A classic tasting Vegan Meatloaf made with a base of chickpeas that is SO simple to make. This is NOT another mushy vegan loaf. It’s beautiful, savory, hearty and extremely comforting alongside some mashed potatoes and green beans.
*This recipe was originally posted 10/12/17. Updated 9/24/18 with more appetizing photos and slightly updated instructions.
Ah, the Vegan Meatloaf. Have you tried making one yet? You can find many different versions all over the internet, from lentil loaf to tofu loaf, and probably many more.
Some I’ve tried have been quite good, but often even if they taste good, they don’t look very appetizing. I wanted to come up with a Vegan Meatloaf recipe that had more “classic” meatloaf flavors and would also look beautiful. Chickpeas to the rescue!
The one thing you never want is a super mushy loaf. And it’s pretty hard to avoid, actually. But through some trial and error, I have come up with a non-mushy, flavorful and beautiful loaf that would be just perfect as the main dish for Thanksgiving, Christmas or any other holiday.
I remember one Thanksgiving several years ago that I was super excited to make a popular blogger’s lentil loaf recipe. I wanted to impress our guests with how good vegan cooking can be! Well, the loaf sunk in the middle and was just a complete mushy mess. Ugh. So frustrating.
HOW DO YOU MAKE VEGAN MEATLOAF?
This Vegan Meatloaf is easy to make, and most of the time spent is hands off.
First, saute the vegetables in either water or olive oil for a few minutes, until the onion is translucent. Remove from the heat and set aside.
Mash the drained/rinsed chickpeas in a large bowl (I always use a potato masher, works great!).
Then simply add the cooked vegetables and all the remaining ingredients. Stir very well!
Press the mixture into a loaf pan evenly, cover with foil and cook for 30 minutes. Remove foil, add the ketchup- Worcestershire topping and put back in the oven for 15 minutes.
Remove from the oven, let cool a few minutes, slice and serve.
I hope you all enjoy this vegan meatloaf! It’s:
Hearty
Smoky
Fiber-rich
Beautiful
& so Affordable
You can also leave off the ketchup topping and serve with this Easy Vegan Gravy instead!
Want more savory vegan dishes? Try one of these!
Inspired by this recipe.
The Best Vegan Meatloaf
Ingredients
Vegetables for Sautéing
- 1-2 tablespoons olive oil OR water for oil free
- 1 small onion, diced small
- 2 small carrots, diced small
- 2 celery stalks, diced small
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
For the Rest
- (2) 15 oz cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed (3 cups)
- 1- 1 1/2 cups breadcrumbs*
- 2 tablespoons ground flaxseed
- 3 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons vegan Worcestershire sauce
- 1/4 cup ketchup
- 1/2 teaspoon liquid smoke, optional, but good
For the topping
- 1/3 cup ketchup
- 1 teaspoon vegan Worcestershire sauce
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and lightly spray a 9 inch loaf pan with oil, or line the bottom with parchment paper to prevent sticking.
- Saute the onion, carrots, celery and garlic in the olive oil or water over medium heat for 5 minutes, until the onions are translucent. Remove from heat and set aside.
- Add the chickpeas to a large bowl, and mash with a potato masher (or fork). You do not want them to be completely pasty or mushy, but well broken up. Alternatively, use a food processor, but be careful not to over blend them and make them totally mushy. Pulse a couple of times if using a food processor.
- Add the cooked veggies and all the remaining ingredients to the chickpeas. I have found 1 cup of breadcrumbs to be enough, but if the mixture seems really moist, add an extra 1/2 cup. Stir with a large wooden spoon until very well combined.
- Press the loaf mixture in the prepared pan, pushing down evenly with your hand. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes.
- In a small bowl, stir together the ketchup and Worcestershire sauce for the topping.
- After 30 minutes, remove the foil, spread the ketchup topping evenly on top of the loaf and bake for another 15 minutes, uncovered. Remove from the oven.
- Allow to sit for at least 15 minutes before slicing if you can, it will hold up better. Sprinkle with fresh parsley if desired before serving.
Video
Notes
- You may substitute gluten-free or whole wheat breadcrumbs if desired. The amount needed depends on how moist or dry your chickpeas are. I have found this varies depending on the brand. Use 1 to 1 1/2 cups.
- Make sure to find vegan Worcestershire sauce. Most have anchovies in the ingredients. Annie's brand has a good one you can find at most natural food stores. You can also order it online.
- Find liquid smoke near barbecue sauce in most grocery stores. You can leave it out, but it adds a great "smoky" flavor. One bottle will last you a long time.
Nutrition
Hi Nora! LOVE your recipes!
Using this as a vegetarian replacement for Thanksgiving and wondering if I can prep any of this ahead of time? As much as I can do the day before would be great-let me know!
Thanks for loving my recipes! You could prep the meatloaf the day before and keep it in the fridge until ready to bake and serve. I’d add probably an extra 10 minutes or so total, as it will be cold going into the oven. Hope everyone enjoys it!
What kind of bread crumbs do you use? The breadcrumbs* link did not work.
Hi Cindy. I use store bought breadcrumbs, usually panko because they are usually vegan. Hope this helps!
Can this be made ahead and frozen?
Yes, it can.
This is a frequent dinner in my house! We’re not vegan so I usually use eggs and instead of bread crumbs I use oats just because I always have oats. It’s so delicious! My husband is vegetarian. He has been for 20+ years. I asked him what meat dishes he missed and he said meatloaf. I found this recipe and seeing the satisfaction and nostalgia on his face made my heart light up!
I ran out of Worcestershire one time and used some A1 we randomly had in the fridge instead and it actually tastes great!
Hi Miah. I am thrilled you guys are loving the vegan meatloaf! It’s so fun to enjoy meals you’ve missed! Thanks for your awesome review and feedback! Wishing you happy cooking!
Made this ahead of time for next week’s Thanksgiving, so I’m freezing it. Only needed 1 cup breadcrumbs. Smells great. Added some Italian seasoning the only tweak.
Nice! Thanks for sharing your recipe experience and great review! Happy Thanksgiving!
This is spectacular!
I cannot eat chickpeas so I used one jar black beans and 1 jar Cannellini Beans.
I used about 1 cup gf breadcrumbs..no Worcester shire sauce though
I added vegan parmesan instead of notch.
Delicious!
This will be made quite frequently.
Stayed together perfectly
Moist
Thank u
Super easy and healthy!!!
I did everything right except I left the cover off for the initial bake. This caused it to be just a little dry. The topping helped to rectify that.
However, it was tasty just the same. Will definitely make again. My wife was also satisfied with the results.
Made this on a whim. First time making/eating vegan meatloaf and wasn’t sure if I would like. Needless to say, it turned out well overall. Sliced and came out the pan perfectly. Did not have any celery on hand. Added celery salt to the garlic while mincing. Added red bell pepper with the carrot and onion. Did not have vegan worcestershire sauce. Subbed Bragg’s Liquid Amino. Glad I gave it a try!
Hi Carissa. I am glad you tried the meatloaf, and that you enjoyed it! Thanks for taking time to share your great review and baking experience! Wishing you happy cooking!
Do you think I could use panko? It’s a chore trying to find vegan breadcrumbs.
Yes, I mostly use panko for vegan breadcrumbs because they are usually available.