This vegan meatloaf is easy to make and super tasty! It has a deep & savoury flavour and comes with a great gravy recipe too!
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By popular reader request, here is a fantastic vegan meatloaf recipe. It's a favourite in our house for sure and when I crave comfort food it really hits the spot, especially when served with a pile of creamy vegan mashed potatoes and my roasted red cabbage.
This meatloaf is incredibly full of flavour and texture. The mushrooms give it amazing depth but not in an obviously mushroomy way. In fact, my husband who does not like mushrooms happily ate this two nights in a row and thoroughly enjoyed it. He was shocked when I told him that they were the main ingredient.
How to make vegan meatloaf
Vegan versions of recipes like meatloaf can be just as tasty as non-vegan versions and don't have to be complicated to make. My Beyond Meat Meatloaf is so easy to make and this Vegan Meatloaf is really straightforward too. Here's how it's done:
- Chop the onions, garlic and mushrooms. If you can I suggest taking the lazy way out and doing all the chopping in a food processor. It's then super quick and easy.
- Mix the chopped mushrooms, onions and garlic with all of the other ingredients in a big bowl and press tightly into a loaf pan before baking.
- Make the really quick, super tasty vegan gravy while the vegan meatloaf is cooking.
- Rest the meatloaf for a few minutes before slicing.
How to serve
I have included a recipe for a quick and tasty gravy to make as an accompaniment to this Vegan Meatloaf but you could make my vegan red wine gravy instead.
A couple of thick, hearty slices make the perfect partner to vegan yorkshire puddings, crispy roast potatoes or vegan mashed sweet potato. And some vegan green bean casserole on the side will take your meal right over the top!
Or a huge, fluffy pile of vegan mashed potatoes and some delicious steamed vegetables, all drizzled with gravy. I have also made it and smothered barbecue sauce all over the top before baking, then served it with more for drizzling. It works so well! Comfort food at it's best!
Variation
Try skipping the gravy and serve the meatloaf with my homemade vegan BBQ sauce instead. Brush some on the top before baking and serve it on the side too.
What to do with leftovers
Vegan Meatloaf leftovers are absolutely fantastic when stuffed inside the mushrooms in this Easy Vegan Mushroom Pie recipe instead of the caramelized onions. Seriously, seriously good! I highly recommend you try it!
They are also great sliced thinly in sandwiches or just reheated again and served with potatoes and gravy as before. I could easily eat this a few days in a row.
Leftovers reheat perfectly too. Just wrap individual slices or a wedge of it in lightly greased tin foil and bake in the oven.
How to make in advance
This Vegan Meatloaf recipe be made ahead and stored in the fridge for a few days before baking so is great if you like to batch cook or prepare food at the weekends ready for the week ahead. At holiday time it's always lovely to have things like this made up ahead so on the day you can enjoy more time with your family rather than in the kitchen.
You can also bake it, cool it and keep in the fridge, then reheat the whole thing in the pan wrapped in tin foil. That way you can bake it in advance then warm it through just when you need it.
Planning your holiday meal?
DOWNLOAD MY VEGAN THANKSGIVING DINNER MENU, SHOPPING LIST AND TIMELINE HERE!
It makes Thanksgiving effortless. All you have to do is print it out, shop from the shopping list, then make it the recipes while following my time line.
I also have one for Christmas too!
DOWNLOAD MY CHRISTMAS DINNER MENU, SHOPPING LIST AND TIMELINE HERE!
Recipe
Vegan Meatloaf with Gravy
Author:WATCH HOW TO MAKE IT
Ingredients
For the vegan meatloaf
- 1 small onion , finely chopped, golf ball size
- 2 large cloves of garlic finely chopped
- 198g / 1 cup cooked split red lentils (measured after cooked)- do not overcook the lentils. They should be just soft. Red Lentils don't take long to cook at all and if they are overcooked and soggy it will make the meatloaf soggy. For tips on cooking see recipe notes.
- 198g / 1 cup cooked green lentils (measured after cooked)- do not overcook the lentils or the meatloaf will end up soggy. They need to be just tender. For tips on cooking see recipe notes.
- 226g / 3 cups mushrooms , finely chopped (measured after chopping). White, button, cremini (brown) or portobello are all fine to use.
- 62g / ½ cup walnut pieces , To make nut-free you can sub the walnuts for half a cup of oats or half a cup of sunflower seeds
- 4 tablespoons / ¼ cup ground flax seeds
- 1 cup / 108 g bread crumbs , made from a stale loaf of bread, or use panko crumbs, or gluten-free breadcrumbs
- 90 g / 1 scant cup flour , all purpsoe, rice, spelt or wholewheat flour (see recipe note for how to make oat flour)
- 1 tablespoon Tamari (or coconut aminos , or soy sauce)
- 1 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoons pepper
- 2 teaspoons dried thyme
- up to 120mls / ½ cup water , you might not need any at all
For the gravy
- 2 medium onions , chopped
- 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
- 2 tablespoons tamari , or soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon arrowroot or cornstarch (or just regular all purpose flour)
- 480mls / 2 cups vegetable stock (I like to use mushroom stock) , (or blend 2 cups of water and 3 small mushrooms)
INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat oven to 370°.
- Make sure the onion, garlic & mushrooms are chopped finely. If you have a food processor you can do this in there with the regular blade.
- Put them in a large bowl then add all other meatloaf ingredients except the water.
- Mix very, very well together. There is a lot of it and it is hard to mix with a spoon so it's much easier to get your hands in there and squidge it all together well.
- You need it so that it sticks together nicely when you squeeze it with your hands. If it does this easily then don't add any water. If it's still a little crumby and wont come together add water very gradually until it just starts coming together. I often need no water at all. Definitely don't add more water than it needs or it will make the loaf soggy.
- Lay a strip of parchment paper down the length of a loaf tin with enough length either end to act as handles for pulling the finished loaf out ( my tin is 8.5 x 4.5 x 2.75 inches. Any tin roughly that size will be fine)
- Spoon in the meatloaf mixture and pack down really tightly.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 50-60 minutes. Keep an eye on it towards the end. You want it to go a bit crusty and brown on the top but not too dark. You can cover it with a piece of foil if it does start going too brown.
- Remove from the oven and leave to cool in the tin, covered tightly in foil for at least 15 minutes but up to 30 is ok. Then remove and slice.
For the gravy
- Sauté the onion slowly over a low heat until a deep golden brown.
- Transfer to a blender with all of the other ingredients and blend until very smooth.
- Pour into a pan and stir over a medium heat until thickened and piping hot.
- If you prefer your gravy a little thinner just add some boiling water from a kettle and stir well until you get the consistency you like.
- Serve the meatloaf sliced and doused in gravy.
NOTES
- Don't soak them prior to cooking.
- Rinse in a sieve with fresh water to remove any dust or debris.
- Cook on a stovetop, using 3 cups of liquid (water, stock) to 1 cup of dry lentils. Be sure to use a large enough saucepan as the lentils will double or triple in size.
- Bring to a boil, cover tightly, reduce heat to low and simmer until they are tender.
- For whole lentils, cook time is usually about 15-20 minutes.
- For split red lentils, cook time is typically only about 5 minutes.
- Spoon a couple out and taste them to check done-ness periodically and as soon as they are ready, drain and leave to cool.
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NUTRITION
This recipe was originally published on April 15th 2016 and updated with new photographs and a video on Sept 6th 2018.
Ash says
I tried it my restaurant really it came out very good .thanks
A Virtual Vegan says
So glad you enjoyed it!
A Virtual Vegan says
So glad you enjoyed it!
Zena says
Do you put the lentils in the food processor as well?
A Virtual Vegan says
No just the onion, garlic and mushrooms so they are really finely chopped up. Then you transfer them to a bowl and add the rest of the ingredients and mix by hand.
Tia says
What if you're allergic to mushrooms? Do you have a substitute?
A Virtual Vegan says
There are far too many mushrooms in this recipe to be able to sub them effectively. I will try to come up with a mushroom free loaf at some point so watch this space!
Rosemarie says
This sounds great! Can this be frozen, and if so for how long? My son has turned to a Vegan diet for health reasons and I want to stock his freezer when I visit. I don't know much about Vegan meals so any suggestions for freezer meals would be great!!
A Virtual Vegan says
That's so supportive and kind of you. He's very lucky to have you! I haven't tried freezing the meatloaf but think it would be fine. You could even make it, cook it yourself, then cut slices and freeze them in 2's or 3's so he can pull them out as he needs them. He could wrap them in foil and reheat them in the oven. This chili makes a massive big pot and freezes brilliantly https://avirtualvegan.com/three-bean-sweet-potato-chili/ and these lentils are awesome and freeze well too https://avirtualvegan.com/keema-lentils/ . These too https://avirtualvegan.com/vegan-barbecue-baked-beans/ Great for serving with a baked potato or on toast. And this https://avirtualvegan.com/slow-cooker-spicy-lentil-soup/ Veggie burgers also freeze very well and are great for a quick meal or snack. I make these and freeze them a lot https://avirtualvegan.com/zesty-black-bean-burgers-2/ . I have lots of soup recipes too that would freeze really well. Muffins and pancakes also freeze well. Pancakes can just be popped in a toaster to warm through. I have a few options in the breakfast section of my recipe index. Hope that helps!
Rebecca M says
I love meatloaf but I detest mushrooms! It seems a lot of recipes call for muchrooms. What can I substitute for the mushrooms?
A Virtual Vegan says
Such a large percentage of this recipe is mushrooms that it wont be possible to sub them. However, my husband hates mushrooms and happily eats this. He still doesn't know they are in it and we eat it a lot. It really doesn't taste mushroomy and they are chopped so small you can't see them either. They help with the meaty texture and flavour. If you really don't want to give it a try though I know of this recipe. It is mushroom free. It's not mine but it's from a great blog. http://www.connoisseurusveg.com/almost-classic-chickpea-vegan-meatloaf/
Pongodhall says
Really tasty and nutritious.
I love food that I can just put together with a blender or food processor, perfect recipe for me.
A Virtual Vegan says
That's so good to hear. I am thrilled you enjoyed it. Thank you for taking the time to come back to leave feedback!
Violet59 says
This recipe is delicious and easy - even with my food processor on the fritz! Made the loaf but not the gravy (this time). Thanks so much for sharing this. It's a keeper!
A Virtual Vegan says
I'm so glad you enjoyed it. Thanks so much for stopping by to let me know!
Noreen says
I am after making this a few times and my daughter LOVES it!! I don't use any water and omit the salt as we find it a bit salty for our taste. I also make the gravy a bit differently too. I don't use any mushrooms, use half water and half vegetable broth and I do not process the onions after cooking them, we love it the look of them! LOL
This is a keeper for sure!!
A Virtual Vegan says
I'm so glad you and your daughter are enjoying it Noreen. It's one of our go to meals here too. Thank you for stopping by to leave feedback!
SFerd says
Are the lentils measured before or after they've been cooked?
A Virtual Vegan says
Measure them after they have been cooked.
Kim says
Truly family friendly meal thank you so much. Just a note, I am allergic to walnuts and used 1/2 cup oatmeal instead. Perfection!
A Virtual Vegan says
You are welcome Kim :O) I am so glad you are enjoying the recipe. I will add a note to the recipe mentioning subbing oats for the walnuts. It's a great idea and might help someone else with an allergy out. Thanks so much for stopping by to leave feedback. I appreciate it!
Saffron says
Hi, does this freeze well? If not, how long do you think it would keep in the fridge before losing texture/taste?
A Virtual Vegan says
I have never frozen it although I suspect it would be fine. I can't guarantee that though. Next time I make it I will try it and add it to my recipe notes. I have prepared it 2 or 3 days in advance and left it in the loaf pan, covered in foil in the fridge. It was absolutely fine. I have also cooked it and stored it in the fridge for 2 or 3 days then reheated it in the oven and it was fine. Leftovers too reheat really well. I wrap them in foil and reheat them in the oven. Hope that helps :O)
Jiwlts says
Is it true that you measure the mushrooms after they are finely chopped? Or before? I found that the meatloaf was too wet, so I am not sure. Other than this question, we found that this was the best vegan meatloaf we have ever had in 15 yrs of being vegan.
A Virtual Vegan says
Wow, the best in 15 years? That is so awesome. Thank you so much! As for the mushrooms, yes you do measure them once chopped. I have never had a problem with it being wet once cooked but different pans conduct heat differently and ovens vary a bit in temperature which could all affect how moist the loaf turns out. Also different flours can absorb more or less moisture. Adding a little less water will be the answer and I have changed the directions in the recipe to say only add as much as you need to bring the ingredients together. Try that next time rather than just adding the straight 1/2 a cup as I originally said. That will help make it a little drier.
Thank you so much for taking the time to leave feedback. I really appreciate it :O)
Shannon says
I made this recipe night before last. The flavor profile is very nice, though next time I'll use half as much salt in the loaf- I found it overly salty. I also wasn't crazy about the walnuts- I chopped them finely to begin with and there were still hard bits in every bite. I don't think they add anything at all to the loaf.
The gravy was very tasty, but I saved it Just for the mashed potatoes and made my usual bbq balsamic glaze for the loaf.
All in all not a bad meal, though!
A Virtual Vegan says
Hi Shannon.Sorry you thought the loaf was salty. I guess everyone's taste buds are a bit different with regards to seasoning. As for the walnuts, I love them in this loaf. They add a lovely bit of crunch throughout each slice, really adding to the texture. They also add to the flavour too. If you don't like them though the recipe will work perfectly well if you leave them out. I am glad the gravy was a hit and thanks for stopping by to leave your feedback :O)
Tracy Nguyen says
Hi there, I don't have thyme at home. What other herp might I use. Thanks.
A Virtual Vegan says
Hi Tracy,
Most herbs are ok with mushroom & lentil flavours. You could try marjoram, oregano or savory or even mixed herbs or italian mixed herbs. They would all be good, as would rosemary and tarragon but go easy with those two as they can be a little overpowering if you use too much. I think I'd just use 1 teaspoon of rosemary or tarragon. 2 of the others.
Hope that helps :O)
Gin says
I'm in love with all this, especially the gravy!
Edy says
This meal looks wonderful!! Is it vital to the recipe to use red and green lentils?? Would it also work with just brown lentils instead?
A Virtual Vegan says
Thank you. I haven't actually tried it with all green lentils or all brown lentils. My theory behind using a mix of red and green is that the red when cooked are really soft and squishy so are the glue so to speak and the green tend to stay a bit firmer so add texture. Taste wise it would be fine with all green or brown lentils. My only worry would be that it might not stay together well enough to turn out and slice. It would be perfectly edible though so not a complete disaster if you try it and it doesn't work. You'll just have to spoon it onto the plate rather than slice it! Let me know what happens if you try it!