Delicious Homemade Vegan Meatloaf made with lentils and oats. Savory, hearty, and extremely comforting. It goes perfect with my Homemade Vegan Creamed Corn and Creamy Homemade Vegan Mashed Potatoes.
Seems like everybody’s buying pumpkin candles or cinnamon brooms to make their house smell like Fall. Forget all that! If you make this Deep South Homemade Vegan Meatloaf, I guarantee your house will smell like Fall on steroids. And, unlike those candles and brooms, you can eat this.
OK, I’m going to make this short and sweet because I’m pretty sure you wanna be eatin’, not readin’.
Yeah, I know there are a ton of “meatless”, lentil, oat, chickpea, whatever loafs out there. So, what makes mine so special? Honestly, not much. But, it’s easy, normal, and delicious just like a regular meatloaf. Which is exactly why everyone who tries it will think you’re awesome.
Remember, I don’t use ingredients you can’t pronounce. And, I don’t use things that are only grown by some goat herder in Albania on the shores of the Adriatic Sea. It’s Shane…and Simple.
I use lentils for the meat replacement because that’s what I like and they’re awesome. You’re more than welcome to try something else. But, why would you do that? I’ve done all the heavy lifting for you. Seriously, chill.
Other than lentils and oats, it’s standard meatloaf ingredients, except for one little thing – NO MEAT! And, that means no heart disease or diabetes. Winner! That also means you could eat this stuff raw if you wanted and it wouldn’t kill you, so get your hands in there and mix it real good!
FYI, I still prefer mine cooked. But, hey, that’s just me.
Now, all that’s left is to throw it in a baking dish, smother the top with ketchup (that’s how us rednecks do it), and let it cook at 350 degrees for about 45 minutes.
Use your free time preparing to devour this bad boy; dream about the sandwiches you can make with the left-overs; or, relax and think about the praise you’ll receive for creating such a fine, delicious, and healthy meal.
I have no doubt you’re going to love this vegan meatloaf. It’s…
- Manly
- Hearty
- Savory
- Easy to make
- Delicious
- And, worthy of any praise you shall receive.
Hey, if you make this and not feeling too full and sleepy after you’ve eaten, I sure would appreciate you leaving a comment. Then, go ahead and take a picture; then post it on Instagram; and, then tag the photo #shaneandsimple because I want to see your creation. Gracias!
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Homemade Vegan Meatloaf
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Total Time: 60 minutes
- Yield: 12 servings 1x
- Category: Entree
- Cuisine: Vegan
- Diet: Vegan
Description
Deep south homemade vegan meatloaf made with lentils and oats. Super satisfying, savory, meaty, hearty and easy to make. It’s nothing like mom’s…it’s better! Ouch.
Ingredients
- 3 cups cooked lentils
- 2 cups old fashioned oats
- 1 onion chopped
- 2 celery stalks chopped
- 1 green bell pepper diced
- 1 red bell pepper diced
- ¼ cup ground flax seed
- ½ cup dried parsley
- 1 tsp. ground sage
- 1 tsp. marjoram
- 1 tsp. oregano
- 2 tsp. garlic powder
- ¼ cup ketchup
- 2 Tbsp. low sodium soy sauce
- 2 Tbsp. dijon mustard
- salt to taste
- More ketchup for topping
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
- Combine all dry ingredients into mixing bowl and whisk together. Add remaining ingredients to the bowl and mix together well. You don’t want to completely mash the lentils, but you do want a somewhat “mushy” consistency. If the mixture seems a little dry, add water or veggie broth for a little more moisture.
- Add a thin layer of ketchup to a nonstick 9×13 baking dish (affiliate link) or loaf pan. Pour the mixture into a baking dish, press down firmly and evenly, add a layer of ketchup on top of meatloaf.
- Bake 45-50 mins.
- Remove and let sit for 10-15 minutes before serving.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 243
- Sugar: 5.5 g
- Sodium: 203.5 mg
- Fat: 1.1 g
- Carbohydrates: 42.5 g
- Fiber: 7.8 g
- Protein: 14.4 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
This is my go-to vegan meat loaf recipe. I call it, “Eat Loaf.” I would recommend mashing the cooked lentils a bit to make sure they blend in well with the other ingredients. I never have dried parsley on hand so I just leave it out. I frequently send a link to this recipe to others so PLEASE don’t ever remove it from your repertoire, Shane!
★★★★★
Finally!!!! A delicious veg loaf. Soooooo good. My hubby and I thank you. Made it this morning before work and threw it into the fridge. After work put it in a 350 oven and it took 1.5 hours. So much for having a quick dinner. It was definitely worth the wait. Next time I will make it on a non work day then have leftovers for work days.
★★★★★
This was an amazing recipe. Note to self for next time: No need for much ketchup on top. Delicious enough just a thin layer so as to not overpower all the other flavors.
★★★★★
Does it matter what kind of lentils I use? I have a ton of red lentils on hand and would like to use them up.
You want to use brown, green, or french lentils. Red will turn soft and are better soups and creamy dishes.
I made this last night (along with potatoes topped with your Easy Vegan Brown Gravy), and my wife and daughters didn’t want to leave any for leftovers. They LOVED it, as did I. Looks like we have another family-favorite recipe courtesy of Shane and Simple. Thank you!
★★★★★
Made this recipe and loved it! We had the loaf in tacos, on sandwiches, and all by itself with potatoes! I even have a couple omnivore friends who have made and loved it too! thank you!
★★★★★
Made this and enjoyed it so much!! I put my favorite BBQ sauce on the top and it was delicious!! Your recipes are always keepers!! Thanks so much for sharing your talents with us!!
★★★★★
Safe travels to Mississippi, Shane, and all blessings on your move!!
★★★★★
Thank you!
I made this last night and loved it! I couldn’t believe it was even better today as a “Meatloaf Sandwich! I ate it cold. Yummy! Thanks for the great recipe!
★★★★★
Wonderful meat loaf! My daughter picked this (and the scalloped potatoes and stuffing) to make for me when I recently had rotator cuff surgery. Nice treat by her and great choice for a gal who couldn’t cook for a few weeks. Shane’s recipes are always dependable and tasty- think Carrot cake!
★★★★★
Do you think this recipe would hold together well as burgers on the grill?
★★★★★
I’ve never tried it but I think it’s a great idea and worth experimenting:)
★★★★★
Made this tonight for the first time (just with the addition of about 3TBLS water) and it was delicious- even my meat eating husband loved it.
Thanks for the recipe!
★★★★★
I love the taste of this lentil loaf. We had some of it the night that I made it. The next night I added about a 1/4 of a cup of water to it, covered it tightly with aluminum foil and baked it for 60 minutes. That ‘sautéed’ the veggies, so I think that the next time I make it, I’ll sauté the veggies before I mix them into the other ingredients.
Shane, thanks for all of your great recipes. You are my go to source for plant based recipes!
★★★★
My husband and I both loved this!
I hadn’t cooked dry lentils before so I didn’t know how many would make 3 cups. Let’s just say I’ll be making lentil soup today.
★★★★★
Haha, nice, Jan! Good thing I have a recipe for that too;)
A pound of brown lentils makes a little bit more than 6 cups. So I use 3 cups for the recipe and put 3 cups in the freezer for the next time I make this. Saves time that way.
This is a great recipe! But I now need to make it for friends who are oat intolerant. What’s a good substitution for the oats (non gluten)? Any ideas?
★★★★★
Hi, Sheryl! Try this Chickpea Meatloaf recipe. It’s actually my favorite and uses no oats. https://shaneandsimple.com/chickpea-vegan-meatloaf/
My first try at lentils not in soup. Substitutes zucchini for peppers and used bbq sauce, cooked 1/2 in muffin tins which I preferred because easy freezer snack, I like the crisp from the air fryer! Thanks!
★★★★★
Excellent and excellent idea!
Wow, so many sandwich comments! Believe it or not, I’ve never had a meatloaf sandwich, haha! Do you make them with hot or cold meatloaf? What are tasty condiments or additions to these sandwiches? I’ve never been a big fan of real meatloaf, but after all these yummy reviews I can’t help but give this a try! And I’m looking forward to these famous sandwiches too lol! Also, I love your BBQ sauce from the pulled pork recipe, would that be good on top of this meatloaf, and on the sandwiches?
Hi, Luci! Yes, it makes a great sandwich hot or cold. My go-to condiments are ketchup and my cashew mayo. Dijon mustard is good too. And, yes, the BBQ sauce is great on top and on the sandwich:)
This is so good! Thanks so much!!!
Thank you so much for this recipe, Shane. I’m trying to go plant-based and it can be a real struggle at times but now I believe I can do it. This recipe is the first one I’ve tried that was filling and familiar. I’ve already bookmarked more of your recipes to try.
Thank you, Tara, and you can do it! Please don’t hesitate to reach out with any questions or comments.
I just saw my rating didn’t shown up. Had to come back and fix that. This really is the best, taste, texture, everything is spot on. And soooo good on a sandwich too.
★★★★★
This really surprised me!! The ingredients seem so tame/ ordinary and i thought the result might be a boring loaf. NOPE!! I baked 6 mini loaves and stashed em in the fridge in glass boxes for later in the week. Sliced a loaf in half lengthwise and baked again to warm and crisp up a bit in the toaster oven, for lunch today. Excellent even without the glaze. Put on a healthy bun with vegan mayo and ketchup. DELICIOUS!!! Thanks again, Shane!!
★★★★★
Shane, this recipe is another winner! Easy to prepare and so delicious!
This is a loaf I will be making all the time! Thanks so much!!
★★★★★
I need to make this immediately. I need to be more manly! I’ll report back and let you know how it came out when I’m done shaving 😀
Hi Shane,
Just wanted to let you know I LOVE this recipe! It is very forgiving if you do a lot of creative substitutions. I had to make due with what I could get in the grocery store (due to food shortages during this outbreak) and at home I subbed in Panko crumbs for half the oatmeal, diced peppers and carrots and bit of green onion for the onion, and a mix of different herbs and spices I had at home. It tastes even better after a day in the fridge and freezes great. This will definitely be a staple for me!
Fantastic recipe. I’ve made several times but today I don’t have peppers, could I substitute shredded carrots, or would that make it to sweet?
Thanks, love ALL your recipes!
★★★★★
I think it would be fine. But, regardless, it’d be a healthy mistake if it didn’t necessarily work:)
Yummy! I made 2 loafs to please my whole family. One loaf with the ketchup and another loaf with BBQ sauce. Me and my 3 youngest kids love ketchup. My husband and our oldest kid loves BBQ sauce. Both loafs were delicious.
★★★★★
First time making a meatloaf or a non-meatloaf, super yum and even better the next day. Mine came out a bit more crumbly rather than loaf-y, though, not sure if I need to add a bit of the liquid from the boiling of the lentils or if I need to mash all the ingredients to make it bind together… Your thoughts? Either way, I’ll be making again!
Oh, and I didn’t have a 9×13, just an 8 x 12 and put the rest in 6 pack muffin pan. Still yum, but crumbly for both the pans.
★★★★★
That’s great, Emily! Yes, I would try mashing the ingredients a bit more, but you could always add a little more broth. That should help a bit. Blessings.
This was very good . I wanted to take a picture but not sure how to upload it. My husband and I have been Vegan since before Thanksgiving and we really liked this. I didn’t have the flax so I used whole wheat I’m wondering if the flax would have made it a little more dense. Looking forward to crumbling and using for bolognaise and for sandwiches . Thank you!!!
★★★★
Hi, Katharina! I’m so glad you enjoyed the lentil loaf. Yes, the flax works like a binder so it’s possible. But, as long as it’s good:) Right? Thanks for reaching out and sharing your story. I really appreciate it and am so excited for you. Blessings.
I’m giving it a 5 star, even though it’s still in the oven! I taste-tested it a couple of times during the mixing and it was good then, so I’m sure it’s going to be fantastic when it’s actually cooked! The only thing I did differently was use fresh parsley simply because I didn’t have dried. (Usually the other way around!) I made this recipe because you repeatedly said it makes a great sandwich. I’m sure my husband will appreciate it. Thanks for the recipe!
★★★★★
Thanks, Jana! I hope it meets your expectations:) And, yes, we love making sandwiches out of it the next day. Yum Yum!!! Blessings.
We’ve made lots of different plant-based loaves. but this one stood out for a few reasons. It’s no-fuss and comes together quickly with ingredients I already had on hand. The only planning ahead was for the lentils, since I didn’t have any canned. Without sautéing, the vegetables maintained a good amount of texture, which my family really liked. And last but not least, it made enough that I didn’t have to double the recipe! Fed five of us with leftovers for lunch the next day. This will definitely go into rotation.
★★★★★
Jenn, thank you so much and I’m so glad you all enjoyed it. Blessings.
thoughts on putting into muffin tin? Thank you!
Go for it. I’ve had tons of responses from people doing that. They say it works great!
Just took the loaf out of the oven. Wonderful flavors!
We are having this tonight for dinner with mashed potatoes and green beans! Yummy!
Thx
You are welcome, Gail! And, sounds amazing. Enjoy dinner:)
★★★★★
This looks amazing Shane! Can’t wait to try it! I can taste it already!
Thanks, Frank! I hope you enjoy it. Peace.
Delicious! Used a loaf pan and came out perfectly! Thank you for yet another awesome recipe!!
★★★★★
Jennifer, that’s great! Thanks so much for reaching out and letting me know. I’m so grateful you made it. Please don’t hesitate to ever reach out with a comment or question. Keep cooking and blessings.
I’m about to make this for Thanksgiving and realized I only have quick oats on hand. Will that do or is it best to get the regular ones?
Thanks,
jan
★★★★
Jan, I’ve never made it with quick oats but I’m a big fan of “use what you got.” But, if you are able to use old-fashioned rolled oats they would be best. I would say maybe add an extra 1/2 cup of the quick “just in case.” if you decide to use the quick type. 🙂 Hope you enjoy it. Let me know how it turns out. Blessings.
★★★★★
I got the whole oats and am waiting for it to come out of the oven 🙂
I’m curious how it will stick together.
Jan
It’s yummy.the recipe made a lot si I will freeze half of it.
Have you tried it topped with vegan cheese?
Thanks,
Jan
★★★★★
Jan, that is so great! Thank you for reaching out and I’m pumped you enjoyed it. It freezes well and makes a great “meat”loaf sandwich. And, yes, with a little vegan cheese on some bread is absolutely amazing:)
Very good. I appreciated the taste and how appealing it looked, but also the easy ” normal” ingredients and kitchen tools for assembly.
★★★★
Really good. I appreciated the taste and how good it looked, but also easy ” normal” ingredients and usual kitchen tools for assembly.
★★★★
I would like to make this I’m a 8 x8 pan. Do I just cook 1 cup of lentils? And how much oats? It’s just me so a 9×13 would be way too much.
You may be able to fit it all in an 8×8. It would just be a thicker meatloaf.
★★★★★
Well, I made this for lunch today after making your sausages this morning. I had a handful of matchstick carrots I needed to use so chopped them and added to the mix. Also finely chopped a couple of leaves of kale since it is prolifically growing in my garden. I spread the mixture in a 9″x11″ pan to bake but I just had to sample the mix before baking. YUM.
Okay, so now I have to tell you that as I’m getting things cleaned up I realize I failed to put the oats in the mix but I wasn’t going to take it out of the oven! Baked it, cooled it, and ate it. It was GOOD. Surprisingly, it was not runny but wouldn’t exactly have been able to slice it I don’t think if it had been in a loaf; I just cut it into large squares and served.
I’m definitely making it again but next time I’ll try to remember the oats. Thanks for your great recipes.
I’d love to tell you I’ve never done that but I have. And, I just let it cook too:)
I just love this recipe and make it so often…when it’s gone i make another…we enjoy it so much – thank you
Thank you, Linda, for reaching out! It’s one of our faves too.
I thought this was really good. Next time I would just smash it down more in the pan so it doesn’t crumble when I am cutting it. Flavor is great!
Thank you, Colleen!
A staple in our house – so yummy, and I freeze leftovers to use in a time crunch during the week at a later time.
★★★★★
Makes a good sandwich the next day:) Just sayin’…
I have everything bar the flax or chia seeds. What do I do? I do want to make this for Valentine’s Day. Thanks.
You can replace the flax with an equal amount of whole wheat flour. Hope this helps.
★★★★★
This was amazing, hands down best veggie meatloaf. I have come across. Thanks.
★★★★★
Wow! Thanks so much, Christopher. So glad you enjoyed it. HINT: it makes a great sandwich the next day after it has sat in the fridge. OK, carry on:)
Thanks for recipe I read commets about dry lentils vs cooked so was unable to make in one setting…..lol also I saw that it was not to be smashed….lol and seems to have needed more oats…..but tasted a little taste great, plan to serve for christmas….. And will save all that is not eaten……thanks for recipe?
Thank you, Kim! Merry Christmas ?? HINT: it makes a great sandwich the next day?
I used TVP in place of the lentils and nutritional yeast. Everything else was the same. It smelled like real meatloaf when it was cooking. It was marvelous and tasty. Your mix of spices and green peppers made the difference. Can’t get my husband to make the switch yet. I have the meatloaf and he has the roast. I love meatloaf night. oh so good.
That sounds great, Rene. Love your alterations. Cooking is all about exploring and adapting. Thanks so much for the kind words and hope you have a great Christmas!!!
★★★★★
Hi, I am planning to make this meatloaf recipe tomorrow. Can I use canned lentils?
Thank you
Yes! Be sure to rinse and drain.
Hello! I made this last night, and I really loved this recipe. I’m not a huge ketchup fan, so I added barbeque sauce to half of my loaf and both halves were amazing! Even the half with the ketchup. Thank you for sharing this recipe – I look forward to trying more from you.
★★★★★
Julie, that’s so awesome. And, I love the idea of adding BBQ sauce. Way to make it work for you. So glad you all enjoyed it and thanks so much for reaching out!
★★★★★
I hate ketchup and barbecue sauce or any commercial sauces. Can you suggest something that I can make?
Thanks
You could try marinara or just tomato paste with a little salt and pepper.
This recipe is so good! I found an awesome use for leftovers, too. Crumble the meatloaf up into large chunks and bake on a silpat at 400 for 15 or so minutes. Then serve it over pasta and sauce to make a lentil bolognese. It’s delicious!
Now I need to try your baked onion rings!
Wow! That’s sounds amazing!!! Thanks so much for sharing and so glad you enjoyed it.
What type of lentils do you use? The photos look like they are brown. Would any kind work? Red, green, brown? Appreciate your recipes and site. Thanksgiving here we come!!!
I like brown or green just because they are bigger and more meaty. Red and yellow tend to be much too soft for a loaf.
Delicious! Thank you for our new favorite “meatloaf”. Made exactly as described except for the marjoram (didn’t have any) and the sage (don’t like that flavor for meatloaf). Baked in a 9X13” pan. Nice crust and still moist/chewy inside. Omni approved by my (still) meat lover husband.
★★★★★
Thank you, Adrienne! So good to hear and pumped everyone enjoyed it. I really appreciate you sharing with me. Stay on him and eventually he’ll come around. Stay the course:) Blessings!
★★★★★
Tasted great. However wanted a loaf that sliced like meatloaf does. I used a loaf pan. Had I used a rectangular pan still would not have been firm.
★
Amy, thanks for responding. I went back and checked the recipe because mine doesn’t ever come out “mushy.” There was a typo with the oats. It should 2 cups of oats. That should help and letting sit for 10-15 mins. before serving allows it to firm up too. Hope this helps.
Thanks Shane. Might give it another go then.
Good luck!!!
Question: Does the 1/2 cup of ketchup go in the mixture or is that for the top and bottom?
I used a glass loaf pan. My loaf was a very mushy even after cooking an extra 3O minutes. Any suggestions?
BTW it still tastes delish!
Spread 1/4 cup on bottom and add remainder to meatloaf. You can also add 1/2 cup extra oats as well.
This recipe looks so delicious. I am going to make it very soon, only would like to know how much dried lentils to cook to make the 3 cups of them, please?
One cup of dry will give you 2 1/2 cooked. I will use 2 cups dry and make extra so I have leftover lentils for lunch, etc.
Hey Shane,
When you use 2 cups dry lentils, how much water are you using?
The recipe calls for 3 cups of “cooked” lentils. But, when cooking, it’s 3 cups of water per 1 cup of lentils. So, for two cups of dry lentils you would use 6 cups of water.
Thank you!!!
Im really excited to try this, but we are not pepper eaters. Any suggestions for replacement or can I just leave them out? Thanks for all your great recipes 🙂
Melissa, excited you are going to make this. Yes, just leave the peppers out. It’ll do just fine:) And, you are most welcome for the recipes. Thanks for reaching out! Enjoy the “meat”loaf:) Peace and feast.
★★★★★
OMG. Made this for my husband today. He cannot stop raving. Said I was becoming his best wife.? He must have thanked me four times already. He is excited about having more of it later while watching “Better Call Saul.”
Rocked his newly vegan world.
This is a keeper. Will use it to impress dinner guests.
THANKS!!!!!
★★★★★
Wow! Thanks so much. BTW, Better Call Saul is my favorite show:)
In step 3, is there anything I an use other than my veggie brother? Seems kind of cruel! Lol.
Terrific recipe, in all seriousness! ❤
OMG! That’s hilarious. I hate auto-correct:) Thanks so much for pointing that out, but it is pretty funny. LOL! So glad you enjoyed the recipe, Nancy. Peace.
★★★★★
I don’t see broth mentioned in the recipe. Nancy commented on the misspelling/auto correct ??? Was it omitted? Confused here! Love your recipes Shane!
★★★★★
I think I goofed this on a couple of steps. All of my veggies ended up being about 1 1/2 cups each. The mixture ended up being on the wetter side, but not mushy, should I have mashed some of the lentils first? I also baked it in a loaf pan, it just barely fit. It wasn’t until after I cut up the loaf and attempted to plate it that I thought about your picture. Did you use a 9×13?
The flavor is definitely there! Lastly, I just wanted to confirm, that’s 1/2 CUP of dried parsley? I’ve just never had a recipe call for that much before so I got a little nervous and didn’t put that much in.
Thank you for your “no bs” recipes. It can be hard finding good recipes without having to go get some random ingredients that you’ll probably never use again.
★★★★
Lisa, be sure the lentils are cooked really well. I don’t “mash” them, but they do get mushed a little during the mixing process. Yes, I do 1/2 cup of dried parsley and though the picture shows it in a 9×13, I will bake in a loaf pan sometimes. But, I think it cooks better in a 9×13.
I am glad it tasted good:) Try again and let me know how it turns out. Thanks for the response. Blessings.
This has become a regular menu item in our house. Thanks for creating, testing and sharing the good stuff.
Michelle, this makes me smile. It’s my pleasure. And, glad you enjoy it! Thanks for letting me know.
I really don’t like flax…think this recipe would be ok without it?
Yes, you can try equal amounts of chia or just try without it.
I made this for my newly vegan husband and it smelled amazing and tasted good. Unfortunately I forgot the flax so it was mushy. However, it totally firmed up when chilled and I made him great meatloaf sandwiches!
Hey, Grace. Believe it or not, I do that all the time:) Oh, well. I guess you’ll just have to make it again. LOL! So glad you all enjoyed it. Blessings.
Very good!
Would this work well to cut and freeze in slices? I am the only WFPB eater in my household and I don’t think I could or would want to take take down a whole loaf in one sitting.?
Thanks for the recipe. It sounds delicious and the pictures are amazing. Can’t wait to cook this up!
★★★★★
LOL! You can do it:) But, seriously…yes, it freezes well in our experience. Thanks for the feedback. I hope you enjoy it!
I do them in muffin tins. It is then a single serving for you. I then freeze and foodsaver them. I am the only in my house too that is vegan so that is what I do. I make my meatloaf in large muffin tins.