The BEST Vegan Meatloaf

This is the best vegan meatloaf recipe out there! It's so flavorful and moist, made with easy-to-find ingredients, and topped with a sweet glaze.

It’s a delicious vegan version of a classic recipe and an easy dinner idea that it's ready in just 1 hour!

Here’s another plant-based recipe, perfect for a vegan Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner, special occasions, or just to make on a daily basis.

Serve it with a side of vegan mashed potatoes and my rich and flavorful vegan gravy for a truly super tasty, hearty, and comforting vegan feast.

🧾 Ingredients

• Chickpeas: canned or cooked from scratch, both will work just fine.
• Kidney beans: same as above.
• Ground flaxseed: any type of flaxseed will work. This provides a binding ingredient and it helps to make everything stick together.
• Nutritional yeast: I use it instead of breadcrumbs, and it also gives this recipe a cheesy flavor.
• Tahini: homemade or store-bought, roasted or raw, you choose!
• Soy sauce.
• Non-dairy milk: I used soy milk, but any type will do as long as it's unsweetened.
• Onion powder.
• Garlic powder.
• Ground black pepper: fresh ground black pepper tastes amazing. However, I find store-bought more convenient and also easier to measure with a teaspoon.
• Ketchup: homemade or store-bought.
• Brown sugar: any type of sugar is okay, although brown sugar is my favorite choice. Make sure the sugar you're using is vegan, though.
• Paprika: any type is okay.

See the recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.

🔪 Instructions

Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350ºF or 180ºC. Add the chickpeas and kidney beans to a mixing bowl and mash them with a potato masher or a fork.

Step 2: Add all the remaining vegan meatloaf ingredients and mix until well combined. You can also blend them in a food processor.

Step 3: Firmly press the mixture 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 with your hands.

Step 4: To make the glaze just mix all the ingredients in a bowl until well combined.

Step 5: Spread the glaze evenly over the top and bake for 50 minutes.

Step 6: Remove from the oven and allow it to cool for at least 5 minutes before removing it from the pan. Slice and serve immediately.

📋 Substitutions & variations

• If you can't find nutritional yeast, you could also use brewer’s yeast. However, nutritional yeast is the best choice.
• I’ve only made this recipe using tahini, but you could probably use a different seed or nut butter instead (like peanut or almond butter), or even oil, but in that case, you may need to use less non-dairy milk.
• If you're gluten-free, just use tamari instead of soy sauce as this recipe doesn't require breadcrumbs.
• If you're soy-free, use coconut aminos instead of soy sauce, or just add water or vegetable stock and salt to taste.
• Make it sugar-free by using sugar-free ketchup (or even tomato paste), and omit the brown sugar.
• Add some sautéed veggies to the mixture and mix until well combined. Just cook them in a skillet with a little bit of extra virgin olive oil until golden brown.

🍽 Equipment

To mash the chickpeas and the beans, I really suggest you use a potato masher. A fork would also work, but a potato masher will do the job more quickly and efficiently.

If you own a food processor, it may be easier for you to prepare the vegan meatloaf dough. You will simply need to blend all the ingredients together for optimal results.

In addition to the potato masher, you only need simple equipment you probably already have like a large bowl, a wooden spoon, and a 9×5-inch (23×13 cm) loaf pan.

You'll also need measuring tablespoons, and the measuring cups or the scale you need to weigh your ingredients.

❄️ Storage

• Fridge: store the leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. It's also delicious sliced cold the next day on a sandwich.
• Freezer: store the leftovers in an airtight container for up to 6 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
• Reheat in the oven: cover loosely with foil and bake at 350ºF or 180ºC for about 20-25 minutes or until warmed through. Remove the foil for the last few minutes for a crispier finish.
• Reheat in the microwave: place the vegan meatloaf slices in a single layer on a microwave-safe dish, cover them with a damp paper towel, and reheat them for a minute on a low setting.

💭 Expert tips

• Don't overmix or it can result in a tough and dense vegan meatloaf.
• You can line the loaf pan with some parchment paper before adding the mixture so the vegan meatloaf is easy to remove. You can also use a silicone pan to prevent sticking.
• 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.
• Gently press the mixture into the pan so it holds its shape.
• Allow the loaf to set up for at least 10 minutes before cutting. It makes the vegan meatloaf easier to slice.

❓Recipe FAQs

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📖 Recipe

The BEST Vegan Meatloaf

This is the best vegan meatloaf recipe out there! So flavorful and moist, made with easy-to-find ingredients, and topped with a sweet glaze.

4.69 from 35 votes

PRINT PIN RATE

Course: Christmas, Main Dish, Vegan Thanksgiving

Cuisine: American

Diet: Vegan

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 50 minutes minutes

Total Time: 1 hour hour

Servings: 10

Author: Iosune

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Ingredients 

½x1x2x

US Customary - Metric

For the vegan meatloaf:

• ▢ 1 cup canned or cooked chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• ▢ 1 cup canned or cooked kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• ▢ 1 cup ground flaxseed
• ▢ 1 cup nutritional yeast
• ▢ ½ cup tahini
• ▢ ¼ cup soy sauce
• ▢ ¼ cup unsweetened non-dairy milk , I used soy milk
• ▢ 2 teaspoon onion powder
• ▢ 2 teaspoon garlic powder
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

For the glaze:

• ▢ ½ cup ketchup
• ▢ 2 tablespoon brown sugar
• ▢ 1 teaspoon onion powder
• ▢ 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• ▢ ½ teaspoon paprika

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 350ºF or 180ºC.
• Add the chickpeas and kidney beans to a mixing bowl and mash them with a potato masher or a fork.
• Add all the remaining vegan meatloaf ingredients and mix until well combined. You can also blend them in a food processor.
• Firmly press the mixture 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 with your hands.
• To make the glaze just mix all the ingredients in a bowl until well combined.
• Spread the glaze evenly over the top and bake for 50 minutes, or until browned.
• Remove from the oven and let stand for at least 10 minutes before cutting, it will hold up better. Slice and serve immediately.

Notes

Substitutions:

• If you can't find nutritional yeast, you could also use brewer’s yeast. However, nutritional yeast is the best choice.
• I’ve only made this recipe using tahini, but you could probably use a different seed or nut butter instead (like peanut or almond butter).
• You could also use oil instead of tahini, but in that case, you may need to use less non-dairy milk.
• If you're gluten-free, just use tamari instead of soy sauce as this recipe doesn't require breadcrumbs.
• If you're soy-free, use coconut aminos instead of soy sauce, or just add water or vegetable stock and salt to taste.
• Make it sugar-free by using sugar-free ketchup (or even tomato paste), and omit the brown sugar.

Storage:

• Fridge: store the leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. It's also delicious sliced cold the next day on a sandwich.
• Freezer: store the leftovers in an airtight container for up to 6 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
• Reheat in the oven: cover with foil and bake at 350ºF or 180ºC for 20-25 minutes or until warmed through. Remove the foil for the last few minutes.
• Reheat in the microwave: place the vegan meatloaf slices in a single layer on a microwave-safe dish, cover them with a damp paper towel, and reheat for a minute on a low setting.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 234kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 8g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Sodium: 537mg | Potassium: 419mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 134IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 85mg | Iron: 2mg

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