This vegan Lentil Quinoa Loaf makes a great thanksgiving main. Nut-free, can be gluten-free. Can be made ahead and is freezer friendly. Vegetarian thanksgiving Loaf. Vegan Recipe.
This is an amazing Lentil loaf with veggies, quinoa and spices. Use whichever spices and flavor additions you have. Mash some of the mixture really well for a sturdy loaf. The loaf can be made ahead and is freezer friendly. Freeze the slices and reheat on a skillet like a burger patty and serve. I made this loaf as part of the Thanksgiving spread, all on the same day. You can read about the menu, this loaf and how everything came together, other recipes from the spread with step pictures here.
This recipe is also in my second book Vegan Richa’s Everyday Kitchen, available worldwide
Recipe Card
Vegan Lentil Quinoa Loaf
Ingredients
Loaf:
- ½ cup (96 g) brown lentils
- ⅓ cup (56.67 g) uncooked quinoa or use millet or other similar cooking grain
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 ¼ cups (562.5 ml) of water
- 2 tsp oil
- ¾ cup (120 g) chopped onion
- 3 cloves of garlic finely chopped
- 1 jalapeno chopped (optional)
- ½ cup (50.5 g) celery finely chopped
- ½ cup (64 g) carrots finely chopped or grated
- ½ tsp (0.5 tsp) dried thyme
- ½ tsp (0.5 tsp) dried oregano
- ¼ cup (36.25 g) raisins add less for less sweet
- 2 tbsp flaxmeal or chia seed meal
- 1 Tbsp vegan worcestershire sauce or use a ½ tsp of tamarind paste, a tsp of molasses, vinegar and a ½ tsp ground mustard to make soy-free
- 2 to 3 Tbsp ketchup
- 1 to 2 Tbsp tamari or use coconut aminos to make soyfree
- 2 Tbsp tahini
- 1 to 2 tbsp nutritional yeast
- ¼ tsp (0.25 tsp) coarsely ground fennel seeds
- ½ cup (54 g) breadcrumbs or use coarsely ground oats or gf breadcrumbs to make gf
Glaze
- ¼ cup (60 g) ketchup
- 1 tsp or more hot sauce to taste
- 2 tsp maple
- 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
Instructions
- Combine lentils, bay leaf and water in a pan over medium heat. Bring to a boil and cook for 20 minutes. Wash the quinoa, add to the pan, partially cover and continue to cook until both are very tender and easily mashed (You want to slightly over cook the lentils). Stir after 10 minutes so they don't stick to the pan. Total 10 to 15 mins . *Drain any excess water, remove bay leaf and transfer to a bowl.
- Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add onions, garlic and jalapeno and cook for 5 minutes. or until translucent
- Add celery, carrots, thyme, oregano, and mix well. Cook for 5 minutes or until the veggies are tender. Add in the raisins, and mix . Cook for 2 minutes. Take off heat.
- Add the cooked veggies and flaxmeal to the bowl and mix in. Mash the mixture using potato masher or hands, so that atleast half the lentils and quinoa get well mashed. (you still want some whole lentils)
- Add in the sauces, tahini, nutritional yeast, fennel seeds and mix well. Taste and adjust salt and flavor. Add more sauces, herbs and salt if needed.
- Add breadcrumbs or coarsely ground oats and mix in. (To check if the mixture is the right consistency, make a burger patty. If the mixture is too sticky or pasty, add more breadcrumbs. If it is too crumbly and doesn't stick easily, add some wet ingredients or a flax egg)
- Prepare the loaf pan with parchment lined with parchment edges over the pan. Medium bread loaf pan(8.5 by 4.75 inch)
- Press the mixture into the pan. Pack well and even it out.
- Make the glaze and spread over the top of the loaf.
- Cover the loaf with foil and bake at 375 degrees / 190ºc for 25 to 30 minutes. Bake uncovered for 5 to 10 minutes. Then let it rest for 15 minutes before slicing.
Video
Notes
Or Bake the loaf for 25 minutes and refrigerate. Bake for 15 minutes before serving. To use precooked lentils/quinoa : Use 1 ¼ cup cooked lentils and 1 cup cooked quinoa and proceed with the rest of the recipe. Nutritional values based on one serving
Nutrition
See Step step pictures on this Thanksgiving Menu post.
Vegan Lentil Quinoa Loaf:
Allergen Information: Free of Dairy, egg, corn, nut. Can be made soy-free, gluten-free. Inspired by Dreena’s Nofu Loaf. Makes 1 loaf, serves 3 to 4
Ingredients:
½ cup brown lentils
⅓ cup uncooked quinoa (or use millet or other similar cooking grain)
1 bay leaf
2 ¼ cups of water
2 tsp oil
¾ cup chopped onion
3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
1 jalapeno, chopped (optional)
½ cup celery finely chopped
½ cup carrots, thinly sliced or grated
½ tsp dried thyme
½ tsp dried oregano
¼ cup raisins (add less for less sweet)
2 tbsp flaxmeal or chia seed meal
1 Tbsp vegan worcestershire sauce (or use a ½ tsp of tamarind paste, a tsp of molasses, vinegar and a ½ tsp ground mustard to make soy-free)
2 to 3 Tbsp ketchup
1 to 2 Tbsp tamari or use coconut aminos to make soyfree
2 Tbsp tahini
1 to 2 tbsp nutritional yeast
¼ tsp coarsely ground fennel seeds
½ to ¾ cup breadcrumbs or use coarsely ground oats or gf breadcrumbs to make gf
Glaze:
¼ cup ketchup
1 tsp or more hot sauce to taste
2 tsp maple
1 tsp vegan Worcestershire sauce
Method:
Combine lentils, bay leaf and water in a pan over medium heat. Bring to a boil and cook for 20 minutes. Wash the quinoa, add to the pan, partially cover and continue to cook until both are very tender and easily mashed (You want to slightly over cook the lentils). Stir after 10 minutes so they don’t stick to the pan. Total 10 to 15 mins . *Drain any excess water, remove bay leaf and transfer to a bowl.
Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add onions, garlic and jalapeno and cook for 5 minutes. or until translucent
Add celery, carrots, thyme, oregano, and mix well. Cook for 5 minutes or until the veggies are tender. Add in the raisins, and mix . Cook for 2 minutes. Take off heat.
Add the cooked veggies and flaxmeal to the bowl and mix in. Mash the mixture using potato masher or hands, so that atleast half the lentils and quinoa get well mashed. (you still want some whole lentils)
Add in the sauces, tahini, nutritional yeast, fennel seeds and mix well. Taste and adjust salt and flavor. Add more sauces, herbs and salt if needed.
Add breadcrumbs or coarsely ground oats and mix in. (To check if the mixture is the right consistency, make a burger patty. If the mixture is too sticky or pasty, add more breadcrumbs. If it is too crumbly and doesn’t stick easily, add some wet ingredients or a flax egg)
Prepare the loaf pan with parchment lined with parchment edges over the pan. Medium bread loaf pan(8.5 by 4.75 inch)
Press the mixture into the pan. Pack well and even it out.
Make the glaze and spread over the top of the loaf.
Cover the loaf with foil and bake at 375 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes. Bake uncovered for 5 to 10 minutes. Then let it rest for 15 minutes before slicing.
Note: To make the loaf less crumbly, cook the lentils really well. then mash them really well. Larger veggies or lentils in the mixture will make the loaf crumbly. Use finely chopped veggies. Add only enough breadcrumbs to make the mixture like a soft somewhat wet dough and not dry.
To Make Ahead: Cook the lentils and quinoa and add all the seasoning. Mix in and refrigerate. On the day you want to bake. Add in the breadcrumbs, taste and adjust salt and seasoning, pack into a loaf, glaze and bake as in the Instructions.
If for some reason the mixture is not the right consistency or you don’t have a loaf pan, shape the mixture into large patties by hand or by packing into a 3.5 inch cookie cutter. Brush the glaze on the patties. Bake at 400 degrees F for 20 to 30 minutes.
See Step step pictures on this post. Pictured here with pumpkin cornbread stuffing, spicy cranberry sauce and mashed sweet potatoes.
Lynette
I Made it today for my Easter dinner tonight. It is amazing! Due to health reasons, I have been Vegan and gluten free for 1 year now. Thank you for this very thought out, easy to follow, delicious alternative. I made 2 loaves.
Richa
❤️❤️
Holly
Very good lentil loaf recipe. It is firm and doesn’t fall apart when serving. Makes a good wrap sandwich, too. I omitted the raisins and maple syrup, and changed the seasoning to suit my preference. I used 1 1/2 tsp of Bell’s Poultry Seasoning instead of the bay leaf, thyme and oregano. I haven’t tried freezing it, but it looks like it would freeze well.
Vegan Richa Support
Thanks for taking the time to comment!
Barb
Very nice recipe. I have made a lot of these kinds of loaves and like them all. The raisins were a surprising addition. Also, I love ground fennel, and so few recipes call for it. I was happy that salt was left out; the coconut aminos and Worcestershire sauce contain enough sodium for me. Thank you.
Vegan Richa Support
So glad you liked it!
Bob
The taste is fantastic though! Under ingredient, the carrots say they can be grated or thinly sliced. I used my food processor to thinly slice them but they didn’t get cooked enough to “mash” together with lentils and quinoa. Then I read the end after I was finished that all veggies should be “finely chopped” so it’s not crumbly. Please just say finely chopped and save everyone else the hassle.
Richa
Updated it to finely chopped. The second instruction says to cook them until tender so that when you mash them even the larger pieces will break down.
Rebecca
In the oven now. I’m going to give this 5 stars now because the mix itself tasted amazing! I could eat it raw! I bet the mix would make good veggie burgers, too. If it’s as good as I am confident it will be, I won’t ever use another veggie loaf recipe.
Reci Ma
Yay
Lenore Lawrenz
This is your third recipie I’ve made and so far are smitten with all! Happy tastebuds!
Vegan Richa Support
Thank you for making my recipes!
Nina
I’ve made it several times now and absolutely love it!
Richa
Yay
Toni Wing-Jenkins
It was fantastic! I substituted poultry seasoning for the listed seasonings, plus a little extra garlic, and it was the perfect Thanksgiving main dish. It had that stuffing vibe along with the loaf vibe. I doubled the recipe as my husband and I have a pre thanksgiving thanksgiving on Wednesday, then bring leftovers to the nonvegan family gathering on Thursday and it was, indeed, even better the second day. Thank you!
Vegan Richa Support
Yay! So good to hear.
Cindy
Love, love this! I am remaking and wondering if I used white or red quinoa in the past? Can you clarify which type of quinoa you use? Thanks so much!
Vegan Richa Support
I use white quinoa.
Cheryl Eastburn
I just made a test run for Thanksgiving and this is a WINNER!!!! So tasty and light. I believe that this is the best loaf that I have ever had! ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
Richa
Yay
Justin
This is one of my favorite vegan meals as someone who is trying to transition from a meat heavy diet. If you want it a little more savory you can cut the raisins and add a little bit of adobo but it definitely changes the flavor profile and it’s fantastic as directed.
Richa
Awesome
Kathy
Any way to have the flavor but not so much sodium?
Vegan Richa Support
You could substitute the vegan worcestershire and tamari for a low sodium coconut aminos
Jodi Clark
This has been our Thanksgiving staple now for several years. We love it and look forward to it each season. Sometimes I make it again for Christmas and always vow to make it more times per year as it’s so easy and we enjoy it so much!
I also add in chopped roasted chestnuts as they’re easily available precooked at the holidays.
We’re looking forward to having this in the next couple of weeks!
Thank you for sharing!
Richa
Awesome
Gina
Have made this 2 x for thanksgiving now. It is delicious and always gets eaten but the non veg people too. I sub the carrots for red bell pepper as I am not a carrot fan.
QQ – can I make ahead and freeze it?
Richa
Yes! Slice and freeze!
Arlo
Hi Richa, If I want to make 6 servings, how much precooked lentils and quinoa should I use? I noticed when I changed servings your amounts did not change in notes regarding cooked lentil/quinoa. Thanks. Will be making this tonight. Can’t wait!
Richa
Just double it. Use slightly less than double quinoa.
Hazel
Always a favourite, made this last night and it was gobbled up in record time. I think I’ll make two next time!
Richa
Yay