This Christmas, my second year eating a plant-based diet, I wanted to create something different to replace the meat on the table.
My recipe for this lentil & bean loaf is both gluten-free and nut-free for those who can’t (or don’t like to) eat nut roasts.
It took me a few tries to make one I was completely happy with.
I wanted that “meaty” texture, without having to use faux meat and I wanted that traditional flavour too.
With a combination of beans, lentils, vegetables and oats, you are left with a firm yet tender texture, perfect served with my balsamic onion gravy.
This gravy is not the usual pale and flavourless vegetable gravy, it’s dark, full of flavour and body and pairs beautifully with this lentil loaf!
BEST ROAST DINNER EVAAAAA
This roast is:
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 small onion, minced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 medium portobello mushrooms, finely chopped
- 1 medium carrot grated
- 1 can kidney beans, rinsed
- 1 can puy lentils, rinsed
- 1 tbsp gluten-free tamari soy sauce (or coconut aminos for a soy-free version)
- 2 tbsp mixed dried herbs
- 4 tbsp nutritional yeast
- Black pepper, to taste
- 135g/ 1½ cups rolled oats
- 1 low-salt vegetable stock cube
- 1 medium red onion, finely sliced
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 tbsp coconut sugar or brown sugar
- 1 tbsp arrowroot powder
- 200ml red wine
- 3 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 3 tbsp gluten-free tamari soy sauce (or coconut aminos for a soy-free version)
- Preheat oven to 180c / 350f and line a loaf tin with greaseproof paper.
- Heat the oil in a frying pan and sauté the onion and garlic until soft. Add the mushroom and carrot and cook for another 5 minutes until softened.
- Add the rest of the ingredients and use a masher to combine. Don't over-mash, just enough so that the mixture comes together. Add a drop of water if the mixture is too dry, if it's too wet, add more oats.
- Transfer the mixture into the loaf tin and cook for 40-45 minutes until the outside develops a crust and the inside is firm..
- Prepare half a litre of vegetable stock with the stock cube and set aside.
- Add the oil to a frying pan and sauté the onion with the coconut sugar for 10 minutes.
- Once it's caramelised, add the arrowroot powder to the pan and stir for a few minutes to combine.
- Pour in the wine, balsamic vinegar and tamari sauce and simmer until the stock is reduced by half.
- Add the vegetable stock and simmer again for 10 minutes until you are left with a thick, dark gravy.
- Optional: for a smooth gravy, blend for a few minutes until no lumps remain. Serve with the lentil loaf and roast vegetables.
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