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    Home Ā» Entrees Ā» The Best Vegan Meatloaf

    The Best Vegan Meatloaf

    Published: Nov 23, 2020 Modified: Nov 23, 2020 by Alison Andrews This post may contain affiliate links

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    3.2Kshares
    Vegan Meatloaf

    This vegan meatloaf is the best ever. It’s hearty, satisfying, loaded with flavor and glazed with a sweet and spicy tomato sauce.

    Vegan meatloaf topped with a tomato glaze and fresh basil on a white plate.

    I can hardly even believe how good this vegan meatloaf is.

    Even before it’s cooked it’s so darn good. Don’t taste the mix before you cook it, you guys! You’ll just want to eat it just like that, and you can too.

    It’s all vegan and ‘pre-cooked’ so nothing bad would even happen if you did, but rather have patience because it gets even better when cooked.

    And if you like this recipe then also check out our vegan nut roast.

    Vegan meatloaf slices on a white plate.

    How To Make Vegan Meatloaf

    You will find full instructions and measurements in the recipe card at the bottom of the post. This is a summary of the process to go along with the process photos.

    • This vegan meatloaf recipe is based on chickpeas. This is mixed with onion, garlic, homemade breadcrumbs – and when I say ‘homemade’, I mean I put some sliced bread in the blender and made breadcrumbs – sweet chili sauce, dijon mustard, soy sauce, ground flaxseed meal, nutritional yeast, tomato paste and cayenne pepper.
    • SautĆ© onions and garlic in olive oil, then mash up chickpeas with a fork or a potato masher, the object being to keep it quite chunky but not too chunky, add in all the other ingredients and mix it into a thick batter. Transfer it to a parchment lined loaf pan and smooth it down.
    • Bake it for 30 minutes covered with foil.
    • While it’s baking mix up a delicious tomato glaze of tomato paste, brown sugar, maple syrup, garlic powder and paprika and when the meatloaf has baked for 30 minutes, remove the cover and spread the tomato glaze on top. Put it back in the oven to bake for another 15 minutes (uncovered) and voilĆ”!
    Step by step process photos of making vegan meatloaf.

    Recipe Tips

    Breadcrumbs. I used 4 slices of a regular pre-sliced thick cut sandwich bread for the breadcrumbs. It makes around 2 cups of homemade breadcrumbs. We just put the bread in the blender and pulse blend it to get breadcrumbs.

    If you use a store-bought version of breadcrumbs such as panko breadcrumbs instead then you will need less, in the region of 1 cup to 1 and 1/2 cups store-bought breadcrumbs. This is because store-bought breadcrumbs are more dry than freshly made breadcrumbs. Use as much as you need to get the consistency that you can see in our pics above.

    Line your dish with parchment paper. It’s crucial to line your loaf pan with parchment paper, and not just line it, but have a parchment paper overhang so that you can lift the entire meatloaf out of the pan using the parchment paper.

    This is necessary because the meatloaf isn’t super firm when it comes out of the oven, and the glaze on top is still quite wet, so you can’t be tipping it over onto your wire cooling rack the way you would with a loaf of home baked bread.

    Let it cool for around 10 minutes after coming out of the oven, and then you just lift it right out with the parchment paper onto a wire cooling rack, let it cool for another 10 minutes and then serve.

    Meatloaf topped with tomato glaze and fresh basil on a white plate.

    How To Serve Vegan Meatloaf

    This meatloaf is wonderful served with some vegan mashed potatoes or vegan mashed sweet potatoes or vegan stuffing, or alongside a delicious salad like our vegan kale salad or roasted butternut squash salad.

    It doesn’t need gravy because it’s not at all dry, but if you do want to serve it with gravy, that would be awesome too. Especially if you’ve got some mashed potatoes on the side. 

    We have a wonderful vegan gravy recipe and a vegan mushroom gravy recipe, and either of those would be great. If you want to serve this with gravy you could forego the tomato glaze, but it’s so good I don’t recommend missing out on it. 

    Vegan meatloaf slices on a white plate.

    Make Ahead, Storing and Freezing

    Make Ahead: You can make this up to the point that you would bake it, then just cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days, and then bake it when you’re ready.

    Storing: Leftovers are amazing! So you will love love love having leftovers of this! Keep it in the fridge (covered) for 4-5 days. You can serve it cold or reheat it as you like.

    Freezing: It is freezer friendly for up to 3 months. Wrap it well and freeze. Thaw overnight in the fridge and then reheat in the oven until warmed through.

    Vegan meatloaf topped with a tomato glaze and fresh basil on a white plate.

    More Vegan Dinner Recipes

    1. Baked Vegan Mac and Cheese
    2. The Best Vegan Lasagna
    3. Vegan Moussaka
    4. Vegan Pasta Bake
    5. Vegan Risotto
    6. Vegan Shepherds Pie
    Vegan meatloaf topped with fresh basil on a white plate.
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    Vegan meatloaf

    Vegan Meatloaf


    ★★★★★

    4.9 from 14 reviews

    • Author: Alison Andrews
    • Prep Time: 15 mins
    • Cook Time: 45 mins
    • Total Time: 1 hour
    • Yield: 10
    • Diet: Vegan
    Print Recipe
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    Description

    This vegan meatloaf is the best ever. It’s hearty, satisfying, loaded with flavor and glazed with a sweet and spicy tomato sauce.


    Ingredients

    Vegan Meatloaf:

    • 1 Tbsp Olive Oil
    • 1 tsp Crushed Garlic
    • 1 Small Onion (100g / finely chopped)
    • 2 15oz (425g) Cans Chickpeas
    • 4 Slices Brown or Whole Wheat Bread (160g) processed into breadcrumbs (see notes*)
    • 2 Tbsp Dark Soy Sauce
    • 2 Tbsp Sweet Chili Sauce
    • 1 Tbsp Dijon Mustard
    • 2 Tbsp Ground Flaxseed Meal
    • 2 Tbsp Nutritional Yeast
    • 1 tsp Garlic Powder
    • 3 Tbsp Tomato Paste
    • 1/4 tsp Cayenne Pepper

    Tomato Glaze:

    • 1/4 cup (56g) Tomato Paste
    • 1 Tbsp Brown Sugar
    • 1/2 Tbsp Maple Syrup
    • 1/2 tsp Garlic Powder
    • 1/4 tsp Salt
    • 1/4 tsp Paprika

    For Serving:

    • Fresh Basil (Optional)

    Instructions

    1. Add the chopped onion and crushed garlic to a frying pan with the olive oil and sautƩ until the onions are softened.
    2. Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Spray a loaf pan with non-stick spray and line it with parchment paper so that the meatloaf can be easily lifted out. Set aside.
    3. Drain the chickpeas and add to a mixing bowl. Mash with a fork or potato masher until roughly mashed.
    4. Make your breadcrumbs by breaking up the 4 slices of bread and placing into a blender and pulse blending until it makes breadcrumbs (see notes*).
    5. Add the breadcrumbs, soy sauce, sweet chili sauce, dijon mustard, flaxseed meal, nutritional yeast, garlic powder, tomato paste and cayenne pepper to the mixing bowl. Add in the cooked onions and garlic. Mix very well into a thick batter. Make sure everything is evenly mixed (it’s a very thick mix). Transfer this into the parchment lined loaf pan and smooth down with the back of a spoon.
    6. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes.
    7. While the meatloaf is baking, mix the tomato paste, brown sugar, maple syrup, garlic powder, salt and paprika in a bowl and stir together.
    8. When the meatloaf has baked for 30 minutes, remove it from the oven and remove the foil. Spread on the tomato glaze evenly and return it to the oven, (no foil, uncovered) to bake for a further 15 minutes.
    9. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for at least 10 minutes before removing from the loaf pan by lifting the meatloaf out with the parchment paper. Let it cool for another 10 minutes.Ā 
    10. Slice and serve with fresh basil.

    Notes

    *I used 4 slices of a regular pre-sliced thick cut sandwich bread for the breadcrumbs. This makes around 2 cups of homemade breadcrumbs. If you use a store-bought version of breadcrumbs such as panko breadcrumbs then you will only need around 1 cup to 1 and 1/2 cups breadcrumbs since store-bought breadcrumbs are more dry than freshly made breadcrumbs.Ā 

    *The tomato glaze is so good that we sometimes double it and use all of it for a thicker tomato glaze topping! If you like it as much as we do, you might want to do the same.

    *This recipe was first published in March 2018. It has been slightly updated with extra tips and notes.Ā 

    • Category: Entree, Savory
    • Method: Bake
    • Cuisine: Vegan

    Nutrition

    • Serving Size: 1 Slice (of 10)
    • Calories: 164
    • Sugar: 7.9g
    • Sodium: 504mg
    • Fat: 3.9g
    • Saturated Fat: 0.4g
    • Carbohydrates: 25.8g
    • Fiber: 5.3g
    • Protein: 6.6g

    Keywords: vegan meatloaf

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    3.2Kshares
    Alison Andrews

    About the Author

    Hi I'm Alison Andrews, I'm the voice and cook behind Loving It Vegan. I love making delicious vegan food and creating vegan versions of all your old favorites, so that you’ll never feel like you’re missing out. Find out more about me here.

    Loving It Vegan is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. This site may contain some of these links to Amazon.com. If you make a purchase through one of those links, Loving It Vegan will receive a small commission from the purchase at no additional cost to you.
    Previous Post: « Vegan Green Bean Casserole
    Next Post: Vegan Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese »

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. AvatarJoanna says

      April 11, 2021 at 4:36 pm

      This turned out fantastic! (As well as all of your other recipes I have tried).

      Any idea as to how this recipe would work with lentil / do you have a lentil meatloaf recipe in the works?

      Thanks!

      Reply
      • Alison AndrewsAlison Andrews says

        April 12, 2021 at 11:43 am

        Hi Joanna! I do have a lentil loaf recipe on my ‘to-do’ list! I haven’t tested this particular recipe with lentils but if you were using canned lentils I think it may work as a swap. šŸ™‚

        Reply
    2. AvatarRachel says

      January 16, 2021 at 4:02 pm

      This looks great! My son has a flax allergy. Do you have a recommendation that might work for replacing it? Extra nutritional yeast? Wheat germ? Thank you!

      Reply
      • Alison AndrewsAlison Andrews says

        January 16, 2021 at 4:23 pm

        You could replace it with extra nutritional yeast or even just leave it out. šŸ™‚

        Reply
    3. AvatarNetsanet says

      December 10, 2020 at 1:13 am

      Thanks for this delicious recipe. Will certainly be making it regularly. Suitable for Christmas and festive occasions with the red topping and green herbs on top ( I used chopped green spring onion). Was glad that I took your advice to make a double quantity of the glaze.

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Alison AndrewsAlison Andrews says

        December 10, 2020 at 10:14 am

        So happy you enjoyed it! šŸ™‚

        Reply
    4. AvatarGina Caracci says

      November 27, 2020 at 10:04 pm

      When this came into my inbox, I was hesitant as I dont like chickpeas or hummus as much as I try to. but I have been craving meatloaf.
      So I made it last night. I made the mistake of putting the topping on before baking (It took me almost an hour and a half to assemble this so I was in a hurry to clean up) but I simply scraped it off and baked it. The suggestion of doubling the topping was spot on. It was very moist and the topping knocked it out of the park. I didnt have maple syrup so used regular pancake syrup and it was still yummy. Had three small pieces and I was stuffed!
      Love that I had all the ingredients other than the chickpeas (and maple) and will make again. I may add more seasonings next time but like to try recipes first before experimenting.

      Thank you!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Alison AndrewsAlison Andrews says

        November 30, 2020 at 2:22 pm

        So happy to hear you enjoyed it Gina! Thanks so much for sharing and the wonderful review!

        Reply
    5. AvatarAnna says

      November 26, 2020 at 8:16 am

      This looks too good to miss! I’ll be trying this out tonight for sure!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Alison AndrewsAlison Andrews says

        November 26, 2020 at 9:33 am

        Thanks Anna!

        Reply
    6. AvatarNancy says

      November 23, 2020 at 5:45 pm

      Hi, Im so excited to try this! I miss meatloaf! Can I use eggs instead of flax seed? (Im vegetarian not vegan. ) if so, how many? Thanks

      Reply
      • Alison AndrewsAlison Andrews says

        November 24, 2020 at 11:28 am

        Hi Nancy, honestly I’m not sure that would work well here. The ground flax seed isn’t really replacing an egg in this recipe, it’s just added in for texture and flavor. I really recommend you make it as is without any changes. All the best! šŸ™‚

        Reply
    7. AvatarMiriam Attard says

      August 27, 2020 at 11:02 am

      10/10!!! So good!! Shall most definitely be making this again. Had it with roasted veggies as a delicious winter dinner.

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Alison AndrewsAlison Andrews says

        August 27, 2020 at 12:44 pm

        Thanks so much Miriam!

        Reply
    8. AvatarDawn says

      August 10, 2020 at 12:28 pm

      I’m thinking of making this recipe into small meatloaf ā€˜muffin’ portion sizes. I’m hoping it’s a great idea for meal prep and make ahead freezer meals. Any idea what the cooking time would be for them?
      Looking forward to giving it a try 😁

      Reply
      • Alison AndrewsAlison Andrews says

        August 11, 2020 at 9:54 am

        Hi Dawn, that sounds like a great idea! I’m not sure of baking times but I would guess about 30 minutes.

        Reply
    9. AvatarAlan says

      April 08, 2020 at 7:57 am

      Hi, can this be frozen? I am guessing it can at step five, sub storing the mixture in the freezer. Thanks

      Reply
      • Alison AndrewsAlison Andrews says

        April 08, 2020 at 10:39 am

        Hi Alan, it’s definitely freezer friendly once baked. It can be frozen up to 3 months. However, I haven’t tried freezing it before baking, but I am guessing it should also be fine to do that! Either thaw in fridge before baking or bake directly from frozen, allowing extra time to account for it being frozen.

        Reply
    10. AvatarDeb says

      March 08, 2020 at 4:21 am

      This is my second time making this meat loaf. I love it and so does my daughter. 🤩🤩🤩

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Alison AndrewsAlison Andrews says

        March 08, 2020 at 11:40 am

        Yay! Thanks Deb!

        Reply
    11. AvatarViola German says

      December 18, 2019 at 2:45 am

      Any substitute suggestions for Sweet Chili Sauce? Is it possible to omit?

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Alison AndrewsAlison Andrews says

        December 18, 2019 at 9:30 am

        Hi Viola, yes you can omit it, or replace it with tomato sauce/ketchup or barbecue sauce or really any kind of sweet sauce. šŸ™‚

        Reply
        • AvatarDeb says

          December 27, 2020 at 2:56 am

          Love this recipe at Christmas time.šŸ’

          Reply
          • Alison AndrewsAlison Andrews says

            December 28, 2020 at 10:18 am

            So happy to hear that! Thanks Deb!

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    Hi I’m Alison Andrews! I love making delicious vegan food and creating delicious vegan versions of all your old favorite dishes, so you can have your vegan cake and eat it too!

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