Meatless Loaf with Gravy

This meatless loaf is fantastic! And the gravy is a perfect compliment to it. Great flavor!

It was my very first meatless loaf that I have ever eaten, so I have nothing to compare it with, but it delicious. Even my husband that hates lentils enjoys it.

Thank you guys for the recipe ♥️

PUL Team - Dec. 10, 2024, 2:19 p.m.

Yayy it always makes us smile to hear when a first-time recipe is enjoyed, Yuliia! ☺️

Delicious! My one year old loved it ad well (without the gravy, but with a bit of ketchup)

This was delicious!

Your lentil loaf is so full of flavour, I'm making it tonight for the third time this Winter, with roasted veggies and gravy 😋. Dinner guests LOVED it too! They wanted seconds! Thanks 💚

First time ever making a veg/vegan loaf, and I was pleasantly surprised by how well it turned out! I used brown lentils (instead of red) and doubled the water—I’m not sure if this was necessary; I think brown lentils need more time & water to cook down to the texture in the picture. Everything worked out, but I wish the instructions were more explicit about how hot the stove should be when bringing to a boil before lowering down to simmer and what texture to look for. The instructions also didn’t specify to do this, but letting the loaf cool before slicing helped keep my loaf together (vs crumbling apart).

PUL Team - June 10, 2024, 6:14 p.m.

Hi there, Lindsey, thanks for taking the time to share your modifications with the recipe and feedback!

I always have such trouble with vegan meatloaf recipes, and this one was no different. The flavor was good, but even after baking for an extra 30 mi uses, it was just mush inside. Salvaged it by baking chunks on a baking pan, kind of like veggie burgers, to brown the sides and firm it up more. Curious how everyone else ended up with the proper meatloaf texture.

PUL Team - April 1, 2024, 6:36 p.m.

Hey there, Lelerol, thanks for taking the time to share your experience with the meatless loaf. Do you use a scale to measure the ingredients or use cup measures? For best results, we strongly recommend weighing the lentils and mushrooms. It sounds like the texture issue may be due to extra moisture. We'd recommend draining any excess liquid from the cooked lentils, if there is any for you, before mixing them with other ingredients. Additionally, ensure that the mushroom mixture is fully cooked and any excess moisture is evaporated. You can add a bit more breadcrumbs to help absorb some of your moisture. If your oven tends to be weaker, you can also try bumping the temperature up a touch. You could also try to bake this in a larger pan, like an 8 x 8 inch (20 cm) baking pan so the middle isn't a thick 😊

ielerol - April 4, 2024, 3:12 a.m.

Thanks for the suggestions. Will probably try again as I did like the taste.

Jennifer W - Nov. 24, 2024, 5:48 a.m.

Hi! I find that refrigerating loaves like this really helps them firm up so they hold together and slice easier. I usually try to refrigerate for a few hours or sometimes overnight (even better). Hope that helps!

I made this but blitzed up half the amount of mushrooms and used half mince (I think in the US you call mince 'ground meat'??) and I swapped the sunflower seeds for pumpkin seeds as that is what I had on hand... turned out great! Meatloaf is not a common dish here in England but I'll certainly make this recipe again!

PUL Team - March 19, 2024, 12:25 a.m.

Ooo lovely ideas to adapt the recipe to what you had on hand, Kimberly! So happy to hear that the recipe was enjoyed 🤩

I had to post again. We ate the leftover loaf, sliced in a sandwich, using the leftover gravy as a spread on my homemade rye bread. It was excellent!!

PUL Team - March 15, 2024, 6:25 a.m.

Mmm sounds lovely, Diane! Thanks so much for taking the time to share this 😃

Nice texture and delicious gravy. Will definitely make this again. I added more spices.

This was worth the time and effort! Very flavorful!

Really delicious. I've never had meatloaf so I don't know how it compares but it's a really tasty roast.

PUL Team - Jan. 29, 2024, 7:29 a.m.

We're so glad you enjoyed it, Alexis ☺️

This would be better made a day ahead and then reheated so that the meatloaf texture was firmer.

This was delicious, a perfect roast dinner! Really quick and easy to make :)

So good!
This is one of my personal fav as my toddler enjoyed the super nutrisious loaf with some honey on the top.
He is such a picky eater and a task on hand to make him a balanced diet. When he ate the loaf just by itself, I was just so happy!! Gonna make it again for sure.

PUL Team - Dec. 15, 2023, 8:38 a.m.

So thrilled to hear your toddler enjoyed the loaf, Swati! Here's to more joyful and nourishing meals together 🤩

Excelent! I swapped sunflower seeds for walnut and it was delicious! I made
it for thanksgiving and I'm sure I'll make it again for the coming holidays! Thank you sadia! You made this day so special!

PUL Team - Nov. 28, 2023, 8:06 p.m.

Awe we're so honoured that the loaf was part of the festivities and enjoyed, Fabi! Thank you 🥰

Can this loaf be frozen? If not can you point me to Christmas recipes that are freezable to avoid panic that last week?

PUL Team - Nov. 27, 2023, 8:29 p.m.

Hey Rita! We haven't tried freezing the whole loaf, only an individual slice which frozen well enough. It can come out of the freezer a bit dryer, though, so we'd recommend making the gravy fresh for the best results to pair with the loaf.

We also have some more Christmas recipes coming soon (you'll see them by the end of next week on the home page of the app) including Christmas menus and prep pages to help you prepare holiday meals stress-free, so stay tuned for that! 😃

Rita Scannell - Nov. 28, 2023, 2:45 p.m.

Hopefully they’ll come very soon!!

I've done it but we were out of breadcrumbs si we used flour. I was good. I think the sauce can bring this recipe to another level.

I will try it again with the proper ingredients ☺️

PUL Team - Nov. 25, 2023, 10:34 p.m.

Thanks Romane, we're glad the Meatless Loaf with Gravy was enjoyed 😊

Hi PUL team! In the very first step, how are we to cook the red lentils? It simply says to cook, but not medium heat, high heat, boil, simmer, etc. Thank you for clarifying :)

PUL Team - Nov. 23, 2023, 6:11 p.m.

Hey Vallen, thanks for the question and patience with any confusion. We recommend adding the water and lentils to a pot, bringing them to a boil, reducing it to a simmer, and then cooking the lentils uncovered and stirring occasionally until the water has been absorbed. It will take around 15 minutes. We'll update the step so it's more clear 🤗

We love this recipe! Such great flavor from both the loaf and gravy. We definitely plan to make this again - probably next week! We roasted some Brussels sprouts on the side. Also - leftover loaf made perfect sandwiches!

PUL Team - Nov. 19, 2023, 3:59 a.m.

So happy to hear, Don - thank you! Sandwiches is a lovely idea for the leftovers 🤗

It was super yummy but a bit dry and when I cut it then it kept falling apart:( any tips?

PUL Team - Nov. 13, 2023, 4:28 a.m.

Hey Magdalena, oh no! For better cohesion, try finely chopping the mushrooms; smaller pieces can help bind the loaf more effectively than larger chunks. Also, when slicing the meatloaf, opt for thicker slices as thinner ones tend to fall apart more easily. Regarding the dryness, it's important to ensure the lentil mixture isn't too dry. You'll see in the first step photo, the mixture should be somewhat moist, which contributes to the overall moisture of the loaf. While this recipe does produce a loaf that's on the drier side, serving it with the gravy makes a big difference - it adds not only a lovely taste but also moisture. I hope this helps for now! 🫶

Magdalena - Nov. 14, 2023, 10:10 a.m.

Thank you so much for the tips! I think lentils were too dry, but gravy made it up for it:)

This was made for a delicious meal during cold weather! The perfect cosy dish paired with some roasted veggies and mini hasselback potatoes. ❤️ We love leftovers for the next day too!

PUL Team - Nov. 12, 2023, 5:21 a.m.

So happy to hear, Charlotte, thank you! 🫶