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“Beefy” Vegan Lentil Loaf

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This is the BEST Vegan Lentil Loaf ever! Using both plant-based lentils and your favorite vegan ground beef crumbles, make this Vegan Lentil Loaf healthy but with a “beefy like” texture! 

vegan meatloaf cut with 2 slices cut from the loaf next to green beans on a baking pan

Why Use “Faux” Vegan Ground Beef Crumbles?

There are 3 main reasons I choose to add a vegan ground beef product to this recipe:

  1. Texture: A lot of vegan meatloaves,  burgers, meatballs, etc can come out too mushy. That is because beans are naturally, well, mushy. So the vegan crumbless adds back some texture.  
  2. Nostalgia. Hey, sometimes I just crave that “beefy” like texture because it’s what I grew up. So without having to harm an actual animal, vegan mock meats are the answer! 
  3. Creativity. For me I know it’s sometimes fun to cook with mock vegan products them and they also allow me to be creative in the kitchen! 

I topped this with my delicious Vegan BBQ Sauce recipe, but you can glaze this vegan lentil loaf with vegan mushroom gravy or even a traditional based ketchup glazed sauce. 

What can I serve Vegan Lentil Loaf with?

Below are some delicious sides you can serve this lentil loaf.

How to Make Vegan Lentil Loaf?

*Please read detailed and printable recipe card below for full ingredients and instructions

Prepare Veggies

  1. Begin by sauteing your onions, garlic, and mushrooms. (Photos 1 & 2)
  2. Then take half your lentils and put them in a food processor. Pulse a few times until slightly blended together.  (Photos 3 & 4)
step by step 4 grid photo of sauteing onions, mushrooms, and processing cook lentils

Mix Together Ingredients

  1. Add processed and whole lentils to a mixing bowl. (Photos 1 & 2)
  2. Then add your vegan beef crumbles, seasonings, oats, and breadcrumbs. Mix together until fully combine. (Photos 3 & 4)
step by step 4 grid photo of add lentils, crumbles and seasonings into a mixing bowl

Mix Together Ingredients

  1. Form your mixture into a loaf and brush on BBQ sauce. (Photos 1 & 2)
  2. Bake for 20 minutes. Allow to cool before slicing and serve it with your choice of sides. (Photos 3 & 4)
step by step 4 grid photo of forming the lentil loaf, brushing it with bbq sauce and baking it

Substitution, Cook, & Storage Tips:

  • DO NOT use red lentils for this. They are too mushy for this recipe. 
  • You can substitute the mock ground beef crumbles for 1 cup of cooked rice or 1 cup of ground-up walnuts. It will help give you some texture to the recipe if you are averse to using mock products. (I HAVE NOT personally tested this).
  • Mashed chickpeas would be a great addition to the recipe! It will also help give it a firmer hold.
  • Leftovers keep covered in the refrigerator 4-5 days once baked. DO NOT store at room temperature. 
  • If you want to freeze,  I recommend freezing pre-baking. Form into a loaf and wrap it up in Vegan Reusable Storage Wrap (a great plastic-free alternative to saran wrap), add to a Reusable Storage Bag or Glass Containers and freeze for up to 1 month. (Be sure to date it). When you are ready to bake, it can be popped straight into the oven! 

How Does this Recipe Help with Vegan Weight Gain?

This loaf is high in protein due to the lentils and meatless crumbles. Each serving has 26 grams of vegan protein. This is great to post a glute building workout or for dinner during a weight lifting session.

How Does this Recipe Help with Vegan Weight Loss?

To make this more weight loss (waste/weight release friendly) you could:

  • Serve with cauliflower mash instead of potatoes!
  • Eat with steamed vegetables or a large green salad. 
  • Use less BBQ sauce (or whatever glaze sauce you do use). You can even opt for sugar-free versions. 
different angle of vegan meatloaf cut with 2 slices cut from the loaf next to green beans on a baking pan

What People Are Saying About This Recipe

2 grid photo of recipe testimonials from readers

Loved this! I have made it twice already! – Leatha (via comments)

This recipe is getting rave reviews from my family. Thank you so much! – Mel (via comments)

More Lentil Recipes You’ll Love: 

Other BBQ Recipes to Try:

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vegan meatloaf on a baking pan with green beans

“Beefy” Vegan Lentil Loaf

This is the BEST Vegan Lentil Loaf ever! Using both plant-based lentils and your favorite vegan ground beef crumbles, make this Vegan Lentil Loaf healthy but with a "beefy like" texture! 
4.69 from 41 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Vegan, Vegetarian
Keyword: lentil loaf, vegan lentil loaf, vegan meatloaf
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes
Servings: 6 slices
Calories: 424kcal
Author: Gina Marie

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 tablespoon vegan butter
  • ½ cup chopped onion
  • 1 teaspoon garlic paste (or fresh minced garlic)
  • 16 ounce chopped mushrooms
  • 2 cups pre of cooked lentils (app. ¾ cup dried) note 1
  • 1 package thawed vegan beefy crumbles (your brand of choice) note 2 and 3
  • ¼ cup ketchup
  • 2 teaspoon Vegan Worcestershire Sauce note 5
  • 1 cube vegetable bouillon
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley or dried Italian Herbs
  • ½ teaspoon sea salt
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • ½ cup bread crumbs
  • ⅔ cup instant oats
  • ¼-½ cup Vegan BBQ Sauce or your favorite brand of sauce
US Customary – Metric

Instructions

  • Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C). Grab a pan and place on medium-high heat. Add oil and then butter into the hot pan until the butter has melted
  • Next, add your chopped onions, garlic paste, and mushrooms and cook on medium-high heat until veggies are soft and translucent for about 5 minutes. Once veggies are done cooking set aside.
  • Take half (1 cup) of your pre-cooked lentils and blend together in your food processor. This will help your loaf bind together. Add your processed lentils to a large mixing bowl along with the other unprocessed whole lentils.
  • In your large mixing bowl also add cooked mushrooms and onions, thawed out vegan beef crumbles, ketchup, Vegan Worcestershire Sauce, vegetable bouillon, fresh parsley (or dried Italian herbs), sea salt, black pepper, bread crumbs, and instant oats.
  • Mix together until fully combined, gently smashing together (not too much tho). You can get messing and use your hands for this. It's kinda fun!
  • Line your pan with parchment paper for an easier cleanup or lightly grease your baking sheet or loaf pan with oil. Add your mixture to your baking sheet forming it into a loaf (it should hold with no problem). Or add it to your loaf pan and pat down.
  • Top with Vega BBQ Sauce or your own personal favorite meatloaf sauce. Put in oven and bake for 15-20 minutes. Take out and let cool. The longer it cools the more it holds when you cut it.
  • Top with additional Easy BBQ Sauce and serve with Vegan Potato Salad and Vegan Baked Beans for a Summer cookout. Or for Thanksgiving serve with Baked Candied Sweet Potatoes, Dairy Free Mac and Cheese, and Almond Green Beans!
  • Leftovers keep covered in the refrigerator 5-6 days and can be frozen for up to 1 month covered.

Video

Notes

  1. PRE COOKED LENTILS: Use pre cooked lentils in the refriderated section of your store to save time in making the recipe. If not make your own first. You will need ¾ cup dried lentils and 2 ½ cups of water. (NO SOAKING FOR LENTILS REQUIRED) Bring water to a boil and simmer lentils for 25 minutes. Drain well, and pat dry with paper towels to remove excess moisture. This helps prevent a mushy loaf.
  2. MOCK GROUND BEEF: As of present day, there are now vegan ground beef packaged products vs just frozen crumbles. Feel free to experiment with those as they might provide a better bind than the crumbles! Any brand you like will be find. You can substitute the mock ground beef crumbles for 1 cup of cooked rice or 1 cup of ground-up walnuts if you are averse to using mock products.
  3. MOCK GROUND BEEF BRANDS: Originally this recipe uses Beyond Meat Crumbles BUT I have redone this with Gardien brand and I like that better. Not everyone likes pea protein so I suggest using Gardien, Vegan Morning Star, or Boca. Please note that the size of the the package doesn’t matter too much (as each brand varies from 10 to 13 ounces). Whatever brand you use, be sure to use the entire package. 
  4. FIRMER HOLD: The longer it cools, the better it will hold. If you want a firmer hold you will have to combine all ingredients inside a food processor. The downside of that is you can loose a lot of that “beefy” texture processing all the ingredients together. So it’s all about what you desire the most.
  5. ADDITIONS & OTHER SUBSTITUTIONS: Here’s a secret, if you cannot find Vegan Worcestershire Sauce, use A1 steak sauce instead! 

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts
"Beefy" Vegan Lentil Loaf
Amount Per Serving (1 slice)
Calories 424 Calories from Fat 81
% Daily Value*
Fat 9g14%
Saturated Fat 2g13%
Sodium 454mg20%
Potassium 1059mg30%
Carbohydrates 62g21%
Fiber 23g96%
Sugar 7g8%
Protein 26g52%
Vitamin A 254IU5%
Vitamin C 5mg6%
Calcium 82mg8%
Iron 7mg39%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?Be sure to PIN IT on Pinterest, leave a comment below, rate it, and mention @_VeganWithCurves using #veganwithcurves hashtag on Instagram so I can see it!

Update Notes: This post was originally published on March 1, 2018, but was republished with step by step instructions, tips, a video, and reader’s recipe testimonials on March 16, 2020.

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