Hearty and satisfying vegan lentil mini "meatloaf" made with healthy, whole food plant-based ingredients. Then topped with a delicious sweet and savory tomato-maple-balsamic glaze! Great for holidays or a comforting cold-weather meal. (Vegan, gluten-free, oil-free, nut-free option.)
This healthy vegan meatloaf recipe is made with whole food ingredients, plus so much flavor and protein.
And it's topped with a delicious, sweet and savory tomato-maple-balsamic glaze!
It's a satisfying main dish, and a great addition to your vegan Thanksgiving, Christmas, or holiday table.
Pair it with side dishes such as mashed potatoes and green beans (or other vegetables like Brussels sprouts or sweet potato) for the ultimate comfort meal.
Ingredients for Vegan Meatloaf
For this recipe you will combine then bake:
- Ground flax meal: You will use this to make a flax egg to help bind the mixture.
- Carrot + celery
- Mushrooms + walnuts + lentils: This makes up the hearty protein and fiber-filled base. Most often I use cremini mushrooms or white button mushrooms, but simply choose your own favorite. We will also use pre-cooked, canned lentils for convenience. But you can absolutely cook yours from scratch ahead of time if desired! You will need about 1.5 cups cooked lentils for this recipe.
- Oat flour: This also helps to bind the loaves together.
- Tamari: Or substitute soy sauce, but I use tamari for gluten-free. Coconut aminos could also work.
- Tomato paste
- Seasonings blend: Onion powder, garlic powder, dried oregano, dried basil, smoked paprika, and salt/pepper to taste. This blend adds so much warmth and flavor to the loaves.
How to Make
I created this recipe with ease of assembly in mind.
The ingredient list is longer than most of my recipes, but many are simply herbs and seasonings that make the lentil loaf taste warm and comforting.
There is no need to sauté ingredients before baking. Simply:
- Grab your food processor.
- Mix the ingredients in a large bowl.
- Form the lentil loaf mixture in a loaf pan.
- Then place them in the oven to bake.
Preparation and Tips
For nut-free: Substitute the walnuts with a 15 oz. can of garbanzo beans (rinsed and drained well). I prefer walnuts for the added texture/crunch but garbanzos work too. Although this will result in a softer loaf.
Oat flour: We use oat flour to help combine and hold together the mixture. However if you don't have oat flour, simply place rolled oats in a food processor and process until a fine flour forms.
Loaf pan: I use an 8-cavity mini loaf pan as I get best results with this size and shape. But you could also bake them in a muffin pan, or in a standard loaf pan (increasing the baking time to about 50-60 minutes).
Storage
We find the leftovers last for about 3-4 days in a tightly sealed container in the fridge.
Freezing note: I have not tested these in the freezer yet, but I'm guessing they would freeze well!
Serving
Note about the tomato glaze: If you are not a fan of maple-balsamic, or prefer the more standard approach, see the notes below the recipe for making a classic ketchup glaze instead.
Either glaze is tasty on top of the loaf, and then you can also garnish with a couple teaspoons fresh parsley or other herbs if desired.
Prefer gravy? Skip the tomato glaze altogether and pair it with this 10-minute Easy Vegan Gravy or Mushroom Gravy instead!
For more inspiration, also browse all vegan comfort food recipes or holiday recipes.
Vegan Mini Meatloaf with Maple-Balsamic Glaze
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp. ground flax meal
- 1 large carrot (or 2 small)
- 2-3 stalks celery
- 8 oz. mushrooms (I use cremini or white button)
- 1 1/2 cups walnuts* (I use raw, unsalted)
- 15 oz. can lentils
- 3/4 cup oat flour**
- 3 Tbsp. tamari (or soy sauce)
- 2 Tbsp. tomato paste
- 1 Tbsp. onion powder
- 2 tsp. garlic powder
- 1 tsp. dried oregano
- 1 tsp. dried basil
- 1 tsp. smoked paprika
- 1/2 tsp. salt (more/less to taste)
For the maple-balsamic glaze:
- 1/4 cup tomato paste
- 2 Tbsp. pure maple syrup
- 1 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
- 1 Tbsp. tamari (or soy sauce)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (176°C).
- Make flax egg: In a small bowl, combine 2 Tbsp. ground flax with 6 Tbsp. water. Stir and set aside to thicken.
- Roughly chop carrot and celery into large chunks (to fit in your food processor). Add them to the food processor and pulse several times until they're finely minced. Add to a large mixing bowl.
- Next, add mushrooms (wiped clean) and walnuts to food processor. Pulse several times. (It's okay to leave the walnuts in small pieces rather than a fine meal - I enjoy the slight crunch they add to the loaf.) Add to bowl with carrots/celery.
- Rinse and drain lentils well. Add to processor and pulse a couple times. (You don't want the lentils to be overly mushy.) Add to bowl.
- Add all remaining loaf ingredients to the large bowl. (Thickened flax egg, oat flour, tamari, tomato paste, herbs/spices, and salt.) Stir to thoroughly combine.
- Add loaf mixture throughout the 8 hollows in a non-stick mini loaf pan. Be sure to press mixture down to fill each cavity and form even loaves.
- Place in oven and bake for 25 minutes.
- Meanwhile, make the glaze: In a small bowl mix together all glaze ingredients until combined.
- After 25 minutes, remove pan from oven. Carefully spread glaze evenly over each loaf. Return to oven and bake an additional 15 minutes.
- Remove from oven and let loaves rest 25-30 minutes in the pan. (This step is essential. The loaves will be very soft right after baking. So it's necessary to let them rest and firm up.) After they've rested, carefully remove and serve.
Notes
Nutrition Per Serving (Estimate)
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Anna Marie
I’ve made this several times & thoroughly enjoy it. But I was wondering, can you get it to the point of having it in the loaf pan, but leave overnight in the refrigerator & bake it the next day? By the way, I’ve frozen individual pieces & it’s worked like a charm when thawed. Thanks in advance for your response, Anna Marie
Kaitlin
Hello Anna Marie! So thrilled to hear you've been enjoying this recipe. And good to know the freezing & thawing has worked great for you. To answer your question, I haven't prepared it a day in advance yet but my best guess is that it would do well. I'll be sure to update the recipe if I test this method because it could be very helpful for preparing ahead of time. Would love to hear if you give it a go too. Thanks so much for sharing your kind and helpful feedback!
Carrie Chandler
I made this last weekend, and it was soooo incredibly good. Yes, the crunch of walnut is perfect, and the balsamic glaze was perfect. I had a carnivore friend over because I like having them try vegan oil-based meals and she took some home. Will make this again for sure! Going to try some other recipes. Yay!!
Kaitlin
Hello Carrie! So thrilled to hear you enjoyed these. Thanks for giving them a try and sharing your very kind feedback. Hope you enjoy any other recipes you try as well. Wishing you a beautiful week! -Kaitlin
Jennifer
Really loved the flavour of this recipe! I made it in an 8 mini loaf pan as written in the instructions. I’ve tried other lentil loaves before, and they are always so complicated to make. Thanks for sharing such an easy recipe! As a previous reviewer mentioned, I also have mushroom resistant “offspring”, but they didn’t watch me make the recipe, and because they get processed with the walnuts, they were none the wiser and enjoyed the recipe!
Kaitlin
Hi Jennifer! Haha, so happy to hear you and the kids enjoyed these, sneaky mushrooms and all! Thanks for sharing your thoughtful feedback. 🙂
Anna Marie
I was looking for something different to make w/ cremini mushrooms & came upon your website. Made this recipe for my early dinner. This is scrumptious. If I could rate it higher, I would. I ate two pieces. Very delish! Now can this be frozen? Thanks for posting this. Anna Marie
Kaitlin
Hi Anna Marie! So wonderful to hear how much you enjoyed the meatloaf. I still haven't tested it as a freezer meal, but my best guess is that it would do great. (I'll be sure to update if I ever test it!) Thank you for giving the recipe a try and sharing your very kind feedback!
Anna Marie
You’re quite welcome, Kaitlin. I’ll be checking your website for more recipes. I like that you include the nutrition also. 😊
Cathy
Just made this. Oh my goodness! So yum! Thank you for sharing this recipe!
Kaitlin
So great to hear, Cathy! Thanks for giving it a try and sharing your kind feedback!
annie
Hi, Kaitlin! Wanting to make this, but I have some anti-mushroom offspring (*gasp!* I don’t know where they came from lol) and I’m curious if the chickpea suggestion you gave would work for mushroom substitution… I will probably just try it anyway, but wanted to ask anyway in case it helps anyone else 🙂
Also, I will absolutely make the recipe *with* mushrooms at some point…maybe for Valentine’s Day for the spouse being.
Thanks!
Kaitlin
Haha - I haven't tested this without mushrooms, but I think chickpeas could work! Would love to hear if you give it a go. (And I'll be sure to update if I test that version as well.) Another option could be to make it a lentil + walnut loaf only. Simply omit the mushrooms/chickpeas and increase the walnuts and lentils instead. Thanks so much for the comment and hope you enjoy it!
Tori
Making these for my little family tonight! I feel like we will have extra loaves. Any idea if these freeze well?
Kaitlin
Hi Tori! I haven't tried freezing these yet, but I suspect they would do great as a freezer meal. I'd let them cool to room temperature first, then wrap in foil, plastic wrap, or freezer-safe container. When you're ready to reheat, I'd let them thaw in the fridge then either heat in the microwave or in the oven at about 300°F (for maybe 15 minutes?) until heated through.
Would love to hear how it goes! Hope you and your family enjoy them!
Donna
Kaitlin, I have all the ingredients on hand to make this fabulous sounding recipe (love lentils)... just not a mini loaf pan. Do have a standard size though. I read to increase the baking time; but do you know of a reason why the end result might not turn out as well as it would if baked in the mini pan? Just curious. 'Cause I could order the mini pan and bake later. Thanks for any tip you can give! I love your Mexican salad recipes! Delicious and satisfying!
Kaitlin McGinn
Hi Donna! I've made this in a regular loaf pan and it works great, too. I just prefer the mini loaf size/shape (such cute single servings!) and also found it firmed up the loaves a little more. But I know a mini loaf pan is not something many people have on hand. So you can certainly use your regular loaf pan, or even a cupcake/muffin tin if you're wanting smaller portion sizes.
Glad you're enjoying the salad recipes! Thanks for the kind words. -Kaitlin
Alison
Hi Kaitlin! This looks so yummy! I have one question though, I see that your suggestion for a nut free is chickpeas... is there perhaps some sort of vegetable that may work in substitution for that? I’m racking my brain but I’m not sure what! LOL. Any suggestions or thoughts? Thanks so much! I can’t wait to try this.
Kaitlin McGinn
Hi Alison! Great question - I haven't tested this without using either walnuts or chickpeas, so I can't say for sure. But you might be able to use an additional can of lentils, or possibly increase the mushrooms but I don't know if that'd make it too soft/mushy. Sunflower seeds (coarsely ground) could be another possibility if you don't have any allergy issues there. Would love to hear if you give it a go! I'll be sure to update the recipe if I ever test it without walnuts/chickpeas.