it. I guess I have a negative mental association from when I would eat ground flax cereal. Would there be any thing else I could use in its place next time?
Hey Cassie, You could probably use ground chia seed :)
Hi Angela,
I need your advice…I’ll be cooking this the night before, and then traveling a couple of hours, what do you think?..should I freeze (how do I reheat?)…should I just keep cool (frig)?..what do you think/
I love your recipes…have enjoyed many with my family since going Vegan in May of this year!
Sincerely,
Jake D.
Hey Jake, I would probably opt to chill it in a cooler for the drive, rather than freezing it. Hope this helps!
I’m so excited to try this! And FYI, I don’t know if this is intentional, but I tried to share this link with my mom on facebook but it said “The privacy settings for this attachment prevent you from posting it to this Timeline.” I wanted to spread the word!