This mushroom, lentil and nut roast is the perfect centerpiece for a plant-based holiday meal. It’s rich and “meaty” thanks to canned lentils, mushrooms and nuts instead of highly processed soy ingredients. Serve with mashed root vegetables or roasted Brussels sprouts and vegetarian mushroom gravy for a holiday feast even omnivores will love. Leftovers make great meatless meatloaf sandwiches!
This filling recipe is high in fiber and low in net carbs, making it a great vegetarian option for a low-carb diet. Those are hard to find, so take advantage!
Active time: 25 minutes Total time: 1 hour, 25 minutes
Vegetarian Lentil, Mushroom and Nut Roast
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 8 ounces (227g) cremini mushrooms, sliced
- 1 medium red bell pepper, chopped
- 2 teaspoons herbes de Provence (see tip below)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 medium garlic cloves, chopped
- 1 cup (160g) mixed, roasted unsalted nuts
- 1 1/4 slices (75g) 100% whole-wheat sandwich bread, torn into pieces
- 1 (15 oz/425g) can brown lentils, rinsed and drained
- 3 large eggs, beaten
- 2 tablespoons finely shredded Parmesan cheese
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Line the bottom and long sides of a 4-by-8-inch (10 x 20cm) loaf pan with parchment paper and coat the pan with cooking spray. Set aside.
Heat the oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the onion, mushrooms, bell pepper, herbes de Provence, salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tender and browned, 6 minutes. Add the tomato paste and garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, 45 seconds. Add 1/3 cup water and simmer, scraping up browned bits on the bottom of the pan, until evaporated, 1 minute. Remove from heat and let cool for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, put the nuts and bread in a food processor and pulse until finely ground, about 30, 1-second pulses. Pour into a large bowl and set aside.
Transfer the sauteed vegetables and lentils to the food processor and pulse until well chopped, 20, 1-second pulses. Scrape out into the bowl with the ground nut mixture.
Add the eggs and cheese and stir everything together with a wooden spoon until thoroughly combined. Scoop the mixture into the prepared pan. Cover with foil and bake for 35 minutes. Uncover and bake for 25 minutes more or until the loaf is firm when pressed gently.
Run a knife around the edges of the loaf pan. Invert the pan onto a serving platter to remove from the pan. Discard the parchment paper. Slice the roast and serve.
Tip: Herbes de Provence is a salt-free French blend of thyme, savory, fennel, basil, and lavender. It’s available in bulk where spices are sold and in cute little earthenware crocks. The sunny flavors enliven soups, sauces and egg dishes.
Serves: 6 | Serving Size: 1/6 recipe
Nutrition (per serving): Calories: 309; Total Fat: 21g; Saturated Fat: 4g; Monounsaturated Fat: 3g; Cholesterol: 94mg; Sodium: 398mg; Carbohydrate: 22g; Dietary Fiber: 6g; Sugar: 5g; Protein: 14g
Discover hundreds of healthy recipes — from high protein to low carb — via “Recipe Discovery” in the MyFitnessPal app.
