This Vegan Barbecue Lentil Loaf is oil-free, sturdy, hearty and not mushy. This loaf is bursting with barbecue flavor! The homemade BBQ sauce is baked into the loaf, on top of the loaf and used as a dipping sauce after it is baked. If you love barbecue sauce, then this loaf is for you!
VEGAN BBQ LENTIL LOAF
I am SO excited about this Vegan Barbecue Lentil Loaf recipe! I have worked on it so much…trial after trial, to get it to my liking. Nailing the flavor was fairly easy, but texture wise, it took a few trials. I have tried several lentil loaf recipes online, even the ones that claimed to be the best. The problem I found with a few of them that I tried, was that they were on the bland side with very little flavor, but the main issue was texture.
If you have never heard of a lentil loaf, basically it is a vegetarian version of meatloaf and they are wildly popular in the vegan/vegetarian blogging world.
VEGAN LENTIL LOAF THAT DOESN’T FALL APART
Every single vegan lentil loaf I’ve tried or seen uses oats and they all were just so mushy. I love oats, but in the lentil loaf, it just was not working for me personally with the ones that I tried. Or, they don’t hold together and crumble into a mess. I want a combo of tender, but sturdy. I tried them with oats, with nuts, sunflower seeds, chickpeas, you name it.
So, it hit me….cornbread is very sturdy and chewy and hearty. Duh, I’ll add cornmeal instead of oats or flour. The day before, my mom and I had been talking about her making my Vegan Gluten-free Skillet Cornbread to bring to our Christmas gathering and a light bulb went off to try adding coarse cornmeal!
OMG. It worked brilliantly. The cornmeal not only made the vegan barbecue lentil loaf hold it’s shape so much better, it gave it substantial heartiness and believe it or not, a meaty texture. It gets cooked very well within all the moist lentil-goodness, but gives it much more chew instead of oaty mushiness, haha!
THE PERFECT BBQ SAUCE FOR A LENTIL LOAF
I decided on barbecue sauce as being a star flavor. I absolutely LOVE barbecue sauce. I created my barbecue sauce specifically for this lentil loaf. It has lots of spices and molasses for depth of flavor. I used maple syrup for a natural sweetness instead of refined brown sugar that is typically in traditional barbecue sauces.
Guess what, it is so dang delicious, I nearly ate the whole vegan bbq lentil loaf myself! The flavor of barbecue sauce in the loaf, on top of the loaf and then as a dipping sauce, was a true slice of heaven!
HOW DO YOU MAKE A VEGAN LENTIL LOAF?
First, you will need to gather these 8 total ingredients (+ salt & water):
- Lentils
- Onion
- Garlic
- Cornmeal
- Bbq sauce (homemade recipe created specifically for this loaf)
- Flaxseed
- Chipotle pepper spice
- Corn
Next, prepare the homemade bbq sauce and set aside.
Cook the lentils until tender. While the lentils are cooking, cook the onions and garlic.
Mix the lentils with the cooked veggies, bbq sauce and remaining ingredients until a thick batter forms.
Spread in loaf pan, top with sauce and bake!
This vegan lentil loaf is the perfect meatless meal that is full of flavor. The perfect side dish to serve with it are my Vegan Fluffy Mashed Potatoes. The best mashed potatoes you’ve ever had, guaranteed.
OTHER VEGAN DINNER RECIPES TO TRY:
- Cheesy Mexican Tortilla Bake
- Vegan Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes
- Mexican Burrito Bowl
- Teriyaki Sweet Potato Avocado Bowl
- Cajun Cauliflower Bowl
- Easy Vegan Meatballs
- Vegan Chickpea Tomato Ragu
Vegan Barbecue Lentil Loaf
Ingredients
FOR THE LENTILS
- two 15 ounce cans or 2 cups (370g) cooked brown lentils, drained and rinsed and patted dry
- 1/2 heaping cup (80g) finely chopped white onion
- 1 packed tablespoon minced fresh garlic
- 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1/4 cup water (this is ONLY for cooking the veggies in 1st)
- 1 cup (240g) either my BBQ sauce below or your favorite, separated (SEE NOTES BELOW)
- 1/2 cup (80g) MEDIUM GRIND coarse cornmeal (It MUST be medium grind, not corn flour or regular fine cornmeal, otherwise it WILL BE DRY. I use this Bob's Red Mill. If you cannot find, order it off Amazon.)
- 3 tablespoons (24g) ground flaxseed
- 1/2 teaspoon chipotle chili spice (gives a hefty kick of heat, so ONLY use 1/4 tsp if sensitive)
- 1/2 cup (85g) frozen sweet organic corn
5 MINUTE BBQ SAUCE (This sauce is STRONG, so it stands out in the loaf, giving amazing flavor. Makes 1 1/2 cups, plenty for the loaf and for dipping!)
- 1/2 cup (120g) tomato paste, not sauce
- 1/2 cup (120g) water
- 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
- 1/2 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon yellow wet mustard
- 2 tablespoons (40g) pure maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons dark balsamic vinegar (do not sub with another vinegar)
- 2 tablespoons unsulphured regular molasses
- 2 teaspoons liquid smoke
- I use this scale.
NOTE
- Keep in mind, this is a LENTIL LOAF, it's not meat, so don't expect it to taste like traditional meatloaf. However, it is phenomenal and flavorful with an amazing texture as long as you follow the recipe. I used my homemade barbecue sauce recipe for this loaf. It's the only flavor that I can vouch for. The end result has a nice kick of heat and is incredibly flavorful.
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C) and line a 9x5 loaf pan with parchment paper hanging slightly over the sides for easy removal later. Make sure to spray the sides that the paper doesn't touch, so it doesn't stick.
- Add the1/4 cup water to a pan over medium heat. Once simmering, add the onion and 1/4 teaspoon salt and simmer 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook another minute. All the water should be gone now before the next step.
- Add only one can of the lentils to a large bowl and mash well into a paste. This will hep to bind the loaf. Add the other can of lentils.
- Add the cooked onion/garlic mixture to the lentils. Add only 3/4 cup (180g) of the barbecue sauce to the lentil mixture. Add the chipotle spice and another good pinch of salt and stir together well.
- Add the cornmeal and flaxseed and stir around for a good minute or so until it becomes really thick and sticky. Lastly, gently stir in the corn.
- Add the batter to the loaf pan and spread out flat on top and evenly to the corners. Let it sit for 10 minutes before baking, so the cornmeal soaks up some liquid. This will help the end product have great texture.
- Spread 4-6 tablespoons of the barbecue sauce all over the top evenly. Bake for 50-60 minutes or until firm and a toothpick basically comes out clean with no lentil batter. I noticed the version with canned lentils was done a few minutes faster. The version where I tested cooking my own lentils first was done at 60 minutes.
- It is crucial to let the loaf sit for at least 20 minutes to firm up. It will firm up a lot while cooling. If you try to cut it hot, it will fall apart. I let mine sit 30 minutes and it was still very warm. Gently lift up the loaf with the parchment paper and very carefully transport it to a serving platter using spatulas. Carefully slice it. Spread extra barbecue sauce on top while still warm right before serving. Add chopped fresh parsley on top for garnish and presentation, if desired.
Notes
"Smoky Mesquite" and both were phenomenal. Choosing a smoky one is key, here. LENTILS: I originally wrote this recipe and posted it 10 years ago and when I wrote the recipe, I included cooking the lentils yourself. However, over the years I have had so many people ask to make it with just canned lentils for time and convenience. I have finally done that and yes, it is so much easier and faster! The recipe now reflects that above. If you still want to follow the directions of cooking the lentils yourself, here are those directions:
- 1 cup (193g) uncooked lentils (DO NOT USE RED)
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
I tried this recipe and while I liked the flavor, mine turned out dry and crumbly. Any idea where I might’ve gone wrong? Thanks!
Hi Kim, yes, that would only happen if you used too fine of a cornmeal, therefore making it soak up all the liquid and make it dry. As noted, you must use the Bob’s Red Mill medium grind coarse cornmeal. It is much grittier than the standard fine cornmeal in the regular bags at the store and it makes the loaf very meaty and it is a very moist loaf. As you can see from all the reviews above, it’s a yummy loaf, so just make sure to use the right cornmeal and follow the steps and you should be good! 🙂
I cannot wait to try this! I have tried dozens of recipes only to be disappointed by texture. Morningstar Farms used to make a lentil loaf that had the perfect flavor and texture and I have been trying to recreate since with no luck. I am making this over the weekend and will let you know how it goes. Thank you so much!
Just make sure to use the right cornmeal and it will be great! It is very meaty and hearty with that cornmeal!!
Can I swap cornmeal for oat flour? I have a corn allergy. But I will totally make this with some swaps if possible 🙂
Hi Gina! Unfortunately, as I’ve noted, the cornmeal is the magical ingredient in this loaf that gives it structure, a meaty texture and binds it so well. Oat flour would just make it mushy. You would need an ingredient very similar to the medium-grind cornmeal. Perhaps, grits or millet would work? I have no idea since I haven’t tested either of those, but you could try it!
Tried this tonight. I had a bag of Tru Roots Sprouted Trio Lentils. The were green, brown and black. I also added 2 mini bell peppers and used store bought bbq sauce since I had it on hand. This was delicious. Looking for to a sandwich with leftovers tomorrow the lentils I used cook very quickly since they are sprouted. About 6 minutes. Thanks for the awesome recipe!
So wonderful to hear Bess, so happy you loved it! Thank you for the feedback!
This is it!! Right here folks,
THE Meatloaf: I’m not sure if it’s a “southern thang” or just my family, but in our home its sacred stuff. Meatloaf with mashed potatoes & gravy, peas….and apple pie for dessert. I’ve been trying to find the perfect vegan recipe for years. I used to have a standby (won’t mention names) because although it lacked in flavor, it held up like a loaf should. Then recently came across another recipe (from a new vegan book out, again, no names mentioned 🙂 ) in which I LOVED the flavor but could NOT get it to hold up. It was mushy no matter HOW many times I tried it. Yesterday we fixed Vegan 8’s recipe for folks coming over and it, without question, is our new favorite. Now I admit, at first I was a bit turned off with the “wait 30 minutes” here and “wait 30 minutes there” but DO NOT let that alarm you from trying….It’s actually just a matter of timing and it worked in fine with preparing the rest of my meal. But the bottom line is: the end, its well worth it, I promise. The taste was phenomenal, the texture was spot on & it plated beautifully. (I wish I’d gotten a picture before is was devoured! When your carnivore daughters give it a “thumbs up”, this becomes your new Family Vegan Meatloaf recipe! <3 Thanks again Vegan 8 for another cruelty free HEALTHY recipe!
Thank you SO MUCH for such a well written, kind and thoughtful review on the lentil loaf Beth! IT seriously is one of the best reviews ever and really made me smile! You basically described EVERY detail of what I went through as well when trying other recipes, which is why I was SO determined to create this one. Just like you, even the popular ones I tried were either WAY too bland in flavor or were so mushy, it was hard to finish it. So, thank you for making it as written and leaving such a wonderful review!!
Made this last night. Had leftovers today. Extremely delicious! Holds together great. BBQ sauce to go with it was very good too. Made your mashed potatoes and thyme gravy with it. Also fantastic! Thanks again for these delicious recipes. I’m new to eating fat free vegan and so your recipes are so helpful. My husband hasn’t completely joined me so I’m also happy to find recipes he’s enjoying.
Oh wow, that is so wonderful to hear Mim!! Thank you so much for such a fantastic review and for taking the time to let me know!
DH can’t have canned tomato products, so I pureed some figs instead of the tomato paste. Amazing! Any ideas for subs for the cornmeal? We’re on a restricted diet around here. No nuts, wheat, corn, rice or soy. We can and do eat eggs though. Would I still need the cornmeal if I used eggs instead of flaxseed?
Hi Debbie! Great idea with the figs! Hmmm, that’s a tough one because the cornmeal is crucial in getting that meaty texture and also is what helps to bind the loaf and so it’s not mushy like typical lentil loafs. Don’t use eggs, that will just add more liquid. You need a grain like cornmeal in order for it to work. I would try subbing dry couscous or grits and see how that works. I have not tried this, so I can’t vouch if it will work, but if you try it, please let me know!
I just made this last night. It’s so good, and the texture is wonderful. The BBQ sauce is THE BEST!!
Wonderful Cat, thank you so much for the amazing feedback! I really appreciate it!
Thank you Cat for the feedback, I appreciate it so much!!
This is the second time I made this. It’s really great. Perfect lentil loaf! The homemade barbecue sauce is my favorite part!
Hey Brandi! Have you ever made this and let it sit overnight before putting it in the oven? It’s a little time intensive for me to put together and have for dinner on a weeknight. I’d like to try making it this week but I’d have to put it together one night and stick it in the oven next.
Hi Lara-Kay! I have actually never tried that. I would think it would work just fine though. The cornmeal will soak up the liquids more though overnight, so it may cook quicker, hopefully it won’t make it more dry. So just keep an eye on it 🙂
Last night I ended up putting it all together with the intentions of cooking it but ran out of time, so currently it’s in my fridge ready to go. I’ll let you know how it turns out.
Success!! Making this on Monday evening and putting it in the fridge to cooke the next night worked out perfect. I took another sheet of parchment paper and pressed it down on the top of the loaf to keep it from getting dry overnight worked out as well. The loaf turned out firm and very tasty. A few night later we took the leftover loaf, sliced it and cooked it on the oven on a sheet pan until crispy on the edges.. Perfect! I will make this again and highly recommend it. Thanks for sharing Brandi!
Actually a better idea might be to just prep the veggies and cook the lentils one day and then just throw it all together and cook. I have done that and it works the same and I do know other readers have, as well.
Thanks for the creative and delicious recipe. I am so glad it is different from the traditional ones with oats. Always good to try something new.
I didn’t have corn or flax. I added in some chis seeds and 1/4 cup of barley because I only had ground cornmeal, and to make up some texture for the lack of corn. Everything else was the same and it came out so good. I absolutely love the homemade sauce recipe. My husband and I always use our own homemade sauce, but I wanted to try your and I will definitely add it in to the rotation.
I shared pictures and linked to your page on all my social media. 🙂
Thank you so much Niki! I’m so very happy to hear you all loved this so much, thank you for the feedback!
I have a question. I don’t have any medium cornmeal. I looked and mine is finely ground. Is there anything you suggest I could use with my cornmeal to make the recipe work?
Hi Angie, I believe another reader made it with blanched almond flour instead and it worked. I have not tried this so I can only vouch for the cornmeal, or maybe dried grits or millet or something to a similar texture like a coarse cornmeal. These are just suggestions since I haven’t tried them, but I “think” they would work.
Hi Brandi,
Love your recipes and love love vegan meatloaves. I collect recipes for them! My husband is allergic to corn however so I am wondering if semolina would be a good replacement? I use that to replace cornmeal in baking recipes with good results? Just wanted your expert opinion before I try. Thanks!
Hi Esther, I have never tried it, so it’s hard to say, but if it is the similar texture and size of cornmeal, I think it would. I also think grits would probably work well. Let me know how it turns out!
Delicious!!! I put in a loaf pan and cooked it in crock pot low 4 hours- perfect. I omitted chipotle- that’s just gross to me in any form and used regular. Than omitted balsamic vinegar for apple cider vinegar just my personal preference. Still excellent! !!!! Well done!!!
I’m so glad to hear it was such a hit, thank you Susan for the feedback!
Hi Brandi, thank you so much for taking the time to put this together and share it. I’ve been looking for a long-prep recipe to share with my nieces next time I’m out to see them. They always love to help cook, and are always asking me about veganism…this is perfect 🙂
Hi Tim! Thank you, I really hope it turns out to be a big hit with you all, just like with my other readers. Let me know!
Alright, I have made this before. It was super yummy. However, now I am making it for someone I don’t know and their family. What sides do you think I should bring with this meal?
Hi Amanda! Oh, I would definitely serve it with these buttermilk mashed potatoes, they are a huge hit with everybody!
https://thevegan8.com/fluffy-buttermilk-vegan-mashed-potatoes/
Hi, I am having problems finding medium grind coarse cornmeal. Would polenta work as well? Thanks!
Just got finished making the meatloaf! Followed the directions to a T and it turned out awesome! I’ve never gotten a real meatloaf to stay together as well as this “meat” loaf did, and darn tasty too! Will attempt to make the BBQ sauce next time! Fantastic recipes all around and as a new vegan I am excited to try as many of these as I can!
So happy to hear that, that’s so great! Glad this one was the one, thank you so much for the amazing feedback!
I have been DYING for lentil loaf. As in obsessed with making my own for the first time and geeking out over different recipes all while searching for the perfect one.
This is IT!!!!! Yea!!!!
While I’m sorry the recipe was stolen by jerk who will remain unnamed…, I am GLAD to have found this site and the lentil loaf recipe. I am not a vegan, but I love incorporating vegan (and soon raw) dishes to my diet on a regular basis.
Hi Anita! So glad you found me, and what a sweet comment! Yes, very unfortunate they copy and pasted it, no class, BUT there was so many readers that were upset and commented on their site, that they have changed the recipe now and credited and linked to me, so at least I got something out of it…at least I have the credit now. Too bad I wasn’t credited properly on the live show, huh?! LOL!
Hi
I have been following the wheat belly way of eating for 2 years and I dont consume any products made with corn. Could the cornmeal be substituted with the wheat belly all purpose baking mix? It consists of almond meal. coconut flour and flax meal.
I enjoy your blog as I have moved recently and dont have acess to organic poultry and meats like I did previously so I am looking to add some vegan dishes to my diet because I would rather not eat non organic meats.
Hi Cotton! I have never tried that baking mix and my only concern is the coconut flour in it, that is very highly absorbent and I think would make the loaf very dry. So, I can’t say how it would work, having never used it. I would suggest trying to use maybe millet or another grainy flour in place of the cornmeal, maybe even try oats. It is definitely going to change the texture though, so I can’t vouch for anything other than the cornmeal since that is what I loved so much about the texture of the recipe, but I’m sure if you find another grainy textured flour, it could work. I even think couscous could work well, but it is derived from wheat, so not sure if you use that at all or not.
Hi, I was watching the Wendy Williams show today and saw a chef prepare a barbecue lentil meatloaf. I went to Wendy’s site to get the recipe. Then, I searched Pinterest for it and found YOUR recipe. Too bad the chef on the show didn’t give credit where credit was due. Thought you might like to know. Anyway, it sounds delicious and I plan on making it this week.
Hi Mary Beth! Wait, whattt? It was actually my exact recipe the chef did on the show?? How did you find it on Pinterest? Do you have the link..which board was it on? Thank you so much for telling me!
Yes, it was the exact same recipe. I can’t seem to paste the link to it, but if you go to http://www.wendyshow.com and look for food makeovers, I think you will be able to find it. I found your recipe on Pinterest by searching barbecue lentil meatloaf. Then I compared the two recipes, and they’re identical. Let me try to paste the link again.
http://www.wendyshow.com/2016/05/19/food-makeovers/#.Vz6i0dT3arU
I hope the link works. Check it out. BTW, Wendy loved it!!!
Will wonders never cease? I just went back to the recipe on Wendy’s website, and the chef changed a few things to make the recipe different from yours. Or, someone changed it. Anyway, at the end of the recipe he states that the recipe was inspired by thevegan8. Glad you got your credit.
Yes, I found it all, more than one of you awesome readers recognized my exact recipe! It’s pretty “funny” how they changed the whole recipe and now linked to me after they were caught. Sad that nobody emailed me to apologize or even ask for my permission before printing my recipe word for word. I would have been totally cool with that, in this particular case, it was all just a complete lack of respect and unethical the way they did it all. Now the recipe they have printed on there is so different from what he made on the segment, haha. Thanks again for looking out and letting me know!
I just found it on her youtube channel and her website…unbelievable. Downright stole it..he is a chef and should have more class and dignity than that! I wouldn’t care if he used it, but give credit and don’t claim it as your own.
hi Brandi!
Got the loaf in the oven!! can’t wait to try 🙂 curious where you got the long shaped wood bowl/dish that the load is in in the pics? beautiful !!
Oh, and I love the bbq sauce. was afraid i might not have enough left for the loaf cuz I kept eating it on other things ….yum!!!!
Hi Susan! I’m so happy you love the bbq sauce so much, it is my favorite too! I’m 99% sure I got that wood piece from Home Goods. I get a lot of my decor from there because the prices are super affordable and I love wood and they have lots of options 🙂
Hi!
Thank you Brandi for the info! I’m going to have to shop there more often 🙂 I loved the Lentil loaf …can’t wait to make more of your recipes. I have quite a list going of ones to try! thanks for what you do!
I’m so happy to hear you loved the loaf Susan, thank you so much for coming back and letting me know!
Oops. I totally forgot to leave the link for you to check out.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sf5H4ZZdwVk
Sorry about that.
Oh my goodness. I just made this recipe for my husband and daughter (who doesn’t usually like stuff like this) and they both loved this.. and so did I!!
I made a video of the process and linked your recipe to it. I hope you don’t mind, but totally understand if you do.. let me know and I’ll remove it.
Thanks for such an awesome recipe!
Thank you so much Mikki! I’m so happy to hear it was such a hit and I LOVED your video, so thank you so much for creating it!! I shared it on my FB page as well, that meant a lot you did that, thank you!
Wow – this was so good – thank you for this recipe. I made mine not as spicy and used a bottle of sauce rather than homemade. Also – no immersion blender so I just pulled out half of the lentils and mashed them with a potato masher. I am not a huge lentil fan but this loaf is fantastic!
Hi Crystal! That is so wonderful to hear you loved the recipe, thank you so much for the feedback!!