Vegan lentil ‘meatloaf’ with tomato chilli salsa

This healthy vegan recipe take on classic meatloaf uses the goodness of lentils, quinoa and oats for a fibre and iron-rich, satisfying meal. Perfect for vegetarians, vegans and meat-eaters alike! Plus, you'll get five of your vege serves in one meal.

Serves: 4

Time to make: 1 hr

Hands-on time: 25 mins

Ingredients

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1 medium brown onion, finely chopped
1 large carrot, grated
2 celery sticks, finely diced
1 large red capsicum, diced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tablespoon no-added-salt tomato paste
400g can no-added-salt lentils, rinsed, drained (see tip)
1 cup cooked quinoa
½ cup quick-cook oatsoatmeal uncookedX
250g punnet medley cherry tomatoes, quartered
½ cup small basil leaves, torn
½ teaspoon dried chilli flakes
1 tablespoon lemon juice
160g mixed salad leaves

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Instructions

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1 Preheat oven to 180°C. Line a baking tray with baking paper.

2 Lightly spray a large non-stick frying pan with olive oil and set over a medium heat. Cook the onion, carrot and celery, stirring, for 5 minutes. Add the capsicum and the garlic and cook, stirring, for 3–4 minutes, or until vegetables are softened. Add tomato paste and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Set the mixture aside to cool.

3 In a food processor, place cooled onion mixture, lentils, cooked quinoa and oats. Pulse until well combined, keeping some of the texture. Place mixture on prepared tray and shape mixture into a 10cm-wide log. Bake for 30–35 minutes, or until golden.

4 Meanwhile, in a bowl combine cherry tomatoes, basil, chilli flakes and lemon juice. Season with cracked black pepper. Slice ‘meatloaf’ and serve with salsa and salad leaves.

HFG tip

Make sure you drain the canned lentils well so that the mixture is not too soft

Nutrition Info (per serve)

Calories 431 cal

Kilojoules 1283 kJ

Protein 15.7 g

Total fat 5.5 g

Saturated fat 0.8 g

Carbohydrates 40.8 g

Sugar 11.1 g

Dietary fibre 13.4 g

Sodium 294 mg

Calcium 98 mg

Iron 4.5 mg

Note: This nutrition analysis is a guide only. Nutrition composition will vary depending on the exact ingredients used. See our guides on your optimal daily nutrition intake, and supermarket shopping.