There’s nothing like my savory Vegan Meatloaf! Are you able to consider it takes simply 1 hour to make? The mix of lentils, walnuts, and breadcrumbs offers it a satisfying chunk, whereas smoked paprika, soy sauce, and herbs add wealthy, warming flavors to each slice. The leftovers make nice lunches too!
What if I informed you that each one the hearty, satisfying flavors of a basic meatloaf could possibly be loved with out the meat? I created this savory, protein-packed vegan model as a result of I understand how a lot you worth meals which are each nutritious and deeply comforting. Very similar to my flavorful vegan wellington with lentils and mushrooms, it’s a great selection for particular events.
Through the years, I’ve observed that so many plant-based meatloaf recipes fall brief on texture or taste, so I got down to create one that really delivers. I’m assured that when you attempt it, you’ll see precisely what I imply!
I like this recipe as a result of it brings again all the comfortable, comforting vibes of the meatloaf I grew up with, however in a plant-based manner that feels healthful and satisfying.
Meatloaf was all the time a staple at household dinners, however after I went plant-based, I wished to recreate that very same hearty, comforting dish with out the meat. I didn’t wish to depend on store-bought substitutes like Unattainable burger, I wished one thing healthful and selfmade. That’s how I ended up with this vegan meatloaf, and let me inform you, it’s develop into a go-to in my kitchen. It’s filled with protein, wholesome fat, and a lot taste, I promise you received’t miss the meat!
At first, I wasn’t certain if lentils might maintain as much as the comforting texture of a basic meatloaf. However the mixture of lentils and walnuts utterly received me over. They offer the loaf a hearty, satisfying chunk, whereas smoked paprika and herbs usher in these wealthy, savory flavors I all the time cherished. Paired with creamy dairy-free mashed potatoes and my roasted pumpkin salad, it’s pure consolation meals and a dish my entire household seems to be ahead to.
In the event you’re new to vegan cooking, that is the proper recipe to attempt. It solely takes 20 minutes of prep, and the oven does the remaining. Typically I even make it gluten-free, swapping in gluten-free breadcrumbs and works superbly for each weeknight meals and particular gatherings. Belief me, when you attempt my vegan meatloaf, you’ll see why it’s my favourite and why I preserve coming again to it time and again!
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🥘 Components
I made this plant-based meatloaf with easy, healthful elements that come collectively completely for a hearty, flavorful loaf that’s straightforward to make and budget-friendly. Listed below are the important thing elements that make this vegan meatloaf irresistible:
Lentils: I like utilizing brown or inexperienced lentils as a result of they maintain their form and provides the loaf a hearty, satisfying texture. They’re the proper plant-based protein!
Walnuts: Walnuts add richness and stability to the loaf. I typically toast them for an additional nutty taste!
Breadcrumbs: I all the time use breadcrumbs to bind every part collectively and absorb further moisture. They’re my secret to preserving the loaf completely agency and by no means mushy.
Flaxseed Egg: This easy vegan substitute binds the loaf superbly whereas including a dose of wholesome fat. Simply combine floor flaxseed with water, and also you’re good to go!
Tomato Glaze: this one is my favourite half! Candy, tangy, and made with tomato paste, balsamic vinegar, and maple syrup, it takes this meatloaf to an entire new stage.
🍲 Substitutions
Lentils: I exploit lentils as the bottom, however canned beans or pre-cooked lentils are an ideal shortcut after I’m in a rush.
Walnuts: Walnuts add richness, but when there’s an allergy, I swap them with pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds, they usually work completely.
Breadcrumbs: Breadcrumbs maintain every part collectively, however I’ve additionally used oats or garbanzo bean flour after I want a gluten-free choice.
Tomato Glaze: I often make my glaze from scratch, but when I’m brief on time, my vegan bbq sauce and even my cranberry sauce from dried cranberries works superbly as a topping.
Flaxseed: I like utilizing floor flaxseed for binding, however chia seeds work simply as nicely with the identical seed-to-water ratio. In the event you solely have entire flaxseeds, a fast grind in a spice or espresso grinder will do the trick!
🔪 How To Make
You received’t consider how easy it’s to make my vegan meatloaf. Let me stroll you thru it step-by-step so we are able to make it collectively.
Preheat Oven, Put together Baking Pan: First, I preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C) and line a regular loaf pan with parchment paper. It’s a fast step that makes cleanup a lot simpler, after which I set it apart whereas I get every part else prepared!
Cook dinner The Lentils If Not Utilizing Canned/Ready: To cook dinner dried lentils, I exploit 1 cup of lentils to three cups of water. I carry all of it to a boil, then simmer in a small pot till tender, stirring often. For this recipe, you’ll want 2 ½ cups cooked lentils, which comes from 1 cup of dried. In the event you’re utilizing crimson lentils, they cook dinner quicker than inexperienced or brown ones, so control them! Professional tip: Don’t salt the lentils till they’re absolutely cooked, or they may end up robust. Whereas the lentils are cooking, I wish to prep the greens to avoid wasting time. Study extra how
I begin by dicing the garlic cloves, onion, and carrot into tiny items, then chop the shallot and set it apart. Subsequent, I warmth some olive oil in a big skillet over medium warmth and sauté the garlic till it smells wonderful. Then, I toss within the onion and carrot, stirring incessantly, and cook dinner for about 4–5 minutes till the onion turns good and translucent.
Add The Shallot: As soon as the onion and carrot are softened, I add the chopped shallot to the pan. I cook dinner it for one more two minutes, stirring incessantly, to carry out its candy, savory taste.
Make The Flaxseed Egg: I combine the bottom flaxseed and water in a small bowl, ensuring to not use sizzling water, and let it sit at room temperature for no less than 5 minutes. That is the proper time to start out mixing the lentil loaf combination, because the flaxseed egg will likely be prepared by the point I want it!
Add To A Giant Bowl: I switch the cooked greens into a big mixing bowl and add 2 cups of the cooked lentils, setting apart the remaining ½ cup for later. This helps create the proper texture for the loaf!
Mix The Combination: I exploit an immersion blender to course of the greens till they kind a easy paste. Then, I add the walnuts and mix once more till every part is mixed. In the event you don’t have an immersion blender, a meals processor, countertop blender, or perhaps a potato masher works simply as nicely!
Add Seasonings And Binder: I add all of the spices, the remaining ½ cup of lentils, breadcrumbs, flaxseed egg, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, soy sauce, and salt to the blended combination. Then, I stir every part collectively till it’s absolutely mixed and able to form right into a loaf.
Add To Loaf Pan: I switch the meatloaf combination into the ready loaf pan, urgent it down firmly with a spoon to create a compact loaf. I be sure that the highest is flat and even so it bakes superbly!
Whisk Collectively Glaze Components: In a small bowl, I whisk collectively the glaze elements till easy. If I’m utilizing barbecue sauce or one other ready sauce, I skip this step and transfer proper to topping the loaf!
Add The Glaze: I spoon the glaze excessive of the meatloaf, then use the again of the spoon to unfold it evenly, ensuring it reaches all the sides. This provides a scrumptious, shiny end to the loaf!
Bake 40 Minutes: I place the loaf within the preheated oven and bake it at 350°F (180°C) for 40 minutes, or till the sides flip golden brown.
Relaxation The Meatloaf: As soon as out of the oven, I let the vegan meatloaf sit within the pan for 10 minutes. This brief relaxation helps it agency up, making it a lot simpler to slice completely!
Take away From Pan: I fastidiously elevate the meatloaf out of the pan utilizing the parchment paper edges and place it on a wire rack. For clear, even slices, I let it relaxation for one more 10 minutes earlier than slicing into it.
I gently switch the loaf to a slicing board or serving platter, then use a pointy knife to slice it into particular person parts. Yum!
My #1 Secret Tip for making the very best vegan meatloaf is to keep away from overcooking the lentils! I’ve discovered that completely cooked lentils, not too mushy, are the important thing to getting a agency, hearty texture with no need to overload on breadcrumbs. It makes all of the distinction in preserving the loaf balanced and scrumptious!
Different Suggestions To Maintain In Thoughts:
- Scale back Extra Moisture: If the veggies are too moist after cooking, I merely drain them or blot with a paper towel. This retains the loaf from turning mushy.
- Drain Lentils: I all the time be sure that to completely drain cooked or canned lentils earlier than including them to the combination. Additional liquid can throw off the feel!
- Too Moist?: If the combination feels too moist, I add a little bit extra breadcrumbs to stability it out. It really works like a allure each time.
- Too Dry?: If the combination appears dry or crumbly, I add a splash of olive oil, soy sauce, or an additional flaxseed egg. Simply give the flaxseed egg a couple of minutes to set earlier than mixing it in!
- No Loaf Pan?: No drawback! I form the loaf with my fingers and bake it on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
📖 Variations
My hearty vegan meatloaf is a flavorful, protein-packed dish excellent for any event! For a enjoyable variation, attempt these:
Vegan Meatloaf Muffins: Typically, I like to show my vegan lentil loaf into particular person muffins utilizing a muffin tin! They bake in half the time, freeze superbly, and are excellent for meal prep or portion management. Plus, they’re so cute!
Mini Meatloaves: One other enjoyable twist is making mini meatloaves utilizing small loaf pans. I bake them for about half the time, simply till the sides are golden brown. My daughter and her buddies love these little loaves, they’re all the time successful at college lunches!
Vegan Meatballs: This recipe additionally doubles as a implausible base for vegan meatballs. I exploit a cookie scoop to form them, roll them with my fingers (including a little bit further breadcrumbs if wanted), and cook dinner them in a skillet with olive oil or bake them at 350°F/180°C till golden brown. Flipping them midway by means of ensures they’re completely cooked each time.
🍽 Serving Options
My vegan meatloaf is the star of any meal, however the precise sides actually take it to the subsequent stage! Listed below are a couple of of my favourite pairings that I like to serve with it:
Casseroles: I like pairing my vegan meatloaf with a couple of hearty sides like wholesome inexperienced bean casserole or my no egg candy potato casserole, each are cozy, satisfying, and filled with taste.
Sauce: To tie all of it collectively, I drizzle every part with a wealthy, savory vegan onion gravy, it’s the last word crowning glory!
Holidays: At any time when I make this vegan meatloaf for Thanksgiving or Christmas, I all the time pair it with my gluten-free cornbread stuffing. The flavors collectively really feel so festive and comforting, it’s like the vacations on a plate!
Leftovers: I like turning it right into a sandwich with whole-grain bread, recent tomatoes, child spinach, and a dollop of mustard. Typically, I crumble it over my vegan farro salad for a fast and satisfying protein enhance!
⏲️ Meal Prep / Make Forward
Right here’s what I like to do after I’m prepping forward:
Possibility 1: I batch cook dinner the lentil loaf elements and retailer them till I’m able to assemble. I’ll cook dinner up a giant batch of lentils and preserve them in an hermetic container, sauté and chop all of the veggies and retailer these individually, and even make the tomato glaze and stash it in one other container. This fashion, every part is able to go, and I may even double the recipe if wanted. You possibly can prep all of this as much as three days prematurely, then simply mix the elements and bake on the day you’re serving!
Possibility 2: I wish to make your complete lentil and walnut loaf the day earlier than to avoid wasting time. I cook dinner and assemble it as traditional however go away off the tomato glaze, then place it within the loaf pan, cowl it with plastic wrap, and retailer it within the fridge. When it’s time to bake, I let it sit at room temperature for about half-hour, add the glaze on high, and pop it within the oven. It’s such a easy approach to get forward for a busy day!
🫙 Storage Instructions
Refrigerating: When I’ve leftover lentil meatloaf, I let it cool utterly earlier than slicing it. Then, I switch the slices to an hermetic container, and it stays recent within the fridge for as much as 5 days.
To Freeze: This vegan meatloaf freezes superbly! I observe the identical steps as refrigerating however use a freezer bag or a vacuum-sealed container as an alternative. It retains completely for as much as 3 months, and I simply thaw it within the fridge earlier than reheating.
Reheating: To reheat, I merely microwave a slice on a plate or pop it on a baking sheet to heat up within the oven or toaster oven. It tastes simply pretty much as good as when it’s freshly made!
❓Recipe FAQs
I’ve realized that overcooked lentils can retain an excessive amount of moisture, and that’s often what causes a soggy lentil loaf. Truthfully, I haven’t had this situation with my straightforward lentil meatloaf recipe, and I feel it’s due to the proper stability of breadcrumbs and walnuts. This recipe offers you a loaf that’s sturdy, tender, and simply juicy sufficient, with out ever being mushy!
In the event you do run right into a soggy loaf, don’t fear! Subsequent time, attempt lowering the water in your flax egg from 3 tablespoons to 2 tablespoons. That is particularly useful in case you’re utilizing canned lentils, so I like to recommend beginning with much less water simply to be protected. It’s a easy tweak that may make a giant distinction!
The flaxseed egg (comprised of floor flaxseed) and water (let it gel for 5-10 minutes till it’s a thick gloopy paste) is the binder on this vegan meatloaf recipe. However a great vegan or vegetarian meatloaf recipe will use a number of elements to maintain the loaf collectively akin to a mix of moist elements (just like the flax egg, olive oil, and soy sauce) and dry elements (just like the breadcrumbs and spices) to assist every part keep collectively and make a agency loaf.
As a nutritionist, I usually advocate beginning with hearty, nutrient-rich elements as the bottom for a vegan meatloaf. A few of my go-to choices embrace lentils, beans, quinoa, tofu, brown rice, and tempeh. These elements not solely present an ideal texture however are additionally filled with protein, fiber, and important vitamins, making them a wholesome and satisfying different to conventional meat.
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📋 Recipe Card
Vegan Meatloaf
There’s nothing like my savory Vegan Meatloaf! Are you able to consider it takes simply 1 hour to make? The mix of lentils, walnuts, and breadcrumbs offers it a satisfying chunk, whereas smoked paprika, soy sauce, and herbs add wealthy, warming flavors to each slice. The leftovers make nice lunches too!
Servings: 10 slices
Energy: 180kcal
Store Components on JupiterLine a loaf pan with parchment paper and put aside.
Chop garlic cloves, onion and carrot in very small items.
Sauté garlic and 1 tbsp olive oil in a big pan over medium warmth till aromatic. Then add onion and carrot and sauté for 4-5 minutes or till onion is translucent.
Chop shallots and add it to the opposite greens. Cook dinner for 2 extra minutes.
Place the cooked greens in a giant bowl and add 2 cups of the cooked lentils. Utilizing a hand blender, puree the vegetable/lentil combination till it kinds a easy paste. Then add walnuts and mix once more. This may be carried out with a meals processor as nicely.
Add all of the spices, the remainder of the lentils, breadcrumbs, the flaxseed egg, 1 tbsp olive oil, balsamic vinegar, soy sauce and salt and stir to mix.
Switch the combination to the ready loaf pan, urgent with a spoon to get a compact loaf.
For the glaze, whisk all of the elements collectively and unfold it with a spoon excessive of the loaf.
Bake for 40 minutes at 350 levels F, or till golden brown on the sides.
- Keep away from overcooking the lentils! I’ve discovered that completely cooked lentils, not too mushy, are the important thing to getting a agency, hearty texture with no need to overload on breadcrumbs. It makes all of the distinction in preserving the loaf balanced and scrumptious!
- If the veggies are too moist after cooking, I merely drain them or blot with a paper towel. This retains the loaf from turning mushy.
- I all the time be sure that to completely drain cooked or canned lentils earlier than including them to the combination. Additional liquid can throw off the feel!
- If the combination feels too moist, I add a little bit extra breadcrumbs to stability it out. It really works like a allure each time.
- If the combination appears dry or crumbly, I add a splash of olive oil, soy sauce, or an additional flaxseed egg. Simply give the flaxseed egg a couple of minutes to set earlier than mixing it in!
- No drawback! I form the loaf with my fingers and bake it on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
Serving: 1slice | Energy: 180kcal | Carbohydrates: 22g | Protein: 8g | Fats: 8g | Saturated Fats: 1g | Sodium: 644.5mg | Potassium: 371mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 5.5g
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