Giada Lentil Loaf Recipes

DELICIOUS LENTIL LOAF

Steps:

• Combine 2 1/2 cups water and lentils in a saucepan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover saucepan, and simmer until all the liquid is absorbed and lentils are tender, 20 to 30 minutes.
• Mix 1/3 cup water and ground flax seed together in a bowl; set aside until thickened, at least 10 minutes.
• Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat; cook and stir onion, mushrooms, celery, and garlic until softened and liquid from mushrooms has evaporated, 5 to 10 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a loaf pan.
• Transfer cooked lentils to a food processor and pulse until about 75 percent of lentils are mashed. Mix onion-mushroom mixture, flax seed-water mixture, oats, flour, basil, black pepper, salt, and onion powder into lentils until well combined. Press lentil mixture into the prepared loaf pan.
• Combine ketchup, brown sugar, mustard, and barbeque sauce in a saucepan over medium-low heat; cook and stir until glaze is smooth and brown sugar is dissolved, about 5 minutes. Remove saucepan from heat.
• Bake loaf in the preheated oven for 35 minutes. Spread 1/4 cup glaze over lentil loaf; continue baking until cooked through, 10 to 15 minutes more. Serve lentil loaf with remaining glaze on the side.

LENTIL LOAF

Steps:

• Place lentils and broth in a small saucepan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, covered, until tender, about 30 minutes., Preheat oven to 350°. Line a 9x5-in. loaf pan with parchment, letting ends extend up sides. Coat paper with cooking spray., In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat; saute carrots, onion and mushrooms until tender, about 10 minutes. Stir in herbs. Transfer to a large bowl; cool slightly., Add cheese, rice, egg, egg white, seasonings and lentils to vegetables; mix well. Mix tomato paste and water; spread over loaf., Bake until a thermometer inserted into the center reads 160°, 45-50 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before slicing.

LENTIL BURGERS WITH LEMON-BASIL MAYONNAISE

Steps:

• For the burgers: Heat 1/4 cup of the oil over medium-high heat in a 12-inch nonstick skillet. Add the shallots, 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Cook until soft, about 3 minutes. Add the mushrooms, garlic, thyme and the remaining 3/4 teaspoon of salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Cook until the mushrooms are soft, 6 to 8 minutes. Set aside to cool slightly.
• Blend the peas and 1 can lentils until smooth in a blender. Transfer the pureed peas and lentils to a medium bowl. Add the remaining 1 can lentils, 1/3 cup cornmeal, mayonnaise, lemon juice and the mushroom mixture. Form 1/3-cupfuls of the mixture into eleven 3/4-inch-thick slider patties.
• Sprinkle 1/4 cup cornmeal on a baking sheet. Place the burgers on top of the cornmeal. Sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup cornmeal on top of the burgers. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
• Heat the remaining 1/4 cup oil over medium heat in the skillet. Cook the burgers until golden brown, about 4 minutes on each side.
• For the mayonnaise: Mix the mayonnaise, basil and lemon zest until smooth in a small bowl.
• Working in batches, place the bread in the skillet and cook until lightly toasted, 1 to 2 minutes on each side. The bread can also be grilled or toasted in an oven.
• Smear the mayonnaise on the bread and top with the lentil burgers. Serve with avocado if using, tomato, lettuce and top with the remaining the bread slices.

LENTIL SOUP

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a heavy large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, and celery. Add the garlic, salt, and pepper and saute until all the vegetables are tender, about 5 to 8 minutes. Add the tomatoes with their juices. Simmer until the juices evaporate a little and the tomatoes break down, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes. Add the lentils and mix to coat. Add the broth and stir. Add the thyme sprigs. Bring to a boil over high heat. Cover and simmer over low heat until the lentils are almost tender, about 30 minutes.
• Stir in the pasta. Simmer until the pasta is tender but still firm to the bite, about 8 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
• Ladle the soup into bowls. Sprinkle with the Parmesan, drizzle with olive oil, and serve.

ITALIAN LENTIL SALAD

Steps:

• For the Salad:
• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the lentils and cook until tender, stirring occasionally, about 18 to 20 minutes. Drain and let cool for 5 minutes. Place lentils and remaining salad ingredients in a large salad bowl.
• For the Vinaigrette:
• Place the lemon juice in a small bowl. Slowly add the oil, whisking constantly, until combined. Season with salt and pepper, to taste
• Pour the vinaigrette over the salad and toss well.

REALLY GOOD VEGETARIAN MEATLOAF (REALLY!)

Steps:

• Add salt to water and boil in a saucepan.
• Add lentils and simmer covered 25-30 minutes, until lentils are soft and most of water is evaporated.
• Remove from fire.
• Drain and partially mash lentils.
• Scrape into mixing bowl and allow to cool slightly.
• Stir in onion, oats and cheese until mixed.
• Add egg, tomato sauce, garlic, basil, parsley, seasoning salt and pepper.
• Mix well.
• Spoon into loaf pan that has been generously sprayed with Pam (non-stick cooking spray) or well-greased.
• Smooth top with back of spoon.
• Bake at 350 degrees for 30- 45 minutes until top of loaf is dry, firm and golden brown.
• Cool in pan on rack for about 10 minutes.
• Run a sharp knife around edges of pan then turn out loaf onto serving platter.

LENTIL LOAF

Steps:

• Combine lentils and water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer until tender, about 40 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (205 degrees C). Grease a 9x5 inch loaf pan.
• In a large bowl, mix together 2 cups cooked lentils, bread, eggs, broth, tomato paste, basil, garlic powder, black pepper, parsley, olive oil, and dry soup mix. Spread into prepared pan.
• Bake for 40 minutes. Sprinkle top with dry bread crumbs, and continue baking another 10 minutes. Let sit for 10 minutes before serving.

MY MOM'S VEGETABLE "MEATLOAF" WITH CHECCA SAUCE

Steps:

• For the sauce:
• In a food processor, combine the cherry tomatoes, scallions, garlic, basil, oil, salt, and pepper. Pulse the tomatoes until they are coarsely chopped, being careful not to puree them. Transfer the sauce to a bowl.
• For the lentil loaf:
• Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 10 x 4 1/2-inch loaf pan with vegetable oil cooking spray.
• Meanwhile, heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Add the onion, carrot, and celery and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl to cool slightly. Reserve the skillet.
• In the same large skillet, cook the spinach over medium heat until the spinach wilts, about 3 minutes. Drain and let cool slightly. Squeeze the excess liquid from the spinach. Transfer the spinach to a cutting board and coarsely chop. Add to the onion mixture.
• Add the lentils, brown rice, 3/4 cup of the mozzarella, the corn, basil, eggs, egg white, salt, pepper, and 3/4 cup of the sauce to the cooled onion mixture. Spoon the mixture into the prepared pan. Arrange the sliced tomatoes in 2 rows over the lentil mixture, covering the top completely. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 cup mozzarella and drizzle with the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil.
• Bake until the loaf is heated through and the topping is melted and starting to brown, 30 to 35 minutes. Let cool for 15 minutes. Slice the loaf (still in the pan) into 1-inch slices, arrange on plates, and serve with the remaining sauce.

RED LENTIL LOAF

Steps:

• Rinse lentils. Put them in a medium saucepan. Add water just to cover and a good pinch of salt. Bring to a boil high, then reduce heat to a simmer. Cook for about 30 minutes, until very soft. Drain well.
• Meanwhile, put 3 tablespoons olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook, stirring, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add cumin, garlic and carrots, seasoning mixture well with salt and pepper. Add lemon zest and juice, and cayenne.
• Transfer drained red lentils and onion mixture to the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until it's the consistency of soft mashed potato, a bit lumpy. The mixture should be bright, peppery, lemony and well salted. Taste and adjust seasoning.
• In a small bowl, beat the eggs with a fork. Add the cilantro and beat together. Pour egg mixture into lentil mixture and pulse to incorporate. Add oats and mix in.
• Heat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly grease a loaf pan with olive oil. Lay a wide strip of parchment paper into the pan, leaving an overhang on two sides to help in removing cake later. Pour lentil mixture into the pan, smoothing the top. Fold excess parchment over the top. Bake until nicely browned, about 1 hour. Remove from pan and let cool. (The loaf is easier to cut if cooled.) Cut into 1-inch slices.
• In a small bowl, mix together yogurt and cucumbers, and season with salt. Warm the slices up briefly in a 350-degree oven, if desired. Even better: Griddle the slices with a bit of oil in a nonstick or cast-iron pan until crisp and golden on both sides. Or simply serve at room temperature.
• Spoon yogurt-cucumber sauce over each slice and sprinkle with scallion, dill and red-pepper flakes. Drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil, if you wish.