Easy Vegan Meatloaf

Make this hearty, easy vegan meatloaf for holiday dinners or weeknight meals. Using chickpeas as its base, this classic recipe is vegan, nutritious, and can be made gluten-free!

Kirsten Nunez, MS

By Kirsten Nunez, MS

3 Ratings

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For a plant-based take on a classic main course, try this easy vegan meatloaf recipe. Made with simple ingredients like chickpeas and fresh herbs, this dish is both hearty and healthy! It’s also topped with tangy-sweet vegan glaze that’s hard to resist.

We love serving this recipe as an entrée for holidays and special occasions, but it’s easy enough to make for a weeknight meal. Here’s how to make it.

Easy Vegan Meatloaf Recipe

You will need:

  • canned chickpeas
  • white onion
  • celery
  • carrots
  • garlic
  • parsley
  • oregano
  • sage
  • ground black pepper
  • salt
  • ketchup
  • vegan Worcestershire sauce
  • low-sodium soy sauce
  • liquid smoke
  • breadcrumbs
  • non-dairy milk
  • ground flax

If needed, use gluten-free breadcrumbs and tamari.

Note that the herbs are just suggestions. You can replace or add other herbs, like rosemary or thyme, to your meatloaf.

Vegan meatloaf ingredients

Preheat the oven to 375° F. Line a loaf pan or dish parchment paper or aluminum foil. This is useful for easier clean up and serving, but you can also just grease the pan.

Drain the chickpeas very well. Add them to a food processor, then pulse until slightly more than half is mashed. It’s okay if there are some chunks.

Be sure to avoid over-processing the chickpeas. If the chickpeas are mashed too much, the finished meatloaf may be mushy. (On the other hand, too many chunks will make the meatloaf fall apart, so it’s a bit of a balancing act.)

Transfer the chickpea mixture to a large mixing bowl.

chickpeas in a food processor
chiproc

Now, warm about 2 tablespoons of oil to a large skillet. Add the onion, celery, and carrots. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes over medium heat, or until the onion is fragrant and tender. Add the garlic and cook for another 30 seconds.

carrots, celery, and onions cooking in a pan
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Let cool for about a minute. Add to the food processor and pulse until crumbly. If you want the vegetables to be less noticeable, continue pulsing until finely chopped (but not mushy).

Transfer to the large mixing bowl.

carrots, onions, and celery added to chickpeas in food processor

If you haven’t already, roughly chop up the herbs. You’ll need about 3 tablespoons of each.

chopped herbs on a cutting board
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To the mixing bowl, add the fresh herbs, salt, pepper, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, liquid smoke, breadcrumbs, non-dairy milk, and ground flax.

Vegan Chickpea Meatloaf ingredients in a mixing bowl

Stir until fully combined. Try to form a small patty, as if you were making veggie burgers. The mixture should clump and stick together.

If the mixture is too dry, slowly add more non-dairy milk.

Vegan Chickpea Meatloaf ingredients mixed

Transfer the mixture into the lined or greased loaf dish. Press down until it’s flat and compact. Bake for 30 minutes.

Vegan Meatloaf in a glass baking dish

Meanwhile, make the meatloaf glaze.

You will need:

  • ketchup
  • apple cider vinegar
  • maple syrup
  • liquid smoke
  • garlic powder
  • paprika

If you prefer an extra-saucy meatloaf, double all the ingredients.

meatloaf topping ingredients

In a small bowl, combine all the ingredients. Whisk well.

Vegan Meatloaf topping

After 30 minutes, remove the meatloaf from the oven. Spread on top and bake for another 25 minutes, or until golden brown and crispy along the edges.

baked vegan meatloaf

Avoid cutting the meatloaf right out of the oven; it will easily fall apart at this point. Instead, let the meatloaf sit for about 15 minutes. The longer it sits to cool down, the more it will stick together.

Finished Vegan Meatloaf

Top with additional herbs, if you’d like. Slice and enjoy with your favorite vegan holiday recipes, such as:

Vegan Chickpea Meatloaf

Easy Vegan Meatloaf

Make this hearty, easy vegan meatloaf recipe for holiday dinners or weeknight meals. Using chickpeas as its base, this classic recipe is vegan, nutritious, and can be made gluten-free!
Click stars below to rate, or leave a full review in the comments
3 Ratings
Print Rate it Now Pin Recipe
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American
Diet: Vegan, Vegetarian
Keyword: chickpea meatloaf, vegan meatloaf
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 55 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings: 8
Calories: 220kcal
Author: Kirsten Nunez, MS

Ingredients

Chickpea Meatloaf

Meatloaf Glaze

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 375° F. Line a loaf pan or dish parchment paper or aluminum foil.
  • Add the chickpeas to a food processor, then pulse until slightly more than half is mashed. It’s okay if there are some chunks. Avoid over-processing the chickpeas, as this will make the finished meatloaf too mushy. Transfer the chickpeas to a large mixing bowl.
  • Heat about 2 tablespoons of oil to a large skillet. Add the onion, celery, and carrots. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes over medium heat, or until the onion is fragrant and tender. Add the garlic and cook for another 30 seconds. Let cool for about a minute, then add to the food processor. Pulse until crumbly and add to the bowl.
  • Add the fresh herbs, salt, pepper, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, liquid smoke, breadcrumbs, non-dairy milk, and ground flax. Stir until fully combined. Try to form a small patty, as if you were making veggie burgers. The mixture should clump and stick together. If it's too dry, slowly add non-dairy milk.
  • Transfer the mixture into the lined loaf dish. Press down until to flatten; make sure it's very compact. Bake for 30 minutes.
  • Meanwhile, make the meatloaf glaze. Combine all the glaze ingredients. Spoon over the meatloaf and return to the oven. Bake for 25 minutes, or until golden brown and the edges are crispy. Let sit for 15 minutes before slicing.

Notes

  • If you prefer an extra-saucy meatloaf, double all the ingredients for the sauce recipe. Or if you don’t like the ketchup-based sauce at all, try using our Vegan Mushroom Gravy
  • The herbs in this recipe are just suggestions. You can replace or add other herbs, like rosemary or thyme, to your meatloaf.
  • Don’t over-process the chickpeas as this can make the finished meatloaf mushy.
  • Nutrition information for this Chickpea Meatloaf recipe is a rough estimate automatically calculated by the Spoonacular food database.

Nutrition

Calories: 220kcal | Carbohydrates: 38g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 1201mg | Potassium: 466mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 2894IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 153mg | Iron: 4mg
Tried this recipe?Mention @CleanGreenSimple or tag #CleanGreenSimple!
Kirsten Nunez, MS
4.67 from 3 votes (3 ratings without comment)

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