Join me for a fully vegan, totally healthy, whole food plant based Thanksgiving Feast! I'll be posting recipe videos on my youtube channel (Vegan Michele) and full step by step recipes here over the next month to share with your family and loved ones this Thanksgiving. Feel free to use my exact menu, or pick and choose what sounds good to you.
This Vegan Lentil Loaf is what I would serve as the "main dish" for a Vegan Thanksgiving. The fresh herbs bring about all the comforting Thanksgiving feels!
INGREDIENTS
1.5 cups cooked brown lentils (divided into 1 and 1/4 cups, and another 1/4 cup)
2 medium onions (chopped)
2 large cloves of garlic (minced)
1 large carrot (finely chopped)
2 tablespoons ground flaxseed
3/4 cup walnuts
1 cup rolled oats
2 tablespoon tomato paste
1/3 cup + 1 tbsp unsweetened soy milk
2 tsp soy sauce
2 tsp oregano (chopped fresh if possible, but dried will work too)
2 tsp thyme (chopped fresh if possible, but dried will work too)
2 tsp rosemary (chopped fresh if possible, but dried will work too)
2 tbsp (chopped fresh parsley)
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
GRAVY
1 onion (chopped)
1 carrot (chopped)
2 celery stalks (chopped)
1 clove of garlic (minced)
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 tbsp flour or arrowroot powder
1/3 cup dry red wine
1 1/4 cups vegetable broth
1/2 tsp oregano ((chopped fresh if possible, but dried will work too)
1 tsp paprika powder
1/2 tsp rosemary (chopped fresh if possible, but dried will work too)
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Cook the lentils according to package direction. Typically 3/4 cups dry will yield 1.5 cups cooked. Divide the lentils into 1 and 1/4 cups and another 1/4 cup for later.
In a large frying pan, add a little bit of vegetable broth or water to sauté the onion and garlic for 2 minutes. Then add the chopped carrots and cook for another 3 minutes.
Put the 1 and 1/4 cups cooked lentils, onions, garlic, carrots, flaxseed, walnuts, oats, tomato paste, soy milk, and soy sauce into a food processor and process until you have a sticky, but still textured mixture. You may have to stop a few times to scrape the sides down.
In a large mixing bowl add the remaining 1/4 cup cooked lentils and season with oregano, thyme, rosemary, parsley, and salt and pepper to taste. Mix together until well combined.
Place the mixture into a loaf pan lined with parchment paper. Bake for 60 minutes. Let the lentil loaf cool down for a bit in the loaf pan before serving it.
While the lentil loaf is cooking make the gravy. In a medium sauce pan, add a little bit of vegetable broth or water to sauté the onion and garlic for 2 minutes. Then add the carrots and the celery and cook for another 3 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and cook until it becomes slightly brown. Then stir in the flour and deglaze with the red wine. Add in the vegetable broth. Season with oregano, paprika, rosemary, salt, and pepper.
Reduce the heat and simmer on low for 25 minutes stirring occasionally. Pour the mixture into a high speed blender and blend on high until smooth. Return to the pot and add more salt or pepper as desired.
Serve atop the lentil loaf or on the side as a dipping sauce. Enjoy!
Serves 4 (double or triple the mix for lar
ger parties, and have a few loaves on the table for all to enjoy)
* You can make the lentil loaf the night before and reheat it the next day (at 350°F for about 20 minutes). This will ensure a firmer loaf.
Check out this other Vegan Thanksgiving recipe:
