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    Vegan Lentil Loaf with Gravy

    Published: Nov 2, 2018 · Modified: Dec 18, 2020 by Sina · This post may contain affiliate links · 100 Comments

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    Lentil Loaf

    This vegan lentil loaf is such a great recipe for the holiday season! It’s festive, easy to make, healthy, and soooo delicious! I served it with vegan gravy, pumpkin and sweet potato mash, and cranberry sauce. Impress your family at your next family dinner with this lentil loaf!

    Vegan Thanksgiving Lentil Loaf

    I’ve always loved meat loafs, so I decided to make a vegan version that uses cooked lentils instead of ground meat. It’s really easy to make, it’s high in fiber and protein, and most of all it’s incredibly DELICIOUS!!

    I also included the recipes for the vegan gravy, the pumpkin and sweet potato mash, and the cranberry sauce for you at the end of this post.

    This Lentil Loaf Is:

    • vegan
    • festive
    • perfect for Thanksgiving and Christmas
    • easy to make
    • packed with protein thanks to the lentils
    • super healthy (lentils, walnuts, oats, and flaxseeds provide lots of nutrients)
    • very filling (one or two slices are probably more than enough per person)
    • great with vegan gravy, mashed potatoes or also on a sandwich
    • easy to make ahead
    • a real crowd-pleaser (I’ve made it so many times already!)

    What You Need For This Vegan Lentil Loaf:

    The best thing is that you don’t need any fancy or hard to find ingredients for this vegan meatloaf. You can find all of the ingredients for this lentil loaf in any supermarket.

    You need:

    • brown lentils
    • onions
    • garlic
    • flaxseeds
    • walnuts
    • carrots
    • rolled oats
    • tomato paste
    • unsweetened almond or soy milk
    • soy sauce
    • oregano
    • thyme
    • rosemary
    • parsley

    As always, I included a full ingredient list with detailed recipe instructions at the end of this post. 

    Vegan Thanksgiving Lentil Loaf

    How to Make a Lentil Loaf

    STEP 1: First, cook the lentils according to the instructions on the package. Then put about 6 tablespoons of the cooked lentils aside. You’ll need them later on to give the lentil loaf a bit more texture.

    STEP 2: Sauté the onion and garlic and add the chopped carrots and cook them for a couple of minutes.

    four step-by-step photos of the preparation of a vegan lentil loaf (onions and carrots are being sautéed and the mixture is a in a food processor)

    STEP 3: Put all ingredients into a blender or food processor and blend until you have a sticky but chunky mixture. It’s very important that you make sure to not overdo it, so you still got some texture. Add the remaining lentils and season with thyme, oregano, salt, pepper, and fresh parsley.

    STEP 4: Place the mixture into a loaf pan lined with parchment paper. Make sure to let the parchment paper overlap the loaf pan, so it’s easier to remove the lentil loaf once it’s done.

    four step-by-step photos of the preparation of a vegan lentil loaf (lentil loaf in a loaf pan before and after baking)

    STEP 5: Bake the vegan meat loaf for 60 minutes at 350°F. I highly recommend making this lentil loaf the night before and storing it in the fridge overnight. This way it will be much firmer and all you have to do on the next day is reheating it in the oven for 20 minutes at 350 °F.

    Lentil Loaf – Recipe Notes:

    • You can easily make the lentil loaf ahead. I always love preparing at least some parts of the holiday meals ahead. Just put it in the oven to reheat before you’re serving it.
    • The lentil loaf is also really delicious with fettuccine and mushroom gravy. Or it can be enjoyed cold with a salad or on a sandwich.
    • You want a sticky but still chunky mixture for the lentil loaf. It’s very important that you make sure to not overdo it, so you still got some texture. So don’t blend it for too long!
    • Make sure to let this lentil loaf cool down for a bit in the loaf pan before you slice it. This way it can firm up a bit.
    • I highly recommend making this lentil loaf the night before and storing it in the fridge overnight. This way it will be much firmer and all you have to do on the next day is reheating it in the oven for 15-20 minutes at 350 °F.
    • Properly stored it will keep up to 5 days in the fridge and 8 weeks in the freezer.
    • If you want you could also wrap this lentil loaf in puff pastry. Just prepare the loaf the day before and on the next day wrap it in store-bought vegan puff pastry and place it on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake it for 25-30 minutes at 350 °F.
    • This vegan lentil loaf is very filling. One or two slices are probably enough per person.

    Vegan Thanksgiving Lentil Loaf

    Ways to Serve This Lentil Loaf:

    I served this lentil loaf with pumpkin and sweet potato mash, cranberry pear sauce, and vegan gravy. This was such a delicious and festive vegan meal that is perfect for Thanksgiving or Christmas!

    Of course this vegan Thanksgiving menu is a bit more time-consuming than most of the recipes you can find on my blog, but I can assure you it’s totally worth the work! It’s perfect to show people how amazing vegan food can be!

    1. Pumpkin and Sweet Potato Mash

    STEP 1: In the meantime, make the pumpkin and sweet potato mash. Cut both into small cubes and cook for about 10-15 minutes or until soft. Mash with a potato masher and add some vegan margarine, salt, pepper, and a pinch of nutmeg.

    STEP 2: For the nut-oat topping, chop some walnuts or Brazil nuts into small chunks and roast them in a small pan for about 2 minutes. Then add the oats and some more vegan margarine. Season with salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes.

    STEP 3: Pour the mashed sweet potato and pumpkin into a baking dish and sprinkle with the nut-oat topping. Bake for 15 minutes at 350 °F.

    4 step-by-step photos of the preparation of cranberry pear sauce

    2. Cranberry Pear Sauce

    For the cranberry pear sauce, cut the pears into medium-sized cubes. Put them into a small sauce pan together with the cranberries.

    Add some water and coconut sugar and cook for about 15 minutes until the cranberries are popped and the pears are soft. To give it some more flavor, add some ground ginger. Instead of the coconut sugar you can also use brown sugar if you want.

    3. Vegan Gravy

    I’ve always loved gravy sauce and at first I was a bit skeptical if vegan gravy could be just as good as regular gravy sauce. But it definitely can!

    And it’s so easy to make. All you need is an onion, garlic, carrots, celery, tomato paste, red wine, vegetable broth and some spices.

    Vegan Thanksgiving Lentil Loaf

    Vegan Lentil Loaf – FAQs:

    Can you freeze this lentil loaf?

    Yes, freezing this lentil loaf is no problem. It freezes really well. Just let the loaf cool down completely and then cut it into slices. Place the slices into freezer bags and freeze them for up to 2 months.

    Let them thaw at room temperature and reheat them at 275 °F for about 10 minutes or until heated through.

    How long does this lentil loaf last?

    Properly stored in an airtight container this lentil loaf lasts for about 5 days in the fridge. You might even go up to 7 days, but make sure to check for any weird small.

    In the freezer the lentil loaf lasts for up to 2 months.

    How to reheat this lentil loaf:

    If you’ve got leftover slices of this lentil loaf, just reheat them by putting them in the oven for about 10 minutes at 275 °F until heated through. Place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

    If you’ve got a whole loaf, reheat it for 15-20 minutes at 350 °F. You could also reheat the lentil loaf slices in the microwave.

    What to eat with lentil loaf:

    This vegan lentil loaf is great with:

    • vegan gravy (recipe at the end of this post)
    • cranberry sauce (recipe at the end of this post)
    • vegan mashed potatoes or mashed cauliflower
    • mashed sweet potato casserole (recipe at the end of this post)
    • vegan green bean casserole
    • yams
    • roasted butternut squash and Brussels sprouts
    • mushroom bourguignon with fettuccine
    • creamy corn
    • vegan mac and cheese 

    Other Festive Vegan Recipes You Might Like:

    • Vegan Green Bean Casserole 
    • 22 Vegan Thanksgiving Recipes 
    • Mushroom Bourguignon 
    • 28 Vegan Thanksgiving Recipes 
    • 33 Vegan Christmas Recipes 
    • 25 Amazing Vegan Christmas Cookies 
    • German Mulled Wine / Gluhwein 
    • Vegan Falafel with Cranberry Pear Sauce 

    I LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU GUYS!

    I hope you like this vegan lentil loaf as much as we do around here.

    If you give it a try, I’d love to know what you think about them. Just leave me a comment and a star rating below. Your comments really make my day!

    You like my recipes and want to see more? Then follow me on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest! 

     

    Vegan Thanksgiving Lentil Loaf

    Vegan Thanksgiving Lentil Loaf

    This festive vegan lentil loaf, with pumpkin and sweet potato mash, vegan gravy, and cranberry pear sauce is perfect for Thanksgiving and Christmas.
    5 from 15 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 1 hr
    Cook Time: 1 hr
    Total Time: 2 hrs
    Servings: 4 people
    Calories: 645kcal
    Author: Sina

    Ingredients

    For the Vegan Lentil Loaf:

    • 1.5 cups brown lentils
    • 2 onions, chopped
    • 2 large cloves of garlic, minced
    • 2 tablespoons ground flax seeds
    • 3/4 cup walnuts
    • 1 large carrot, cut into small pieces
    • 1 cup rolled oats
    • 2 tablespoon tomato paste
    • 1/3 cup + 1 tablespoon unsweetened almond or soy milk
    • 2 teaspoons soy sauce
    • 2 teaspoons oregano
    • 2 teaspoons thyme
    • 2 teaspoons rosemary
    • 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
    • salt
    • black pepper

    For the Mashed Pumpkin and Sweet Potato Casserole:

    • 1 small Hokkaido squash (about 35 oz), cut into small pieces
    • 16 oz sweet potato, cut into small pieces
    • 7 oz potatoes, cut into small pieces
    • 3 tablespoons vegan margarine
    • 1/4 cup rolled oats
    • 1/4 cup walnuts or Brazil nuts, chopped
    • salt
    • pepper
    • red pepper flakes

    For the Vegan Gravy:

    • 1 onion
    • 1 carrot, cut into small pieces
    • 2 celery stalks, chopped into small pieces
    • 1 clove of garlic, minced
    • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
    • 1 tablespoon flour
    • 1/3 cup dry red wine (use a vegan brand)
    • 1 1/4 cups vegetable broth
    • 1/2 teaspoon oregano
    • 1 teaspoon paprika powder
    • 1/2 teaspoon rosemary
    • salt
    • black pepper

    For the Cranberry Pear Sauce:

    • 1 cup cranberries
    • 2 tablespoons coconut or brown sugar
    • 2 pears, cut into medium-sized chunks
    • 3/4 cup water
    • 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
    • 1 can pear halves

    Instructions

    Lentil Loaf:

    • First, cook the lentils according to the instructions on the package. Then put about 6 tablespoons of the cooked lentils aside. You'll need them later on to give the lentil loaf a bit more texture. Sauté the onion and garlic for about 2 minutes. Then add the chopped carrots and cook them for another 3 minutes. Put all ingredients except the spices into a blender or food processor and blend until you have a sticky but chunky mixture. It's very important that you make sure to not overdo it, so you still got some texture.
    • Add the remaining lentils and season with thyme, oregano, salt, pepper, and fresh parsley.
    • Place the mixture into a loaf pan lined with parchment paper. Make sure to let the parchment paper overlap the loaf pan, so it's easier to remove the lentil loaf once it's done. Bake the vegan meat loaf for 60 minutes at 350°F. Let the lentil loaf cool down for a bit in the loaf pan before serving it.
      I highly recommend making the lentil loaf the night before and reheating it on the next day (at 350°F for about 20 minutes). This way it will be much firmer. 

    Pumpkin and Sweet Potato Mash:

    • In the meantime, make the pumpkin and sweet potato mash. Cut both into small cubes and cook for about 10-15 minutes or until soft. Mash with a potato masher and add the vegan margarine, salt, pepper, and a pinch of nutmeg.
    • For the nut-oat topping, chop the walnuts or Brazil nuts into small chunks and roast them in a small pan for about 2 minutes. Then add the oats and some more vegan margarine. Season with salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Pour the mashed sweet potato and pumpkin into a baking dish and sprinkle with the nut-oat topping. Bake for 15 minutes at 350 °F.I highly recommend making this lentil loaf the night before and storing it in the fridge overnight. This way it will be much firmer and all you have to do on the next day is reheating it in the oven for 20 minutes at 350 °F.

    Vegan Gravy:

    • Sauté the onion and the garlic for about 2-3 minutes. Then add the carrots and the celery and cook for another 3 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and cook until it becomes slightly brown. Then stir in the flour and deglaze with red wine. Allow to evaporate. Then add the vegetable broth. Season with oregano, paprika powder, rosemary, salt, and pepper.
    • Reduce the heat and simmer for 25 minutes. Pour the gravy through a sieve using a ladle. Put it back into the pot, so you can heat it up once the rest is ready to eat.

    Cranberry Pear Sauce:

    • For the cranberry pear sauce, cut the pears into medium-sized cubes. Put them into a small sauce pan together with the cranberries.
    • Add the water and coconut or brown sugar and cook for about 15 minutes until the cranberries are popped and the pears are soft. To give it some more flavor, add some ground ginger. The sauce is supposed to thicken to a jam-like consistency. Serve the cranberry pear sauce in canned pear halves.

    Notes

    • You can easily make the lentil loaf ahead. I always love preparing at least some parts of the holiday meals ahead. Just put it in the oven to reheat before you're serving it.
    • The lentil loaf is also really delicious with fettuccine and mushroom gravy. Or it can be enjoyed cold with a salad or on a sandwich.
    • You want a sticky but still chunky mixture for the lentil loaf. It's very important that you make sure to not overdo it, so you still got some texture. So don't blend it for too long!
    • Make sure to let this lentil loaf cool down for a bit in the loaf pan before you slice it. This way it can firm up a bit.
    • I highly recommend making this lentil loaf the night before and storing it in the fridge overnight. This way it will be much firmer and all you have to do on the next day is reheating it in the oven for 20 minutes at 350 °F.
    • Properly stored it will keep up to 5 days in the fridge and 8 weeks in the freezer.
    • If you want you could also wrap this lentil loaf in puff pastry. Just prepare the loaf the day before and on the next day wrap it in store-bought vegan puff pastry and place it on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake it for 30 minutes at 350 °F.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 645kcal | Carbohydrates: 80g | Protein: 28g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Sodium: 720mg | Potassium: 1247mg | Fiber: 30g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 6465IU | Vitamin C: 16.1mg | Calcium: 159mg | Iron: 8.8mg
    Tried this recipe?Mention @_veganheaven_ or tag #veganheaven!
    Rate the recipe!If you like this recipe, please leave a good rating! This will help other readers.
    Previous Post: « Vegan Green Bean Casserole
    Next Post: 28 Drool-Worthy Vegan Desserts »

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Kiara

      November 10, 2018 at 7:43 pm

      Looks very good!

      Reply
    2. Christin

      November 02, 2018 at 3:17 pm

      5 stars
      Looks delicious!! =)

      Reply
    3. Gemma Cartwright

      July 08, 2018 at 5:15 pm

      Hi, going through your recipes and came across this loaf. I have been looking for a cranberry sauce recipe and want to know if I can substitute with frozen cranberries as that is all we have in Australia. Can’t wait to try this.
      Cheers, Gemma.

      Reply
    4. Sophie Bowater

      December 23, 2016 at 5:53 pm

      Hi Sina, cooking this loaf now for Christmas. Should I par bake it or should I bake it all the way and freeze it? Happy holidays. Thanks. Much Peace

      Reply
      • Sina

        December 27, 2016 at 2:56 pm

        Hi Sophie, I’m so sorry for the late reply!! I always bake it all the way and then freeze it. Hope it all worked out! :-)

        Reply
    5. Serena M Serafin

      November 23, 2016 at 5:59 pm

      Is it 1.5 cooks cooked or dried lentils???? Making this for Thanksgiving.

      Reply
      • Serena M Serafin

        November 23, 2016 at 9:38 pm

        I just eye-balled and used 1.5 cups cooked.

        Reply
        • Sina

          November 23, 2016 at 11:10 pm

          Hi Serena, it’s 1.5 cups dried lentils. Happy Thanksgiving! :-)

        • Carla

          November 22, 2018 at 6:33 am

          YAYY!!! So glad someone else asked this, and you answered!! Just finished cooking 1.5 cups dry lentils but it looks like SO MUCH, I’m worried I won’t be able to fit in all in a “loaf pan” even after the food processor… I’m using an 8.5″ x 4.5″, guess will see what happens. Thank for posting these recipes!!

    6. Serena M Serafin

      November 20, 2016 at 1:34 am

      Would it work to puree the gravy mix then strain it after blending?

      Reply
      • Sina

        November 22, 2016 at 4:38 pm

        Hi Serena,

        Sorry for the late reply! No, I wouldn’t recommend that as the sauce will get much thicker this way. Hope that helps! Let me know if you give it a try. :-)

        Reply
        • Serena M Serafin

          November 23, 2016 at 5:59 pm

          Thank you!

    7. Amanda

      January 18, 2016 at 5:49 pm

      I made the Lentil Loaf this weekend and it was delicious!! (The only change to the recipe I made was that I just used 1 chopped onion instead of 2). My whole family (who eats animals) said it was really good too. I’m definitely going to share this recipe with my family, friends and co-workers (and of course add it to my favourite recipes to make again). Thanks! :)

      Note: the only difficult part was blending the ingredients up. I really need to invest in a good food processor. I made this with my slow, old blender and it took forever (still turned out great, but would have been much easier with a food processor).

      Reply
      • Sina

        January 20, 2016 at 8:55 pm

        That’s so great to hear, Amanda! :-) So glad everyone liked it. And I totally know where you’re coming from. I’ve had this problem for years until I finally got a good food processor. It’s really worth the money if you’re making a lot of recipes with nuts etc.

        Reply
    8. Nicole

      November 15, 2015 at 10:54 pm

      Oh my goodness! I made this last week and am making it again right now!!!! I absolutely love it! The only thing I left out was soy sauce because it’s not my favorite! At last minute I realized I forgot to make the gravy(, I was serving my family whom I had made regular meat loaf and I had also made another vegan loaf I found interesting…. Not as good as yours and I forgot the gravy.).. So, I quickly put together some of the ingredients of yours, because I did not have time for the full one. It was delicious! Thank you so very much! Blessings, Nicole

      Reply
    9. Gin

      November 02, 2015 at 5:22 pm

      Whoa, this is _awesome_! What a spread! I have to try you lentil loaf and gravy, they look too delicious not to.

      Reply
      • Sina

        November 04, 2015 at 9:21 pm

        Thanks, Gin! So glad you like it! :-)

        Reply
    10. Patricia @ Grab a Plate

      November 02, 2015 at 4:13 am

      Oooh! Thanksgiving is my favorite, and you’ve certainly put together quite a lovely meal! I especially love the lentil loaf – it looks hearty and so tasty!

      Reply
      • Sina

        November 04, 2015 at 9:48 pm

        Thanks, Patricia! :-) So glad you like it!

        Reply
    11. The Vegan 8

      October 31, 2015 at 5:59 pm

      I LOVE lentil loaves!! I love the sound of your sweet potato mash as well, it all looks very festive. I make my BBQ one all year long, doesn’t even have to be Thanksgiving, lol!

      Reply
      • Sina

        November 04, 2015 at 9:19 pm

        Thanks, Brandi!:-) Your BBQ lentil loaf also sounds amazing. I really need to give it a try!

        Reply
    12. Vegan Family Recipes Newsletter

      October 31, 2015 at 10:51 am

      This looks perfect for Thanksgiving! Love it!

      Reply
      • Sina

        November 04, 2015 at 9:18 pm

        So glad you like it, Vanessa! :-)

        Reply
    13. Levan @ Crazy Vegan Kitchen

      October 31, 2015 at 2:01 am

      It’s GONNA BE A VEGAN CHRISTMAS THIS YEAR! And with recipes like these, no one’s gonna miss the turkey. A cruel-free Christmas is the best way to celebrate the meaning of the holiday :)

      Reply
      • Sina

        November 04, 2015 at 9:18 pm

        Well said, Levan! I totally agree with you! :-)

        Reply
    14. Abeer

      October 30, 2015 at 7:33 pm

      Before I read your post, I hadn’t even heard of a lentil loaf, which btw looks even better than the meat loaf I usually make! That’s the good thing about blogging buddies… you always get to learn something new from them :)

      Reply
      • Sina

        November 04, 2015 at 9:17 pm

        So great you like it, Abeer! It’s one of my faves for holidays or decadent dinners. :-) Easy to make and so delicious!

        Reply
    15. Kristina

      October 30, 2015 at 3:38 pm

      everything looks so flavorful! and yes, while I *love* the holidays (except the commercialization of them…), it is TOO EARLY for Christmas talk! ;)

      Reply
      • Sina

        November 04, 2015 at 9:09 pm

        Thanks, Kristina! I know I just can’t believe it’s less than 8 weeks away!! :D

        Reply
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    Hi, I'm Sina and this is my recipe blog where I share heavenly simple and sinfully delicious vegan recipes.

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