Vegan Meatloaf
With a simple ingredient swap we can make a Vegan Meatloaf that’s just as delicious and nostalgic as the original!
As a kid, I thought Meatloaf was okay, I mostly enjoyed it in leftover sandwiches. I’m not sure why but this Vegan Meatloaf is way better than I remember! For some reason, it’s just tastier, and also there’s no weird meat gristle / congealed fat either!
It’s hard to pick between having this on a plate with some mashed potatoes and peas, or on a sandwich, but that’s the magic of this Meatloaf! It’s good no matter what!
And since we are simply swapping out the animal meat for vegan meat, it’s super easy to throw together too!
Ingredients for Vegan Meatloaf
- the MEAT – I wanted this to be an easy recipe, so I’m simply using some store-bought plant-based meat. In the US, that’s likely Impossible or Beyond Meat, but use whatever you like!
- Onions & Garlic – A lot of meatloaf recipes use raw onions and garlic. I prefer to saute mine for a bit as I like the flavor and texture better!
- Breadcrumbs – In order to keep our meatloaf juicy and intact, we’ll add some Panko (or regular) Breadcrumbs that we’ll first soak in a bit of plant milk.
- Seasonings – Aside from that we will be using some pantry staples and some fresh herbs too!
- The Glaze – For the glaze on top, we’ll simply be combining some ketchup, mustard and brown sugar. Feel free to use BBQ Sauce, or add some steak sauce too!
how to make Vegan MeatLoaf
This couldn’t be easier! First, saute your onions and garlic. I used a stainless steel pan so I got a bit of fond which I deglazed with some beer but that is totally optional!
Combine the Panko Breadcrumbs and Plant Milk and set aside.
After that, combine everything in a large mixing bowl.
Once meat is mixed well, cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Then, shape the meat mixture into a loaf.
Then whip up the glaze with ketchup, mustard and brown sugar.
Brush half the glaze on the meatloaf, and bake for 30 minutes.
After 30 minutes, remove from the oven, and brush the other half of the glaze. Bake for another 30 minutes or until it reaches 160 F internally.
Let it rest for 10 minutes, then you can slice it up and dig in!
You could also add some Vegan Gravy if you like!
Storage
Store in an airtight container, in the fridge for 3 – 5 days.
how to make vegan meatloaf sandwiches
The old school way is to simply slice it up cold and enjoy in a sandwich. Use some white bread, and some Vegan Mayo!
Or for something with a bit more effort, grill the bread and the meatloaf, add some pickles and onions!
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Vegan Meatloaf
Ingredients
Meatloaf
- 3/4 cup Panko Breadcrumbs (or regular breadcrumbs)
- 1/3 cup Plant-Milk (Unsweetened)
- 4 – 5 cloves Garlic (minced)
- 1/2 Medium Onion (diced)
- 2 lb. Vegan Ground Meat (like Impossible or Beyond)
- 3 Tbsp Vegan Worcestershire
- 1 Tbsp Tomato Paste
- 1 Tbsp Nutritional Yeast
- 1/4 cup Fresh Parsley (chopped)
- 1 tsp Onion Powder
- 1 tsp Smoked Paprika
- Salt & Pepper (to taste)
Glaze
- 1/3 cup Ketchup
- 1 Tbsp Mustard
- 1 Tbsp Brown Sugar
Instructions
- In a pan over medium heat, add a little cooking oil and heat up for a minute or two. Then add in the diced onions. Saute for 6 – 8 minutes or until softened and translucent. Add in the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Remove from heat and set aside and let cool.
- Combine Breadcrumbs and Plant Milk in a bowl, stir to combine. Set aside for 5 minutes.
- Once onions and garlic have cooled, and breadcrumbs are moistened, add everything for the meatloaf to a mixing bowl and combine with clean hands. Once meat is well combined, cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- While meatloaf mixture chills, combine ingredients for the glaze. Set aside for later.
- Preheat oven to 350 F / 176 C.
- Shape the meatloaf mixture into a loaf. Pack it but not too tightly (unless you like a really dense meatloaf!) Add the meatloaf to a parchment lined baking sheet.
- Brush or spread on half of the ketchup glaze on top of the meatloaf. Bake at 350 F / 176 C for 30 minutes. Then remove from the oven, and brush on the other half of the glaze. Bake for another 30 minutes or until the internal temperature is 160 F / 70 C.
- Let the meatloaf cool (ideally on a cooling rack) for 10 minutes, then slice and serve how you like!
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 – 5 days. Make sure you make Meatloaf Sandwiches with them!
Do you think I could use a double batch of your Vegan Burger Patty recipe in place of the Impossible Burger for this meatloaf?
Hi, I haven’t tested that but I’m not sure it would work, I need to try that out before I can recommend it or not!
I was wondering pretty much the same thing, or using TVP in some way.
TVP would need a lot more of a binding agent. I made this with Gardein crumbles and soy chorizo, and it was, well, too crumbly! Will modify if I do that again, perhaps a flax egg. The glaze was delicious though. I didn’t expect that combo to work as well as it did.
Great easy recipe! And def do not miss the original boring meatloaf. I agree the vegan version is filled with flavour and way better! Thank you – easy to make and loved by all! Good recipe!
Thank you! Isn’t it funny how the vegan version is often times even better??
Hello, can I bake it in a glass loaf pan? If so, what would be the oven temp and bake time? Thanks for sharing!
Hey there! I’m not sure about that to be honest, but I would say to line the pan with parchment or really grease it up so it doesn’t stick. Maybe stick with the same temperature, but just check it often enough to see with it’s at 165 F so you don’t dry it out, thanks!
Hi! Love everything of yours I have tried. Any suggestions if you don’t eat methylcellulose? That’s in most of the Impossible and Beyond style meats.
Thanks from the IBD world.
I don’t for this recipe, I know that some folks have made a Lentil Loaf, I need to do a recipe for that too! Sorry!
I’d never considered using plant-based ground “beef” to make a meatloaf…but it sure seems quicker and a lot more convenient than my usual lentil loaf recipe! Can’t wait to make this, and have it in sandwiches with vegan mayo and a big slice of home-grown tomato. Thanks for sharing this recipe!
I thought I wasn’t a fan of meatloaf, ever since I was a kid. But when I saw this recipe I thought, “Well, it’s from Burger Dude, so I’ll give it a try.” And you didn’t let me down, this is fantastic! And the sandwiches with the leftovers–also your recipe–were amazing too!
I made this last night and it is oh so reminiscent of my childhood meatloaf my mother made. So delicious. Looking forward to a sandwich 😀
Made this for dinner. Baked it in a loaf pan coz I’m lazy, and it turned out great! The glaze is so yummy 😀
My boyfriend and I have made this meatloaf several times, it is so good! Recently, we adapted this recipe to make mini-meatloafs in the shape of hamburger patties since he loves the meatloaf sandwiches so much. We baked them in the oven with the glaze and they turned out great!
Oh nice, I love the idea of mini meatloafs! I have a fun idea for a meatloaf burger that I wanna do soon, glad you both liked it!!
Excellent, and quite easy to make.
Thank you, so glad to hear this!!
Looks great! Do you think it would be okay to assemble the loaf and refrigerate overnight the day before cooking? Then just glaze and pop in the oven?
Yes, absolutely, in fact, I bet it’ll be better since the flavors will have time to mingle! I would just let it sit out on the counter for 15 – 20 minutes before baking so it’s not super cold as that can affect the cook time.
So delicious! I was looking around for a vegan meatloaf, and then I said, “You know who will have the best recipe? Thee burger dude,” and it did NOT disappoint! Fantastic! Highly recommend!
Excellent, love to hear it, glad you thought of me!!
Made this today. Easy and very flavorful. I have tried some meat loaf recipes using Impossible and Beyond Burger when they came out a number of years ago, but yours is so much better. Even my wife likes it and she’s not a vegetarian! Thanks!
Heck yeah, so glad to hear this, and that you found one that you like! Thank you!
What is the bread you use in the vegan meatloaf recipe when you made the meatloaf sandwich?
I believe it was Artesano brand, it’s basically thick cut white bread!