Lentil brown is the new black.
This is hands down one of my most favorite things I have ever created. I have been playing around a lot with using different beans and legumes as protein replacement, and I had a thought of one of the most comforting meals I used to have as a kid. My mom used to make Salisbury steak with mushroom gravy. Then I realized, that mashed lentils look very similar to beef. Add some seasonings, and Ta Da! Vegan lentil Salisbury steak. It is so freaking good.
To give this Salisbury steak the perfect texture as well, I used vital wheat gluten to make it “meaty” and bread crumbs to mimic an actual Salisbury steak. It takes about 5 minutes to put these together. Considering I suppose that your lentils are already cooked. Although, lentils cook much faster than most dried beans and legumes. However, if you are short on time for cooking lentils, Trader Joe’s has fully cooked lentils in their produce section!
Now on to another very important part of this dish, the mushroom gravy. It is optional of course, but I definitely recommend it. Not only is is delicious, it really makes this whole dish come together to fake out any meat eater. Also, it is so quick and easy, and fool proof, I don’t know why you would skip it!
If you don’t fall madly in love with this meal, I would be very surprised. Serve it with some potatoes and something green, you know, to make it look healthy and stuff!
It is really the perfect fall and winter comfort food. However, even though it looks heavy, it is not, and would be a great meal all year. Vegan lentil Salisbury steak is a very real thing, and it is a very important turning point in our lives.
Lentils mimic Salisbury steak so beautifully in my vegan take on this classic dish. Smothered in mushroom gravy, it is so delicious, super easy and filled with protein!
- 2 C. Cooked Lentils
- 1 C. Vital wheat gluten
- 1 C. Bread crumbs, vegan
- 1/2 C. Vegetable broth
- 1/4 C. Soy sauce
- 1 Tbsp. Liquid smoke
- 1/2 tsp. Salt
- 1/4 tsp. Black pepper
- 1 Tsp. Olive oil
- 2 tsp. Olive oil
- 8 oz. Mushrooms, sliced
- 3 Cloves Garlic, chopped
- 3 Tbsp. Vegan butter
- 3 Tbsp. All purpose flour
- 2 C. Vegetable broth
- 1/2 tsp. Sage, dried
- 1/2 tsp. Thyme
- Salt and Pepper to taste
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Make the Salisbury steak first. In a medium sized mixing bowl, add the cooked lentils. Using either a potato masher or fork. Mash the lentils until they are almost all mashed, leaving a bit of texture.
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Now add all the remaining Salisbury steak ingredients to the bowl except the olive oil, that is for cooking them. Start to stir to mix the wet and dry together, then using your hands, continue to mix until fully combined. Then knead together the mixture, knead for a few minutes until it forms a nice dough ball that isn't sticky any more. (The longer you knead them, the firmer they will be)
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Now taking large balls of dough, roll then flatten to look like steak. Repeat until you have formed all the dough into "steaks".
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Heat the olive in a cast iron skillet or non stick pan on medium high. Now add the steak to the pan, as many as you can fit. You can do it in batches. Cook the lentil steaks on each side for 2-3 minutes until brown and cooked through.
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Remove the steaks from the pan, and set aside while you make the gravy.
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Now make the gravy, heat the olive oil in the same pan on medium high, add the mushrooms and garlic. Saute for a few minutes sprinkle with a bit of salt and pepper. Saute until soft and a bit brown. Remove the mushrooms from the pan and set aside.
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Reduce heat to low. Now add the vegan butter and flour. Whisk together and cook for 1-2 minutes to make a roux. It should be a bit thick and paste like.
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Now add the veggie broth, whisk to combine. Simmer until it has thickened 2-4 minutes. Now add the mushrooms back to the pan, and the spices. Stir. Taste and adjust seasonings.
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Now either add the steaks back to the pan and cook with the gravy for a minute, then serve. Or put the steaks on a serving dish, and cover with gravy! Serve with veggies and carbs!
I used green lentils, but any lentils will do.
Make sure the "steaks" aren't too thick, or they won't firm up as much in the center.
95 Comments
Ashley
October 24, 2017 at 5:53 amHOw much veggie broth?
Lauren Hartmann
October 24, 2017 at 10:59 amIt’s listed in the recipe, it’s 2/3 Cup!😄
Lauren Hartmann
October 24, 2017 at 7:45 pmI realized you meant in the gravy and I somehow missed that! I fixed it, it is 2 cups!:)
Things2Eat
November 26, 2017 at 2:50 pmthanks! Yes, definitely should have clarified 🙂
Jen
October 24, 2017 at 6:31 pmWhich type of lentil do you recommend? Red, green or other?
Lauren Hartmann
October 24, 2017 at 6:32 pmI used green lentils, but I think whatever your favorite kind is will do!😊
Anne
October 27, 2017 at 10:10 amI am salivating for Salisbury! Any idea approx how many steaks this makes (of size similar to your photos). Also have you tried freezing them?
Lauren Hartmann
October 27, 2017 at 12:31 pmYes! So delicious! This recipe makes about 8 steaks. Maybe more if they are smaller. So, it can definitely feed a crowd. I have not tried freezing them, but, I think it would work. Then just reheat in a skillet. I hope that helps!
Sheena
October 30, 2017 at 2:27 pmDo you think this could work with tinned lentils? Drained and rinsed?
Lauren Hartmann
October 30, 2017 at 3:42 pmAbsolutely! I think that would work and save some time!😁
Nicole Bizjak
November 2, 2017 at 12:27 amI cooked this recipe and made three variations of it. I doubled the recipe, made the Salisbury steaks, lentil “meatballs” rolled in panko crumbs, and stuffed mushroom caps with the same filling- all with the mushroom gravy.
The mushroom caps were a nice variation to your recipe. I started by sprinkling the meatballs with the Panko crumbs, but I found it was easier to roll small meatballs in Panko crumbs first and stuff them in baby Bellas. I baked the for around 18 minutes at 350 until the crumbs were brown.
I love your site. Thanks for the inspiration on my new plant-based journey!
Lauren Hartmann
November 3, 2017 at 3:29 pmYay! That all sounds amazing! This makes me so happy!
Susan
November 3, 2017 at 4:00 amI’d like to use a whole grain flour for the gravy. Do you know which would be a good choice? White whole wheat? Brown rice flour? Or another one?
Lauren Hartmann
November 3, 2017 at 3:26 pmI think whole wheat would work great!
Beth Purdon
November 4, 2017 at 8:54 amMy husband has celiac disease, is there a substitute for vital wheat gluten?
Lauren Hartmann
November 4, 2017 at 9:45 pmThere really isn’t any replacement, it gives it the “meaty” texture and helps it stick together. I would recommend using extra gluten free bread crumbs and maybe a flax egg and making Salisbury steak meatballs. That way you can just make them small and they would have a better chance of holding together, and still be delicious. They will be a different texture, but I bet still amazing! I hope that helps!
Cara
November 4, 2017 at 1:41 pmWhat could I use instead of vital wheat gluten? Garbonzo flour and flax seeds?
Lauren Hartmann
November 4, 2017 at 9:42 pmThere isn’t really anything that replaces vital wheat gluten, it gives it a “meaty” texture and helps it hold together. I do think that trying garbanzo bean flour could work and adding flax seed would help to hold it together. It just won’t be the same texture, but I think it would still taste good!
byoungonline
December 5, 2017 at 12:48 amBrown rice flour gets pretty sticky and chewy when wet. Maybe that would work?
Peacenloaf
January 18, 2018 at 11:57 amYou can use sticky brown rice and flaxseed, instead vital wheat gluten.
Lisa Whitford
September 4, 2018 at 12:04 pmIs that whole flaxseed or flaxseed meal?
Lauren Hartmann
September 4, 2018 at 2:40 pmI would use flaxseed meal!
Kimberly
November 7, 2017 at 12:36 amThis was delicious!! I served it with mashed garlic potatoes and lima beans. This is a keeper!!
I am wondering how you got your gravy so dark? What type of pan do you use? Thank you!
Lauren Hartmann
November 7, 2017 at 2:50 pmI’m so glad you liked it! That sounds amazing! I love lima beans. I always use a cast iron skillet for gravy and sauces. Also just to make any protein crispy too! I have been using veggie stock from Trader Joe’s a lot recently. It is pretty dark. Also, if you want to make it a bit darker, you can use some soy sauce to replace some of the salt you add!
Teresa
January 7, 2018 at 6:06 amBrowning sauce can darken it up with juat a few drops! I use it all the tkme.tl darken my fake meats and gravys. It doesnt add any real taste at auch a small amount but darkens real good.
Amy
November 8, 2017 at 11:59 amAny idea how I could make this gluten free. It looks sooooo good!
Lauren Hartmann
November 8, 2017 at 8:28 pmI have had a lot of questions about this, so I think I will try to test something out. I was thinking about replacing it with a gluten free flour and a flax egg. It will not be the same texture, because there really isn’t anything that replaces vital wheat gluten. However, I was thinking that replacing it and using gluten free bread crumbs, it might hold up well and still taste amazing. I would give that a try, and I will let you know what conclusions I come to!
Riss
December 24, 2017 at 10:50 amI am wondering if you could use TVP and flax eggs in place? I might try it out and see🤞! It looks soooo good!
Lauren Hartmann
December 24, 2017 at 4:24 pmLet me know how it goes! I am very interested to see if that works out!❤
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Things2Eat
November 15, 2017 at 6:58 pmfor the lentils – do you want 2 cups of cooked lentils, or 2 cups of dry lentils, cooked? Thanks!
Lauren Hartmann
November 15, 2017 at 7:02 pmSorry about that, I think I will change it to cooked lentils rather than lentils, cooked. The measurement is of cooked lentils, so the 2 cups should be measured after they are cooked.
The Bearded Hiker
November 24, 2017 at 8:32 amI have been looking for a meatless salisbury steak recipe forever! Nothing seemed right…until this one. I’m making this. TONIGHT. Can’t wait.
Not a vegan or a vegetarian but the wife and I enjoy meatless meals often. Glad I found you, your recipes sound delicious!
Lauren Hartmann
November 24, 2017 at 1:38 pmYay! I really hope you like it! It is definitely one of my favorites.
The Bearded Hiker
November 27, 2017 at 7:45 amSo, I made them, finally, last night. The wife and I really, really liked it! It looked just. like. salisbury steak! Easy to put together as well.
I will surely make this again, and maybe stuff mushrooms as Nicole did. I can’t wait to eat my way through your blog!
nancy
December 27, 2017 at 11:57 amThis was one of the best vegan dishes I have had to date… outstanding in every way.
Lauren Hartmann
December 27, 2017 at 5:06 pmYay! I love hearing this! You made my day!❤
Nat
December 30, 2017 at 7:25 pmFound this recipe via Pinterest, and finally made it last night, delicious! Both my husband and I really liked it, so many thanks for a great recipe!
emmakmommy
January 2, 2018 at 6:48 pmHi! I made these tonight, they were a hit! I just have one question, is it 2 cups of cooked lentils or 2 cups of dried lentils cooked to make about 5 cups of lentils. I used 2 cups of cooked lentils and ended up adding extra wheat gluten (I didn’t do the best job draining the lentils 🙂 ). My texture was a little chewy which I figured was from the extra wheat gluten, but either way it was a hit with the whole family! Thanks so much for such a great recipe. I’m looking forward to trying more of your awesome looking recipes!
Lauren Hartmann
January 2, 2018 at 11:52 pmIt is 2 cups cooked lentils. If it was too wet, adding a little extra vital wheat gluten or breads crumbs is fine. The longer you knead the dough the firmer it will be though. So you can knead it for a few minutes until it feels nice and firm. I hope that helps!❤ I’m glad you like it!
Goldie
January 3, 2018 at 4:15 pmWant to make these soon, just double checking that I use 1 cup of VWG.
Lauren Hartmann
January 3, 2018 at 4:22 pmYes, 1 cup of vital wheat gluten😁
Francine
January 6, 2018 at 11:38 pmI just made this and it is now my new favorite vegan dish!
Lauren Hartmann
January 7, 2018 at 11:32 amYesssssss!❤❤❤
Shauna Sanchez
January 11, 2018 at 10:16 amThe flavors in this were really good! I agree with above comments that mine wasn’t a very “meaty” texture in the center-it is relatively soft. I make them about 1/2″ thick, but I think next time I am going to try to get them a little thinner, knead longer (I did 5 mins, but I think 7-8 might do the trick), add more wheat gluten (my mixture was slightly wet which could have been the problem). Thanks for the recipe and the inspiration! My omni mom and brother really enjoyed it as well-my mom asked for the recipe!
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HolaGatita (@HolaGatita)
January 26, 2018 at 8:20 pmOh my gosh, these came out so well! Will definitely be making this again! I cheated and bought pre-made mushroom gravy and lamented the fact I didn’t have any potatoes on hand for mashed potatoes to go with it all, but I’m going to remedy that tomorrow night with the leftovers. Will saute up some mushrooms to put in the leftover gravy. And next time I’ll make the gravy from scrath. Thanks for the great recipe!
Oh, and I didn’t have soy sauce so I substituted Bragg’s Aminos. The steaks were a little salty so next time I will leave out the additional salt.
So good, thank you for this keeper!
Chris
January 31, 2018 at 10:44 amThis recipe is absolutely fantastic! I’ve never used vital wheat gluten. Its pretty amazing in creating a “meaty” texture. Cheers!
Lauren Hartmann
January 31, 2018 at 6:30 pmAwesome! I’m so glad you liked it!❤
Dawn
February 11, 2018 at 10:56 amThis looks really delicious! I’m wondering how a meat replacement like Boca would work in this recipe rather than lentils? Have you ever tried it?
Lauren Hartmann
February 11, 2018 at 5:26 pmI have never tried that. It may work. The lentils kinda help to bind it, so you may need more veggie broth to make it a bit more moist. I hope that helps!❤
Dawn
February 11, 2018 at 6:43 pmThanks for the quick reply! I’ll let you know how it works out! Thanks for sharing!!
Jozie
February 12, 2018 at 11:16 amThis looks so delicious. I would love to make it for my family, but I have a daughter that is allergic to soy is there an alternative I could use for the soy sauce but is still vegan?
Lauren Hartmann
February 12, 2018 at 4:25 pmYou could use liquid aminos. Braggs makes a good one and Trader Joe’s makes liquid coconut aminos. They taste very similar to soy sauce without the soy!😁 You should be able to find some kind of liquid aminos at most stores!
Jozie
February 12, 2018 at 4:16 pmThank you for the quick reply! Unfortunately, the liquid amino at our grocery store is derived from soy beans. We’re waiting on a nut allergy test for my allergic daughter (as of now she’s allergic to milk, eggs, soy, hazelnuts, and peanuts) so if everything comes back negative we’ll try the coconut amino from Trader Joe’s. (Sorry if i give tmi, my family is very new to being vegan and having a lo with so many allergies)
Lauren Hartmann
February 12, 2018 at 9:47 pmWell dang. Definitely not TMI, I love helping! So I am thinking if you can’t do the coconut aminos, just skip it and add a bit more veggie broth and a bit more salt. I think that would work out fine!❤
Jennifer
February 26, 2018 at 1:36 amKikomon (and other brands) have gluten free soy sauces. Though I’m not sure how ready they are to find.
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Alex
February 19, 2018 at 4:13 pmJust made this using textured vegetable protein a.k.a. TVP from Bob’s Red Mill instead of vital wheat gluten. It’s gluten free, high protein, and made of soy for anyone who was looking to make this recipe gluten free! (or anyone who couldn’t find wheat gluten in their supermarket, like me ☺️) It has great meat-like texture and holds the steaks together well… Definitely a successful substitute!
Lauren Hartmann
February 19, 2018 at 9:45 pmThank you so much for sharing! That is awesome information!❤
Diane P
February 23, 2018 at 9:12 amSo…after reading all these bomb-ass reviews, I will be making these for dinner tonight!!! I have been infatuated with Sarah’s Vegan Kitchen’s BBQ Ribs with Jackfruit as an after-the-gym protein-packed meal and have been scouring the web for another high-protein seitan-like dish. I’ll let ya know what the hubby and I think of it!!!
Thanks for sharing the recipe, oh, and your pics are beautiful, makes my mouth water!!! 😉
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Susan Kohut
March 26, 2018 at 6:29 pmAny idea if you can freeze the “steak” mixture and then defrost and cook later?
Lauren Hartmann
March 27, 2018 at 3:42 pmI’m not sure. I have not tried to freeze them, I will definitely have to test that out. I think it would work. It may change the texture, but I’m not 100% on that. I would recommend forming them into the size and shape “steaks” you want them in first. Then I think you would have no problem freezing them! Let me know if you try it out, in the mean time I think I will do the same!
Gretchen
April 11, 2018 at 10:17 pmI made the recipe tonight for my husband’s birthday. It was beyond delicious! It was so easy to prepare and satisfying. You are a vegan recipe wizard. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
Terri
April 11, 2018 at 11:06 pmI made this tonight. The flavors were really good and it was pretty easy to make. Mine was still a little doughy on some of the patties. Did I not cook them long enough or knead long enough. I kneaded for about 7-8 min and cooked them for about 3-4 min on each side over medium heat until they were brown. How do you think they would do in the oven?
Lauren Hartmann
April 11, 2018 at 11:48 pmI’m sorry to hear that. You can try making them thinner, or they will definitely work in the oven and get firm. So, if you are worried about texture I would try baking them. I do that frequently! I hope that helps and thank you for the feedback!❤
Iris
April 22, 2018 at 1:55 amHey! Looks Delishhh🤤 Don’t have any VWG on hand.. was wondering if you’d think Spelt flour would work some what similar?
Lauren Hartmann
April 22, 2018 at 7:16 pmVital wheat gluten makes it chewy and “meaty”, so it probably wouldn’t have the same texture. It may work though, you might just need to use a binder like flax.
Angie Hache
April 26, 2018 at 12:19 pmHi! 🙂 I’m curious, have you ever tried to batch make and freeze these or are you better off making them fresh each time?
Thanks!
Lauren Hartmann
April 26, 2018 at 2:59 pmI have not tried freezing them, it may change the texture a bit, but I think if you were to freeze them and reheat them in the oven, that would work out well.
helovestorun
May 2, 2018 at 6:18 pmDid you use panko or regular breadcrumbs?
Lauren Hartmann
May 2, 2018 at 6:35 pmI used regular bread crumbs, but you can totally use panko if you want!
Deanna
May 3, 2018 at 3:49 pmHow thick approximately do you make them?
Lauren Hartmann
May 3, 2018 at 6:33 pmI would say 1/3-1/2 inch thick. The thinner they are the firmer they will be.
Amanda B
May 17, 2018 at 3:36 pmWhen baking in the oven how long and at what temperature would you suggest?
Lauren Hartmann
May 17, 2018 at 4:09 pmI bake them at 375 degrees for about 30 minutes, flipping them half way through baking.
Michael
November 26, 2018 at 12:56 amI’m definitely trying that next time. I made it today and the gravy was awesome, but the steaks were way too chewy and under cooked. I got them very thin and skillet fried them for 8 – 10 minutes. Next time I will skillet fry them and then bake until they are firm. This is a very good dish though. Thanks for sharing.
Sybille Stahl
June 3, 2018 at 6:35 pmThese are so good! It’s just me and my husband, so it was too much all at once and I froze the leftovers. They didn’t freeze well for me, but I used the frozen steak—gravy mixture, with the steaks fallen apart, in a vegetable stew, and it was rich and “meaty”, delicious.
Kerry
August 26, 2018 at 9:00 pmCan you bake them in the oven? We eat plant based, no oil.
Lauren Hartmann
August 27, 2018 at 2:42 pmYou can definitely bake these! I would recommend 375 degrees for about 20 minutes. Flip halfway through. Check and bake them until they are firm enough for you!
Fran
September 29, 2018 at 7:53 pmI am going to make this recipe tonight, I will be using dry bread crumbs. The recipe did not say fresh or dried. This recipe is making my mouth water and hope hubby will like. He is my yea or nay critic.
Justin Lloyd
October 3, 2018 at 3:01 amI loved the recipe! The flavor was good, but texture still was a bit soft. How do I firm it up?
Lauren Hartmann
October 3, 2018 at 3:32 pmWith vital wheat gluten, the longer you knead it, the firmer it will be. Also, baking the steaks will definitely make them firmer as well. I like to bake them at 375 degrees for about 20-25 minutes. I hope that helps!
Jan Garrett
October 9, 2018 at 2:20 amI really liked this recipe! The taste was very good, but the steaks were not done enough in the middle. I think I will try baking them. Do you bake them instead of frying in the skillet? Do you bake them dry or with gravy or water or a little oil?
Lauren Hartmann
October 10, 2018 at 2:46 pmI do bake them a lot, and they definitely get firmer, or help if you are having a hard time cooking them in the pan! I just spray the pan and the top of the steaks with non stick spray and bake at about 375 degrees for 20-25 minutes! I would flip them after about 10 minutes! I hope that helps!
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Alicia
November 22, 2018 at 8:33 pmFor those looking for a gluten free substitution for the vital wheat gluten, I just made this for Thanksgiving and I used 3/4 cup textured vegetable protein, 1/8 cup brown rice flour, and 1/8 cup ground flaxseed. So good! Can’t recommend enough!
Kandiee
November 30, 2018 at 1:17 amHow many does it make. And does it freeze well.
Want to use for a family all vegan Xmas party
Lauren Hartmann
November 30, 2018 at 4:11 pmIt makes quite a few, I usually can get 8-10 smaller steaks out of it. I have not personally frozen them, but I have been told they freeze well. I hope you all enjoy!
Kathy Below
December 9, 2018 at 2:59 amHi,
Just wondering if I could use kidney or black beans instead of lentils.
Lauren Hartmann
December 9, 2018 at 12:16 pmSure, I think either of those would work the same!