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
This is delicious! I have made it several times and it’s moist, sticks together and full of flavor. Thank-you! I love many of your recipes 😊
You bet, Jan! I’m trilled you are loving the vegan loaf recipe! I appreciate you using my recipes, and am glad you are loving them! I sure appreciate your glowing 5 star review! Wising you lots of happy cooking!
I don’t know what I did wrong, but my loaf was super dry, and just crumbled into a pile when trying to serve. I did use regular gluten- free (non-panko) bread crumbs, and shallots instead of an onion: would that have messed up the recipe?
I have a feeling that whatever gluten free breadcrumbs you used made your loaf way too dry. That was probably the issue here. If you were to try again, use just a little bit of the breadcrumbs, or try a different brand.
Would I be able to use Bobs red mill egg replacement instead of the flax? Just trying to use what I already have. If yes, please let me know how many “eggs”.
Probably but I haven’t tried it. I’d say 2 eggs worth.
I am preparing this today Wednesday for Sunday. I assume I should freeze? And, how long before baking should I take out of the freezer?
Thank you,
~Sarah
Thanks for your response from earlier question. If I’m preparing on Wednesday for a party on Sunday, I assume I should freeze? And, how long before baking should I take it out of the freezer. Thanks for everything you do. I have used 6 or so of your cake recipes and they are always a HIT!!!!
~Sarah
If you freeze it, let it thaw overnight in the fridge. Then bake for probably an hour, or until warm and cooked in the middle. I hope you enjoy it, and thanks for loving the cake recipes!!
You may want to check Worcestershire sauce- it usually contains anchovies and is therefore not vegan.
That is why I specifically say to use VEGAN worcestershire sauce… I know it’s often not vegan, you need to look for one that is. If you can’t find one, you can leave it out. There is usually at least one brand that’s vegan at grocery stores near me, sometimes just the generic brand.
I’m hoping to find flax seeds and some kind of sauce a1 ish or Worcestershire (ish) sauce. I’m abroad, and if I can’t find one or both of these things, do you have any other recommendations for substitutes?
The Worcestershire sauce could be left out, or you could use bbq sauce instead (leave out the ketchup as well) for a different flavor. You could probably leave out the ground flaxseeds if needed, or use another egg substitute if you have access to anything.
Fabulous! I needed to find a vegan main dish option for our Friendsgiving. I wanted to try it first to be sure it would work. It is SO good, I’ve now prepared the second for tomorrow’s Friendsgiving. In the meantime, I’ve had the first for dinner and saved enough for my vegan daughter and granddaughter tonight. The first was a bit too salty, so I substituted No Soy Soy Free Sauce for the Worcestershire Sauce in the second loaf (not the topping) and that worked really well. I asked two friends (here for lunch and going to the Friendsgiving) to taste it to be sure it was OK. They looked wary. “Just a small taste.” They were both surprised and brightened up because it actually tasted good. The carnivore seal of approval. This will be a staple. Thank you!!
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!
How many eggs did you use. Did you leave all other ones ingredients the same?
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!
Nora, like Eve I want to do make this loaf ahead of time for Thanksgiving. We are traveling. Should I cook before freezing or should I put it together and freeze before cooking? You are my #1 source for tasty vegan recipes!
I would probably freeze it before baking in the oven, but you really could do it either way. Thanks so much and I hope everyone enjoys the loaf!
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.