This vegan meatloaf is a savory, healthy and gluten-free dish. Made with easy to find ingredients, it’s a delicious plant-based version of a classic recipe.
Here’s another plant-based recipe, perfect for Thanksgiving, Christmas, special occasions or just to make on a daily basis. I’ve never been a meatloaf-lover myself, but I do love this vegan meatloaf.
The classic recipe is made with ground meat, bread, and some spices. I’ve used legumes instead of meat and nutritional yeast instead of bread to make a gluten-free recipe.
This meatloaf is adapted from our veggie burgers, which are the best plant-based burgers we’ve ever tried. You can find the recipe in our Simple Vegan Meals ebook. I don’t know which recipe I like the most (the burgers or the meatloaf) because both are AMAZING.
I preferred to use a lined 9×5 inch (23×13 cm) loaf pan to make this meatloaf, but any other rectangular pan will do. If you don’t have any, you can also use your hands and a lined baking sheet, it’s up to you!
This vegan meatloaf is simple, easy to make and so tasty! You can eat it with my vegan mashed potatoes and this delicious vegan gravy to enjoy a delicious plant-based meal.
How to make vegan meatloaf – step by step
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF or 180ºC.
- Add the chickpeas and beans to a mixing bowl and mash them (photo 1).
- Add all the remaining ingredients of the meatloaf and mix until well combined (photo 2).
- Press the mixture firmly in a lined 9×5 inch (23×13 cm) loaf pan (photo 3).
- To make the glaze, mix all the ingredients in a mixing bowl (photo 4).
- Spread the glaze evenly over top and bake for 50 minutes (photo 5).
- Remove from the oven and allow the vegan meatloaf to cool for at least 5 minutes before removing it from the loaf pan (photo 6).
Pro tips
- Tahini can be replaced by any nut butter or even oil.
- Sea salt can be used instead of the tamari or soy sauce. Add more milk if needed.
- To mash the chickpeas and the beans, use a fork or a potato masher.
- You can blend all the ingredients in a food processor to prepare the meatloaf.
- You can line the loaf pan with some parchment paper before adding the mixture so the meatloaf is easy to remove.
- If you don’t have a loaf pan, feel free to place the mixture onto a lined baking sheet and shape it with your hands.
Can you freeze this vegan meatloaf?
Yes, you can freeze it. Once it has cooled down completely, you can cut it in slices and freeze them separately or you can even freeze the entire loaf. In that case, remember to take it out of the freezer one or two days before eating it because it will need some time to defrost!
Can you reheat this vegan meatloaf?
Of course! You can either reheat it in the microwave or in the oven. If you use the oven and the meatloaf gets a golden-brown color but it’s still cold inside, cover it with aluminum foil – that way, you’ll be able to heat it up completely without burning it.
How long will this vegan meatloaf last?
You can keep it in a sealed container in the fridge for about 5 days. It may last a little longer, but make sure to check if it’s still good before eating it.
Looking for more meat alternatives?
Did you make this vegan meatloaf recipe?
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Vegan Meatloaf
- Prep: 10 mins
- Cook: 50 mins
- Total: 1 hour
- 8–10 1x
- Main Dish
- Vegan, American
Servings 8–10 1x
This vegan meatloaf is a savory, healthy and gluten-free dish. Made with easy to find ingredients, it’s a delicious plant-based version of a classic recipe.
Ingredients
For the meatloaf:
- 1 cup canned or cooked chickpeas (170 g), drained and rinsed
- 1 cup canned or cooked kidney beans (170 g), drained and rinsed
- 1 cup ground flaxseed (120 g)
- 1 cup nutritional yeast (70 g)
- 1/2 cup tahini (120 g)
- 1/4 cup tamari or soy sauce (65 ml)
- 1/4 cup unsweetened plant milk of your choice (65 ml), we used soy milk
- 2 tsp onion powder
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
For the glaze:
- 1/2 cup ketchup (150 g)
- 2 tbsp cane, coconut or brown sugar
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp paprika
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF or 180ºC.
- Add the chickpeas and beans to a mixing bowl and mash them with a fork or a potato masher.
- Add the rest of the ingredients of the meatloaf and mix until well combined. You can also blend all the ingredients in a food processor.
- Press mixture firmly in a lined 9×5-inch (23×13 cm) loaf pan. Feel free to place the mixture onto a lined baking sheet and form it into a loaf pan with your hands.
- To make the glaze just mix all the ingredients until well combined.
- In a mixing bowl, mix together all the ingredients for the glaze.
- Spread the glaze evenly over top and bake for 50 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and allow the vegan meatloaf to cool for at least 5 minutes before removing it from the loaf pan.
- Keep it in a sealed container in the fridge for about 5 days.
Notes
- Tahini can be replaced by any nut butter or even oil.
- Sea salt can be used instead of the tamari or soy sauce. Add more milk if needed.
- To mash the chickpeas and the beans, use a fork or a potato masher.
- You can blend all the ingredients in a food processor to prepare the meatloaf.
- You can line the loaf pan with some parchment paper before adding the mixture so the meatloaf is easy to remove.
- If you don’t have a loaf pan, feel free to place the mixture onto a lined baking sheet and shape it with your hands.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/10 of the recipe
- Calories: 231
- Sugar: 4.4 g
- Sodium: 558 mg
- Fat: 12.4 g
- Saturated Fat: 1.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 20.3 g
- Fiber: 8 g
- Protein: 11.1 g
Update Notes: This post was originally published in November of 2017, but was republished with new photos, step by step instructions and tips in March of 2020.
So, my family doesn’t care for the taste of nutritional yeast. Do you have a substitution for that ingredient? For us, it always leaves an after-taste.
Hi Jeff! Feel free to omit it 🙂 I hope you all enjoy this recipe!
Excellent recipe! We are vegetarian so I added parmesan cheese instead of nutritional yeast. Used all other ingredients exactly as listed. Very good, thank you for posting the recipe
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So glad you liked our vegan meatloaf 🙂 Have a nice day!
I can’t wait to make this! I do have a quick question about the canned beans. The can I purchased says 1/2 cup chickpeas is 130g. So would I still weigh the chickpeas to 170g like you call for in the recipe or do 260g which would give me 1 cup by my cans standards. Thank you!
Hi Tracey! I recommend you to weight the chickpeas to 170 g 🙂 Hope you enjoy it!
This is most definitely a keeper. We had been craving meatloaf and this recipe is perfect. We used Natural Peanut Butter in place of tahini and soaked / cooked dried beans. Already soaking more chickpeas and kidney beans for another recipe. Thanks for sharing a recipe with simple ingredients and is yummy.
Hi! Thanks for trying our recipe 🙂 I’m glad you liked it!
Made this and it was complete mush!! Where did I go wrong. Rethinking my steps. Beans…is it a measured 1 cup or just a whole can which is 15oz?
Flaxseed….I use Bob’s Red Mill Flaxseed meal. Should I have used Flaxseed Powder or ground up some whole flaxseeds? Curious because I want to give it another try as it did smell divine.
Hi! We have used 170 g of kidney beans that is 1 cup and ground flaxseed 🙂 Give it another try, I’m sure it will be delicious this time!
This was amazing. Would definitely make more of the glaze next time to dip! Delicious!!!
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Hi Jessica, so glad you liked it!
I don’t have flaxseed. Is it just for flavour or is it an egg replacement? Can I use a packet egg replacement instead?
Hi Jonathan! You could use any other seeds or nuts instead 🙂
Is it really 1 Cup of ground flaxseed?
Hi Shantel! Yes, it is 🙂
can I just double the kidney beans instead of using chickpeas? My wife is doesn’t like chickpeas.
Thanks
Hi Mika! Yes, feel free to double the kidney beans instead of using chickpeas 🙂 Maybe the flavor varies but it will also taste incredible!
I want to make this. It looks delicious. I was wondering what the ground flaxseed is used for in this recipe? I have everything else to make this meatloaf except that. Could i replace it with something else or should i buy some ground flaxseed?
Hi Shannon! They act as a binder and also give the meatloaf a meaty flavor 🙂 Feel free to use other seeds or nuts.
Would chia seeds give me the same results as the flax seeds, or maybe half and half?
Hi Donna! I haven’t tried it myself, but I don’t think it’s going to work. I would use other types of seeds or even nuts instead 🙂
I made this last weekend, absolutely delicious. Very easy to make and would throughly recommend. I will definitely make again
Hi Tracey! So glad you liked it 🙂
Thank you for your help.Will give it a try.
You’re welcome 🙂
Hi there. Can Himalayan Salt be used instead of soy sauce and if yes, how much?
Thanks
Hi Trinity! I think it should work, but I can’t tell you the amount, as I’ve never used it myself 🙂
I wonder if instead of ketchup, you mashed up some canned tomatoes and put that on top instead. Does the bean mixture require the sweetness as a balance?
Hi Marc! No, it doesn’t, but it tastes amazing with ketchup 🙂 I’ve neved added canned tomatoes, so I’m not sure… I would use tomato sauce instead. Hope it works!
The ketchup is like “the icing on the cake”, makes or breaks the recipe in our household… I’d just use less… I’ve even used our fav BBQ sauce when out of Ketchup.
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Hi! Thank you so much for your comment 🙂
I’m spending Thanksgiving with my husband’s family and I’m planning on bringing vegan dishes to share. I prepared this recipe as a practice since I’m a recent vegan and I loved it! Simple to make and delicious. Keep up the good work!
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Hi Cristina! SO glad you liked it 🙂 Happy Thanksgiving!
I just took this out of the oven, it smelled so good while it was baking. I’m sure to make it again, next time I’ll spread it a little thinner. I used oil instead of tahini, I don’t care for the taste of tahini. It tastes good and even my dogs were drooling lol. Reminded me of meatloaf my mom made.
Hi Crystal! Hope you enjoyed it 🙂
What I can use beside to chickpea?
Hi Tomas! Feel free to use any other legume, like beans or lentils 🙂
I have made this recipe too many times to count! It’s wonderful on bread with mustard
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Hi Katherine! So glad you like it 🙂 Thanks for your comment!