Welcome to my favorite lentil loaf! With protein-rich lentils, mushrooms, and veggies, this recipe will soon be on your list of favorites.
About this Lentil Loaf
I’ve been working on this lentil loaf recipe for years, and by that, I mean that I’ve made not-so-great lentil loaf many times. I wondered if I could ever hit on a recipe that I would be happy with. But finally, after all those tries, I came up with this recipe, and I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.
What’s so great about this recipe? Lentils are a great source of protein, and they provide B vitamins, magnesium, zinc, and potassium. They also supply iron, which can be lacking in a vegetarian diet. For more info about lentils, check out this link. If you use an egg replacer, this recipe is vegan, but check the ingredients on the croutons you use to be sure those are vegan.
This lentil loaf has plenty of fresh mushrooms, celery, and squash, and those ingredients add texture, color, and flavor. What’s more, if you have a picky eater who’s not into vegetables, this is an excellent way to sneak some into their diet.
Finally, because it goes so well with mashed potatoes and fresh vegetables, it makes a nice holiday meal.
Ingredients
- Lentils – Use green or brown. These add texture, flavor, and protein.
- Veggie and garlic bouillon – Using bouillon adds moisture and lots of flavor.
- Bay leaf and Italian herb mix – These spices provide a subtle flavor to this recipe.
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil – Use this to cook the mushrooms and other veggies.
- Egg or egg replacer – I use Neat Egg, an egg replacer, but if you’re not vegan and are OK with eggs, feel free to use an egg in this recipe.
- Celery, finely diced – Adds some crunchy flavor.
- Zucchini squash – Adds flavor and texture; yellow or calabaza squash work well too.
- Nutritional yeast – This helps give this recipe some umami flavor.
- Mushrooms – Cremini mushrooms were used in this recipe, but white or portobello will work also. For more info about mushrooms, check out this link.
- Croutons – Seasoned or Caesar croutons are good options.
Making amazing lentil loaf
1. Cook the lentils in the Instant Pot.
- Rinse the dry lentils
- Put the lentils, the bouillon (vegetable and garlic), and a bay leaf in the instant pot.
- Set the pressure cook time to 15 minutes.
- Let the pressure go down on its own.
- Drain the lentils through a sieve and discard any excess liquid.
- Discard the bay leaf.
2. Prepare the veggies.
- Slice the mushrooms, celery, and squash.
- Add the olive oil to a skillet and sweat the veggies and the Italian seasoning for 3-5 minutes. The mushrooms should be brown, and the celery and squash should be soft but not mushy.
3. Get the rest of the ingredients ready
- Using a rolling pin and a plastic bag, crush the croutons.
- Prepare the egg replacer according to package instructions (or use an egg).
4. Combine the lentil loaf ingredients
- Add the prepared ingredients to a large mixing bowl along with the nutritional yeast.
- Mix these ingredients thoroughly and transfer them to a loaf pan or glass casserole dish.
5. Bake the lentil loaf
- Bake at 350 for 50-60 minutes.
- Let the lentil loaf cool for 5 minutes or so before serving.
Serving this amazing lentil loaf
Slice the lentil loaf into 1-2 inch slices and serve alongside your favorite side dishes. I like it with mashed potatoes, gravy, and fresh vegetables such as asparagus, steamed broccoli, or a fresh side salad.
Expert tips for making lentil loaf
- As the lentils sit, they will continue absorbing moisture, and you’ll have less liquid to drain. If you have time, cook the lentils a day before and let them sit in the fridge overnight for best results.
- The seasoned croutons add a lot of flavor. Add a dash of Italian dressing to the crumbled croutons if you only have breadcrumbs or plain croutons.
- Freeze leftovers! Put the lentil loaf in the freezer for those days that you don’t have time to cook. It keeps in the freezer for up to a month, maybe longer, but ours usually gets eaten before a month has passed.
- If you don’t have an Instant Pot, cook the lentils according to package instructions.
Other recipes you might like
If you’re a fan of lentils, try these recipes:
Amazing Lentil Loaf
Ingredients
- 1 cup dry lentils
- 1 C veggie broth
- 1 C garlic broth
- 1 bay leaf
- 1-2 T EVOO
- 1 T egg replacer
- ½ C crimini mushrooms
- 1 celery stalk finely diced
- 1 zucchini squash yellow or calabaza squash works well too
- 1 tsp Italian herb mix
- ¼ cup nutritional yeast
- ½ c smashed up croutons
Instructions
Cook the lentils in the Instant Pot
- Rinse the dry lentils
- Put the lentils, the broth, a bay leaf, and the water in the instant pot.
- Set the pressure cook time to 15 minutes.
- Let the pressure go down on its own.
- Drain the lentils through a sieve and discard any excess liquid.*
- Discard the bay leaf.
Prepare the other ingredients
- Slice the mushrooms, celery, and squash.
- Add the olive oil to a skillet and cook the veggies and the Italian seasoning for 3-5 minutes. The mushrooms should be brown, and the celery and squash should be soft but not mushy.
- Using a rolling pin and a plastic bag, crush the croutons.
- Prepare the egg replacer according to package instructions (or use an egg).
Make the lentil loaf
- Add the prepared ingredients to a large mixing bowl along with the nutritional yeast.
- Mix these ingredients thoroughly and transfer them to a loaf pan or glass casserole dish.
- Bake at 350 for 50-60 minutes.
Notes
- If you don’t have an Instant Pot, cook the lentils according to package instructions.
- As the lentils sit, they will continue absorbing moisture, and you’ll have less liquid to drain. If you have time, cook the lentils a day before and let them sit in the fridge overnight for best results.
- The seasoned croutons add a lot of flavor. Add a dash of Italian dressing to the crumbled croutons if you only have breadcrumbs or plain croutons.
- If you use an egg replacer, this recipe is vegan, but check the ingredients on the croutons you use to be sure those are vegan.
Nutrition
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