Following a plant-based diet does not mean you have to sacrifice delicious, warm, savory dinners. Whether you grew up eating Mom’s meatloaf or not, this vegan ‘meatloaf’ will be one of those recipes you’ll want to save and have for dinner on the regular!
Honestly, I never had meatloaf growing up… it just wasn’t something my parents ever made. My view of meatloaf was kind of the same as my view of fruit cake. You know, just something that people make even though no one really likes it or is excited to eat it. So as you can imagine, vegan meatloaf sounded less than appealing. Now I still don’t know what classic meatloaf may taste like, but I do know that ‘meatloaf’ made from plants is freakin’ DELICIOUS. You’ve got the savory flavors of the sauteed veggies and spices, mixed with protein-rich lentils, fibrous oats, and a smoky ketchup glaze to top it off. All of which will leave you feeling full, nourished, and satisfied. Trust me, this is one you’ll definitely want to try.
Below is a step-by-step tutorial to help walk you through making this recipe, with a full summary and measurements at the bottom of the page.
Here’s a list of ingredients you’ll need to create this vegan meatloaf:
- lentils
- potato
- onion
- garlic
- celery
- quick oats
- parsley
- marinara
- ground flaxseed
- thyme
- rosemary
- onion powder
- Italian seasoning
- ketchup
- smoked paprika
- salt/pepper
Step 1:
Start by cooking your lentils if you don’t have any prepared yet! This will take the longest so you want to make sure to have them ready when it’s time to make the loaf. Then, gather and prepare the rest of your ingredients. Mince the garlic, chop the celery and onion, and peel and shred the potato. You’ll also want to chop and set aside 1/2 cup of the fresh parsley.
Step 2:
In a small bowl, mix together the flax and warm water and set aside. This will thicken into an egg-like consistency while you prepare the other ingredients and when combined, will help to bind everything together.
Step 3:
After heating a small amount of oil in a pan, add the celery, onion, garlic, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper. Sautee for about 5-7 minutes, until veggies are translucent.
Pro tip: Adding the dry spices to the pan during this stage helps to reawaken them and intensify their flavors.
Step 4:
Once the veggies are cooked, transfer them to a large bowl along with all other ingredients EXCEPT the smoked paprika and ketchup, which we will use later on to make the glaze.
Step 5:
Grease a loaf pan and pour in mixture. Then press it down to form a loaf.
Step 6:
In a small bowl, combine smoked paprika and ketchup and brush onto top of loaf. Finally, bake at 350°F for 1 hour and allow to cool before removing from the pan. Allow the loaf to cool down for a few minutes before attempting to cut into it.
For the classic ‘meatloaf dinner’ feel, I like to serve mine with good old fashioned ketchup and a side of mashed potatoes! You can store any leftovers in the fridge for up to 7 days. Hope you enjoy! If you do, share this recipe with a friend and leave a comment down below. I love to hear your feedback!
Vegan Meatloaf
Ingredients
- 2 cups lentils cooked
- 1 medium potato peeled and shredded
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 onion chopped
- 4 stalks celery chopped
- 1 cup quick oats
- 1/2 cup fresh parsley chopped
- 1 cup marinara
- 1 tbsp ground flaxseed
- 2 tbsp warm water
- 1 tbsp thyme
- 1 tbsp rosemary
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- 2 tbsp ketchup
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
- salt/pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- In a small bowl, mix flaxseed and warm water and set aside.
- In a lightly oiled pan over medium heat, sauté onion, celery, garlic, Italian seasoning and salt pepper for 5-7 minutes or until translucent.
- In a large bowl, combine sauteed vegetables, flax mixture, and all other ingredients except the ketchup and smoked paprika.
- Add mixture to a lightly greased loaf pan.
- In a separate small bowl, mix the ketchup and smoked paprika and brush onto the top of the loaf.
- Bake 1 hour.
