Friends, it’s been a long time coming, but my take on a vegan “meatloaf” is here (just in time for the holidays)! And it’s so very delicious. Let’s do this!
This recipe is simple, requiring just 10 ingredients and simple methods. I relied on canned lentils (don’t judge) to save time and dishes! Feel free to do the same and proceed to act like you made everything from scratch (I won’t tell).
The base for this loaf is cooked sweet potatoes, mushrooms, lentils, nuts (we went for walnuts and pecans), and fresh thyme. Tomato paste adds moisture and hearty flavor, coconut aminos or Worcestershire add that “umami” effect, and salt and pepper help round everything out. All that’s left is to stir in some gluten-free bread crumbs for texture and transfer to a loaf pan!
For a glaze – I know it’s so basic – we just went with ketchup! It’s simple, and it outperformed more elaborate glazes! Who knew?
We hope you LOVE this loaf! It’s:
Hearty
Satisfying
So flavorful
Comforting
Simple to make
& Incredibly delicious
This would make the perfect entrée or side for the holidays! It’s tasty on its own, but it would be elevated if served with our Easy Vegan Gravy and Perfect Mashed Potatoes! Major swoon.
If you’re into hearty plant-based entrées, also be sure to check out our Smoky BBQ Black Bean Burgers (which inspired this recipe!), 1-Pot Golden Curry Lentil Soup, Black Bean Plantain Enchilada Bake, and The Best Vegan Meatballs!
If you try this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo #minimalistbaker on Instagram. Cheers, friends!
Vegan Lentil Nut “Meat” Loaf
Ingredients
MUSHROOMS
- 1 tsp coconut or avocado oil (if avoiding oil, sub water)
- 3 heaping cups thinly sliced shiitake or cremini mushrooms
- 1 healthy pinch each sea salt and black pepper
- 1 1/2 Tbsp coconut aminos or vegan Worcestershire sauce (ensure vegan and gluten-free friendly)
SWEET POTATO
- 1 Tbsp coconut or avocado oil
- 2 cups sliced and peeled sweet potato (1/4-inch rounds)
THE REST
- 2 cups raw nuts or seeds (we prefer a mix of walnuts and pecans // optional: toast in a 350 degree F / 176 C for 10-15 minutes until golden brown before adding to mixture for more flavor)
- 2 Tbsp fresh thyme (or sub dried)
- 2 cups cooked brown or green lentils (rinsed and well drained // we used canned to save time)
- 1/2 tsp each sea salt and black pepper (plus more to taste)
- 4 Tbsp tomato paste
- 2 Tbsp coconut aminos or vegan Worcestershire sauce (ensure vegan and gluten-free friendly as needed)
- 1/2 cup gluten-free bread crumbs (we like Ian’s gluten-free panko* // If not gluten-free, use regular breadcrumbs)
GLAZE optional
- 1/2 cup ketchup (or skip and serve with Vegan Gravy*)
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 350 degrees F (176 C) and line a standard loaf pan (or 8×8-inch baking pan) with parchment paper. Set aside.
- Heat a large cast-iron or metal skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add the oil and mushrooms and season with a pinch each salt and pepper and the coconut aminos or vegan Worcestershire. Sauté, stirring frequently, for 5-8 minutes or until caramelized. Set aside.
- Meanwhile, heat another large cast-iron or metal skillet (or use the same one as you cooked the mushrooms in) over medium heat. Once hot, add oil and arrange sweet potatoes in as even of a layer as possible. Then cover and cook for 4 minutes or until golden brown on the underside. Flip, add 3 Tbsp (45 ml) water, and cover. Cook for another 3-4 minutes or until tender and browned (but not mushy). Set aside uncovered to cool slightly.
- To a large (at least 7-cup) food processor, add nuts and pulse a few times into a loose meal. Then add sweet potatoes, mushrooms, and thyme, and pulse to combine. Lastly, add lentils, salt, and pepper and pulse to loosely combine but be careful not to purée.
- Transfer mixture to a large mixing bowl and add tomato paste and coconut aminos or vegan Worcestershire and stir until a loose dough forms. Then add bread crumbs (we like Ian's gluten-free panko) a little at a time (we used all of the recommended amount) until a thick dough forms. If for some reason it’s crumbly (which may happen depending on the texture of your lentils), scoop half of the mixture back into the food processor and pulse until it’s more finely puréed and then return back to the bowl and stir with the remaining mixture. If for some reason it’s too wet, add more bread crumbs as needed.
- Taste and adjust flavor as needed, adding more tomato paste for added moisture / tomato flavor, coconut aminos or vegan Worcestershire for depth of flavor, salt for saltiness, or thyme to taste.
- Transfer the mixture to the parchment-lined loaf pan, spread, and press into an even layer (to avoid a crumbly loaf, tap pan on counter to settle the mixture and place parchment paper on top and press down firmly with a drinking glass or flat bottomed object to pack it well). Then add ketchup glaze (optional but adds plenty of flavor) and spread into an even layer. If not using the glaze, brush the top with a little oil to help the loaf retain moisture.
- Bake uncovered for 45 minutes or until golden brown on the edges and slightly dry to the touch. Remove from oven and let rest for 10-15 minutes in the pan. Then gently remove and carefully slice and serve.
- Leftovers keep for 4-5 days in the refrigerator or 1 month in the freezer. Reheat in the microwave or in a 350-F (176 C) oven until warmed through.
Video
Notes
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate calculated with avocado oil and Worcestershire and without optional ingredients.
Vicky says
This turned out really well and my boyfriend loved it. I pretty much followed the recipe but didn’t have bread crumbs so chopped up some baguette. Texture turned out just as recipe stated and it formed a nice loaf. The only thing I would do next time is change the thyme for another herb because thyme is not my favorite and it was pretty strong.
Thank you for sharing your experience, Vicky! We’re glad it turned out well overall! xo
Jessie says
I made this using homemade lentils and the result was the consistency of a pate (not firm like a meatloaf). Did I do something wrong? Is there anyway to firm up the leftovers? On a positive note I do think the flavors are good.
Oh no! Sorry the texture wasn’t right, Jessie. It sounds like it may have gotten a little overprocessed?
Matt says
Hi! I’ve made this recipe several times before and love it! I am going to an asian-cuisine leaning thanksgiving and am trying to get creative 😅! Was wondering how well you thought your Ginger Sesame Vegan Meatball recipe would blend with this one?
I was thinking of using the flavor profile from that recipe but using this base. Maybe even sub sweet potato for taro?
Whoop! We’re so glad you love this recipe, Matt. That is a very creative idea! We’d say it’s worth a try!
Rita says
Hi, If I am to cook the lentils from scratch. Do I need to add salt lentils or just cook them with water only? I will use pressure cooking.
Hi Rita, cooking them with salt will ensure best flavor, but we’d suggest using only a little (because for canned lentils, we rinsed and drained well). You can adjust to taste in step 6. Hope that helps!
Jessie says
Could I make this ahead of time up to the point of baking, then freeze it, and bake it on another day? Thank you!
Hi Jessie, we think the texture might change with freezing, but you could refrigerate it up to a few days in advance, then bake it. Hope that helps!
Jessie says
Thank you. If I bake it and then freeze it, how long does it take to reheat in the oven?
We’re not quite sure how long it would take to fully reheat but perhaps around 30 minutes!
Jaclyn says
Can I substitute the mushrooms for something else? I’m not a fan of mushrooms
Hi Jaclyn, they are a pretty key flavor, but you could try sautéed onions instead! And perhaps more vegan Worcestershire or thyme if it’s tasting a little bland. Let us know if you try it!
Lindsay says
Roughly how much onion should replace the mushroom (I am allergic)? Could it be an onion/carrot mixture?
Hi Lindsay, yes, you could try onion/carrot! Maybe 1 cup diced onion and 1/2 cup diced carrot. It’s hard to say for certain without testing it ourselves though, so trust your instincts when making it :) Let us know how it goes!
Jennie says
This looks scrumptious! Question: as my spouse is diabetic, we try to limit our intake of sweet potatoes. Do you think roasted eggplant would be a viable substitute? Thank you! I love your recipes!
Hi Jennie, hmm, it could be worth a try, but we think it would turn out too dense/wet. Maybe if you bumped up the lentils and did just a bit of roasted eggplant it could work?
Jennie says
Good thinking! Thank you for such a quick response! 😊
Of course! Always happy to help :) Let us know how it goes!
Susan says
Can this be made the day before Thanksgiving and then baked the day of? I was thinking I would completely prep it and press into the loaf pan, then cover and put in the refrigerator. Thanks so much!
Hi Susan, we think so! Fresh is best, but we think it will still be very tasty that way :)
K says
I was craving meatloaf, and didn’t want to use impossible meat, and this was perfect! I left out nuts, and found it much easier to dice the sweet potato and sauté it with the mushrooms. I also didn’t use a food processor, instead I just roughly mashed half the lentils and potatoes by hand. Both of these changes made it way easier. It came out really savory and delicious, but next time I want to try adding some diced onions to the sautéed veggies for some allium flavor I think this lacks and some chile (chiles in adobo would be wonderfully smoky) for a bit of heat.
Amazing! Thank you for the lovely review and for sharing your method! xo
Katherine V. says
Hi, I just made this and I love it. My 3 year old loved it too. It came out a bit mushy instead of dried. I’m not sure if maybe, I pulsed it too much or if its because the canned lentils were a bit wet and mushy? I pulsed it until the top ingredients got mixed in. I added a lot of panko bread. Is there a way to substitute the mushrooms? Thanks in advance!
We’re so glad you and your little one both enjoyed it, Katherine! Sorry to hear the texture was a bit mushy. You can try pulsing less, or transfer to a bowl and stir it if it’s getting mushy in the food processor. The mushrooms do add a lot of flavor, so we wouldn’t recommend omitting them, but you could try leaving them out and add vegan Worcestershire or thyme if it’s tasting a little bland. Hope that helps!
Valery says
Wasn’t bad – just very bland and blah especially for the amount of effort it takes to make it. Had to douse in ketchup. Wouldn’t make again.
Sorry to hear it didn’t feel worth the effort, Valery! Did you adjust the salt, to taste? Did you include the glaze? It should be quite flavorful!
Tamar says
How would you modify this recipe to accommodate a nut allergy?
Hi Tamar, you could possibly sub raw pumpkin seeds + sunflower seeds instead. Another reader did mention omitting them with success, but we think that would change the texture and flavor quite a bit. Hope that helps!
Michellle says
Can this be made into meatballs?
Hi Michelle, We think that would work, though it may be a bit more tender than ideal (adding more breadcrumbs could help). Also, the glaze does add a lot of flavor, but it could be warmed up and served as a dipping sauce, perhaps? Let us know if you try it!
Jonas says
The final product was very good (kids and adults ate it up with gusto), but the recipe has some pitfalls. Namely the use of the food processor. In my 14-cup processor (the recipe calls for at least a 7-cup capacity), the stuff on the bottom puréed while the stuff on top remained untouched. No amount of mixing or nudging or pulsing seemed to make any movement . So I gave up, dumped it all in a mixing bowl and used the immersion blender to kind of “chop” it. In the end the texture was pretty uneven, but after you squish it all into the loaf pan, tump it out and slather it with gravy, no one was going through it with a fine tooth comb anyway.
Thank you for sharing your experience, Jonas. Sorry to hear the food processor gave you trouble. It sounds like you made the right move in transferring to a bowl!
Ms.Gracia says
Can I substitute the GF bread crumbs for quick oats?
Oats could work okay in a pinch, but may be more gummy!
Luis says
Do you cook the lentils first or blend them dried?
Hi Luis, cook them first and then measure out 2 cups of cooked lentils to use in the recipe. Enjoy!
Melanie says
Can this recipe be made ahead? I’m thinking of making it to the point of getting it all into the pan and then refrigerating overnight and just adding the ketchup glaze the next morning before I put it in the oven.
Hi Melanie, we think so! Fresh is best, but we think it will still be very tasty that way :)
Lisa says
I used the food processor and I guess it was too much as if looked more like a pate rather than chunky like the pictures. I tried cooking it anyway and it never would solidify. The taste with the texture of congealed blob was absolutely disgusting.
Sorry that happened, Lisa. It does sound like it got over-mixed in the food processor. As mentioned in step 4, it should be pulsed until just loosely combined, being careful not to purée.
Angelica Jamieson says
Hello. Could you please explain how 3 cups mushrooms is 170gr and 2 cups nuts is 205gr. I’m struggling with the metric equivalents as they don’t seem to align.
Many thanks
Angelica
Hi Angelica, different ingredients weigh different amounts. Cups are a volume measurement while grams are a weight measurement, so 1 cup of an ingredient will not weight the same amount as 1 cup of another ingredient. If using the metric system, we’d recommend clicking “metric” beneath the ingredients header to see those measurements.
Angelica Jamieson says
Hello! I’m starting to make this loaf. I’m in the UK so using metric measurements. This is when the confusion starts…. for example there are 2 cups of sweet potato and 2 cups of nuts. In metric the potato becomes 250g and nuts is 205g… then 3 cups of mushroom becomes 170g??? Sorry for this, I’m just not sure where to go from here? Thank you!
Hi Angelica, if you click “metric” beneath the ingredients header you will find the weight measurements for each ingredient. Hope that helps!
Fran De La Rosa says
This is so good! It has become our go to holiday loaf! Mashed potatoes, greens, cranberry, the whole works!
Amazing! We’re so glad you enjoy it, Fran. Thank you for sharing! xo
Lindsay says
This is seriously the best lentil loaf I’ve tried. I’m never making another one again. I can’t get over how good the mushrooms and nuts go with everything else.
Lindsay says
Oops! Can you help me remove my last name from that comment?
Whoop! We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Lindsay! Thank you for the lovely review! We got your last name removed per your request :)
sophie says
Made this roast for Thanksgiving… tried 2 other recipes for Xmas dinner, were not as delicious… this recipe will be my go to from now on!
Whoop! We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Sophie. Thank you for the lovely review! xo
Marianne says
I’ve made this nut roast several times and it’s always a hit, even with the meat eaters. The combination of flavours and textures is delicious!
We’re so glad to hear it, Marianne! Thank you for the lovely review! xo
Victoria says
Absolutely loved this recipe! Was a hit with the family and will definitely make again. I did not have a food processor just high speed blender and it is smaller than the suggested size so all I had to do was break it in half to mix up and mixed in a bowl after pulsing !!! My picky eater ate this up !!!!
Yay! Thanks so much for the great review and for sharing your experience, Victoria!