Do I ever have a delicious vegan meal for you to kick off 2011!
I must admit, this lentil loaf gave me a few grey hairs over the past couple days.
I made 4 trials of this lentil loaf.
I tried the Lentil Apple Walnut Loaf from Clean Food cookbook and also the old-fashioned Lentil Loaf from The Vegan Table Cookbook, in addition to a couple others. I was on a mission to find my perfect lentil loaf!
This one below is from The Vegan Table:
I had problems with binding, so I decided to process (in food processor) 75% of the cooked lentils to help it stick together. I also ground up some oats to make oat flour and added some flax in addition to some other modifications. Good things happened!
Note: This recipe below has been updated and improved! Feb. 2016
Ultimate Lentil Walnut Loaf
Yield
8 slices
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
This lentil walnut loaf is so delicious, you'll find it hard to resist. Raved about by readers, husbands, children, and recipes testers alike, many claim it’s better than traditional meatloaf. The beauty of creating a lentil loaf (as opposed to a meatloaf) is that you can taste the mixture as you go without having to worry about the raw meat. This results in a perfectly seasoned loaf and, trust me, the batter tastes so good! Lentil loaves can be temperamental, so it’s best to follow the directions exactly as written as I’ve tested this multiple ways. Even minor changes to this recipe can result in a loaf that doesn’t stick together as well. I love to serve this loaf with my stunning Cauliflower Carrot Mash, applesauce, and/or steamed broccoli or greens. This lentil loaf is inspired by Terry Walters' Clean Food Lentil Loaf recipe.
Ingredients
For the Lentil-Walnut Loaf:
- 2 (14-ounce/398 mL) cans of lentils, drained and rinsed*
- 1 cup walnuts, finely chopped
- 2 teaspoons (10 mL) extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 cups finely chopped sweet onion
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 cup finely chopped celery
- 1 cup grated carrot
- 1/3 cup peeled and grated sweet apple
- 1/3 cup dried cranberries (chopped) or raisins
- 2 teaspoons fresh thyme (or 1 teaspoon dried thyme)
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- Fine sea salt, to taste (I use about 1 teaspoon)
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 3 tablespoons ground flax
- 1/2 cup oat flour
- 1/2 cup spelt bread crumbs (or bread crumbs of choice)
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
For the Balsamic-Apple Glaze:
- 1/4 cup (60 mL) ketchup
- 2 tablespoons (30 mL) unsweetened applesauce or apple butter
- 2 tablespoons (30 mL) balsamic vinegar
- 1 tablespoon (15 mL) pure maple syrup
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 325°F (160°C). Grease a 9x5-inch loaf pan, and then line it with a piece of parchment paper cut to fit the length of the pan.
- If using canned lentils, rinse and drain them in a colander. If using lentils cooked from scratch, follow the directions in the note below. After draining, add them into a very large bowl and mash the lentils with a potato masher. The goal is to create a lentil paste while still leaving about 1/3 of the lentils intact.
- Spread the chopped walnuts onto the baking sheet. Toast the nuts for 8 to 12 minutes until fragrant and lightly golden. Set aside to cool.
- Increase the oven heat to 350°F (180°C).
- Add the oil into a large skillet, and increase the heat to medium. Stir in the onion and garlic and season with a pinch or two of salt. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes until the onion softens.
- Stir in the celery and carrot, and continue cooking for another few minutes.
- Finally, stir in the grated apple, dried cranberries (or raisins), thyme, oregano, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and black pepper. Cook for a couple minutes longer.
- Into the bowl with the mashed lentils, stir in the walnuts, ground flax, oat flour, and bread crumbs until combined.
- Stir in all of the veggie mixture until combined. Add the red pepper flakes, if using. Taste and add more salt (I usually add another 1/2 teaspoon). If the mixture seems dry, add a tablespoon or two of water and mix again.
- Press all of the lentil loaf mixture into the prepared loaf pan. Pack it down as firmly as you can as this will help it hold together after cooling.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the ketchup, applesauce, vinegar, and maple syrup until combined. Using a pastry brush (or simply a spoon), spread all of the glaze over top of the lentil loaf.
- Bake the lentil loaf, uncovered, at 350°F (180°C) for 50 to 60 minutes until the edges start to darken and the loaf is semi-firm to the touch. Place the loaf pan directly onto a cooling rack for 15 minutes. Then, slide a knife around the ends to loosen, and carefully lift out the loaf (using the parchment paper as "handles") and place it directly onto the cooling rack for another 30 minutes.
- After cooling, carefully slice the loaf into slabs. Serve immediately. The loaf will continue to firm up as it cools. Some crumbling is normal if sliced while warm.
Tip:
- * If you'd like to make lentils from scratch, swap the two cans of lentils for 1 cup of uncooked lentils. Add the lentils into a pot and cover with water. Bring to a low boil over high heat, reduce the heat to medium-high, and then simmer the lentils uncovered for 20 to 30 minutes until tender. Drain well.
Nutrition Information
(click to expand)
When the lentils are finished cooking (and cooling), take 75% of the lentils and process them in a food processor until almost smooth.
While the lentils are cooking, prepare the rest of the recipe.
Sautee your garlic and onion.
Add in the grated carrot and optional celery or green onion.
Mix well and cook over low heat for several minutes.
Add in the grated apple, raisins, and chopped walnuts (do not chop the walnuts as small as shown below- it was from an earlier trial).
Cook for a couple minutes.
Add in kosher salt, Thyme, and black pepper.
In a large mixing bowl, mix the flax, lentils (processed and non-processed), breadcrumbs, veggie mixture, oat flour (I processed 1/2 cup regular oats), and ground flax. Stir well.
It will look like this:
Press firmly into a loaf pan lined with parchment paper.
When I pressed it into the pan, I immediately knew that this loaf would hold together thanks to the ground oats, flax seed, and processed lentils.
It was much different than the previous trials…(note how crumbly it looks even in the pan before baking)
Now spread on the glaze:
Perfecto!
Now bake for 45 minutes at 350F, uncovered.
Cool for 10 minutes.
Makes about 8 thick, mouth-watering slices. I knew that this loaf was a crowd pleaser when Eric got really excited over it! He said he would take this over meatloaf any day.
We enjoyed our lentil loaf with sautéed spinach greens and applesauce! Quick, easy, and delicious.
I did a HUGE happy dance when this lentil loaf turned out. Eric and I both agreed that it is the best vegan loaf we’ve ever tried. I hope you enjoy it too! It makes a wonderful New Year’s meal if you aren’t feeling the Black Eyed Peas.
It is delicious, chewy, crunchy, and topped with the most addicting sweet glaze.
As for the crumbly leftovers from the previous 3 trials?
Eric suggested they would make a great vegan taco filling! I think that is a great idea. I’m going to freeze a bunch of it too.
Have a great start to 2011!
Hi! This looks great and I’m definitely going to give it a go. I was just wondering if it would be OK to use red lentils instead?
Hi Liz, My fear with red lentils is that it would be too mushy, but that said, I haven’t tried it before! I do think a blog reader mentioned in the comments that red lentils worked, but I can’t really comment beyond that. If you do try it out I’d love to know how it goes!
Are you using brown or green lentils here?
Hi Gabrielle, I’ve used both green and brown with success. :)
I made this with red lentils and it turned out perfectly. I have been searching for a red lentil recipe for a meatloaf like loaf that actually would hold together and be sliced. This is it! The flavors are amazing and the smell in the kitchen while it was baking was heavenly. The only thing I would change next time, is to leave out the bread crumbs and switch for a whole grain. Maybe oats or soaked whole buckwheat. Thanks for the amazing recipe.
Hey Carole, Thank you so much for sharing your tweaks! So glad you loved it.
You nailed it! I forgot both the apple and bread crumbs and it still came out delicious!! Great recipe – real keeper! ?
Oh that’s so great to hear that it still worked even when forgetting a couple ingredients…don’t you love that? Thanks so much for your review.
Made this last night and everyone, even my meat eaters absolutely loved this! Great texture, so happy with how this turned out. Way to go (again!-I love your book) Angela. You are a true inspiration (;
Hey Beth, oh thank you so much for the kind words! I’m glad the Lentil Walnut Loaf was a hit. :) Thank you again for your support!
Fantastic loaf! Whole family enjoyed even picky eaters. Thanks for making me look good Angela! :)
Aww thanks Judy! I’m so happy to hear that :)
Could you food process the ingredients a little bit so there aren’t whole lentils? Also do you think these could be made as mini loafs in a muffin tin? Thanks :)
Hey Brittany, Yes I do think you could process them a bit (is this to disguise them for kids by chance? If so, great idea). I probably wouldn’t process them into a full out paste, but a little bit may be fine. And yes you can also bake these in muffin tins. I’ve tried it in the past and it works great (no long bake or cool time either!). I can’t quite recall how long they took to cook, but I would start checking them around 20-25 minutes probably.
Hi, this looks yummy! I’m going to give it a try. Wondering if you’ve ever made it ahead of time, put it in the fridge overnight, and then baked it the next day? Or perhaps I would have better luck baking it and then simply reheating the next day? Trying to do some food prep ahead of time :)
Hi Angela, Yes I have made it and put it in the fridge (uncooked) the day before! I like to let the loaf pan sit on the counter for 15-20 minutes or so before cooking (so it’s not stark cold from the fridge) and that way the cooktime is a bit closer.
I made this recipe a few years ago (and loved it) and it’s time to do it again! I’m wondering if it’s possible to freeze it? If so, should it be cooked or not cooked prior to freezing? I see a few websites that vary in their opinion. Thanks for all you do!
Hey Natasha, I have froze this loaf in the past, but I can’t recall for the life of me which way I did it! I think it was from cooked. I just chatted with Nicole (OSG’s recipe tester) and she said the following: “I like to cook loaves first then slice them into serving sizes for convenience, wrapping them individually in a layer of parchment and then tinfoil. I place these individually wrapped slices into a large freezer bag or container. To thaw, they can be placed in the oven, still wrapped, and they stay moist :) I would freeze the full loaf the same way just without slicing first.” I hope this helps you (and thanks Nicole for weighing in!)
Do you think these could be made as meatballs instead of a loaf?
Hey Aletha, I would highly recommend this recipe–my Bread-Free Stuffing Balls if you are looking for a solid “meatball” recipe :) They’re soo good!
https://ohsheglows.com/2017/11/23/bread-free-stuffing-balls/
Could the cranberries or raisins just be left out completely? Or maybe substituted with something less sugary to be more diabetic-friendly?
Yes you can leave out the cranberries or raisins for sure….the loaf just won’t have those littles pops of sweetness which is a nice contrast to the savoury herbs and lentils. I wouldn’t leave off the glaze though, as I do find that’s essential :)
Hello! I am planning to make this for Thanksgiving this week. Sounds amazing! I don’t have applesauce or apple butter, is this just for sweetness? Could a jam replace it?
Thanks!
Oh jam might be really nice! I haven’t tried that before…I’d love to hear how it goes. You might not need to use as much but taste it before putting it on top and you should be fine.
Hi,
can you clarify the baking time? in the recipe notes it says 50-60 mins and in your photo descriptions it says 45 min.
Thanks!
Hi Jill, sorry about that! Please always follow the recipe directions and not the photos as some of my recipes have been tweaked over the years. :) Hope this helps!
I made this last night & it was fabulous! A bit of work but so worth it. I would definitely make it again. I tried to heed your recommendation not to deviate from the recipe, and the changes were minor: I had no dried cranberries but I subbed dried cherries which I chopped; and had no walnuts, so I used pecans instead; and I had to sub an Italian herb seasoning blend for the individual spices; I had no red pepper flakes; & I added a splash or two of coconut aminos. Next time I’ll try the cranberries, walnuts, & the separate, specified spices. I made my own bread crumbs from some toasted sourdough.
The only thing I would do differently is to double the amount of the glaze sauce!
I savored two re-warmed slices for brkfst this morning. This loaf would also make a tasty sandwich. (Ha, I might just “have to” try it for lunch today.) Thank you for all your effort in coming up with such a great version of a vegan loaf!
Hey Mary, I love your tweaks…thanks for sharing! Great idea to double the glaze…such a good idea to have extra to pour overtop.
This receipt does not take 40 minutes to prepare. It took me at least and hour and a half before I had this in the pan and I am a very seasoned cook. That being said, I felt like I was going to be sorry I made this as even if I loved it or hated it: Sorry because it took me so long to make and wasn’t pleased with it; Sorry because I loved it and would have to devote time to keep making it. Turns out we LOVED IT.
You need to follow the receipt without deviation (I’m so guilty of that) if you want the texture to hold up and the loaf to hold together. It’s got the texture of ground meat if you do it right.
So, when you do decide to make it, give yourself a couple hours (I made my lentils from scratch). I can guarantee, it’s worth the effort. I’ve since made it three times. The best part, it makes a fairly large loaf and it’s great leftover.
My early forays into vegetarian and vegan meals ……..
I’ve just enjoyed this, the first vegan ‘meat’ loaf I’ve tried.
it looks good. It has held its shape. It’s good enough to be worth the very lengthy prep time.
The only thing missing is nutrition data. It’s too easy to get lulled into thinking ‘because it’s vegan, nutrition data isn’t important’….. a calorie is a calorie no matter where it comes from. And too many calories, no matter how healthy, will still have negative impact over time ……
Hi Eva, So glad you enjoyed it! We’re in the process of adding nutritional info on the blog. Not sure if you have the OSG recipe app, but all the recipes have nutritional info in there (including this one).
Made the recipe per the instructions for Christmas 2018. It was “just OK”. Not horrible, but the was lacking flavour and some “meaty”consistency. Wont be making this again…will try other recipes. Thanks for the baseline recipe – happy holidays.
Can’t wait to try this! However, I’m also looking for the Cauliflower Carrot Mash recipe on your site, but not having any luck. Rather surprised that you mentioned it but didn’t link it. Care to give me a hint about how to find it? I looked under the vegetable tab already.
Hey Toni, Happy to help! I believe the carrot-cauli mash is a recipe exclusive to our recipe app. Sorry for the confusion!
Hi there just wondering how many days ahead this can be made? Does it freeze well? I’d like to make for thanksgiving but have pies to make too so need to make in advance.
Thank you
Nelli
LOVE this loaf, we’ve made it many times, it always delicious. It does take a long time to prep and cook but it’s worth it. Angela, would I be able to prep this one day and cook it the next?
sounds very good, and, recommended by others! Thx!
Thanks for this keeper recipe, that I tried last night for the first time. The flavor is just right, like distilled Thanksgiving, and would have been even more magical if I had not forgotten to shop for cranberries. Fortunately, the fruity undertones survived thanks to the oversized and very sweet apple I used.
Next time I will follow your instructions about retaining a coarse texture of the lentils, nuts, and oats. My mash was too fine and, as a result, the texture was too homogeneous. But the flavor… perfectly balanced, down to the judicious amount of red pepper flakes. Thank you so much for all the resources you brought to the table in order to create a perfectly satisfying vegan equivalent of a popular meat dish. I’m sure glad I doubled the recipe!