Looking for a delicious holiday main dish recipe? If so, this Vegan Meatloaf is just for you! Loaded with veggies, protein, and flavor it makes the perfect main entree. It’s such a simple and easy recipe that I make every Thanksgiving and Christmas.
This recipe can be made gluten- free by using gluten-free breadcrumbs and soy sauce.
My husband always loves eating meatloaf and considers it to be one of his favorite “comfort foods”. This was one of his Grandma’s specialities, and she would make it often for dinner. Knowing that this used to be one of his favorites, I knew I wanted to make a meatless version for him.
TIPS WHEN MAKING YOU MEATLOAF
- After sautéing your veggies, drain the excess water from the pan before transferring them to a food processor or high powered blender. Skipping draining the water from the pan will result in a soft textured meatloaf.
- Add ½ cup of the lentils to the blender with the veggies. Make sure not to add all of them.
- Make sure not to turn the blender completely on but to pulse the veggies and lentils a couple times. This will prevent the veggies from turning into a runny paste. I recommend pulsing the veggies and lentils from 2-3 times at the most.
- Transfer the veggies and lentils from the blender and add the rest of the ingredients into a bowl. If you are gluten-free don’t forget to use gluten-free breadcrumbs and soy sauce.
- Mix everything together until you formed a dough like texture. If your dough is to moist add a little more breadcrumbs to your mixture.
When you press your meatloaf dough in the loaf pan I recommend using a rubber spatula. It really allows you to pack it down. If you do not have one you can use your hands.
Press the mixture into the loaf pan, add your ketchup glaze, and bake!
I garnished this meatloaf with fresh parsley. Some other great herbs to sprinkle on the top of this meatloaf would be fresh thyme or oregano.
This Vegan Meatloaf Recipe is:
Savory
Comforting
FIlling
Tasty
Bursting with flavor
If you make these Vegan Meatloaf recipe would love it if you would snap a photo of your food and share it with me on instagram @itsallgoodvegan.com. I can’t wait to see how you like it!
Vegan Meatloaf
Loaded with veggies, protein, and flavor it makes the perfect dinner recipe. Such a simple and easy recipe that I make time and time again. This recipe can also be made gluten- free.
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp cooking oil or water, I used olive oil
- 1 whole onion, chopped
- 3 carrots, peeled, chopped, and tops removed
- 3 stalks of celery, chopped
- 3 cups of mushrooms, chopped
- 1 ½ cups of cooked lentils, green or brown, cooked according to the package, pat dry to remove extra moisture
- 1 1/2 cups breadcrumbs, gluten-free
- 2 Tbsp tomato paste
- 2 Tbsp soy sauce or gluten-free soy sauce
- 2 Tbsp of nutritional yeast
- 2 Tbsp ground flaxseed
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¼ black pepper
- 1 tsp oregano, dried or fresh
- 1 tsp thyme, dried or fresh
- 1 Tbsp of garlic powder
Glaze
- 3/4 cup of ketchup
- ½ tsp apple cider vinegar
Directions
- Preheat your oven at 350 degrees F (176 C). Line your 9 inch by 5 inch loaf pan with parchment paper.
- Heat your pan over medium heat. Once hot add your oil, onions, carrots, celery and mushrooms. Season with salt, pepper, garlic powder, oregano, and thyme. Cook for about 4-6 minutes or until soft.
- Drain the excess liquid by placing the veggies on a kitchen linen and squeezing the liquid out. Or place them in a colander and dabbing the liquid from the veggies with a towel. Transfer your ingredients from the to your blender. Add 1/2 cup of lentils and pulse (do not blend) your ingredients about 2-3 times by pressing your finger on the blender and letting go. Make sure not to over blend your ingredients into a paste. Drain the excess liquid from your vegetables once more.
- Place your veggies into a large bowl. Add the rest of the lentils, ground flaxseed, nutritional yeast, bread crumbs, tomato paste, and soy sauce.
- Mix all ingredients together and transfer them to the loaf pan. Press the ingredients down shaping it into a loaf, I used a rubber spatula for this.
- Spread your ketchup glaze over the top of your loaf. Bake the vegan meatloaf in the oven for 40-45 minutes.
- Leftovers will last 3 to 4 days in your fridge and up to 1 month in your freezer.
- Make it Your Own
- Make sure to drain the excess liquid from your veggies after your cook them. Skipping this step will make your Vegan Meatloaf very soft.
- If you want more of a crispy loaf leave your vegan meatloaf in the oven for an additional 5-10 minutes ( keeping an eye on it).
- This vegan meatloaf can be made gluten-free by subbing bread crumbs for GF bread crumbs and soy sauce for gluten-free soy sauce.
Leave a Reply