Vegan Gluten-Free Meatloaf
Last Updated on November 3, 2023
This Vegan Gluten-Free Meatloaf takes Meat-free Monday to a whole new delicious level! It’s filled with so many healthy plant-based ingredients, such as lentils, mushrooms, chickpeas, onion, garlic, flax, oats, and seasonings, it’s the best comforting, nourishing dinner everyone will enjoy!
I’ve always been the person who loves meatloaf. I feel like you either love it, or for whatever reason you hate it haha. Meatloaf first started appearing in cookbooks after the invention of the mechanical meat grinder in the 1800’s! So whether you are a meatloaf fan or not, this hardy, comfort food has staying power.
As we have advanced and plant-based is becoming more popular, so is “meatloaf” made solely from plant-based sources. Most often, legumes, oats, and veggies. My Vegan Gluten-Free Meatloaf definitely includes those food items, and although the texture is slightly softer than a traditional meatloaf, it makes a fantastic replacement (and is a heck of a lot healthier for you!).
What’s Inside
☆ Lentils. I used canned lentils in this meatloaf recipe to cut down on prep time. They bring a lot of fiber and protein to this meal and taste delicious in place of the meat.
☆ Mushrooms. Add some of that “meaty” texture and a great way to sneak in some shrooms if you’re not a mushroom lover.
☆ Garbanzo beans aka chickpeas. Make sure to smash them well before adding all of the other ingredients. This also allows for the texture to be right while adding some protein and fiber. They are pretty neutral flavored as well, so that it doesn’t taste to “bean-y”.
☆ Onion. Sautéed to sweet perfection before added to the meatloaf for the best savory sweet flavor.
☆ Garlic. Just a touch of garlic for the best flavor.
☆ Gluten-Free quick oats. Helps hold this meatloaf together and brings a great texture with added fiber.
☆ Plant Milk. I used oat milk, but you can use any plant-based milk you like.
☆ Flax Eggs. There are no eggs in this vegan meatloaf, so these flax eggs help hold the loaf together while boosting fiber!
☆ Ketchup. Some people are a gravy and meatloaf lover… I am a ketchup and meatloaf lover, so my version includes ketchup. I try to buy ketchup that is a bit lower in sugar content as you’ll be using quite a bit in this meatloaf recipe as well as using it in the topping.
☆ Italian Seasoning. My go-to seasoning for the perfectly spiced loaf.
The Ketchup Topping
My go-to meatloaf topping is made with ketchup, apple cider vinegar, and brown sugar. You could also swap the brown sugar for coconut sugar. You’ll add this to the meatloaf in the last 10 minutes of baking and then serve the extra sauce on the side.
This Vegan Gluten-Free Meatloaf recipe will serve 6 people and is a lot more filing than traditional meatloaf due to its high fiber content. Normally I would have a couple of slices, but I definitely found myself full after just one. This makes great leftovers too! You know me, a HUGE fan of cook once eat twice 🙂
Of course I love to serve meatloaf with Mashed Potatoes… meatloaf and mashed potatoes are just one of those combos you don’t mess with, ya know?! 😉
I’d love to hear what you think of this meat-free meatloaf recipe! Leave a comment below in the comments section, as well as giving it a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating so that others can discover this super healthy, plant-based meatloaf! Tag me on Instagram, Facebook, or Pinterest!
Vegan Gluten-Free Meatloaf
This Vegan Gluten-Free Meatloaf takes Meat-free Monday to a whole new delicious level! It’s filled with so many healthy plant-based ingredients, such as lentils, mushrooms, chickpeas, onion, garlic, flax, oats, and seasonings, it’s the best comforting, nourishing dinner everyone will enjoy!
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 cup sweet onion, diced
- 1 cup mushrooms, chopped
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 2 flax eggs (2 tablespoons flaxseed meal + 4 tablespoons water)
- 15 oz can lentils, drained and rinsed
- 15 oz can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
- 2 cups gluten-free quick oats
- ½ cup plant milk (such as oat, almond, or rice)
- 1 cup ketchup
- ½ tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon salt
- Pinch pepper
Topping
- ¾ cup ketchup
- 3 tablespoons brown/coconut sugar
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Start by heating a large skillet over medium heat. Add the olive oil to the skillet then add the onion, mushrooms, garlic and a pinch of salt. Saute until the onion turns translucent, about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Meanwhile, make the flax eggs. In a small bowl combine the flaxseed meal and water and let it sit until it “gels” up, about 5 minutes. While the flax egg is setting up, add the drained and rinsed lentils and garbanzo beans to a large bowl. Smash them with a fork until no large pieces are left. Add the oats, plant milk of choice (I used oat milk), ketchup, Italian seasoning, flax eggs, salt and pepper to the bowl. Finally add the sauteed onion and mushrooms to the bowl and stir to combine well. Spray a loaf pan with cooking spray and then spoon the mixture into the pan. Bake the loaf in the oven for 30 minutes.
- While the meatloaf is cooking make the topping. Whisk together the ketchup, brown/coconut sugar and apple cider vinegar in a bowl or measuring cup. When the 30 minutes is up, take the loaf out of the oven and spread a layer of the topping sauce over the entire loaf and then place it back in the oven to bake for another 15 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and let it cool to set up for about 10-15 minutes before serving.
Notes
Tip: I like to place the loaf pan on a baking sheet after I add the sauce on top in case it drizzles over the edges.
*I used lower sugar ketchup to cut back on the sweetness
The Healthy Little Vittles blog provides general information and discussions about health, health foods, nutritional content and value, and related subjects from time to time. Read the health disclaimer for more information.
You MIGHT Also like
Leave a Reply
About the author
Gina Fontana
Gina Fontana is a certified health coach, recipe developer, food photographer, published author, and blogger. Her own personal health challenges led her to a gluten-free, vegan, plant-based lifestyle where she found significant improvement in her symptoms. Her passion and mission is to now share that with others who also need (or want) to pursue a healthier lifestyle.
Hi Gina, This looks great. I would like to try it this week. Can you tell me if and for how long the meatloaf would hold up in the freezer?
Hi Dara, I haven’t tried to freeze it (I make it for my family of 4 and we never have leftovers! 😆) but I would guess it would hold up in the freezer for a few months. Hope this helps and I hope you like it!
Do you have any Nutritional facts to this recipe💕💕
Hi Laurena, I don’t calculate the nutritional facts for my recipes but you might be able to plug in the link in a nutritional calculator on the internet. Sorry about that!
I made this for my family last night and everyone loved it! I was anticipating a large amount of leftovers, as there are only 3 people in my family, but we ate all of it. I can’t wait to make this again. It is definitely a new family favorite. Thank you!
Hi Sonya! Yay! Thats so wonderful to hear! ☺️ It’s a family fav over here too, we had it for Thanksgiving! I am so glad you all enjoyed it and thank you for your kind feedback. Happy New Year!