This flavorful loaf is perfect for the holidays, or anytime you want a hearty main dish. It can be made with fresh or dried herbs. Make two loaves while you're at it and freeze one for leftovers. This is delicious topped with Creamy Mushroom Gravy!
Lentil & Rice Loaf
- Total Time: 1 hour 45 mins
- Yield: 6 to 10 (makes about ten ¾-inch slices) 1x
Ingredients
- 1¾ cups water
- ½ cup dry/uncooked brown-green lentils
- ½ cup dry/uncooked short-grain brown rice
- 2 teaspoons poultry seasoning
- 1 teaspoon granulated onion
- 1 medium yellow or white onion, chopped (about 2 cups)
- 5 medium white or cremini mushrooms, chopped (about 2 cups)
- 1 large rib celery, sliced (about ½ cup)
- 1 tablespoon freshly chopped garlic (4 to 5 medium cloves)
- ¾ cup old-fashioned rolled oats
- 1 can tomato paste (6 ounces)
- 2 ounces pecans or walnuts, chopped (about ½ cup; optional)
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh sage (or 1 ½ teaspoons dried rubbed sage)
- 2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme (or 1 teaspoon dried)
- 1 ½ teaspoons minced fresh rosemary (or ¾ teaspoon dried)
Instructions
- Place the water, lentils, rice, poultry seasoning, and granulated onion into a medium saucepan over high heat. When it begins to boil, reduce the heat to low, then cover and simmer for 45 minutes. Remove from the heat and let stand for 10 minutes with the lid still on. (Prepare your remaining ingredients while the rice and lentils are cooking.)
- Place 1 tablespoon of water into a medium frying pan over high heat. When the water starts to sputter, add the chopped onion, mushrooms, and celery, and cook while stirring for 3 to 5 minutes, adding a little water, as needed. Add the garlic and stir for 2 minutes more until the vegetables have softened. If you're using dried herbs, stir them in with the garlic; if using fresh herbs, you will add them in step 4. Remove from the heat.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a standard size loaf pan (9x5x3 inches) with parchment paper.
- Place the oats, tomato paste, and nuts (if using) into a large bowl. If you're using fresh herbs (sage, thyme, and rosemary), add them to the bowl as well. When the cooked vegetables, rice, and lentils have cooled for at least 10 minutes, add them to the bowl, and stir until all of the ingredients have been mixed thoroughly.
- Place half of the mixture into a food processor. Pulse about three times then scrape down the sides. Pulse another three times until evenly blended but still somewhat chunky, then spoon into the loaf pan. Place the remaining half of the mixture into the food processor and pulse in the same way. Then add this portion to the loaf pan as well. Press the mixture firmly and evenly into the pan.
- Cover the pan with aluminum foil and cook for 40 minutes. Remove the foil, and cook for 15 to 20 minutes more, or until the top is browned and the edges look crispy. Remove from the oven, and let cool for 10 minutes before slicing and serving. Serve as is or with Creamy Mushroom Gravy or Better Ketchup.
Notes
Herbs: During the holidays I like to use fresh herbs in this recipe, especially fresh sage, as its aroma and flavor are very "holiday." But fresh herbs aren't always practical, so feel free to use the measurements for dried. Or even a mix of fresh and dried.
Blending: I've also made this loaf without using the food processor at all (just mixing everything in a bowl) and it still bakes up well and tastes great, it's just more on the chunky texture side.
- Prep Time: 50 mins
- Cook Time: 55 mins
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/10 recipe, 1 slice
- Calories: 163
- Sugar: 4.9g
- Sodium: 20mg
- Fat: 5.2g
- Saturated Fat: 0.5g
- Carbohydrates: 26.2g
- Fiber: 4.4g
- Protein: 6.0g
- Cholesterol: 0
Above: Cook until the top and sides are browned, as shown. The longer the cooked loaf cools, the firmer it will be and easier to slice.
Above: The loaf pan is lined with parchment paper. I used a ceramic pan, but you can also use metal, glass or silicone. Press the uncooked loaf "dough" into the pan firmly before baking.
Above: Lentil & Rice Loaf Served with steamed cabbage, celery, kale and yam, with red onion and grated pistachios on top.
I made this for our Christmas dinner and it was very well received among vegans and non-vegans. Everyone kept complimenting me on how flavorful it was and I totally agree! I followed the recipe to a T and used fresh herbs which I think gave it a nice touch (thank you for that tip!). I also made your gravy which was a yummy addition. I am very happy with this recipe and recommend it to anyone who is trying to introduce SOS to their family... they will be pleased!
That's great, thank you for the comment, Lola! 😉
I would think you could also make these into meatballs right? Would they hold together?
I've never tried, but maybe refrigerate the "dough" first to make them stick together better. 🙂
I only have long grain rice. Any idea if that will work?
It could work, but I don't think it would hold together quite as well as the short, which is stickier.
I just made the loaf and although it tasted good it did not hold together very well. Any tips?
You could add more oats or a bit of flour.
I'm coming on board! I plan to make the veggie loaf and mushroom gravy and the ketchup! All looks wonderful! Linda
I'm going to try this out, along with your pumpkin pie for Thanksgiving dinner this year! It is next weekend, and I am really looking forward to it as it is my first one fully recovered from my eating disorder! Thanks so much for all these amazing healthy recipes!
Yay! Thanks Faith! 🙂
Thank you for this recipe! I made it for Thanksgiving, and although a bit time consuming to make, it turned out great! Everyone (including non-vegans) enjoyed it! I was wondering if the nutritional information is available??
We are gradually getting all the nutrient information on the blog (the book has it, however). So glad you enjoyed the loaf! It's a great holiday centerpiece dish. 🙂
I made this and it was really tasty! It was a bit soft out of the oven after letting it cool so it crumbled a little, but cold for the next few days it sliced up well (good as cold mains in warm weather)
Hey Cathy,
I am planning to make this beautiful loaf for Christmas dinner this year, however I really don't like rosemary nor thyme. Which herbs or spices would you use instead?
Thanks so much!!!
Lali
You can just leave them out or use any others that you know you like. You could try parsley and basil, but I'd use dried so you get more flavor. Fresh, these won't impart a lot of flavor after being baked in this heavy loaf.
I am allergic to mushrooms. Any suggestions ??
Hi Rita, mushrooms don't really have a good substitution that I know of. In this case, I'd say just leave them out or add some kidney beans or pinto beans to take the place of the missing volume; maybe 1 can or 1.5 cups. I haven't tried this, just speculating. 🙂
Cathy, I can hardly wait to make this! I plan to form it into patties for lentil burgers. As you’ve mentioned, I’ll refrigerate the mixture to help it keep its shape. As a variation on your delicious catsup recipe, I mix tomato paste (which I buy by the case) with balsamic vinegar. In place of bread, I buy a Hannah yam with a round belly, cut a few 1/4 inch slices and air fry them. Imagine this piled high with salt-free Dijon mustard, green leaf, sautéed cremini mushrooms and sliced cucumbers. The remainder of the Hannah yam can be cut into smaller chunks for steak-cut air fries. This meal would go really well with your cole slaw.
Ooh, sounds great Kelly! Great tips! Thank you for the comment! 🙂
Hi Cathy. Regarding the lentils, Is it 1/4 cup red lentils and 1/4 cup brown lentils? Going to try this for Christmas!
As written, it's 1/2 cup brown-green lentils and 1/2 cup short-grain brown rice. 🙂
Have you ever made this loaf, baked it and then frozen it to serve at a later date? Jan
I haven't but I think it would work well. 🙂
Yes, Jan, you can! Bake it first. Freeze it in pre-sliced servings (I put a piece of parchment between each slice for easier separation). It reheats wonderfully, even from the frozen state.
There didn’t seem to be any instructions on the zucchini bread page for parchment placement.
Thanks for the heads-up. 🙂 We took that off with plans to make a stand-alone post of it, but in the meantime, you can search "how to line a pan with parchment paper"; there are many ways. 🙂 Thanks!
I only have green and red split lentils on hand, which one would you recommend substituting for the brown lentils? I am thinking red lentils, however I know that green lentils hold their shape better. Thanks!
Probably the green. 🙂 The red will get too mushy I think.
Hi Cathy
I've only made your blueberry muffins (with cardomon) and they were delicious.
Regarding this loaf, what could one substitute the rice for? I'm concerned about arsenic in rice, as per Consumer Reports research.
Thanks!
Maybe millet; I think quinoa wouldn't be sticky enough. Also, here is Dr. McDougall's article about arsenic in rice if you are interested. 🙂
I make it with millet and it works wonderfully!
Hi Cate, Oh good! I love millet! 🙂
Hi. Hoping you can help me in a hurry. I am planning to make this for a Friday night, after work dinner. There won’t be time to do it all after work. Can I make Thursday night and reheat it Friday?
Thanks
Sure. It's a loaf, so it's thick and it will take some time to reheat (whole at least; but you could slice it first then reheat it in the oven). Things like this tend to dry out a bit upon reheating, but I think for this dish it works well on the dryer side. I like this with the ketchup or BBQ sauce. Good luck! 🙂
Hope this finds you well. Two years later, this is still my go to lentil loaf...there is none better. Thank you for this recipe. I've also figured out how to streamline preparing it, to take about 45 minutes off the prep time. I regularly batch cook and freeze packages of brown rice, and lentils (separately because I use them for different recipes). About 1 cup of thawed cooked rice, and 1 1/2 cups thawed cooked lentils seems to be about right. I've also used the cooked lentils from Trader Joe's with success. When I'm ready to make the loaf, I pop the lentils and rice in the microwave to thaw and warm while the veggies are sauteing. Then follow the recipe as written. Now, I can "loaf" more often. 😁
Thanks for the comment Pam! 🙂 Good ideas!
Dear Cathy...I am a new (6 months) vegan, and this will be the first vegan Thanksgiving meal I make for my mostly non-vegan family. This loaf looks like it would make a lovely centerpiece dish. Due to my work schedule, I need to make it in advance, then reheat it. I am a novice cook...could you please tell me how to reheat it...what temperature, how long, covered or not, please? Thanks so much...I'm so glad I found you - I just ordered your cookbook!
Hi Linda, I would make it completely then not cook it until the day of your meal. You could reheat it would take a while since it's so tall, and may dry it out too much. You could cook it then slice it then reheat the slices to speed it up. 🙂 Thanks!
Hi Cathy! I made this a few years ago for Thanksgiving, and it was great! I'm looking to make it again next week, but I have a question (and I can't remember from when I made it before): With regard to the mushrooms in the ingredients list, it says 5 chopped mushrooms (2 cups). It doesn't seem like chopping 5 white or cremini mushrooms would equal 2 cups of chopped mushrooms. And 2 cups of chopped mushrooms seems like a lot for this loaf. Am I missing something, or is that accurate? Thank you!
Hi Robert, I probably used "medium" mushrooms on the larger side. Mushrooms come in so many sizes, so it's tricky to go by "medium" or "large"; so I would say that the cup measurement is most accurate. But if that sounds like a lot to you, feel free to use less. There is wiggle room here. 🙂
I would love to try this recipe, but I have some non-mushroom eaters in my home. Any suggestions for a substitution?
You could probably just leave them out. Mushrooms don't have a great substitute; sometimes eggplant is used, but I think it would be too wet for this recipe. 🙂
I’m not sure what it is but I have a few foods that do a number on my tummy. Tofu and lentils are mostly prominent. But other beans don’t cause issues. Could I sub lentils for something else?
Hi Andrea, yes, tofu doesn't digest easily with me either. I think you could use a type of bean instead of the lentils, maybe garbanzo or kidney? In this case I would cook the rice with the spices alone then add the cooked beans to the bowl before mixing (since I'm not sure what the water amount and cooking time would be to go with the rice).
Hi Cathy!
Amazing cookbook and blog, thank you for everything!
Question about this recipe, if you maybe know, can I cook this without aluminum foil? We are trying to go more zero waste but I don`t know what does it actually do and can I generally not use it? Maybe a lid?
The bread was delicious and I used long grain wholegrain rice and I absolutely love it!!
I’m planning to go on holiday and make a batch how long will it last I don’t know as soon as I make it it tends to get eaten straight away
Hi Mike, not sure how long it would last in the refrigerator, maybe 5 days? Otherwise it will freeze well post baking. 🙂
Hi, I added 2 grated raw carrots and 1/2 a grated zucchini and swapped out groats for oatmeal. It worked out beautifully.
Tina, when did you add the groats? I was thinking of adding grated carrot. Could the groats replace the nuts do you think?
Made this for Christmas dinner (along with the mushroom gravy). I added another half cup of nuts and a handful of chopped chestnuts. But you are so right, using fresh herbs makes all the difference! The taste and aroma was lovely! x
Hi, I just made this and went to put in the oven and I don’t see anywhere in the recipe the temperature for baking it? Am I just not seeing it? Thanks! 😅
it's noted in step 3: 350 F. 🙂
I am thinking of using this to stuff a squash. Any advice would be great.
Since it doesn't have to set up so much/hold its shape like a loaf, I would think less baking time would be in order (maybe 35-45 mins). Look at recipes like this to see if they do any pre-cooking of the squash first; probably not, but double check. 🙂
I made this tonight for dinner. I think it's the best vegan main dish loaf I've tried. Texture and taste were spot on. I think left overs will make delicious sandwiches. Thanks for another delicious recipe Cathy.
So glad to hear this, Darlene! 🙂 Thank you for the comment!
Many-many thanks for the recipe! Soooo delicious!!!!!
Hi, I'm planning to try this recipe & was wondering if one could use the instant pot for step 1? That could cut down the cooking time.... thanks Cathy! Have tried 1-2 recipes & loving them..
Hi, yes, I think it could would work, but I'm not sure if the water amount would need adjusting. I suppose if there's too much water after cooking, you could just drain it off. BTW, I'll be posting in the next day or so how to make this in single-serve muffin pans, and with mashed potatoes as well. So check that out! 😉
Hi, Cathy - any recommendations you could share to replace the tomato paste? I'm allergic to tomatoes.
Hi Misty, sorry for the late reply; just got home after a week. Hmm, not sure; maybe tofu or a little almond butter?? The tomato paste adds flavor, color and stickiness. I just searched substitutes for tomato paste and it gave me lots of other tomato-related ideas, which won't work. Maybe just leave it out and pulse it in the food processor a bit to get it to stick together better. 🙂
Obviously a year later, but I will comment anyway. I make a tomato free chili which used red bell pepper instead of tomatoes and it works great.
Hi! I made this recipe yesterday with plans to reheat it tonight. It was relatively easy and quick. Leaving it put together and half cooked in the refrigerator overnight may have enhanced the flavors and it tasted even better than anticipated. ThAnk you for sharing this recipe!
Yay! 🙂 Thanks Lizzy!
I made this for Christmas Eve dinner, I did not purée it at all. The prep time was accurate and cooking time as well. The loaf was WONDERFUL! I have made many “meatless loaves” in the past but this one is now our favorite! I didn’t have any short grain brown rice and I used the Lundberg Farms Wild Mix (has a variety of rices in it). I think you could probably use any brown rice. I had all of the ingredients at hand so didn’t need to shop on Christmas Eve. I think if I had cooked a little longer it would be “sliceable” but we didn’t care. I made 2 loaves, cut one in half and froze them and we can’t wait for leftover dinner tonight! Thank you, Cathy, for a great recipe! Roberta Joiner
Thanks Roberta! 🙂 It doesn't slice very well fresh out of the oven. I like it best upon reheating in the oven the next day since it firms up a bit. Thanks for the comment! 😉
This is delicious! I made a second batch and used sugar free bbq sauce instead of tomato paste (I was out) along with some SW chipotle seasoning. Yum!
This was good. We had with homemade vegan gravy. Easy to put together. I did add some extra tomato sauce that I had on hand, since it seemed a little dry.