The Best Vegan Lentil Loaf should be deliciously rich, moist and juicy, and easy to make. Well, the good news is that you don’t need to look any further. Jump to the recipe and check out how our secret ingredient makes this Lentil Loaf the best ever. We are so damn proud of this recipe that we have perfected through several tests. We hope you’ll fall in love with it too.
Our BEST DAMN RECIPES collection just got larger. It all started with Vegan Lasagna and continued with Vegan Bean Chili and Vegan Beef Stew, but now… here is the Best Damn Vegan Lentil Loaf. So what do you plan for Thanksgiving dinner? Just asking…casually… 🙂 And I am also adding to it our Vegan Wellington, which is absolutely gorgeous and delicious.
Have you seen our Vegan Thanksgiving Dinner Menu or our Vegan Christmas Dinner Menu post? Not yet? You can also download our dinner menu as a FREE E-BOOK with a shopping list.
⇒ GET OUR FREE 7-DAY VEGAN MEAL PLAN NOW! OR CHECK OUT ALL VEGAN MEAL PLAN RECIPES HERE! ⇐
Ingredients you need
Remember, we said simple and easy-to-make, so the ingredient list is not that long at all. We only added veggies and flavors to make this brown lentil loaf recipe wholesome, rich and juicy. If you have the following 10 ingredients, you will have yourself a main course for Thanksgiving dinner. Or make it as a weeknight dinner. We sure do that a lot. So here it goes:
- brown lentils (we often use canned, but you can certainly cook them from scratch),
- carrots,
- celery stalks,
- button mushrooms (or champignon or cremini),
- garlic,
- onion,
- soy sauce or choose one from the 5 gluten-free soy sauce substitutes,
- seasoning: oregano, thyme and smoked paprika powder, and
- THE SECRET INGREDIENT: buckwheat groats or seeds
What is buckwheat and why we love it?
Buckwheat is a pseudo-cereal grain aka a seed that behaves like a grain. We have a Complete Gluten-free Flour Guide if you’re interested to learn more about it.
If you are looking for buckwheat in stores you might come across names like:
- whole grain buckwheat
- buckwheat groats
- buckwheat seeds
THEY ARE THE SAME! We use this one*. The important part is that is has to be hulled and organic, not roasted or any other way modified. So why we call it a secret ingredient? Well, because there is
- NO breadcrumbs
- NO flour
- NO grains
- NO flax meal
- NO egg substitute
- And that is all thanks to buckwheat.
We have been testing and perfecting a gluten-free bread recipe using soaked buckwheat groats / seeds. In the latest attempt, we blended the seeds too finely in our Vitamix and when we sliced the baked bread my husband noted politely that: “This doesn’t look like bread at all, it rather looks like a meatloaf!” And then it hit me: “Why don’t we try to add these to your lentil loaf recipe to make it moist, juicy and less crumbly?” He agreed and BAM! it worked perfectly and finally we had our juicy, not crumbly, easy-to-cut, moist best damn vegan lentil loaf.
How to make Vegan Lentil Loaf?
Prepare the veggies – step 1
Peel and chop onion and garlic. Wash and chop celery. Wash, peel and slice carrots. Rinse and chop mushrooms.
Prepare the buckwheat – step 2
Soak the buckwheat groats in boiling water for 15 minutes. If you can squash the seeds with your fingers then they are soft enough. (You can certainly do overnight soaking in warm water.) When the seeds are soft, drain the soaking water and add fresh water (photo #1). Use your hand blender or food processor to roughly blend the seeds. It doesn’t need to be extra smooth. Stop when you have a paste-like texture (photo #2).
Sautee the veggies – step 3
Heat your frying pan to medium heat and add olive oil (photo #1). Cook the chopped onion (photo #2) for 1-2 minutes, add the chopped garlic (photo #3) and cook for a few seconds. Now, add the sliced carrots (photo #4). Stir and cook for 5-6 minutes.
Next is to add the chopped celery (photo #5), then the seasoning: salt, pepper, oregano, and thyme (photo #6-7). Stir well. Finally, add the chopped mushroom (photo #8) and cook for 5-6 minutes. When ready, take off the heat.
Blend all ingredients – step 4
Get your food processor ready now. Add the chopped veggie mix you just cooked in the frying pan to the food processor (photo #9). Add the cooked or canned brown lentils, the soy sauce, and the smoked paprika powder (photo #10). Finally, add the buckwheat paste (photo #11). Pulse for a couple of times. Don’t blend until everything is mushy and puree. You want to leave some chunks to bite on (photo #12).
Bake the lentil loaf – step 5
Preheat the oven to 390 Fahrenheit (200 degrees Celcius). Take a 9-inch loaf pan and pour in the lentil loaf mixture. I have a silicone one, but if you’re not, use parchment paper. Bake for 40 minutes. That’s it. You have a firm vegan lentil loaf that is rich and flavorful, juicy and luscious at the same time.
How to make Maple Tomato Glaze?
Think of it as homemade ketchup. Making maple tomato glaze is quite easy. You can get it done in 5 minutes. Take a small saucepan and heat it on medium heat. Add tomato sauce, maple syrup, soy sauce, apple cider vinegar, and corn starch (photo #1). Cook until glaze thickens enough. Cover the lentil loaf when the loaf is a bit chilled and not right out of the oven (photo #2).
What to serve with a vegan lentil loaf?
Our favorite side dish is potatoes of any form:
We also love a plateful of veggies for each meal and we happily eat roasted or fried veggies with this Vegan Lentil Loaf like
- Roasted Asparagus and Mushrooms
- Sauteed Mushrooms in Soy Sauce Glaze
- Sauteed Carrots in Maple Thyme Glaze
- Roasted Cauliflower and Broccoli
- Green Beans Casserole
- Braised Red Cabbage
Let us know in the comments what is your favorite combination.
FAQs and Substitutions
What can I use instead of buckwheat?
Well, it is kind of our secret ingredient that makes the lentil loaf perfectly juicy and moist. But if you must, you probably will have success with cooked quinoa. Both buckwheat and quinoa are pseudo-cereal grains aka seeds that behave like grains. We have a Complete Gluten-free Flour Guide if you’re interested to learn more about it.
Can I use other lentils?
You can certainly use green aka French lentils. We don’t recommend red lentils for two reasons: 1) it has a unique taste and will alter the taste compared to what we made the seasoning for; 2) red lentils tend to be drier and crumblier.
What other veggies can I add?
I would happily add bell pepper and any other root vegetables such as parsnip, rutabaga, or celeriac.
What else can you do with this lentil loaf mixture?
We have some fun ideas for you. They can be a perfect filling for stuffed peppers, stuffed mushrooms ,or stuffed zucchini/courgette. Or why don’t you take out a muffin tin and make mini lentil loaves?
How to store it?
It is perfect for batch cooking. You can easily store it in the fridge for 3-5 days without any problem.
Can I freeze it?
Yes, you can. For easier handling, pre-slice it.
This Vegan Lentil Loaf recipe is meat-free, dairy-free, and egg-free. It is also suitable for vegan, vegetarian, nut-free, and gluten-free diets. It can also be WFPB-friendly (whole foods plant-based) if you cook the veggies in water or in veggie broth.
⇒ GET OUR FREE 7-DAY VEGAN MEAL PLAN NOW! OR CHECK OUT ALL VEGAN MEAL PLAN RECIPES HERE! ⇐
More vegan dinner recipes
You can browse through our Vegan and Gluten-free Dinner Recipes or our Quick Vegan Meals collection or check out
- Vegan Spaghetti Bolognese
- Vegan Eggplant Meatballs
- Vegan Shepherd’s Pie
- Vegan Cabbage Lasagna
- Portobello Vegan Pot Roast
Juicy Vegan Lentil Loaf
Equipment
Ingredients
Vegan Lentil Loaf
- 2 Carrots (medium) 75 g
- 2 Celery stalk 50 g
- 2 cup Champion or White Bottom Mushrooms 150 g
- 1 Tbsp Olive oil
- 1 Onion (medium)
- 3-4 clove Garlic
- 2 ½ cup Brown lentils (canned, drained) 500 g
- ½ cup Buckwheat seeds 100 g (it will be 1 cup after soaking)
- ½ cup Water 1,2 dl (to blend the buckwheat seeds)
- 1 Tbsp Soy sauce or tamari or coconut aminos
- ½ tsp Oregano
- ½ tsp Thyme
- 1 tsp Sweet smoked paprika powder
Maple Tomato Glaze
- ½ cup Sieved tomato puree aka Tomato sauce 1,2 dl
- 2 Tbsp Maple syrup
- 1 tsp Apple cider vinegar
- 1 Tbsp Soy sauce or tamari or coconut aminos
- 2 tsp Corn starch or tapioca or arrowroot
Instructions
Prepare the veggies
- Peel and chop onion and garlic. Wash and chop celery. Wash, peel and slice carrots. Rinse and chop mushrooms.
Prepare the buckwheat seeds
- Soak the buckwheat seeds in boiling water for 15 minutes (½ cup dry will be 1 cup soaked at the end). If you can squash the seeds with your fingers then they are soft enough. (You can certainly do overnight soaking in warm water.)
- When the seeds are soft, drain the soaking water and add fresh water. Use your hand blender or food processor to roughly blend the seeds. It doesn't need to be extra smooth. Stop when you have a paste-like texture.
Sautee the veggies
- Heat your frying pan to medium heat and add olive oil. Cook the chopped onion for 1-2 minutes, add the chopped garlic and cook for a few seconds.
- Now, add the sliced carrots. Stir and cook for 5-6 minutes.
- Next is to add the chopped celery, then the seasoning: salt, pepper, oregano, and thyme. Stir well.
- Finally, add the chopped mushroom and cook for 5-6 minutes. When ready, take off the heat.
Blend all ingredients
- Get your food processor ready now. Add the chopped veggie mix you just cooked in the frying pan with the brown lentils, the soy sauce, smoked paprika powder and the buckwheat paste. Pulse for a couple of times. Don't blend until everything is mushy and puree. You want to leave some chunks to bite on.
Bake the lentil loaf
- Pre-heat the oven to 390 Fahrenheit (200 degrees Celcius). Take your loaf pan and pour in the lentil loaf mixture. I have a silicone one, but if you're not, use parchment paper. Bake for 40 minutes.
Maple Tomato Glaze in 5 minutes
- Take a small sauce pan and heat it on medium heat. Add tomato sauce, maple syrup, soy sauce, apple cider vinegar, and corn starch. Cook until glaze thickens enough.
- Glaze your lentil loaf when it is cooled down.
Notes
- whole grain buckwheat
- buckwheat groats
- buckwheat seeds
Karen Miletic
Thank you so much for this recipe! I actually bought silicone loaf pans to make this. What are the directions if substituting Quinoa for the buckwheat; is it the same amount and do I have to pre-cook it soak it? Happy Thanksgiving!!!
My Pure Plants
Definitely cooked. We used 1/2 cup buckwheat that will be 1 cup after soaking. So I would recommend trying with 1 cup cooked quinoa. Let me know how it goes. Love to know the result.
Jennifer
Can you make this with dry lentils that have been cooked instead of canned?
My Pure Plants
Hi Jennifer,
Yes, you can absolutely make it with cooked lentils
Karissa
I have to admit, I had doubts…
but this was AMAZING! I key is not to over-blend the ingredients.
I will definitely be making this on a regular basis. Thank you!
My Pure Plants
Hi Karissa, we are so happy you liked it. Thanks for trying our recipe.
Judy
I don’t know if I did something wrong but my loaf is mushy. I will try again using French Green lentils instead of canned. I tried baking it longer but it did not help. Flavor is great but texture is not.
My Pure Plants
Hi Judy,
I am not sure what went wrong. It can be mushy for a couple of reasons like
– How long have you pulsed it in the food processor? If too long, then you’ll lose the chunky texture and the mixture gets mushy and too moist.
– Have you drained the soaked buckwheat or the canned lentils throughly? Any excess liquid can cause a change in the texture.
– When you sauteed the veggies did the mushroom release any liquid that wasn’t evaporated? It will add extra moisture.
We also made this recipe with canned lentils, so if that should not be an issue.
Let me know if you have any questions.
Carla Weems
Haven’t tried the recipe yet – but am very ready to – I checked Amazon, they have a lot of “Buckwheat Groats” and just plain “Buckwheat” but your recipe lists “Buckwheat Seeds” can you tell me if groats are the same as seeds, or rather – can you post what brand you used? Since it’s the secret to perfectly good lentil loaf, I’d like to buy the right thing. Thanks much!!
My Pure Plants
Hi Carla,
Thanks for trying our recipe and reaching out to us. It depends on the brand. but it is likely that buckwheat seeds, buckwheat groats and buckwheat is the same. I link to Amazon in our recipe card to Bob Red Mill’s Buckwheat Groats I usually use as I need certified gluten-free.
Cathy R.
I haven’t tried this recipe yet, but it looks so good. I like to batch cook Lentil Loaf to freeze for the school year when I go back to teaching. I have Bulgur on hand, but not Buckwheat. Do you think that I could use it with the same success? Thank you!
My Pure Plants
I cannot say yes for sure. I have never cooked with bulgur as I need to choose gluten-free grains due to my diet, so I am not sure how they behave. If you soak them and it turns into a thick paste after blending, then there is a good chance they will work similarly.
D J Scott
Delicious. Made this for:a little dinner party for three. Three happy faces and all had seconds! Very easy to make and it worked perfectly first time. I used dried puy lentils and cooked them up first. Everything else was as per your recipe. May add some chopped walnuts and/or chestnuts next time for a bit of chew. Thanks so much for sharing!
My Pure Plants
Thanks so much for trying our recipe. We are so glad you all liked it.
Yvonne Manzer
Thank you!
When you say wait for “it” to cool down, do mean the loaf or the sauce? You don’t put the sauce on the meatloaf, then cook them together? The sauce or the meatloaf should not be hot?
My Pure Plants
The loaf. We always make sure that the loaf is at least cool enough to touch it. The sauce can be warm/hot, but it thickens while cooling so it is best to wait a bit.
Denise
Just wanted to add an addendum to my last post about the lentil loaf. As mentioned I tried it sliced, pan toasted on sprouted bread with pickles and mustard and really enjoyed it this way! So glad I gave that a try! Thanks for the recipe and I will make it again for sandwiches (or add more spice to try again as a loaf dinner)!
My Pure Plants
Thanks so much for letting us know. We are so glad you liked it as a sandwich. Pickles and mustard sound very delicious. I hope you will try it again as a loaf dinner.
Denise
I was excited to try this lentil loaf (my first non-meat loaf), I found that the ingredients were quite a bit too much for my standard-sized food processor. It was filled to the brim and I found it hard to pulse. I had to leave out a small bit of the lentils. I also had to add 15 minutes to the cooking time as when I took it out it was jiggly in the center. I think if I make it again I would add more spices as it was a bit bland. I followed the recipe exactly except for having to leave out about 1/4 cup of cooked lentils. I’m going to try it again today, sliced and warmed as a sandwich with pickles and mustard with some soup. I haven’t given up on it yet!
My Pure Plants
Hi Denise, you can definitely do them in batches. Mix everything in a bowl and add to the food processor in batches. You can even leave the last batch as it is so you have some chunky bits if you like. We found that baking time may vary from oven to oven. We use an oven with top and bottom heating. In any case, feel free to drop us an email ([email protected]) and we are happy to adjust the recipe to fit your kitchen equipment and troubleshoot if you have any further questions. Thanks for trying our recipe and for giving feedback.
Bill
Did I just miss the onion amount? Also, since we are nightshade free, i omitted the paprika and used liquid smoke in its place. For the glaze, i made a cranberry balsamic glaze that accented the flavors perfectly, especially for Thanksgiving….
My Pure Plants
You are absolutely right it is only in the instructions, but I forgot to add to the ingredients list. I added it now. We are so happy that you tried it and liked it. Thanks for letting us know.
Caroline
Can the buckwheat groats also be replaced by buckwheat flour?
My Pure Plants
I haven’t tried it with flour. It might if you add only enough water to make a paste consistency. Flour on its own will make it dry, you need the paste texture.
Elaine
Now this is the loaf recipe to keep on hands… always. The texture is amazing and the steps are really easy to follow. Loved the secret ingredient! 😉
My Pure Plants
Thank you Elaine.
Bintu | Recipes From A Pantry
I would never have thought to use buckwheat groats! This lentil loaf has my mouth watering!
My Pure Plants
Thank you. My new favorite ingredient is buckwheat. I have so many ideas with it.
Danielle
It’s amazing how easy it is to make this loaf. And it is vegan! I can see how happy my friends will be when I make this lentil loaf. Yum!
My Pure Plants
Thanks. I hope you all love this recipe.
Sandhya Hariharan
Vegan Lentil Loaf sounds fab!! Its such a versatile recipe – I would love some with Mashed potatoes.
My Pure Plants
Thank you