Vegan Holiday Recipes: Thanksgiving Lentil Loaf

Vegan Lentil Loaf and Mashed Potatoes with Mushroom Gravy - Holiday Recipes From Culinarie Kit

Large holiday gatherings can be a challenge for folks who don’t eat meat, whether they’re vegan, vegetarian or just trying to eat healthier foods. This fully vegan lentil loaf is a great alternative to the standard Thanksgiving Turkey, and it’s so good your meat-loving family will all want a taste, too. It’s a little time consuming, but quite easy to prepare. All you need is a food processor, some parchment paper, and a loaf pan!

Lentil Loaf Ingredients

1/2 cup brown or green lentils
1 1/2 cups water
1 tbsp miso paste
1 bay leaf
1 tbsp Holy Smoke Olive Oil*
2 carrots, peeled and diced
1 shallot -OR- 1 small yellow onion, peeled and diced
1 stalk celery, trimmed and diced
4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1 cup baking nuts (walnuts or pecans work best)
1 tbsp Bourbon Barrel Foods Worcestershire Sauce*
2 tsp apple cider vinegar
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 tsp liquid smoke (optional)
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp Bourbon Barrel Foods Smoked Paprika*
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 tbsp vital wheat gluten**

Lentil Loaf Glaze Ingredients

2 tbsp tomato paste
1 tbsp molasses
1 tsp worcestershire

How to Make Vegan Lentil Loaf

Preheat your oven to 375°F.

Add your lentils, water, bay leaf, and miso paste to a pot. Cook over medium heat for about 20-30 minutes, or until the lentils have absorbed most of the liquid. Set aside too cool–the lentils will continue to absorb while they rest.

Mirepoix for Vegan Lentil Loaf RecipeIn a pan, heat the olive oil. Add the carrots, onion, and celery, and sauté until fragrant, about 10 minutes. Add garlic, stir, and remove from heat too cool.

In a food processor, pulse the nuts 2-3 times until broken up, then add the cooled lentils, cooled vegetable mixture, worcestershire, apple cider vinegar, tomato paste, and liquid smoke (if using), and vital wheat gluten. Blend for about 20 seconds, or until the mixture is mostly uniform.

Scoop the mixture out into a large mixing bowl. Stir and smash with a spatula to “knead” the gluten into the mixture for about 2-3 minutes.

Line a loaf pan with parchment and scoop your lentil base into the pan.

Vegan Lentil Loaf in Pan - Lentil Loaf Recipe

In a small bowl, whisk together the glaze ingredients. Glaze the top of the loaf with a pastry brush.

Cover the loaf pan with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for another 15-20 minutes, or until the glaze has caramelized.

Allow the lentil loaf to rest for about 10 minutes before removing it from the pan by lifting the edges of the parchment, then slice and serve with our vegan mashed potatoes and gravy.

* Holy Smoke Olive Oil, Bourbon Barrel Foods Worcestershire, and Bourbon Barrel Foods Smoked Paprika are all available in our Culinarie Kits. If you don’t have these ingredients on hand, you can sub regular olive oil, vegan worcestershire (or liquid aminos), and regular paprika.

** If you don’t have vital wheat gluten in your pantry, 2 tbsp of all purpose flour will substitute just fine. If you’re hoping for a gluten free lentil loaf, you can substitute 2 tbsp chickpea or almond flour instead!