This hearty Vegan Meatloaf is full of savory flavor and succulent texture. Lentils and quinoa pack it with plant protein, delivering a wholesome, satisfying plant-based meal. Gluten-free.
One does not become enlightened by imagining figures of light, but by making the darkness conscious.
Carl Jung
Why You’ll Love Our Vegan Meatloaf
With its succulent texture and robust taste, this vegan meatloaf recipe never fails to impress! As a chef, I always loved the challenge of creating high-protein, plant-based mains at our former restaurant —and now I am happy to share some of our favorites here on the blog! This vegan meatloaf, crafted with nutrient-rich lentils and quinoa, is a powerhouse of plant protein and flavor.
Not only is it vegan, it is gluten-free, with NO breadcrumbs! This is the perfect wholesome main dish for anyone looking to enjoy a delicious, meat-free meal. Plus, it is a sure hit for the holidays- perfect for the Thanksgiving table or Christmas dinner.
Vegan Meatloaf Ingredients
- Lentils and quinoa: Brown or green lentils work best.
- Veggie broth: For cooking the lentils and quinoa. Broth adds richer flavor, but water works just fine.
- Garlic cloves: To add savory, aromatic flavor to the cooked grains.
- Bay leaf, dried thyme, dried sage, and salt: To enhance the depth of flavor of the lentils and quinoa.
- Ground flaxseeds: “Flax eggs” are key in binding the meatloaf components together. And adds even more protein to this hearty vegan loaf!
- Walnuts: Toasted and pulsed to add depth of flavor and a coarse texture.
- Vegetables: Carrot, onion, and celery for aromatic, savory flavor and crunchy texture.
- Tomato paste, soy sauce, dijon mustard (or stone ground), and balsamic vinegar: Flavor enhancers for the loaf, adding savory depth, umami, and tanginess.
- Fresh parsley and fresh rosemary: Imparts fresh, fragrant herby flavor.
- Glaze: Tomato paste, water, balsamic, maple syrup, sriracha (or gochugaru, optional), onion powder, and salt.
How to Make Vegan Lentil Loaf
1. Cook lentils and quinoa. Add lentils and water to a pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer for 5 minutes. Add quinoa, garlic cloves, bay leaf, thyme, sage, and salt. Cover and cook for 20 minutes until lentils are soft and the liquid is absorbed. Add flaxseeds while still hot, mixing in while mashing the garlic cloves, and roughly mashing the lentils.
2. Toast the walnuts. Spread walnuts out onto a baking sheet and toast at 325F for 8-10 minutes. Let cool, then chop finely, leaving some texture. You can use a food processor to pulse if you prefer. The goal is to achieve a coarse texture.
3. Sauté vegetables. Sauté carrots, onions, and celery in olive oil for 5 minutes until soft.
4. Combine the lentil loaf. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together tomato paste, soy sauce, balsamic vinegar, black pepper, parsley, rosemary, and salt. Add toasted chopped walnuts, sautéed veggies, and the lentil/quinoa mixture.
5. Make the glaze. Stir together tomato paste, water, balsamic, maple syrup, sriracha, onion powder, and salt until smooth.
6. Prep the pan. Line a loaf pan with parchment paper (see notes) and oil the uncovered sides. Spread a few tablespoons of glaze on the bottom. Press the lentil mixture firmly into the pan.
Tip: You can prep all the way through step 6 and store the meatloaf mixture for up to 2 days in advance.
Before baking spread the remaining glaze over top of the loaf.
7. Bake. Bake in a preheated oven at 375F for 20 minutes, covered. Bake uncovered for 15 minutes. Let rest for 15 minutes before removing from the pan.
Vegan Meatloaf Tips
- Dice the veggies small: Finely dicing the veggies results in the best texture for the loaf- always cook the veggies!
- Prep up to two days in advance: Perfect for the holidays! This increases the flavor.
- Mix the ground flax seeds into the hot lentils and quinoa: this is key to sticking the loaf together and making it sliceable.
Storing Vegan Meatloaf
- Storage: cool the meatloaf to room temperature, wrap it tightly, and refrigerate it for up to 5 days.
- To freeze, wrap cooled meatloaf in a freezer-safe container or bag and freeze for up to 3 months( freeze whole or in slices).
- Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating either in the microwave or covered in a 350F oven. Reheat the whole lentil loaf or individual slices.
Meatloaf Serving Suggestions
Serve this lentil loaf with a side of vegan gravy, Vegan Mac and Cheese, Green Beans Almondine, Mashed Cauliflower, Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes, Perfect Roasted Broccoli, Sautéed Brussels Sprouts, or Glazed Carrots. It also tastes great with a crunchy salad, like our Raw Beet Salad with Basil Cashew Dressing!
Vegan Meatloaf recipe FAQs
In traditional meatloaf recipes, eggs are used to bind the meatloaf together. Here we use ground flax seeds to bind the ingredients together.
We use a combination of lentils and quinoa with toasted and minced walnuts and sautéed veggies to create the loaf. You’ll see other vegan loaves with ground oats or oat flour, or even mushrooms, like our Mushroom Loaf.
Avoid using raw veggies. It’s important to sauté the veggies for this recipe so that they are soft and have a savory, subtly sweet flavor versus being raw and crunchy.
Vegan Meatloaf Variations & Substitutions
- Try different Veggies– instead of carrots, shred parsnips or beets, and instead of celery, dice fennel bulb.
- Use a different Glaze or Sauce. Use your favorite BBQ sauce or make our homemade BBQ sauce recipe or our Jammy Roasted Ketchup or our Mushroom Gravy.
- For a smoky flavor, add a little smoked paprika or a couple of drops of liquid smoke.
- Feel free to bake in an 8×8 baking dish, and cut into squares.
Hope you enjoy this Vegan Lentil Loaf recipe!
More Favorite Main Dishes!
Vegan Meatloaf Recipe (Lentil Loaf)
- Prep Time: 40 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings
- Category: Entree, main, vegn
- Method: Various
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegan
Description
This hearty Vegan Meatloaf recipe is full of flavor and succulent texture. Lentils and quinoa pack it with plant protein, delivering a wholesome and satisfying meal. Gluten-free
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup lentils, brown or green
- 1/2 cup quinoa
- 2 1/2 cups water, or veggie broth
- 3 large garlic cloves, whole
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon dried sage
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoons ground flaxseeds
- 1 cup walnuts, toasted and chopped
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 cup carrot, grated
- 1 medium onion, diced small
- 2 ribs celery, diced small
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce or tamari (I used low sodium)
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard or stoneground mustard
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley
- 2 tablespoons fresh rosemary
- 1/2–1 teaspoon salt (adjust to taste- I like 1 teaspoon)
Glaze
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 tablespoons water
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1/2 teaspoon sriracha or gochugaru (optional)
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Cook the lentils and quinoa. Add lentils and water to a pot and bring to a boil, turn down and simmer for 5 minutes. Add quinoa, garlic cloves, bay leaf, thyme, sage and salt. Cover with a lid for 20 minutes until lentils are soft and liquid is absorbed. Add flax seeds while still hot, thoroughly mixing in and smashing the garlic cloves into the mixture, and roughly mashing the lentils.
- Toast the walnuts at 325 for 8-10 minutes or until they smell toasty, cool and chop fine but with some texture. You can use a food processor to pulse until you achieve a coarse texture.
- Saute the veggies. Saute carrots, onion, and celery in olive oil for 5 minutes until soft.
- Combine the lentil loaf. In a large bowl, mix tomato paste, soy sauce, Dijon mustard, balsamic vinegar, black pepper, parsley, rosemary, and salt until thoroughly combined. Add in the toasted, chopped walnuts, sauteed veggies, and lentil mixture.
- Make the glaze. In a small bowl, mix tomato paste, water, balsamic vinegar, maple syrup, sriracha, onion powder, and salt. Whisk until smooth.
- Assemble. Line a 9×5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper (extending a few inches over the edge of the pan) and oil the uncovered sides. Spread a few tablespoons of glaze on the bottom. Firmly press the lentil mixture into the pan to help it stick together. TIP: You can prepare this stage up to 2 days in advance, the flavors really marry and improve if left to sit overnight, it will also stick together better. Before baking spread the remaining glaze evenly over the top of the loaf.
- Bake in a preheated oven at 375°F for 20 minutes covered and 15 minutes uncovered. Let rest for at least 15 minutes before removing from the pan. See tips in notes.
Notes
Tips for removing from the pan- Allowing the parchment to extend a few inches on each side makes it easier to lift the loaf from the pan. It’s helpful to have someone assist you, with two hands on each side to distribute the weight evenly, preventing the loaf from buckling in the middle. Once the loaf is on the serving platter the parchment will come out from underneath with some gentle tugging.
You can also bake this in an 8×8 Pyrex dish and serve squares from the dish.
Lentils- Brown or green lentils cook fairly quickly and break down slightly, helping this vegan meatloaf hold together.
Storing leftovers– Cool the meatloaf to room temperature, wrap it, and refrigerate for up to 5 days.To freeze- Wrap cooled meatloaf in a freezer-safe container or bag and freeze for up to 3 months, whole or sliced. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator. To reheat- Heat the loaf or slices in the oven at 350ºF until internal temp reaches 145F
Make it Ahead– You can pre-assemble the vegan meatloaf up to 2 days ahead and store it in the fridge. Bring to room temp before baking.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/8 of the loaf
- Calories: 327
- Sugar: 8.7 g
- Sodium: 275.5 mg
- Fat: 12.1 g
- Saturated Fat: 1.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 46.7 g
- Fiber: 7.1 g
- Protein: 12 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
Truly a feast at home! Doubled the recipe and think this may replace the mushroom Wellington for Thanksgiving/Christmas vegan option!
Great to hear Bridget!
This was great, the sauce on top was fabulous! I used red lentils because it’s what I had, honestly not sure what difference that made to flavor or texture. Made two batches and froze the second for next time (look at me adulting!)
So glad to hear you enjoyed this! Doubling and freezing is brilliant.
This recipe required some time and work but it was worth it. I added an egg to keep the loaf intact, mine seemed a little moist but probably wasn’t necessary. The sage added a lot of flavor as did the balsamic vinegar glaze! My husband and I thought it was delicious and could easily be made for a Thanksgiving dinner. Thank you for this recipe!
Glad you gave this a try Kathy!
Definitely a keeper! I saved time by chopping the carrots, celery, and onion in the food processor, since I needed it for the nuts anyhow. Added an egg to make sure it held together, so not vegan. Skipped the glaze and served with mushroom gravy. A hit!
Great to hear Herta! Glad you gave it go and played around with it.
It was a lot of steps but ultimately worth it. I chopped the walnuts versus using the food processor and liked the extra crunch. I added an egg for staying power. I probably didn’t need it but as it is , the loaf did stay together just fine. I think the sage added a nice flavor to it as did the glaze. My husband thought this was delicious. I served it with mashed sweet potato and broccoli. This would also be good for a holiday meal like Thanksgiving. Thank you!
Glad you gave it a try!
Enjoyed by all, vegetarians and carnivores, for our holiday dinner! Was hoping for leftovers but looks like I will be making it again.
Wonderful Megan, so happy everyone enjoyed!
Oh my! SO good! I just went ahead and made a double batch of this to make 2 loaves because feasting at home never lets me down. I knew it would be great and it is! A bit labour intensive but SO worth it!
I did let it rest overnight. Didn’t make the glaze, only because I didn’t want to open a can pf paste for 3 tbsp., but whipped up a mock BBQ sauce (using ketchup) and it worked a treat. Thanks!!
So glad it worked out Rose! The second time you make it will go faster. I will freeze 1 tablespoon portions of tomato paste on a tray and store them in an container in the freezer. But love that you improvised! Thanks for circling back and letting us know. 🙂
Well, I guess great minds think alike Tonia!* I often portion out leftover tomato paste and do exactly as you’ve suggested.
*or is that small minds never differ?! 😉
Perfect! Ha…I suppose both can be true? 🤩
I understand the issue with tomato paste. I actually like to buy a large can of it and after I use what I need, I place the rest in a ziplock bag and seal it air tight. I lay it flat so it is spread evenly. Then I use a chopstick and make indentions about a tablespoon each. There are videos of this on YouTube if you need to see it to understand what I mean. I then freeze it. When I need some I just gently break the sections and remove what I need and put the rest in the freezer. a regular small can will fit a snack size ziplock bag great. I hope this tip helps you out. It sure did help me a ton.
Awesome tip, thank you!
Hi, Rose – I hear you on not opening a can of tomato paste for a small amount. I finally figured out that leftover tomato paste freezes very well! I measure it out in 1 TB portions, freeze, and use as needed. 🙂 Christina in Plymouth, MA
I use tomato paste in a tube — sold in the same area as the canned — but without the tinny taste. Use just as much as you need. Store it in the frig, once it is opened. Lasts long time.
Looking forward to trying this!
One question- can you please confirm that it is 1/2 cup of quinoa? Asking because it says “ cups” and want to be sure it’s not 1 & 1/2 cups. Thanks in advance and Happy Holidays! Making your delicious moussaka for Christmas Eve…
1/2 cup! Adjusted recipe card, thank you!
Looks yummy. Can I make it, put it in the pan and then refrigerate for a day or two and then bake? Seems like putting it into the fridge and then moving it to the pan may disrupt the binding some??
That is a good thought Cindy. I think that is a great idea.
This looks so good. I have a question about making it, putting it into the pan and then letting it sit a day or two before baking. Would that help make it more sturdy for slicing? Concerned that leaving it in a bowl and then moving and packing it into pan will lessen break the binding that occurred??
Yes, I think that will work better.
Wondering what could be substituted for nuts..sounds delicious
You might add a 1/4 cup nutritional yeast. I have not tried this but would give it a rich flavor.
One more question. Let sit overnight in the fridge?
Just made the batch and looking great so far – tasting wonderful!
Either way. I found the flavor increased as it sat but fine to bake right away.
I made this primarily for myself, but my carnivore husband wanted to try it. We both loved it! I mixed the ground flax into hot lentils mixture, but it still didn’t “gel”. I will try mixing it more until some of the lentils break down. That might be a good thing to add to the recipe instructions. Thanks for all your delicious recipes!!!
Thanks Marcene! Added more instructions in the recipe card.
Love love love the vegan meatloaf. Really delicious! Will definitely become part of my regular rotation given its macronutrients. Only issue was that it really falls apart, even cutting with a very sharp slicing knife. I can live with it but it would look so much better if it held together!
I hear you Bob, and thank you for the kind review! It is really important to mix the flax seeds in when the lentils are hot, mix enough to break down some of the lentils too. Press it firmly into the pan and let it rest before cutting into in.
Love love love the vegan meatloaf. Really delicious! Will definitely become part of my regular rotation given its macronutrients. Only issue was that it really falls apart, even cutting with a very sharp slicing knife. I can live with it but it would look so much better if it held together!
So happy you liked this Bob!
I always keep cooked lentils and quinoa in the freezer. So…since I wouldn’t have to cook them for this recipe, would that be 1 cup cooked of both lentils and quinoa??
Really looking forward to trying this!
1/2 cup of lentils will cook to about 1 cup. 1/2 cup quinoa will cook to about 1 1/2 cups. Please read the recipe carefully as adding the flax seeds to the warm lentil mixture is an important step. You may want to mostly mash up the lentils to get the loaf to stick together.
Thanks for the speedy response, Tonia! I do plan on heating the lentils and quinoa, then doing exactly as you’ve suggested since I saw the important step about the flax.
I also plan to sauté the veg, including minced garlic, in broth since I only cooked the lentils and quinoa in water and want the extra “flavour boost”.
Thanks again – happy holidays!
This looks amazing. We travel a lot in a camper van with no oven. Is there a way to “bake” it on the stovetop or in a pressure cooker?
I think you could just make it more of a saute. Just mix and heat together in a large pan and serve the glaze on the side?! Let us know what you think.
I love your recipes!
Can you substitute chia seeds for flax seeds? Thanks!
I haven’t tried this Pat. I bet it would. Also could try psyllium husk.
I love your recipes. What do you suggest to replace quinoa with? I seem to be sensitive to it so I avoid it. Thank you!
You could try millet? Adjust the cooking time.
Hello from Brisbane, Australia. Thank you so much for fantastic vege and vegan recipes (we’re a no flesh family). I made this “meatloaf” with a few changes ie subbed flaked rice for quinoa, left out sage as we find it a bit overpowering, used egg replacer in lieu of flaxseeds, swapped walnuts for pecans (as family member has allergy to walnuts) and subbed Balsamic vinegar for vegan Worcestershire sauce and BBQ sauce. Was enjoyed by everyone and definitely a repeat recipe.
Glad you were inspired Deb and that you made it work for your taste!
✨️This looks divine! I would like to use garbanzo instead of lentils. (I do not do well on lentils). I looked up the volume of a 1/2 cup lentils and cooked, it’s 1.25 cups. Your thoughts?
Thanks 😁
Sounds about right? You’ll have to keep an eye on the consistency. I would roughly mash the chickpeas. Let us know how it turns out!
This recipe is absolutely delicious and it has 12 grams of protein. You might even fool your carnivore friends.
Glad you enjoyed this Linda!
Tonia, this looks wonderful. I am not vegan, but , I enjoy vegetarian, and vegan meals from time to time. Can I make meatballs out of this recipe?
I think you could Lisa. I would consider adding an egg if it seems like it needs help sticking together.