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 with 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 1/2″
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.

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 be kept in the freezer for 6 months.

What Side Dish Goes with Vegan Meatloaf?

Mashed Potato Casserole goes with so many things.

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