What ingredient keeps vegan meatloaf from falling apart?

In traditional meatloaf recipes, eggs are used to bind the meatloaf together. Here we use ground flax seeds to bind the ingredients together.

What is vegan meatloaf made of?

We use a combination of lentils and quinoa with toasted and minced walnuts and sautéed veggies to create the loaf. You'll see other vegan loaves with ground oats or oat flour, or even mushrooms, like our Mushroom Loaf .

What not to put in meatloaf?

Avoid using raw veggies. It's important to sauté the veggies for this recipe so that they are soft and have a savory, subtly sweet flavor versus being raw and crunchy.

Vegan Meatloaf

Description

This hearty Vegan Meatloaf recipe is full of flavor and succulent texture. Lentils and quinoa pack it with plant protein, delivering a wholesome and satisfying meal. Gluten-free

Ingredients

Units

1/2 cup lentils, brown or green
1/2 cup quinoa
2 1/2 cups water, or veggie broth
3 large garlic cloves, whole
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried sage
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons ground flaxseeds
1 cup walnuts, toasted and chopped
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 cup carrot, grated
1 medium onion, diced small
2 ribs celery, diced small
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce or tamari (I used low sodium)
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard or stoneground mustard
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 cup fresh parsley
2 tablespoons fresh rosemary
1/2–1 teaspoon salt (adjust to taste- I like 1 teaspoon)

Glaze

3 tablespoons tomato paste
2 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon sriracha or gochugaru (optional)
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon salt

Instructions

Cook the lentils and quinoa. Add lentils and water to a pot and bring to a boil, turn down and simmer for 5 minutes. Add quinoa, garlic cloves, bay leaf, thyme, sage and salt. Cover with a lid for 20 minutes until lentils are soft and liquid is absorbed. Add flax seeds while still hot, thoroughly mixing in and smashing the garlic cloves into the mixture, and roughly mashing the lentils.
Toast the walnuts at 325 for 8-10 minutes or until they smell toasty, cool and chop fine but with some texture. You can use a food processor to pulse until you achieve a coarse texture.
Saute the veggies. Saute carrots, onion, and celery in olive oil for 5 minutes until soft.
Combine the lentil loaf. In a large bowl, mix tomato paste, soy sauce, Dijon mustard, balsamic vinegar, black pepper, parsley, rosemary, and salt until thoroughly combined. Add in the toasted, chopped walnuts, sauteed veggies, and lentil mixture.
Make the glaze. In a small bowl, mix tomato paste, water, balsamic vinegar, maple syrup, sriracha, onion powder, and salt. Whisk until smooth.
Assemble. Line a 9×5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper (extending a few inches over the edge of the pan) and oil the uncovered sides. Spread a few tablespoons of glaze on the bottom. Firmly press the lentil mixture into the pan to help it stick together. TIP: You can prepare this stage up to 2 days in advance, the flavors really marry and improve if left to sit overnight, it will also stick together better. Before baking spread the remaining glaze evenly over the top of the loaf.
Bake in a preheated oven at 375°F for 20 minutes covered and 15 minutes uncovered. Let rest for at least 15 minutes before removing from the pan. See tips in notes.

Notes

Tips for removing from the pan- Allowing the parchment to extend a few inches on each side makes it easier to lift the loaf from the pan. It’s helpful to have someone assist you, with two hands on each side to distribute the weight evenly, preventing the loaf from buckling in the middle. Once the loaf is on the serving platter the parchment will come out from underneath with some gentle tugging.

You can also bake this in an 8×8 Pyrex dish and serve squares from the dish.

Lentils- Brown or green lentils cook fairly quickly and break down slightly, helping this vegan meatloaf hold together.

Storing leftovers– Cool the meatloaf to room temperature, wrap it, and refrigerate for up to 5 days.To freeze- Wrap cooled meatloaf in a freezer-safe container or bag and freeze for up to 3 months, whole or sliced. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator. To reheat- Heat the loaf or slices in the oven at 350ºF until internal temp reaches 145F

Make it Ahead– You can pre-assemble the vegan meatloaf up to 2 days ahead and store it in the fridge. Bring to room temp before baking.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1/8 of the loaf
Calories: 327
Sugar: 8.7 g
Sodium: 275.5 mg
Fat: 12.1 g
Saturated Fat: 1.2 g
Carbohydrates: 46.7 g
Fiber: 7.1 g
Protein: 12 g
Cholesterol: 0 mg