This vegan "meatloaf" is made with lentils, quinoa, mushrooms and a miso tomato glaze for a super flavorful, filling meat-free dinner. It's gluten free, easy to make and satisfying for meat-eaters and vegans alike!
I'll be the first to admit that I wasn't totally over-the-top excited to try vegan meatloaf. (In case you're new here, my mom, Beth, heads up all of the recipe development!)
I've never been particularly enthused about the idea of meatloaf altogether. But I take it all back.
This vegan meatloaf is SO GOOD. It's absolutely packed with flavor (the miso tomato glaze is my favorite part!) and it's a great way to get plant-based protein and vegetables all in one convenient loaf.
It's also not at all mushy, which appears to be a common complaint amongst vegan meatloaf recipes. It's nice and crispy on the exterior, and perfectly cooked on the interior!
Plus, it's a great excuse for making mashed potatoes, which is always a win in my book!
This lentil, mushroom and quinoa meatloaf makes for a delicious family-friendly weeknight dinner as well as a vegan main dish for the holidays. It's also meal prep and freezer-friendly.
Instructions
Cook lentils and quinoa: according to package directions. We cooked them in two separate pots as lentils take a bit longer to cook than quinoa. Set aside and let cool.
Preheat oven to 375˚F and line a 9x5 inch loaf pan with parchment paper. You can spray the pan with cooking oil spray before adding the parchment paper to help it stick to the pan.
Sauté the vegetables: Heat a skillet to medium, add 2 tablespoon of oil and sauté onion, garlic, carrot, celery and mushrooms until tender and cooked down.
In a food processor, pulse together half of the sautéed vegetables and half of the lentils and quinoa. A few pulses will do – you don't want it to be smooth.
Combine ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, thoroughly mix together the puréed vegetable/quinoa/lentil mixture along with the remaining whole vegetables, quinoa and lentils, along with the breadcrumbs, flax meal, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, tomato paste, tamari and miso.
Let the mixture sit for 15 minutes. Don't skip this step – it allows the flax meal to absorb moisture and act as a binder in the oven.
Bake: Press the meatloaf mixture into the loaf pan and bake on the middle rack of your oven for 30 minutes.
Make glaze: Meanwhile, whisk together all of the glaze ingredients until smooth. After 30 minutes, liberally brush the meatloaf with the glaze and return to oven for 15-20 minutes.
Remove from oven and let cool for at least 15 minutes in the pan. Then, carefully flip onto a cutting board and slice. Enjoy warm!
What to serve with vegan meatloaf
- Serve over these amazing creamy vegan mashed potatoes
- Serve with mushroom gravy
- Cranberry sauce
- Roasted beet salad
- Green beans with vegan bacon
- Crispy maple mustard brussels sprouts
Storage and make-ahead instructions
Freezer instructions: Freeze the meatloaf whole (it keeps best vacuum sealed) or freeze individual slices for up to 6 months. To reheat, microwave or heat in a 350˚ oven until warmed through.
Make-ahead: You can make the meatloaf mixture up to a day in advance. Press the mixture into the loaf pan, cover and refrigerate overnight, then bake the next day.
Alternatively, you can make the entire meatloaf ahead of time and store in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. It reheats beautifully!
More vegan dinner recipe favorites:
- Roasted Cauliflower Steaks
- Tofu Marsala
- Vegan Pot Pie
- Vegan Broccoli Casserole
- The Best Vegan Mac and Cheese
- Vegan Mushroom Stew over Mashed Potatoes
If you make this easy vegan meatloaf recipe, we’d love for you to leave a comment and rating below! We also love to see your creations on Instagram – tag us at @crowded_kitchen so we can see what you’ve been cooking.
Print
Vegan Meatloaf
- Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Yield: Serves 6-8 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
This vegan "meatloaf" is made with lentils, quinoa, mushrooms and a miso tomato glaze for a super flavorful, filling meat-free dinner. It's gluten free, easy to make and satisfying for meat-eaters and vegans alike!
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 ½ cup finely diced yellow onion
- 2-3 teaspoon finely minced garlic
- ¾ cup grated carrot
- ½ cup diced celery
- ½ cup diced mushrooms
- 1 ½ cup cooked brown or green lentils (¾ cup dry)
- 1 cup cooked quinoa (½ cup dry)
- ¾ cup panko breadcrumbs (we used Italian-seasoned and gluten free)
- 2 tbsp flax meal
- 1 ½ tsp Italian seasoning blend
- ¾ tsp fine kosher salt
- ½ tsp pepper
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 ½ tbsp low sodium tamari or soy sauce
- 1 tbsp mild white miso paste
Glaze:
- 3 tbsp tomato paste
- ½ tbsp mild white miso paste
- ½ tbsp low sodium tamari or soy sauce
- 1 ½ tbsp red wine vinegar
- ¼ tsp garlic powder
- ¼ tsp onion powder
- ¼ tsp ground black pepper
Instructions
- Cook lentils and quinoa according to package directions in separate pots, draining excess liquids at end.
- Preheat oven to 375˚F and line a 9x5 inch loaf pan with parchment paper.
- Heat a skillet to medium, add the olive oil and sauté onion, garlic, carrot, celery and mushrooms until softened, about 8-10 minutes.
- In a food processor, pulse together half of the sautéed vegetables and half of the lentils and quinoa. A few pulses will do (we usually do 7-8 pulses) – you don't want it to be smooth.
- In a large mixing bowl, thoroughly mix together the puréed vegetable/quinoa/lentil mixture along with the remaining sautéed vegetables, quinoa and lentils, along with the breadcrumbs, flax meal, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, tomato paste, tamari and miso. Use a large spatula to mix well (or use your hands if you don't mind getting messy!).
- Let the mixture sit for 15 minutes.
- Press the meatloaf mixture into the loaf pan and bake on the middle rack of your oven for 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, whisk together all of the glaze ingredients until smooth. After 30 minutes, liberally brush the meatloaf with the glaze and return to oven for 15-20 minutes.
- Remove from oven and let cool for at least 15 minutes in the pan. Then, carefully flip onto a cutting board and slice. Enjoy warm over mashed potatoes!
Notes
See blog post for step-by-step visual instructions.
Storage: store leftovers in an airtight container for 3-5 days. Reheat in microwave or oven. You can freeze individual slices or entire meatloaf for up to 6 months.
- Prep Time: 45 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 Large Slice
- Calories: 323
- Sugar: 4.9 g
- Sodium: 323.4 mg
- Fat: 6.1 g
- Carbohydrates: 52.1 g
- Fiber: 8.1 g
- Protein: 15.5 g
vin spano says
Mine came out a little moist and stuck to the knife when I sliced it, I popped it back in the oven once sliced for 10 mins. Turned them over and put them back for another 10 mins. Taste was unbelievable and pleased with the texture
Stephanie says
Delicious flavor and nice texture. Only substitution was barley instead of quinoa. Added a nice chew to the texture.
anakha says
when you say 'dry' does that mean uncooked for the quinoa/lentil??
Lexi says
Yes! I will clarify that more in the post.
Nicky says
Absolutely loved this recipe - will definitely be making again!!
Lexi says
Thank you so much, Nicky! Means a lot to us!
Mathias says
This was my meal for Christmas dinner. Everything about it was delicious! Will make it again, and again.
Lexi says
So glad you enjoyed!!