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Thanksgiving Lentil Loaf (Vegan)

Vegan thanksgiving lentil loaf
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This vegan lentil loaf recipe is a deliciously satisfying meatloaf without the meat! It’s made with lentils, nuts, and seasonings, then brushed with a tangy glaze. Our vegetarian meatloaf is so popular, we had to create a plant based variation—and this one is just as tasty!

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 cup dried green lentils, sorted and rinsed (or 2 1/2 cups cooked)
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
  • 1 ½ cups whole walnuts
  • ½ cup whole cashews (see Notes)
  • 1 yellow onion, finely chopped
  • 3 large cloves garlic, minced
  • 8 ounces baby bella mushrooms (aka cremini), cleaned and finely chopped
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon each dried thyme, dried sage, garlic powder, smoked paprika 
  • 2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley
  • 1/4 cup mayonnaise or vegan mayo
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons full-sodium soy sauce or tamari
  • 1 cup plain panko (or gluten-free panko)
  • ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Glaze

  • ¼ cup ketchup
  • 2 tablespoons barbeque sauce

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. 
  2. In a medium saucepan, add 2 1/2 cups water, the lentils, and 1/2 teaspoon of the kosher salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat, cover, and simmer until all the liquid is absorbed and the lentils are tender, about 15 minutes.
  3. Place the walnuts and cashews on a baking sheet and toast for 8 to 10 minutes, until lightly browned. Allow to cool.
  4. Meanwhile, prepare the onion, garlic, mushrooms and parsley as noted in the ingredients list. 
  5. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil. Add the onion and garlic and cook until translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the mushrooms, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, and the thyme, sage, garlic powder and smoked paprika. Cook for about 5 minutes, until most of the liquid has evaporated. Stir in the cooked lentils. 
  6. In the large food processor (see Notes), add the nuts and pulse 3 to 4 times until roughly chopped. Add the onion and mushroom mixture, parsley, mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, soy sauce, panko, and several grinds of black pepper to the bowl. Pulse 3 to 4 times until the mixture comes together: it should be mostly finely ground but still have a textured consistency (don’t fully puree it). 
  7. Grease a 9 x 5″ aluminum bread pan, then add parchment paper cut so that it fits the width and extends on both long sides, to easily remove the loaf once it’s baked. 
  8. Bake the loaf for 30 minutes. While it’s baking, mix together the ketchup and barbecue sauce for the glaze. Add the glaze (reserving a little for later). Bake 30 minutes more (for a total of 1 hour), then remove from the oven. If desired, you can brush on some of the reserved glaze.
  9. Allow the loaf to cool in the pan for at least 30 minutes, then lift it out of the pan with the parchment paper. Slice into pieces and serve warm. Leftovers can be stored for up to 3 days in the refrigerator. It’s good cold, warm, or room temperature. If reheating, warm gently on the stovetop or in a 375°F oven until it is warm but not hot. 

Notes

The cashews can be salted or unsalted, raw or roasted.

Make ahead notes: You can make the entire loaf the night before and refrigerate. Allow to stand at room temperature for 30 minutes before baking.

Don’t have a food processor? Finely chop the nuts and vegetables with a knife, then mix all ingredients together in a bowl. You may need to bring together the dough by squeezing it with your fingers until it holds together into a cohesive texture. 

Find it online: https://www.acouplecooks.com/vegan-thanksgiving-recipes/