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 ribs, 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, I just made this and it tastes amazing but it is rather crumbly. I could have added a bit of water to the mixture but I was afraid to, as I didn’t want it to be mushy. What do you recommend? Thanks!
Hi Olivia. I’m glad you are enjoying the flavor of the meatloaf! If you press it down firmly into the pan, then let it cool for 15 minutes at least before slicing, it will not crumble. Those are the tricks. If you don’t press it down firmly and evenly, it is much more likely to crumble, as well as if you slice it immediately after taking it out of the oven. Happy cooking!
I made this for an Easter dinner, and everybody including all the meat eaters ate it and loved it.
I did a test run a few days before though, and I’m very glad I did!
As written, this recipe is way too salty!
I cut back to 1 tablespoon each of soy sauce and Worcestershire instead of 2 tablespoons each, and that was plenty. I made the first with the ketchup topping and the Easter dinner version with the easy vegan gravy linked in the recipe.
I made that gravy in the skillet I used to saute the veggies for the meatloaf, sauteed mushrooms and onions for the gravy, and made a roux with a bit of the veggie broth in that skillet first.
I was wondering if you could prep & freeze these ahead of time? I have several small tin foil loaf pans I was thinking of tripling the recipe & making several at once but freezing some to be cooked later.
Hi Melissa. You can freeze and bake later. Ensure the loaf thaws completely before baking as directed. Enjoy!
Will it work without the flax seeds?
It will work, but the loaf may not stay together as well.
This recipe is delicious. It has all of the right ingredients that come together and form perfection. The left overs taste even better.
Can I make mini loaves in muffin tins?
Yes, that would be fun! They will not need to cook nearly as long though, maybe only 15-25 minutes.
Enjoy!
Came out dry. I so wanted this to work. Unsure what happened as I saw the note about the chickpea moisture and breadcrumb ratio.
I love this recipe thank you! I’m vegan and hubby a carnivore so I’ve made this, sliced it and it freezes so well so that I can just have a couple of slices with my hot dinner! It’s such an easy go to meal. I heat it up in the air fryer which makes the outside lovely and crispy.
Thanks again for such a budget friendly & easy recipe 🙏🏼
You are welcome, Lisa! I love delicious meals that are budget friendly! What a great idea to freeze slices! I love your reheat ideas, especially the air fryer method! Thanks for sharing your fabulous review and comments! Wishing you happy cooking!
Is there a substitute for the nutritional yeast or can it be omitted?
You can leave it out if needed, no problem. It’s just for flavor. Enjoy!
I made a sandwich with the leftovers and omg, it’s so delicious. Thank you Nora. Since moving to Nova Scotia I can’t get veggie pate but this is better and probably healthier! I LOVE your recipes. Thank you so much for sharing!
Hi Laurie. Thank you for your support and for loving my recipes! Your feedback is really encouraging! This meatloaf DOES make amazing sandwiches! Wishing you lots of happy cooking!
I have been trying to find a loaf that will stay together so I can cut it or slice it are you sure this is going to be a good one to try because I’ve had no success with black bean or with lentils?
Hi Cynthia. Many people love this meatloaf! If you press it down firmly into the pan, then let it cool for 15 minutes at least before slicing, it will not crumble. Those are the tricks. If you don’t press it down firmly and evenly, it is much more likely to crumble, as well as if you slice it immediately after taking it out of the oven. Happy cooking!
This was a great success with my vegetarian friend and with me and my omnivorous husband at our New Year’s Eve lunch! I omitted the ketchup-based topping and used your suggested vegan brown gravy option. Your gravy recipe was too easy and just as delicious as you promised. Together they were fabulous and I hope everyone who thinks they like lentil loafs will give this a try. I paired it with steamed green beans and caramelized onions.
When you say celery stalks, do you mean a “bunch” (stalk) or an individual stick (rib)?
Technically – when speaking of celery – a stalk is what some call a bunch (the whole thing), but I know that many recipes use the word “stalk” when they really mean rib (what some call a stick).
But since a stalk is such a larger quantity, it needs to be clarified.
[I do wish everyone used the proper terminology for celery – then there would never be this confusion ;p]
TIA
Hi there! I actually mean an individual stalk, or a rib. I updated it to reflect this just now. I posted the recipe many years ago, before I knew the correct terminology. 🙂 Now I know better, and hopefully you will find it written correctly in my other recipes containing celery. Thanks and enjoy!
Can I substitute rolled oats for the bread crumbs?
Sure!
This is delicious! After many years of trying to find a go-to bean loaf, this one will be the one! I made a couple of alterations- can’t eat onions and only had carrots in the fridge, so I shredded them and added them to the mashed beans and panko (that I ran through the food processor so it wasn’t so chunky).
I also topped with BBQ sauce b/c it was easy. Super good, thanks!
You bet, Jen! I’m glad you found my recipe, and that you love it! Thank you for taking time to share your recipe experience as well as your glowing review!
I love all your recipes but never made a vegan loaf before.
Can I prepare this loaf the day or night before without freezing and just refrigerate and then bake next day ?
Yes, that will work just fine. The loaf may need a few extra minutes in the oven since it will be going in cold. Enjoy!
Great recipe thx! I used to buy liquid smoke but stopped due to the potential carcinogen.