Meatloaf, a perennial comfort food favorite, gets a compassionate update for special occasions with this recipe for Meatless Meatloaf Wellington. Isn't it really more about the rustic flavors and textures in a meatloaf than it is about the meat anyway? By using ingredients like earthy mushrooms, humble lentils, and sweet walnuts, the result is hearty, satisfying and gives us that toothsome bite we look forward to in this dish.
To make preparation easy, do some of the prep work in advance. Vegetables can be chopped in advance and stored in baggies. In fact, some stores even sell containers of pre-chopped onions, carrots, and celery to make the prep work super-simple. Make your lentils in advance or in a pinch, used canned or steamed. And consider doubling the recipe – with or without the puff pastry – for an easy weeknight meal.
Serve with creamy mashed potatoes and shiitake gravy for an amazing and compassionate dining experience.
Preheat oven to 375ºF. Heat oil over medium-high heat in pan and cook onion, carrots, and celery until soft, about 10 minutes. Stir in garlic, mushrooms, thyme, and sage. Let cook another 5 to 8 minutes, until liquid from mushrooms has evaporated. Gently pulse walnuts in a food processor. Add lentils, rice, breadcrumbs, tamari and vegetable broth. Pulse again until ingredients blend together, leaving visible bits and pieces. Empty mixture into the pan with cooked vegetables and cook for another 5 minutes. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
On a tray-sized piece of parchment paper, roll out one sheet of puff pastry until it’s about an inch wider on all sides. Empty contents of the pan lengthwise nearest to you, forming a loose loaf on the pastry sheet, leaving a 1/2-inch border all around. Carefully fold up ends, then fold over sides. Press seams together. Place on the prepared baking tray, seam side down. Brush with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Bake for 25 minutes, or until the pastry turns golden brown. Remove from the oven and let sit for 5 minutes. Use a serrated knife to slice.
Preheat oven to 375ºF. Heat oil over medium-high heat in pan and cook onion, carrots, and celery until soft, about 10 minutes. Stir in garlic, mushrooms, thyme, and sage. Let cook another 5 to 8 minutes, until liquid from mushrooms has evaporated. Gently pulse walnuts in a food processor. Add lentils, rice, breadcrumbs, tamari and vegetable broth. Pulse again until ingredients blend together, leaving visible bits and pieces. Empty mixture into the pan with cooked vegetables and cook for another 5 minutes. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
On a tray-sized piece of parchment paper, roll out one sheet of puff pastry until it’s about an inch wider on all sides. Empty contents of the pan lengthwise nearest to you, forming a loose loaf on the pastry sheet, leaving a 1/2-inch border all around. Carefully fold up ends, then fold over sides. Press seams together. Place on the prepared baking tray, seam side down. Brush with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Bake for 25 minutes, or until the pastry turns golden brown. Remove from the oven and let sit for 5 minutes. Use a serrated knife to slice.
An “AMAZING” recipe!!!! EVERYONE who has tried it absolutely loved it!!!! It is always a favorite requested dish! Thank you so much for sharing. For those who find “meatless” Wellington a difficult concept, I simply call it Lentil Loaf!