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    Home » Main Dish Recipes

    Vegetarian Lentil Meatloaf Muffins

    Lindsay Moe

    1617 shares

    Vegetarian Lentil Meatloaf Muffins are the best vegetarian meatloaf option, made with lentils and walnuts and baked in a muffin tin for just the right texture!

    a muffin pan full of vegetarian lentil meatloaf muffins on a wood table with a napkin
    Jump to Recipe

    This is the time of year when I just want a big plate of mashed potatoes and something warm and savory to pair with it.

    My solution is lentil meatloaf, which is full of all sorts of healthy vegetarian proteins and tastes so savory and comforting.

    I shared this recipe years ago, but it has continued to be a favorite of mine so I wanted to update it with photos that I thought were worthy of a go-to recipe!

    a blue plate with three vegetarian lentil meatloaf muffins and a few walnuts

    I wanted to get this recipe out to you in time for Thanksgiving as an actual loaf, but it majorly failed and I didn’t have time to tweak it. Hopefully I’ll work that out for you in the future, but just know that it’s best to make these in muffin tins for the proper texture.

    The end piece was always my favorite part of meatloaf. Baking lentil meatloaf in muffin tins gives the same effect by crisping up all the edges.

    blue plate with three vegetarian lentil meatloaf muffins and a few walnuts

    What is lentil loaf?

    Instead of using meat we’re using soft mashed lentils mixed with toasted walnuts, veggies, moistened breadcrumbs, and seasoning. It comes out looking just like meatloaf with an amazing savory flavor that pairs perfectly with mashed potatoes (my dream come true!).

    This is one time you’ll want to overcook your lentils in order to create a base for the lentil loaf that won’t crumble. You can also cook the lentils up ahead of time to cut down on prep time for the whole recipe.

    How do you reheat lentil loaf?

    I just put them on a plate and pop them in the microwave for a minute or so. If you prefer you can heat them on a baking sheet in the oven at 350ºF until warm, about 15 minutes.

    blue plate with three vegetarian lentil meatloaf muffins, one cut in half

    These vegetarian lentil meatloaf muffins can be customized! Here are a few ideas to get you started:

    • If you don’t have balsamic vinegar on hand you can just top the muffins with ketchup
    • Use a 4 ounce jar of vegetable baby food (preferably carrot or sweet potato) in place of the carrots
    • Use vegan cheese (or leave it out all together) and use non-dairy milk to make this vegan
    • Swap the breadcrumbs for gluten-free breadcrumbs to make this gluten-free
    • Add a splash of vegan worcestershire sauce to the mix for extra meaty flavor

    These lentil loaves would be delicious with my crockpot mashed potatoes, baked mashed potatoes, or oven roasted potatoes.

    If you make this recipe be sure to rate it, leave a comment, or tag #theliveinkitchen on Instagram!

    a blue plate with three vegetarian lentil meatloaf muffins, one of them cut in half
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    lentil meatloaf muffin cut in half on a plate

    Vegetarian Lentil Meatloaf Muffins

    A lentil meatloaf recipe made from mashed lentils, walnuts, and vegetables, baked in a muffin tin for just the right texture.
    3.34 from 9 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Prep Time: 20 minutes
    Cook Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
    Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
    Servings: 12 muffins
    Calories: 220kcal
    Author: Lindsay Moe

    Ingredients

    • 1 cup uncooked red lentils
    • 3 cups water or vegetable broth
    • 1 cup breadcrumbs
    • ½ cup milk
    • 2 tablespoons olive oil
    • 1 small onion,, diced
    • 2 celery stalks,, diced
    • 1 cup walnuts,, finely chopped
    • ½ cup carrot or sweet potato puree (or ½ cup grated carrot}
    • ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
    • ½ cup ketchup,, divided
    • ½ teaspoon dried thyme
    • ½ teaspoon dried oregano
    • Coarse kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
    • 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

    Instructions

    • Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Spray 12 muffin tins with cooking spray (do not use paper liners).
    • Rinse and strain the lentils. Place them in a pot with 3 cups of vegetable broth or water. Bring to a boil and season with salt. Reduce the heat to medium low and simmer, uncovered for at least 40 minutes or until the water is absorbed and the lentils are slightly mushy. Stir frequently and add a bit of water if they begin to dry out before 40 minutes. Mash the lentils slightly with a spoon when ready.
    • While the lentils are cooking, combine breadcrumbs and milk in a large bowl and let soak. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. When hot, add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft but not brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the celery and cook 3 to 4 minutes longer. Add the mixture to the breadcrumbs.
    • In a small pan, toast walnuts over medium-low heat, shaking the pan occasionally, until fragrant, about 5 minutes. Add the nuts to the breadcrumb mixture along with the carrot, Parmesan, ¼ cup ketchup, thyme, oregano, salt, pepper, and lentils. Mix thoroughly and divide evenly amongst muffin tins.
    • In a small bowl, combine ¼ cup ketchup and 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar. Spoon mixture over the loaves.
    • Bake until the loaves are lightly browned, about 30 minutes.

    Notes

    Adapted from my Trinity Meatloaf, originally from Deceptively Delicious, also inspired by Oh She Glows
     

    Nutrition

    Calories: 220kcal | Carbohydrates: 22g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 4mg | Sodium: 470mg | Potassium: 304mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 1155IU | Vitamin C: 2.4mg | Calcium: 102mg | Iron: 2.1mg
    Tried this recipe?Mention @theliveinkitchen or tag #theliveinkitchen!

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    Reader Interactions

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    1. Nancy Dore says

      December 06, 2018 at 11:25 am

      My grandson is allergic to nuts. Is there a substitute that would work?

      Reply
      • Lindsay Moe says

        December 06, 2018 at 12:58 pm

        The recipe might still work without them, but you could also experiment with chopped pepitas, sunflower seeds, or canned garbanzo beans.

        Reply
    2. Kate Prime says

      January 15, 2019 at 1:27 pm

      How would you freeze these? Do they need defrosting before reheating?

      Reply
      • Lindsay Moe says

        January 15, 2019 at 1:55 pm

        I place them in a freezer zip top bag and remove as much air as possible. Then I just place the frozen muffins in the microwave for a minute or two to reheat. If you prefer to use the oven, I would probably recommend thawing in the refrigerator overnight and then heating in the oven until warm.

        Reply
      • Kim says

        October 11, 2021 at 9:59 pm

        I tried making these and I couldn’t get them out of the muffin tray – they just fell apart. I’m wondering if it’s because of the lentils…I don’t think they turned out correctly… they were very mushy and there was nothing left for me to mash with a fork like in the directions. Do you have any ideas why? They taste delicious and I’m really hoping I can figure out how to get them working! Thanks!

        Reply
        • Lindsay Moe says

          October 13, 2021 at 10:57 am

          I’m so sorry you had trouble with this recipe! The lentils do turn into a bit of mush, which helps bind everything together, but you could try cooking them for less time so they don’t lose so much liquid. If the mixture seems dry before baking you could try adding a splash of vegetable stock or using less breadcrumbs. Hopefully this helps!

          Reply
    3. Kristy says

      February 11, 2019 at 5:34 pm

      5 stars
      This turned out very well, I made the recipe exactly as directed and I froze all of the muffins. I reheated some of the frozen muffins for dinner a couple of weeks later and they were delicious. The usual lentil loaf type recipes I have previously made tend to be rather bland but this was quite flavorful. They’re very savory and have just the right amount of moistness. I will double the recipe the next time I make it as this recipe does take quite a bit of preparation time but it was truly worth the effort.
      Thank you for the delightful recipe Lindsay, it is much appreciated.

      Reply
      • Lindsay Moe says

        February 12, 2019 at 10:20 am

        Thanks for taking the time comment, I’m so glad you enjoyed it!

        Reply
    4. Jacie G says

      March 14, 2019 at 8:11 pm

      4 stars
      I made these for the first time tonight and they were delicious! I made a couple changes. Since I had no walnuts, I used half pine nuts & half pecans. And in the sauce topping, I subbed 1 tbs worcestershire for 1 tbs of the balsamic.

      Reply
      • Lindsay Moe says

        March 26, 2019 at 10:40 am

        I’m so glad you enjoyed it, thank you for sharing your delicious variation!

        Reply
    5. Janice says

      December 29, 2022 at 5:10 pm

      Hi! Can I use green lentils instead of red?

      Reply

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    lindsay moe in a kitchen with glasses on shelves behind her

    Hi, I'm Lindsay! I've been creating easily customizable vegetarian recipes since 2011. I love the outdoors, brownies, and brand new books. I live and work in La Crosse, Wisconsin and founded Wild Flour Media to expand on my love for food photography and videography to my community and beyond.

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    1617 shares