Vegan Holiday Lentil Loaf

Celebrate the holiday season with this hearty and flavorful Vegan Holiday Lentil Loaf—a plant-based classic destined to become the centerpiece of your festive table. Packed with wholesome ingredients like protein-rich lentils, earthy mushrooms, crunchy walnuts, and a medley of aromatic vegetables, this loaf delivers a satisfying texture and savory depth of flavor. Bound together with a simple flaxseed "egg" and seasoned with smoky paprika and thyme, it’s finished with a sweet and tangy ketchup glaze that caramelizes beautifully in the oven. Easy to prepare and naturally gluten-free with the use of tamari and gluten-free breadcrumbs, this dish is perfect for vegans, vegetarians, and any guest at your table. Serve it alongside roasted vegetables and your favorite holiday sides for an impressive, crowd-pleasing meal!

Nutriscore Rating: 71/100

Prep Time:20 mins

Cook Time:60 mins

Total Time:80 mins

Servings: 6

Ingredients

• 1 cup Green or brown lentils
• 2.5 cups Vegetable broth
• 1 tablespoon Olive oil
• 1 medium Onion (finely chopped)
• 3 Garlic cloves (minced)
• 1 medium Carrot (finely grated)
• 2 stalks Celery (finely chopped)
• 1 cup Button mushrooms (diced)
• 2 tablespoons Ground flaxseed
• 5 tablespoons Water
• 1.5 cups Breadcrumbs
• 0.5 cups Walnuts (chopped)
• 2 tablespoons Tomato paste
• 2 tablespoons Soy sauce or tamari
• 1 teaspoon Smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon Dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon Salt
• 0.5 teaspoon Black pepper
• 0.5 cup Ketchup
• 1 tablespoon Maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon Apple cider vinegar

Directions

Step 1

Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Grease a standard loaf pan and line it with parchment paper for easy removal.

Step 2

Rinse the lentils under cold water, then add them to a medium-sized pot with 2.5 cups of vegetable broth. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and let them simmer uncovered for 20–25 minutes, until tender and the liquid is absorbed. If any liquid remains, drain it off.

Step 3

While the lentils cook, prepare the flax egg. In a small bowl, mix the ground flaxseed with 5 tablespoons of water. Let it sit for 5–10 minutes to thicken.

Step 4

In a large skillet over medium heat, add the olive oil. Sauté the onion for 2–3 minutes until softened, then add the garlic, carrot, celery, and mushrooms. Cook for another 5–7 minutes until the vegetables are tender and most of the moisture from the mushrooms has evaporated.

Step 5

Transfer the cooked lentils to a large mixing bowl and mash them with a fork or potato masher until about half of the lentils are broken down, leaving some texture.

Step 6

To the bowl with the lentils, add the sautéed vegetables, prepared flax egg, breadcrumbs, walnuts, tomato paste, soy sauce, smoked paprika, dried thyme, salt, and black pepper. Mix everything well until fully combined.

Step 7

Transfer the lentil mixture to the prepared loaf pan, pressing it down firmly and smoothing the top with a spatula.

Step 8

In a small bowl, whisk together the ketchup, maple syrup, and apple cider vinegar to create the glaze. Spread it evenly over the top of the loaf.

Step 9

Bake the lentil loaf in the preheated oven for 40–45 minutes, until firm and the glaze is slightly caramelized.

Step 10

Remove the loaf from the oven and let it cool in the pan for 10–15 minutes before carefully lifting it out using the parchment paper. Slice and serve warm.

Nutrition Facts

Serving size	(1722.9g)

Amount per serving	% Daily Value*
Calories	2012.3

Total Fat 75.7g	0%
Saturated Fat 8.9g	0%
Polyunsaturated Fat 3.1g
Cholesterol 0mg	0%
Sodium 8937.4mg	0%
Total Carbohydrate 290.3g	0%
Dietary Fiber 45.4g	0%
Total Sugars 75.7g
Protein 77.0g	0%

Vitamin D 10.5IU	0%
Calcium 402.2mg	0%
Iron 23.4mg	0%
Potassium 3808.3mg	0%

*The % Daily Value tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

Source of Calories

Fat: 31.7%

Protein: 14.3%

Carbs: 54.0%