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Home » Recipes » Vegan Main Dishes

Vegan Meatloaf

Published: Nov 18, 2020 by Lexi

153 shares
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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!

overhead view of vegan meatloaf on a white plate over mashed potatoes with cranberry sauce and salad on the side.

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!

close up view of slices of vegan meatloaf on a sheet pan.

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

overhead view of sautéed vegetables in a skillet.
Sauté the vegetables
overhead view of cooked vegetables, lentils and quinoa in a food processor.
Pulse half of vegetables + half of lentils and quinoa in food processor
Glass bowl with ingredients for vegan meatloaf, unmixed.
Add remaining ingredients to large mixing bowl
Glass bowl with ingredients for vegan meatloaf, mixed.
Mix together with puréed lentil/quinoa/vegetable mixture
Glass bowl with ingredients for vegan meatloaf, mixed.
Let sit for 15 minutes
Vegan meatloaf pressed into a loaf pan before baking.
Press into loaf pan and bake for 30 minutes before adding glaze
close up view of miso tomato glaze for meatloaf in a small bowl.
Whisk together all ingredients for glaze
side view of baked vegan meatloaf in a loaf pan.
Brush meatloaf with glaze and bake for another 15 minutes

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!

close up view of slices of vegan meatloaf on a sheet pan.

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
close up view of two slices of vegan lentil quinoa meatloaf on a plate.

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
overhead view of vegan meatloaf on a white plate over mashed potatoes with cranberry sauce and salad on the side.

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.

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overhead view of vegan meatloaf on a white plate over mashed potatoes with cranberry sauce and salad on the side.

Vegan Meatloaf


★★★★★

5 from 3 reviews

  • Author: Lexi
  • Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
  • Yield: Serves 6-8 1x
  • Diet: Vegan
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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

Units Scale
  • 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

  1. Cook lentils and quinoa according to package directions in separate pots, draining excess liquids at end.
  2. Preheat oven to 375˚F and line a 9x5 inch loaf pan with parchment paper.
  3. Heat a skillet to medium, add the olive oil and sauté onion, garlic, carrot, celery and mushrooms until softened, about 8-10 minutes.
  4. 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.
  5. 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!).
  6. Let the mixture sit for 15 minutes.
  7. Press the meatloaf mixture into the loaf pan and bake on the middle rack of your oven for 30 minutes.
  8. 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.
  9. 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

Keywords: vegan meatloaf

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @crowded_kitchen on Instagram and hashtag it #crowdedkitchen

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Reader Interactions

Comments

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    Recipe rating ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆

  1. vin spano

    August 10, 2022 at 4:44 pm

    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

    Reply
  2. Stephanie

    November 22, 2021 at 4:16 pm

    Delicious flavor and nice texture. Only substitution was barley instead of quinoa. Added a nice chew to the texture.

    ★★★★★

    Reply
  3. anakha

    January 02, 2021 at 6:30 pm

    when you say 'dry' does that mean uncooked for the quinoa/lentil??

    Reply
    • Lexi

      January 03, 2021 at 2:04 pm

      Yes! I will clarify that more in the post.

      Reply
  4. Nicky

    December 12, 2020 at 4:43 pm

    Absolutely loved this recipe - will definitely be making again!!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Lexi

      December 13, 2020 at 4:15 pm

      Thank you so much, Nicky! Means a lot to us!

      Reply
    • Mathias

      December 27, 2020 at 11:27 am

      This was my meal for Christmas dinner. Everything about it was delicious! Will make it again, and again.

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Lexi

        December 27, 2020 at 12:24 pm

        So glad you enjoyed!!

        Reply

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