Maple-Glazed Mushroom and Lentil Loaf

This lentil loaf recipe is a great hearty dinner entrée that will remind you of Sunday evening meatloaf that so many of us grew up with. Made from mushrooms and lentils, it's dense and meaty, with a delicious maple ketchup glaze that sinks in as it bakes. This lentil loaf is tender, moist, and full of these beautiful savory flavors that paired so perfectly with the sweet bite of the ketchup glaze. This lentil loaf recipe is a great go-to for family dinner nights or any other occasions when you need a filling main dish.

Maple-Glazed Mushroom and Lentil Loaf [Vegan, Gluten-Free]

Ingredients

For the Loaf:

• 2 cups green lentils, cooked (about 3/4 cup dry green lentils)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 medium yellow onion, diced
• 1/2 cup carrots, diced
• 1/2 cup celery, diced
• 8 ounces White Button mushrooms, sliced
• 2 heaping tablespoons tomato paste
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce (or tamari, for gluten-free)
• 1 tablespoon vegan Worcestershire sauce
• 1 cup gluten-free old-fashioned oats, divided
• 1/2 cup almond meal

For the Glaze:

• 1/2 cup ketchup
• 1 tablespoon coconut sugar, or to taste
• 1 teaspoon whole grain Dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

Preparation

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F and cover a baking sheet with parchment paper or foil. In a small bowl, mix together the glaze ingredients and set aside.
2. In a large pan, drizzle olive oil and sauté diced onion over medium-high heat until tender. Add in carrots and celery and cook for 5 minutes on medium heat. Add in the sliced mushrooms and sauté until all the vegetables are tender (5-10 minutes), then remove from heat.
3. Pour the cooked vegetables into a food processor with 1 1/4 cups of the cooked lentils, 1/2 cup oats, tomato paste, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, thyme, salt, and pepper. Process for just a few seconds until the ingredients are combined, but not completely puréed. You want them to still have a chunky texture.
4. Pour the contents into a large mixing bowl, then add in the rest of the lentils, oats, and almonds meal. Stir the ingredients together until they are completely combined and are sticking together well. If the dough is crumbly, add a tablespoon or two of water.
5. Use your hands to form the contents into a large ball, then place the ball onto the covered baking sheet. Form the ball into a loaf shape. Cover the loaf with half of the ketchup glaze, then bake for 30 minutes. Pull the loaf out of the over and covered with the remainder of the glaze, then bake for an additional 10-15 minutes. The loaf is done when a form comes out clean. Let it cool for 5-10 minutes before slicing,otherwiseit will not cut clean.
6. Serve.

Notes

Adapted from Kristy Morgan's recipe for lentil and mushroom loaf.

https://www.onegreenplanet.org/vegan-recipe/maple-glazed-mushroom-and-lentil-loaf/