This hearty vegan meatloaf is made from a base of seasoned chickpeas, baked up to perfection and topped with a flavorful maple glaze. It’s not quite a classic meatloaf. It’s better.
This recipe was originally published in November of 2015, and it’s been a reader favorite ever since! I’ve updated it with more detailed instructions and process shots, and now I’m resharing it just in time for Thanksgiving 2020.
When I’m creating new recipes for this blog I always try really hard to work from a place of knowledge and experience. Like, if at all possible, I’d like to have had at least some authentic-ish version of a dish before sharing my own take.
It’s kind of funny that I had trouble in this department with meatloaf. I mean, who doesn’t know what meatloaf tastes like?
I really don’t. It’s been a while and I never liked meatloaf when I was a kid. In fact, I didn’t think other people liked meatloaf. I just thought it was one of those items we all had traumatic school cafeteria memories of. Apparently I was wrong, because all I’ve been hearing lately is meatloaf praise.
Like lots of other dishes I never liked as a kid, I figured a vegan version would be a safe bet, so I set out to create one, but I got a little sidetracked, hence the (almost) classic aspect of this recipe.
Obviously chickpeas would be a diversion from normal meatloaf, but I’m totally fine with that. I also realized as I was browsing meatloaf recipes that most are topped with ketchup, which didn’t sound very appealing to me, so I went with a light maple glaze with a hint of paprika.
Maybe I do like meatloaf, because this was awesome.
I had to ask my husband if it tasted anything like normal meatloaf. He assured me that it was delicious, and about as much like traditional meatloaf as one of my veggie burgers is to a regular old burger. Perfect!
What You’ll Need
- Chickpeas. They’ll need to be precooked (try this method) or canned.
- Onion.
- Celery.
- Carrots.
- Garlic.
- Panko breadcrumbs. Regular breadcrumbs work too — just check the ingredients to ensure they’re vegan.
- Non-dairy milk. Make sure it’s unflavored and unsweetened.
- Vegan Worcestershire sauce. Try Annie’s, Edward & Sons or Whole Foods brands. They’re all vegan!
- Soy sauce or tamari.
- Olive oil. Leave this out for an oil-free version.
- Ground flaxseeds. This helps bind the loaf together.
- Tomato paste.
- Liquid smoke.
- Black pepper.
How to Make Vegan Meatloaf
The following is a detailed photo tutorial on how to make this dish. Scroll down to the bottom of the post if you’d like to skip right to the recipe!
Start by loading up your food processor with the chickpeas, diced veggies, panko breadcrumbs, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, olive oil, flaxseeds, tomato paste, and liquid smoke, if you’re using it!
If you’ve got a nice big food processor you might be able to do it all at once. Otherwise, do this in a couple of batches.
Pulse everything in the food processor. Whatever you do, don’t let it start running and walk away. Your mixture will turn to mush and you’ll end up with a sad, mushy faux meatloaf.
Next, load everything into a loaf pan. Tip: line the pan with a strip of parchment paper to make the loaf easier to remove when it’s done baking. Smooth out the top with a spoon and bake the loaf.
Mix up the glaze while your loaf bakes.
After 30 minutes, take the vegan meatloaf out of the oven and spoon the glaze over top. Bake it for another 20 to 25 minutes.
Tips For Making a Perfect Chickpea Vegan Meatloaf
- Mix everything up in batches if needed. I used an 11 cup food processor and still it was a tight squeeze!
- Don’t overblend. Please, please, please don’t do it! Check out my shots above: the mixture is chunky! There’s even a whole chickpea or two in there. This gives your loaf texture and keeps it from being mushy.
- I’ve tried a few different loaf pans and had the best luck with a glass Pyrex pan.
- The loaf firms up over time. So if you like a nice, firm vegan meatloaf, make it well in advance so it has time to sit.
- Leftovers can be heated in the microwave or popped in the oven for a few minutes. Oh, and they make an awesome sandwich!
Check out my video for more guidance on how to make a killer vegan meatloaf!
Like this recipe? If so, be sure to follow me on Facebook, Pinterest or Instagram, or subscribe to my newsletter. And please stop back and leave me a review and rating below if you make it!
(Almost) Classic Chickpea Vegan Meatloaf
Ingredients
For the Chickpea Meatloaf
- 2 (14 ounce or 400 gram) cans chickpeas, (or 3 1/3 cups cooked chickpeas) drained and rinsed
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 2 medium celery stalks, chopped
- 2 medium carrots, diced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 cups panko breadcrumbs
- 1/2 cup unflavored soy or almond milk
- 3 tablespoons vegan Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce or tamari
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons ground flax seeds
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon liquid smoke (optional)
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
For the Maple Glaze
- 1/4 cup tomato paste
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoons soy sauce or tamari
- 1 teaspoon paprika
Instructions
-
Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly oil a 9 inch loaf pan and arrange a strip of parchment paper width-wise along the center, with just a bit hanging over the sides.
-
Working in batches if needed, place all the meatloaf ingredients into food processor bowl and pulse until chickpeas are broken up and ingredients are well mixed, stopping to scrape down sides of bowl as needed. Do not overblend. If you're working in batches, transfer each batch to a large mixing bowl when complete and then mix by hand.
-
Press mixture into prepared loaf pan and bake 30 minutes.
-
While meatloaf bakes, stir glaze ingredients together in a small bowl.
-
Remove loaf from oven after 30 minutes and spoon glaze overtop of loaf. Bake another 20-25 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool at least 10 minutes before cutting.
Recipe Notes
The longer this sits, the firmer it gets. If it initially feels a bit soft for your liking, let it sit a for a few minutes or prep it a day in advance and reheat the day of serving.
This recipe is excellent! Not mushy, tasty, sticks together. I’ve tried making a loaf with lentils before, this is world’s beyond what I have tried. I did saute the veggies so they would not be as hard. And I used a different topping: I mixed ketchup, mustard, brown sugar and a dash of smoked paprika. This will definitely be a regular in my meal rotation!!! Thanks Alissa!!!
Yay! I’m so glad you like it! Thanks Lisa!
How best to reheat this loaf if you bake the day before? I never have an hour by the time everyone gets home so I’ll need to bake the evening before. What will give the best taste and texture?
It’ll be easiest to slice it and then reheat the slices individually. I usually just microwave them for a minute or two each, but you could also arrange them on a baking sheet and pop them into the oven — try 5 to 10 minutes at 400°.
Thanks. Not sure what I did wrong but my loaf came out very firm, but really bland tasting. I followed the recipe exactly. Trying to figure out what to do with the rest of the loaf as hubby generously suggested I could take it for lunch and he’d take something else (sigh). The glaze was nice but we ended up dipping each slice in either BBQ sauce or ketchup to give it some sort of flavor. My toddler was a pass after the first bite. I may try ‘re-mashing’ the remaining half loaf with some additional seasoning and rolling into ‘meatballs’. Any other suggestions welcome.
Oh no! I’m sorry to hear that! Are you sure you measured everything properly? Too firm and too bland makes me think there might have been too much breadcrumbs in there. Undercooked chickpeas is another possibility that comes to mind – as this would also result in too little moisture. I think turning the loaf into meatballs is a good idea – I’d just taste-test and add seasonings until you’re happy with the flavor.
This is a good recipe base. I sautéed the veggies first and then blended them. I tasted the uncooked mash and it needed wayyyyyy more spices. Like double quadruple the warchester, liquid smoke, and soy sauce. I also added 5 garlic cloves instead of 2. Plus oregano and a little Unami seasoning (TJs). For the glaze – again I doubled it the ingredients and added the liquid smoke, and used Truvia brown sugar instead of maple syrup. I also used Oat flour (that I blended from rolled oats) instead of Panko. Overall this is super delicious! But again, add more spices!!
Thanks for the tip, I thought the recipe seemed under seasoned.
Can you use gluten free breadcrumbs?
I haven’t tried, but I don’t see why not!
Great foundation recipe for all manner of variations! I’ve been looking for a use for a bottle of TJs smoked olive oil, which substituted quite nicely for the Liquid Smoke. Sautéed the vegetables then browned in a bit of tomato paste; did not have maple syrup on hand so made a glaze with ketchup and Worcestershire with a teaspoon of Dijon for some kick. Looking forward to using leftovers for sandwiches or wraps!
Glad you enjoyed it! And I’ve never tried smoked olive oil but now I’m definitely grabbing a bottle to try on my next trip to Trader Joe’s! Thanks Bobby!
Any suggestions on gluten free substitutions for the breadcrumbs, as they seem pretty important in the recipe. Thanks!
You could try oat flour – you might just need to cut down on the amount by 20% or so. Enjoy!
Crushed gluten-free corn flakes (not Kellogg’s) are a good replacement:
https://www.verywellfit.com/are-corn-flakes-gluten-free-562769
Good idea! Thanks for sharing!
Trader Joe’s has Rice Bread crumbs
They make Pablo crumbs from ground chickpeas. Very bland though so add extra spices!
Panko crumbs!
you can try saltine crackers…
My daughter is vegan and gluten free. I was thinking of subbing quick oats for the breadcrumbs. In fact, I use oats in my real meatloaf. Quick oats are smaller than regular oats but not as fine as oat flour.
Just had this for dinner tonight. I am amazed how delicious it is. My husband had three helpings. I would not change a thing about this recipe!
That’s great to hear! I’m so glad you both enjoyed it!
Thank you so much for sharing your great recipes. My son is vegan and I am trying to learn and cook vegan food. Your recipes looks so good. Can’t wait to try all of them. 🙏🏼
Thanks Tiky! I hope you and your son enjoy them!
How do I lower the sodium content of this recipe?
Try using reduced sodium soy sauce and chickpeas. Enjoy!
Can I make this without oil?
It should be fine without the oil. Enjoy!
Loved the flavors in this loaf but was disappointed that it came out mushy. I even cooked another ten minutes but it didn’t seem to help. The next day, it was a little firmer (sliceable), but still mushy. Didn’t stop me from eating it, but wondering if there is anything else to do to firm it up.
Sorry to hear that! Usually when the loaf turns out mushy it’s due to overblending. Is that possible? Otherwise, it could be too much liquid as a result of not draining the chickpeas enough or just using chickpeas that are very soft to begin with (some brands are firmer than others). You can test the loaf mixture after blending by pressing some of it together in your hands – it should hold together and have a texture similar to a mixture you might use for veggie burgers. If it’s too soft, try adding some extra panko. I hope that helps!
Good point. Mine came out very mushy too but I think I overblended it. Such a simple list of ingredients and a great recipe to chop and change the spices. Fantastic!
Do you think I can freeze it after baked?
Yup! I do all the time! Seal it up in a bag or large container and it should be good for at least 3 months.
Great meatloaf thank you for the recipe.
Glad you like it!
What can I substitute for panko? Will whole-wheat breadcrumbs work?
Yup! Just about any type of breadcrumb will work – I use panko because it’s the easiest type for me to find that’s vegan.
Ok. Thanks!!
You can get whole wheat Panko breadcrumbs. I have bought them at Kroger.
Hi, just a simple question, I’m Italian and sometimes it is difficult to convert the recipes in grams. Just to be sure, 3 cups and 1/2 means 450g of cooked chickpeas? Am I right? Thanks!! Irene
I’m not sure what the equivalent would be if you’re cooking them yourself, but it you use canned it would be two cans, approximately 400 grams each (so 800 grams total). I hope that helps!
I’m so sad that mine came out mushy in the center. Maybe I made it too thick but I’m keeping it in the oven to bake longer. Hopefully this helps. ☹️
Nope. It was a major fail. The flavor was good though.
This was really delicious. I made loaf sandwiches with it the next day and those were great too. Thanks for this recipe.
This recipe has been in my regular dinner rotation for more than a year now. My 4-year-old prefers this to actual meatloaf and my husband and I both enjoy it as a delicious meat-free option. I use my food processor to chop up the vegetables fairly small so the kid doesn’t try to eat around them. I have found I like this best cooked in a 9×9 glass pan with extra sauce on top. This gets the right loaf-to-sauce ratio we love and helps it firm up more. Thanks for the recipe!
This veggie loaf is loaded with flavor! Out of the oven and cooled for a few minutes, the loaf wasn’t very firm. Overnight in the fridge and it slices and holds together beautifully! Thank you for a healthy and flavorful recipe!
I’m not much of a cook, but thanks to your excellent instructions and photos, I made this recipe and it came out perfect! It made a good sized loaf so I froze some for future ‘ last minute’ meals. Two questions, should I thaw the frozen portion in the fridge and then reheat? Also, if I decide to make just half the recipe next time, should I reduce the baking time? Thanks again, I will be checking out your other recipes.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it! I think it really depends on time. I usually just let it thaw on the counter, but if you’re going to be out of the house all day the fridge might work better. I think the bake time would be less if you make a smaller one, but I’m not sure how much. I have a meatloaf muffin recipe (https://www.connoisseurusveg.com/vegan-meatloaf-muffins/) that takes 30 minutes to bake, so a smaller loaf would probably somewhere between the two cook times. I hope that helps!
Excited to make this! For glaze, do you think I could use barbecue sauce instead?
That should work just fine! Enjoy!
I was wondering – if I leave out the broth, can I halve the amount of breadcrumbs?
There’s no broth in this recipe. Did you mean the milk? If so, I’m not sure as I haven’t tried.
Hi! Nice recipe! Is it ok if I use wheat flour instead of the breadcrumbs?
I wouldn’t recommend it – the breadcrumbs add texture, and flour is a lot denser than breadcrumbs, so your loaf would probably be super heavy!
This is a wonderful vegan loaf. My husband seconds my “like”. Thanks for a great recipe.
I have been making this for years. Thank you so much for the recipe! About a year ago I made this for Pesach and used matzah meal instead of breadcrumbs. It gives a truly wonderful texture if anyone is struggling with mushiness I would really recommend it! Anyway, I’m about to try my first experiment in freezing it as my family are not as hungry during quarantine! We have had leftovers already and still half the loaf remains! Incredible! It normally barely makes it to leftovers!
To report back as we once again eat a frozen portion. The ability to freeze it has revolutionised dinner times. Absolutely amazing to just whip it out and cook up. I generally make and cook 2 when I make this now and 1.5 get sliced up and wrapped individually in greaseproof paper and then stored in a freezer bag. We have kept it for the longest about 3 months and it has still been good. To reheat/defrost we simply remove the morning of eating and then lay the slices flat on an oven tray and spread more glaze over the top (large side!) of the slice. Really delicious! I bake for about 25-30 mins. Love this recipe so much!
I’ve made this a few times and it’s fantastic! One batch is enough to make two loaves so I freeze one. The key to it not being mushy is definitely letting it sit, even if just for 10-15 minutes. Seasonings will always need to be adjusted for personal preference. Thank you!
I made it tonight and loved it.
Made this tonight with some changes. I did half panko, half Italian bread crumbs. Did an extra shake of Italian seasoning and some Montreal Chicken seasoning. Mixed up my flax with water ahead of time and let it sit, so I cut my almond milk by half, then added an extra splash when I mixed it up. I believe that helped it firm up better than some of the other comments. I also did a more traditional tomato paste topping instead of the maple just due to family preference. It was a very good base recipe and we will make it again.
Let me preface it his by saying I could be one of the worst cooks in this hemisphere. I have to measure out all my ingredients first and have them in a line according to usage. Unfortunately I did not do that when I made this last night. So as I’m taking it out of the oven I see the panko on the counter. In my mind, I’m retracing the steps in the recipe…yep, I forgot the panko. So, we scooped it out onto our plates and ate it with mashed potatoes and your super simple vegan gravy. It was about what you’d expect. Not horrible, but definitely not a loaf of any sort. After dinner I scraped off the remaining topping, put the meatloaf in a mixing bowl, added a cup of panko, retapped it, and popped it back in the oven. Today we had it for lunch and it was, believe it or not, really good! It held together great and the texture was good. I will say that iIMHO the maple tomato topping clashes a bit with the incredible gravy, but that’s just my taste. Otherwise, the only thing I did differently was add some wine to the gravy recipe.Thanks, Alissa!
Wow! Blown away with the texture I got from your brilliant recipe!!! I did change up the spices and doubled the glaze mix (Im a sauce lover) but I am so grateful I found your recipe Much love from Australia ❤
What could I use in place of flax seeds?
Ground chia seeds should work if you can find them.
I loved the flavour of this meatloaf, for some reason mine is not firm at all? The texture is still pretty mushy. Please let me know if you have any tips. I strictly followed the recipe. 🤔
Btw, I was very hesitant about the topping bcus I’m so used to the traditional ketchup topping. I have to say I LOVE this topping so much more!!
I would highly recommend firstly mixing the almond milk and flax seeds and leaving to stand 10-15 minutes before you start the recipe. They get a mix eggy consistency. Secondly, using matzo meal instead of breadcrumbs improved this greatly for me, also much cheaper!
Could I sub oats for the bread crumbs??
Sure, but you might want to reduce the amount slightly (by a couple of tablespoons or so). Oats tend to soak up more moisture than breadcrumbs, so otherwise your loaf could end up too dry!
I made this and while the flavor was really good it was mushy in the loaf pan. I ended up making some soft slices and baking them on parchment to dry them out a bit so they could firm up. I think next time Ill just use a cookie scoop and flatten them out some, top them with the glaze and just have loaf patties instead. They were great once i baked the slices though. I’ll make it again for sure.
Sounds delish. Is the flax what binds it together? I’m looking for a binder for my cabbage roll stuffing.
It’s the flax and the chickpeas themselves. For cabbage rolls you might want to try a tiny little bit of wheat flour or oat flour – little enough that it won’t be detectable. Both are great binders.
I have made this many times, and for multiple holidays. It’s my go to main dish. Everyone always likes it. It doesn’t fall apart like other loaves I’ve made and the Worcestershire sauce and liquid smoke make it so flavorful.
To be honest, I wasn’t expecting this to work for me. I was expecting it to come out as total mush, practically inedible, but I was totally wrong! It actually baked up to be solid, not too dry or soggy, and it was pretty tasty! I especially loved it in sandwiches the next day. I heated up the slices in a frying pan before putting on the sandwich and it was divine. When I made the loaf I did two batches in my food processor, one for veggies and one for everything else, but I think next time I’ll do three and process the chickpeas on their own. I didn’t have Panko, so I used regular breadcrumbs and that was fine. I think next time I will add a little more salt and some other herbs/spices for seasoning like I used to do when I made meatloaf before going vegan. Thanks for the recipe!!
First time making vegan meatloaf came out a little mushy but still came out yummy. Hopefully next time I can get right . Going to make for thanksgiving
I’ve made it last night to have it today cold : amazing ! Thank you very much !
I should add I have replaced the breadcrumbs with buckwheat flakes and it worked really well.
Just one question: can I freeze it ?
Glad you like it! And yes, you can freeze it – I do it all the time!
Made this again this year— it’s part of our Thanksgiving table now!
Your recipe is looks great I have tired at my home it so tastey.I loved it.
This is great! We used ramekins to make mini meatloaves. We didn’t have any tomato paste, so we used ketchup, and we didn’t have any vegan Worcestershire, so we used more soy sauce and vinegar. We would definitely make this again!
Made a variation* of this for Christmas this year. I love all of your recipes, thanks for sharing them! Happy holidays to you!! Hope you’re safe and well. Take care ❤️
* Subbed half of the chickpeas with black beans, sauteed everything before blending and added some mushrooms as well. Didn’t have Worcestershire sauce or liquid smoke so I just left them out. Added a bit more bread crumbs because of the mushrooms. Turned out perfect. 🤤
I like this. I am going to prepare now. Thanks.