Best Vegan Meatloaf Recipe

The Best Vegan Meatloaf Recipe is loaded with a great combination of chickpeas, mushrooms and more. A super dinner for holidays and also for special weekends. You can serve it plain, with gravy or a multitude of sauces.

Best Vegan Meatloaf Recipe

Everybody needs a vegan meatloaf or two or three in their repertoire. One of the special differences with this meatloaf is that it has a mix of veggies that really pushes the flavors over the top.

Green split peas add so much flavor. It's like they're a miracle worker. Chickpeas and mushrooms add another texture too. This is truly a unique meatloaf that is foolproof.

There's no chance of this meatloaf becoming mushy and you can be proud of all those beautiful slices.

I can just see this on a Thanksgiving table sitting alongside Vegan Sausage Stuffing, Sweet Potato Casserole with Pecans, Apple Broccoli Salad and more.

Vegan Meatloaf Ingredients

• Split Green Peas - becomes a flavor star.
• Chickpeas - add texture and taste.
• Rolled Oats - are a great binder add even more protein.
• Bread Crumbs - is also used for binding. Use gluten-free if needed.
• Onion - always adds sweetness when cooked.
• Cremini Mushrooms - help to add that earthy flavor.
• Carrot - has that little bit of healthy sweetness that is so good.
• Raw Hemp Hearts - are just so dang good.
• Ground Sage - is a favorite ingredient and it goes perfectly with the ingredients in this recipe.
• Salt and Pepper - for added seasoning.
• Tomato Paste - adds a richness to the easy vegan meatloaf recipe.
• Vegan Worcestershire Sauce - has seven concentrated ingredients for that extra oomph.
• Tamari - gives another twist to the flavors.
• Vegan Mayonnaise - is the final addition and is a creamy binder.

Wow! As I was going through this list I realized how power-packed it is with protein. That wasn't my intention but what an absolute pleasant surprise.

If you slice this loaf into 8 slices each slice is 17 grams of protein!

A nice feature to this recipe is that you bake it with no sauce and you can add whatever topping you like when serving. Or just serve it on the side.

A rich gravy is usually my first choice. Especially if it's being served for Thanksgiving. I love gravy on potatoes and stuffing too so it just seems like a no brainer.

How To Make This Easy Vegan Meatloaf Recipe?

There are steps to take but they are all easy. You won't believe how nicely it comes together.

1. Get out a large mixing bowl, a food processor and a baking sheet.
2. Cut a piece of parchment paper and place inside the baking sheet. Set aside.
3. Cook the dried split green peas. Drain and then spread out on a couple of paper towels to get more water off of the legumes.
4. Heat a couple of tablespoons of water to a skillet and heat to boiling and add the onions, mushrooms, and carrots. Turn down the heat and sauté for 10 minutes.
5. Add the chickpeas and rolled oats to the food processor and pulse a few times to make pieces a bit smaller but not by much. Turn into the large bowl.
6. To the large bowl add the cooked split peas, the mushroom mixture, bread crumbs, hemp hearts, sage, salt, and pepper.
7. Mix well with a wooden spoon.
8. Add the tomato paste, vegan Worcestershire sauce, tamari, and vegan mayonnaise. Mix well until well combined.
9. With your hands, press all of the ingredients into two balls. This is easier to transfer to the baking pan.
10. Place on the parchment paper in the pan and press the two rounds next to each other, into each other. Pinch the seam together and start shaping into a loaf.
11. The shaped loaf size is 8" x 5" x 1 ½"
12. Bake at 350° for 35 to 40 minutes until the loaf is golden brown.

If you have leftovers then that will give you another chance to change it up for another meal - like a sandwich.

You may want to check out a Thanksgiving Menu I put together and there are even 24 recipes that you could also mix and match. This recipe is included.

How Do You Make Vegan Meatloaf Sandwiches?

There are a few different ways and each one is my favorite. No kidding - it just depends on how I feel that day. You can add lettuce and onion slices if you desire.

The traditional way is to take a sandwich size hoagie or submarine bun and lay it open. Have a warmed thick slice of 'meatloaf' and spoon on some warm marinara or spaghetti sauce.

It goes great on a hamburger bun too with barbecue sauce. I always like to warm my veggie loaf when I first put it on a sandwich. It can cool off but I like to start it warm.

Nice hearty sandwich bread with chipotle mayo. Lots of it.

Can You Freeze Vegan Meatloaf?

Heck yeah!

It is perfect for freezing. If you have it around long enough.

Place any leftovers in a freezer-safe container. If I use freezer bags I like to double bag.

It will keep in the freezer for 6 months.

What Side Dish Goes with Vegan Meatloaf?

Mashed Potato Casserole goes with so many things.

A nice vegetable that would pair perfectly would be Pure Delicious Cauliflower.

For that perfect meatloaf with rich brown gravy, you have to have Scalloped Potatoes!

Below are photos of the same Vegan Meatloaf but with Marinara Sauce on the top and vital wheat gluten is used in the recipe.

Bonus Recipe Below these photos!

Vegan Meatloaf For Everyone!

The Dry Ingredients:

• ½ cup onion, diced small or pulse in the food processor a few times
• 14 ounces chickpeas, canned, drained and save the aquafaba and freeze it for future recipes
• 1 ½ cups rolled oats (- ground)
• 1 cup green split peas - cooked
• 2 tablespoons flaxseed meal
• 1 teaspoon ground sage
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
• ½ cup vital wheat gluten

The Wet Ingredients to Mix:

• 6 tablespoons tomato paste
• 2 tablespoons vegan Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tablespoons tamari
• ½ teaspoon liquid smoke

Instructions:

• Prepare the Loaf Pan:
• Cut parchment paper to fit inside the bottom of the loaf pan. I like to do it in both directions. See the photo below.

• You really don't have to do it both ways but I would lay it to fit the width instead of length.
• Set out your largest mixing bowl and a food processor.
• Add the chickpeas to the food processor and pulse a few times to chop up so that none of the chickpeas are whole. Place in the mixing bowl.
• Add ⅓rd the mushrooms to the food processor.
• Pulse a few times until the mushrooms are pretty small pieces.
• Place in the large mixing bowl and continue with the rest of the mushrooms, ⅓rd at a time.
• Place the rolled oats into the food processor and grind small to measure 1 cup.
• Add to the large mixing bowl.
• Cook the green split peas to measure 1 cup after it is cooked. Add to the mixing bowl.
• To the mixing bowl add onion, flaxseed meal, sage, salt, and pepper.

• NOT the vital wheat gluten.

• Preheat the oven to 400°.
• In a small bowl mix all of the wet ingredients.
• Mix all of the ingredients in the large mixing bowl. Now add the vital wheat gluten and mix.
• Right away, after adding the vital wheat gluten mix in the wet ingredient mix.
• Pack into the prepared loaf pan and lightly press the mixture down. Firmly to make contact but not packed down hard.
• Bake at 400 degrees for 40 minutes.
• Remove from the oven and let the pan cool on a wire rack for about 10 minutes.
• Now get ahold of the parchment paper and lift the 'meatloaf' out and serve.

Notes:

• I really practiced on this loaf and made it three different ways before I landed on a true original. One of the things I learned is when to add vital wheat gluten.
• I really practiced on this loaf and made it three different ways before I landed on a true original.
• You need to add it right before you add the wet mixture and stir in the vital wheat gluten right then.
• You see the split peas and chickpeas are a little moist and as soon as you add the flour that little bit of wet will make it try to become glutenous.
• I knew that would happen and the first time I made the loaf I added it at the right time (that loaf was with lentils).
• All was good and then on this recipe, I wasn't thinking and added it too soon. You can fix it. You see? Now I can tell you what to do if that happens to you. Aren't I thoughtful? 🙂
• It's not tough to fix if this happens to you. All you have to do is add the mix, one third at a time, back to the processor and pulse it a couple of times.
• Then dump it back into the big bowl for mixing. Now add the wet mixture. See? Simple.