To start off with, you’ll need to prepare your lentils. We highly recommend pre-cooking the lentils if you are making them from scratch to help prevent a soggy loaf. Alternatively, you can use canned lentils to save more time (just remember to rinse them).
In a skillet, combine the diced onions, mushrooms, carrots, and celery with vegetable bouillon. This will help release all the umami flavors that make this loaf so delicious.
Once the vegetables are tender, add them along with the lentils (minus about ½ cup), tamari, walnuts, binding agents, and seasonings to a large food processor. Pulse everything together, making sure to leave some chunks for texture. Pulsing the ingredients ensures they meld but still retain texture.
Transfer the mixture to a large bowl and stir in the rest of the lentils. After you taste test (a very important step), firmly press the lentil mixture into a parchment-lined loaf pan. Prepare the glaze by mixing all ingredients in a bowl, then brush over top of the unbaked loaf.
Bake your loaf uncovered until the glaze appears matte. Once you take it out of the oven, let the lentil loaf cool for about 15 minutes before slicing it. Happy eating!