Steps

• First, cook the lentils.

  I used green lentils, which usually cook in 20 minutes. To make them soft and easy to mash with a fork, I extended the cooking time by about 5 minutes.

  In the meantime, chop the carrots and onion and cook them in a pan with a teaspoon of oil, a sprig of rosemary, and the crumbled slice of speck.

  When the carrots are wilted and dry, pour the lentils, drained of their cooking water, into the pan.

  Stir, let the moisture evaporate, and season with a pinch of pepper and possibly smoked paprika.

  

• Meanwhile, cook the potatoes in the microwave.

  I cooked them peeled and cut into pieces, but they can be cooked whole with the skin, taking care to pierce or cut it.

  👉 For all the details on microwave potato cooking, in pieces or whole, please refer to my Boiled Potatoes in the Microwave article.

  

• Mash the potatoes and lentils with a fork.

  👉 If you have an extra potato, it might help to bind the lentils better.

  

• Transfer the mixture onto a sheet of parchment paper and spread it, pressing it down a bit, trying to obtain a rectangle.

  Place the hard-boiled eggs, duly peeled, in the middle.

  👉 As clearly seen from the following photo, three eggs would have been the right amount. 😊

  

• Roll the mixture around the eggs, using the parchment paper to help.

  Compact the roll with your hands, possibly also using a spatula, until you get a uniform roll.

  Sprinkle the surface with breadcrumbs (removing the excess).

  👉 I thought of using breadcrumbs to get a crispy crust, but cooking it wrapped in parchment paper, in the end, it might be an unnecessary step (I’ll try!).

  

• Wrap the lentil meatloaf stuffed with hard-boiled eggs in parchment paper, tightly closed at the sides too.

  Place it in a baking dish and bake at 392°F (then I lowered to 356°F).

  

• Cook for about 40 minutes.

  👉 For the cooking time, I went by feel, being closed and not visible I didn’t have a clear perception of how it was cooking 😃 but touching the roll it seemed firm and dry after 40 minutes. Adjust based on your oven and the temperature you decide, but it also depends on the initial moisture level of the mixture.

  During cooking, turn the roll from time to time to make the surface uniform.

  Remove from the oven and take off the parchment paper.

  

• Let the meatloaf cool – or at least warm up – before slicing it.

  I was impatient to see the inside and cut it when it was still a little too hot. Some slices insisted on crumbling, but I managed to contain their liveliness by replacing the smooth-bladed knife I initially took with a worthy bread knife. 😉

  Here are the first slices, without hard-boiled egg, as the lentil meatloaf should look if you decide not to stuff it:

  

• And here are the scenic slices with the hard-boiled egg, which you might have already seen in the cover photo.

  I’m happy with how I managed to pose these slices, they look good, don’t you agree? 😃

  

• In my opinion and that of the entire family jury, this lentil meatloaf can be well paired with some sauce.

  There are several suitable ones on the blog, starting with the same ones used in the vegetable meatball recipes. I’ll link them again so you can decide which one you prefer:

  – Ricotta and Kefir Sauce with Aromatic Herbs, in the vegetable meatball recipe

  – Yogurt and Mint Sauce, in the vegetarian meatball recipe.

  Additionally, if you like stronger flavors, I suggest the Spicy Tex-Mex Sauce! 😋

  Enjoy your meal!! 🤗