Vegan Lentil and Quinoa Loaf
It’s now December (at the time of writing) and I found myself thinking of making a meal that is rich and nutritious but that can also be characterized as a crowd pleaser so that everyone in my family can enjoy it on Christmas day.
There were plenty of recipes that I thought about, but why not keep it simple with a flavor-packed vegan lentil and quinoa loaf drizzled with a sweet tomato sauce?
That’s what I’ll be sharing with you here, hoping you enjoy it. 🙂
📝 Ingredients You’ll Need
This recipe calls for a range of ingredients, most of which are readily available in supermarkets. The most challenging to source might be nutritional yeast, though it’s easy to find in North America and most Western European countries.
Let’s organize the ingredients into two categories: one for the lentil and quinoa loaf, and the other for the sauce that will be drizzled over it.
For the loaf, you will need:
- Olive Oil: A staple in vegan cooking, bringing a subtle richness.
- Onion and Garlic: The aromatic base, infusing the loaf with a warm, inviting scent.
- Ginger: A hint of spice and warmth, mingling beautifully with other flavors.
- Fresh Rosemary: This herb adds a touch of the Mediterranean.
- Ground Cumin, Paprika, Thyme and Black Pepper: A combination that offers depth, warmth, and a gentle heat.
- Soy Sauce: For that umami depth, bridging the ingredients together.
- Brown Mushrooms: Earthy tones to complement the heartiness of the lentils.
- Grated Carrot and Celery Stalks: Adding texture, color, and a subtle sweetness.
- Nutritional Yeast: For that cheesy flavor, making this loaf a true vegan delight.
- Cooked Lentils and Quinoa: The stars of the show, offering protein, texture, and nuttiness.
- Oats: For binding everything together beautifully.
- Walnuts: For adding a beautiful crunchiness to the loaf.
Oh, and by the way, when cooking the lentils:
- Use a simple combination of a Bay Leaf and Vegetable Broth to infuse the lentils with aromatic flavors.
Finally, for the sweet tomato sauce you’ll need:
- More Olive Oil, because a little extra richness never hurts.
- Garlic, because one can never have too much of this aromatic wonder.
- Fresh Tomatoes: The backbone of the sauce, ripe and bursting with flavor.
- Seasonings like Salt, Black Pepper, and Fresh Parsley to taste, each adding their own unique touch.
- A drizzle of Agave Syrup to balance the acidity of the tomatoes, adding a subtle sweetness.
👨🏻🍳 How to Make This Delicious Lentil and Quinoa Loaf
First things first, I soaked the lentils in cold water overnight. This helps with digestion and makes them cook faster but it’s really not necessary to soak them for that long. Most people might soak them for a couple of hours.
After that soaking session, I drained the lentils and popped them into a pot. I covered them with vegetable broth, added a bay leaf, and got it boiling. Then, I reduced the heat and let them simmer until they were soft but still had a bit of a bite.
The quinoa was next. I immersed the quinoa in boiling water for 2 or 3 minutes before draining it and cooking it in a pot with water and a little bit of salt.
Brought it to a boil, then let it simmer until it was all fluffy and the water was soaked up.
In a big pan, I warmed up some olive oil with a sprig of rosemary over medium heat. Then, I sautéed chopped onions, minced garlic, and grated ginger until they smelled fantastic.
To that, I added ground cumin, paprika, thyme, and black pepper to make the flavors and colors really pop. Then, I deglazed the bottom of the pan with a tablespoon of soy sauce.
After that, I tossed in chopped mushrooms, cooking them until they were nice and soft. Then came the grated carrot and finely chopped celery, which I cooked until they softened a bit as well.
To give it a cheesy taste, I mixed in some nutritional yeast. After that, I added the cooked lentils and quinoa to the veggie mix and made sure everything got cozy together.
I seasoned it up with salt and added oats to help bind everything. Then, I used a hand blender to smooth out roughly half of the mixture.
I folded in chopped walnuts for some crunch and structure. Once that was done, I shaped the mixture into a loaf in a baking dish and baked it until it had a nice, firm, golden-brown crust. Make sure you also use a toothpick to ensure the inside isn’t too mushy.
For the beautiful sweet tomato sauce, I sautéed tomatoes along with minced garlic, and then poured them into a blender, transforming the ingredients into a liquid mixture before transferring it again into the warm pan.
In the meantime I seasoned it with salt and black pepper and let it simmer until it thickened a bit and all those flavors mixed together. I finished it off with fresh parsley and a touch of agave syrup for a little sweetness.
After letting the loaf cool for a bit, I sliced it up and served it with the sweet tomato sauce. It’s perfect either drizzled over the top or on the side to complement the savory loaf.
And of course, you can then also serve the loaf alongside some roasted potatoes and a whole assortment of veggies, or even some creamy potato mash. A light salad also pairs really well this type of dish.
Vegan Lentil and Quinoa Loaf
Ingredients
For the lentil and quinoa loaf:
- 1 bay leaf to cook the lentils
- 3/4 cup dried lentils or 2 cups cooked lentils
- vegetable broth to cook the lentils
- 1/2 cup quinoa
- 3 tbsps olive oil
- 1 rosemary sprig
- 1 onion chopped
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 1 inch ginger grated
- 1/2 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp thyme
- 1/2 tsp paprika
- 1/3 tsp black pepper
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 150 grams brown mushrooms chopped
- 1 carrot grated
- 2 celery stalks finely chopped
- 2 tbsps nutritional yeast
- salt to taste
- 100 grams oats
- 50 grams walnuts chopped
For the sweet tomato sauce:
- 2 tbsps olive oil
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 3 tomatoes chopped
- salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
- parsley chopped
- 1 tsp agave syrup
Instructions
Making the loaf:
- Soak lentils in cold water overnight or for a couple of hours (this step is not mandatory).
- Drain lentils and cook in vegetable broth with bay leaf until tender.
- Immerse quinoa under boiling water for about 3 minutes, before draining and cooking it in water with a pinch of salt, until fluffy.
- Sauté onion, garlic, and ginger in olive oil with a rosemary sprig. Add cumin, paprika, thyme, and black pepper, allowing the aromatics to release.
- Deglaze with soy sauce.
- Add mushrooms and cook until they’re soft before adding the grated carrot and chopped celery and also letting them cook until soft.
- Stir in nutritional yeast, incorporating it into the mixture, allowing its nutty flavor to permeate.
- Fold in the cooked lentils, quinoa, and season with salt to taste.
- Combine the oats with the mixture and then use a hand blender to roughly blend half of the mixture until smooth.
- Fold in the chopped walnuts, mixing it all together.
- Transfer the mixture into a loaf pan and bake it in the oven at 180º C (350ºF) until it turns a golden brown (about 50 minutes).
Making the sauce:
- For the sauce, sauté garlic and fresh tomatoes in olive oil, and transfer them into a blender to create a homogenous mixture.
- Transfer that mixture back into the pan and season with salt and black pepper, letting it simmer until it develops a thicker consistency.
- Finish the sauce with parsley and agave syrup.
- Serve the loaf topped with the tomato sauce, and optionally alongside roasted potatoes, veggies, or a light salad.
Video
Notes
- If the mixture is too dry you may add a bit of water, if it is too moist, add more oats.
- The baking time may vary depending on the oven and the loaf’s consistency.
🙏🏻 Before you go, I’ve got a favor to ask!
I’d love to get your feedback on this recipe! Feel free to leave a comment below sharing your experience— and let others know how you feel about it!
Of course, you can also ask any questions you may have about the recipe— and we’ll try to respond ASAP.
