Hello friends! How was everyone’s Thanksgiving? Ours was low-key and delicious. We went for walk in the morning and spent some time calling and catching up with family in Illinois and Colorado before preparing the rest of our two person feast.
Today’s lentil loaf recipe was our main on Thursday which we enjoyed with some Happy Herbivore gravy although it certainly doesn’t need it.
Lentil loaves are impressively made with lentils (duh) and just a few other veggies, which can easily be customized to what’s on hand or seasonal.
This loaf is just the right moistness (please tell me there is a better word for this) and it holds shape like a dream, making perfect slices without crumbling.
The flavor is wonderful with a subtle smokiness from the lapsang tea, a little bbq tang and a light spice from the celery seed in the Old Bay seasoning.
If you’re lucky enough to have leftovers the next day enjoy a lentil loaf sandwich with ketchup and mustard. Mmmm.
I used brown lentils to achieve the typical loaf hue although I’m sure any lentil would do.
I suggest reserving a few of the mushroom slices (approximately 3 mushroom’s worth) for decorating the top.
This loaf was inspired by the time I used Lapsang tea to marinate mushrooms (also for Thanksgiving). Lapsang tea is—possibly—an acquired taste. It has a very strong campfire smell but I believe it will surprise you by how soft and hidden the flavor is.
If campfire smokiness isn’t your thing, you can easily use vegetable broth or water as a replacement.
This loaf comes together easy too. Cooking the lentils takes the longest but they can be prepared in advance plus you can prep the other veggies while the lentils are cooking. Then everything is mixed in a bowl using your hands or a strong wooden spoon.
Lapsang Souchong BBQ Lentil Loaf
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups water
- 4 bags of Lapsang Souchong tea
- 1 cup brown lentils
- 8 oz container of white or brown mushrooms (reserve 3)
- heaping 1/2 cup diced onion (113 g)
- 1 celery stalk (101 g), diced
- 2 carrots (133 g), diced
- 1 cup (147 g) old fashioned rolled oats
- 1/4 cup + 3 tablespoons BBQ sauce
- 2 tablespoons Old Bay Seasoning
- 2 teaspoons poultry seasoning
- 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
Instructions
- To start bring water to a boil, add tea bags and steep for at least an hour or overnight. Once steeped remove the tea bags and squeeze out any water.
- Place lentils and tea in a medium sauce pan and bring to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 40 minutes.
- While the lentils are cooking prepare your carrots, onion, and celery. These can be diced by hand, with a mandolin or pulsed in the food processor. Add to a large bowl with BBQ sauce.
- Place old-fashioned rolled oats in a food processor or small blender cup with the flat grinding blade and process until a flour forms. Add oat flour to the carrot, onion and celery mixture.
- Thinly slice the mushrooms (reserving 3 - also sliced) and add to the vegetable/oat mixture.
- Once lentils are done, they should be tender not mushy, pre-heat oven to 350F and lightly grease a 9x5 inch bread pan.
- Pulse lentils in a food processor fitted with the s-blade along with old bay seasoning, poultry seasoning, and nutritional yeast - scraping down the sides if needed.
- Add the lentils to the rest of your ingredients and stir well to ensure ingredients are evenly mixed.
- Press into prepared loaf pan creating a flat top. Spread remaining 3 tablespoons of BBQ sauce on top and press the reserved mushroom slices into the top.
- Bake for 45 minutes at 350F. When done, allow to cool for 10-15 minutes, gently jostle the pan and upturn onto a cutting board. It's then very easy to flip over so mushrooms are on top.
- Cut slices with a steak or bread knife. Will keep in the refrigerator up to a week. Leftovers are delicious cold or reheated and alone or on a sandwich.
- Enjoy!
Cheers to a great week ahead and stay tuned for a giveaway Friday! P.s. We are in the midst of a decent snowfall right now! xo