Step 1

The night before, cube your bread and set it in a large bowl to dry out - you want it to be the texture of day old bread - noticeably dry but not rock hard.

Step 2

The day of, if you haven’t already cooked your lentils, do so now by thoroughly rinsing 3/4 cup lentils in cold water, then adding to a small saucepan with 1 1/2 cups veggie broth or water (amount as original recipe is written // adjust if altering batch size).

Step 3

Cook over medium-high heat until a low boil is achieved, and then lower to a simmer and continue cooking uncovered for 20-30 minutes. Set aside.

Step 4

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (176 C) and line a 9x13 pan (or comparable sized dish // as original recipe is written // adjust if altering batch size) with foil or spray with nonstick spray. Also prepare flax egg and set aside.

Step 5

Sauté onion and celery in the olive oil or vegan butter and season with a bit of salt and pepper. Cook until fragrant and translucent - about 5 minutes. Set aside.

Step 6

To the bowl of bread, pour most of the broth then add the remaining ingredients (sage, cooked veggies, flax egg, and lentils) and mix with a wooden spoon. The key is to make sure it is about the consistency of a meatloaf. If it’s too dry, add more broth and mix again. If it’s gotten too wet, add more bread.

Step 7

Transfer to the prepared pan and cover with foil. Bake for 45 minutes. Then remove the top layer of foil so the top can brown. Increase heat to 400 degrees F (204 C) and bake for another 10-15 minutes or until the top is well browned and crisp.

Step 8

Remove from oven and let cool slightly before serving. Leftovers reheat well in the microwave or oven, though best when fresh.

Step 9

This dish would be awesome with vegan mashed potatoes and my vegan mushroom gravy!