This hearty vegan meatloaf is made from a base of seasoned chickpeas, veggies and savory seasonings, all topped with a flavorful maple glaze. It's not quite a classic meatloaf. It's better.
I had a hard time figuring out what to include in this vegan meatloaf recipe? Why is that, you ask? Well, it's been a loooooooong time since I had authentic meatloaf. In fact, I never even ate it that often as a kid.
But I got so many requests for a killer vegan loaf over the years that I decided to just have at it. Since I had no idea where to start, I did what any vegan cook would do.
I used chickpeas.
As luck would have it, chickpea loaf is pretty awesome. Chickpeas are hearty and substantial, so they're perfect for taking the place of meat in a dish like this, particularly when blended up with all kinds of savory seasonings and veggies. Our loaf gets topped with a lightly smoky tomato maple glaze and everything comes together to create the most delicious of vegan comfort food flavor bombs.
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!
Jump to:
Ingredients You'll Need
- Chickpeas. The recipe calls for canned chickpeas, but you're welcome to cook them yourself. Try this method and make sure you've got about 3 ¾ cups of cooked chickpeas for the loaf.
- Onion.
- Celery.
- Carrots.
- Garlic.
- Panko breadcrumbs. Regular breadcrumbs work too — just check the ingredients to ensure they're vegan.
- Non-dairy milk. Look for varieties that are unflavored and unsweetened. Soy milk, almond milk and oat milk are all great options. Canned coconut milk is the only variety that I'd avoid using.
- Vegan Worcestershire sauce. Most brands of Worcestershire sauce contain anvhovy paste, so be careful here. Annie's, Edward & Sons and Whole Foods are all anchovy-free. You can also use homemade vegan Worcestershire sauce.
- Soy sauce. Gluten-free tamari or liquid aminos can be substituted if needed.
- Olive oil. This adds some moisture to the loaf. Leave this out for an oil-free version.
- Ground flaxseeds. Look for these in the natural foods section of your store.
- Tomato paste.
- Liquid smoke. Look for this near where the barbecue sauce is sold at your supermarket. I know not everyone is a fan of liquid smoke, so feel free to leave it out if that's you. You could also substitute some smoked paprika.
- Salt & pepper.
- Maple syrup.
- Apple cider vinegar.
- Paprika.
Tip: For an alternative to the maple glaze, try topping your vegan meatloaf with my vegan gravy. It'll give it a whole new flavor profile!
How It's Made
The following is a detailed photo tutorial on how to make this dish. Scroll all the way down if you'd like to skip right to the recipe!
- Place the ingredients for the loaf into a food processor bowl. This includes the chickpeas, diced onion, carrots and celery, minced garlic, breadcrumbs, milk, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, oil, flaxseed, tomato paste, liquid smoke, and black pepper.
Tip: If you have a very large food processor you can add everything at once. Otherwise you'll need to work in batches. I'm using an 11 cup model in the photos, and it's filled to capacity.
- 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 vegan meatloaf.
- Every so often you'll want to stop the machine, open the lid, and use a spatula to scrape down the sides of the bowl and redistribute the ingredients.
- Taste-test the mixture at this point and season it with some salt if you'd like. Feel free to adjust any other seasonings to your liking.
Tip: Make sure you don't overblend the mixture. Keep some texture and chunks of chickpeas and veggies.
- Lightly oil the inside of a loaf pan and line it with a strip of parchment paper to make your vegan meatloaf easier to remove when it's done baking.
- Transfer the chickpea mixture to the loaf pan. Press it in and smooth out the top with a spatula. Pop the loaf into the oven.
- Mix up the glaze by stirring together tomato paste, maple syrup, apple cider vinegar, soy sauce and paprika while your loaf bakes.
- After about 30 minutes, take the loaf out of the oven and cover the top with the glaze, then return it to the oven to finish baking.
Tip: I've made this loaf using a few different pans and had the best luck with a 9-inch glass Pyrex pan.
- Let your vegan meatloaf cool for at least 10 minutes before slicing and serving it.
Tip: This loaf firms up as it sits, so consider making it well in advance if you'd like it to be really sturdy.
Leftovers & Storage
Vegan meatloaf will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for about 4 days, or in the freezer for about 3 months.
Leftovers can be heated in the microwave or popped in the oven for a few minutes. Oh, and they make an awesome sandwich!
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! Just use gluten-free vegan breadcrumbs, or substitute rolled oats. You'll also need to use gluten-free tamari in place of soy sauce, and make sure you're Worcestershire sauce is gluten-free (Edward & Sons is).
Yes! I've heard from a lot of readers who did this with success. I skip the step to save time and because I find the loaf delicious without it.
You can! Just chop your veggies up very finely, and mash the chickpeas with a fork or potato masher.
Traditional, savory vegan side dishes go great with veggie loaf! Try vegan mashed potatoes and gravy, vegan green bean casserole, wild rice pilaf, and/or vegan cornbread.
More Vegan Comfort Food Recipes
Like this recipe? If so, please stop back and leave me a review and rating below if you try it! Also be sure to follow me on Facebook, Pinterest or Instagram, or subscribe to my newsletter for more recipes like this one!
Classic Vegan Meatloaf
This hearty vegan meatloaf is made from a base of seasoned chickpeas, veggies and savory seasonings, all topped with a flavorful maple glaze. It's not quite a classic meatloaf. It's better.
Ingredients
For the Chickpea Meatloaf
- 2 (14 ounce or 400 gram) cans chickpeas, (or 3 ⅓ 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
- ½ cup unflavored soy or almond milk
- 3 tablespoons vegan Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce or tamari
- 2 tablespoons olive oil (optional)
- 2 tablespoons ground flax seeds
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon liquid smoke (optional)
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
For the Maple Glaze
- ¼ cup tomato paste
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoons soy sauce or tamari
- 1 teaspoon paprika
Instructions
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Preheat the 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.
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Working in batches if needed, place all the meatloaf ingredients except for salt into food processor bowl and pulse until the chickpeas are broken up and the ingredients are well mixed, stopping to scrape down the 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.
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Taste-test the mixture and season it with salt to taste.
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Press the mixture into prepared loaf pan and bake 30 minutes.
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While meatloaf bakes, stir the glaze ingredients together in a small bowl.
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Remove the loaf from the oven after 30 minutes and spoon glaze overtop of the loaf.
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Return the loaf to the oven and bake it another 20-25 minutes.
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Remove the loaf from the oven and allow it to cool at least 10 minutes before cutting. (See Note.)
Recipe Notes
The longer this sits, the firmer it gets. If it initially feels a bit soft for your liking, let it sit for a few minutes or it a cook it day in advance and reheat on the day of serving.
Ron Daniels says
It looks good and was pretty simple. BUT - it really has no taste... Just very bland.
Alissa Saenz says
Sorry to hear that! If you make it again you could try upping the seasonings and taste testing the chickpea mixture until you like the flavor.
Jenna Landry says
so I made this for dinner and my husband brought chipotle as a back up but I love it so much j chose it over chipotle ( I REALLY love chipotle) I'm also not even vegan. I can't wait to try more recipes from you, I'd one day like to be a full time vegan and you make it seem easy!
Alissa Saenz says
Yay! I'm so glad to hear that! Thanks so much Jenna!
Beth says
So very happy that I tried this AMAZING recipe, I even did all the mixing by hand and it turned out perfect! Thank you so much for sharing.
Alissa Saenz says
Oh awesome! I'm glad to hear it works with hand mixing - I'm sure that will come in handy for a lot of people. :) Thanks so much for sharing your results, and I'm glad you enjoyed it!!
Sheree says
Hi , i just wanted to let you know that this recipe was phenomenal!!! I haven't really spoke to anyone about becoming vegan and so invited my mother and grandmother over for dinner and they could not believe that this dish was meatless.
Alissa Saenz says
That's great to hear! I'm glad everyone enjoyed it. Thanks Sheree!
Jay says
I would like to try and make this. I'm wondering if 1 tsp of xanthum gum might do the trick of giving a firmer texture. If I do make this iwith xanthum gum I will post an update.
Sierra Kofoid says
I tried this last night and while I didnt hate it it was more of a bean loaf. Maybe it was over processing but it held together well
Debbie Adams says
Made this tonight. Substituted cornmeal for the Panko to make it gluten free. It was quite firm and had great texture. The flavors were just ok for me. I didn't like the apple cider vinegar taste in the maple glaze topping. For me, just the tomato paste alone would be great. I'm trying the leftovers tomorrow after the flavors really blend but to be honest, I'll not make this again. A lot of work for something that was just ok. It wasn't the worst gf v meal I've had but close. Possibly the cornmeal substitution ruined the recipe. No offense to recipe creater.
Brie says
Absolutely love this recipe, my first vegan meatloaf and it was great! I made a vegan mushroom gravy to drizzle along with the maple glaze and sprinkled shredded vegan cheese on top. Thanks so much for this first time on your site and will definitely be returning!
Alissa Saenz says
I'm glad you're enjoying it! Mushroom gravy sounds like a delicious addition!
Jess says
I just made this tonight, and it is so good! I'm not vegan, but I try to do vegan diet intermittently with my regular diet to stay balanced, and what usually ends up breaking me is the lack of "comfort food" while I'm on a vegan stint. This recipe was exactly what I needed! I didn't have liquid smoke or paprika, but it was still amazing...and that maple glaze is dope! I'm gonna have to make a second batch for dipping! Thanks for sharing this recipe. <3
Alissa Saenz says
Thanks so much Jess! I'm glad you enjoyed it!
Alexis says
I made this and it's delicious, although I think I overblended just a tad bit. But there was so much flavor! I am definitely going to make this again. Thank you for this recipe!!!
Alissa Saenz says
Happy to hear you enjoyed it! And yes! Definitely watch out for over-blending!
Patti says
In the picture, is it parsley or cilantro sprinkled on top?
Alissa Saenz says
It's parsley.
Julie says
I made this but it was so mushy and never set even after baking it longer. The taste was strange too ☹️
Sue says
Very disappointed! Came out as mush! Had to throw away. Time & food wasted. :(
Maria says
I used this as a base for my veggie loaf. Ieft out the almond milk and added red peppers, almond meal, pecan meal, time, a little more salt, a little cilantro, parsley, and a little of the Jamaican pick a pepper sauce. For the topping I use pineapple juice, soy sauce, maple syrup and ketchup. Delicious...Thank you.
Alissa Saenz says
Wow, those all sound like delicious additions! I'm glad you enjoyed it. Thanks Maria!
Barbara says
Made this yesterday and had it for lunch today. It was c delicious. It came out perfect texture and firmness..Thanks
Alissa Saenz says
Thanks Barbara! Glad you're enjoying it!
Dan says
looks insanely good ! ordered up some ians panko and wizards Worcestershire to make it gluten free.
Alissa Saenz says
Thanks Dan! I hope you enjoy it!!
suzi says
I made this yesterday and subbed a shredded zucchini (pressed out moisture) for the celery I didn't have on hand. what an incredible recipe!! warmed a slice today in the toaster oven and made sandwiches with it. YUM!!
Alissa Saenz says
Awesome! I'm so glad you liked it!
Chris L says
Just made this recipe and it is delicious!
Alissa Saenz says
I'm glad you think so! Thanks Chris!
Tammy says
I made this tonight. I followed the directions completely. It had little flavor. (In my opinion) It was also very mushy. It didn't hold together at all. I cooked it more and let it set longer. Still mushy.
Lisa c says
Same!
Elizabeth Spiteri says
Thank you! My first vegan 'meat'loaf :) Was pretty good, I did add some herbs and also a bit of tomato sauce and Tabasco Sauce. Was soft, but not terrible.
Lisa c says
Wow- not sure where I went wrong- followed the recipe to a T and well... this turned out very bland and nothing like we expected. With all these flavorful ingredients I thought it would be so much more bold. I'll stick with my old recipe! Sorry!!!
Mel G. says
Made this today without the oil and milk and water fried the veggies first. molded it into a glass 8" loaf then unmolded it onto a silicone baking mat. It held together fantastic and I was able to cut and serve right out of the oven. Newly vegan hubby went back for seconds, Thank you!
Mary says
I made this for dinner tonight and loved it! As I don't have a food processor, I just mashed the chickpeas with a fork. Worked fine. I precooked the carrots to make them easier to chop. Delicious recipe. Thank you.
Christina N says
Amazing recipe! I couldn't stop eating it!?
Made it with vegan macaroni and vegan green beans with bacon. Mmmmmm. Best dinner ever!
Beth says
I made this last night and let it stand for about an hour. Still mushy but had a nice flavor. I left out a small amount of the ingredients and put it in the refrigerator. For lunch today, I formed then into two patties. I coated them with cornstarch and pan cooked them in olive oil. The veggies patties were delicious! I think I'll be making this as veggies patties instead of a veggie loaf from now on.
Valerie Kirwan says
Hi...I know your original posted recipe was a couple years ago, but I have a new vegetarian DIL in the family and I keep wanting to try new dishes for her....and all of us actually, a I find a lot are to our taste.
I noticed you said this could be made the day ahead and reheated the next day. How would you reheat it? Wrapped in foil in the oven? I'm worried it may dry out too much.
Hope you see this....thanks :)
Alissa Saenz says
I actually just microwave the individual slices, but I think wrapping it in foil and sticking it into the oven would work too. I don't think it will dry out too much. :)
Luke says
I was pretty skeptical of a chickpea-based recipe but it really came together wonderfully! All of the meatloaf ingredients were important so don't skimp. As others have mentioned you definitely want a strong blender/processor - my Oster bullet just couldn't handle how sticky and dry the mixture was.
All in all a definite repeat for this one!
Alissa Saenz says
Thanks so much! I'm so glad you enjoyed it!
Amanda says
I only have one can of chickpeas on hand. Can I sub for another bean?
Alissa Saenz says
I'm not sure, but I could see lentils or any kind of white beans like navy, cannellini, or great northern working. You could also half the recipe - the loaf will be shorter and you'll need to keep an eye on it during baking to make sure it does't go to long and burn.
Jazzy says
Sorry but this was a miss. Not much flavor with seasoning as is. Won't make this again.
melissa says
Love your recipes! I made this but added mushrooms and sunflower seeds too. It was delicious. I didn't add any milk though.
Alissa Saenz says
Those sound like great additions! Glad you enjoyed this!!
Jesi says
Finally got a chance to try making this tonight and it was great! I changed the recipe a touch. No liquid smoke ( don't have any), subbed BBQ sauce for Worcestershire sauce, and added chopped mushrooms and some nutritional yeast. I didn't have a food processor handy so I mashed the chickpeas then mixed everything else in by hand, which is how I used to make traditional meatloaf. Texture and flavor were great. Will definitely make again!
Alissa Saenz says
I'm glad you enjoyed it, and those sound like great modifications! Thanks Jesi!!
dru says
I am glad to read that comment, because I don't have a food processor either. I used a Vitamix, and it worked so hard the power went out in the kitchen. :-) In the end the texture was too blended, where I would have preferred some texture like in the photo. The flavours were really nice. I subbed Liquid Smoke with Thai sweet chili sauce. Great for leftovers. Will make again and mash by hand...
Tracy says
Hi, I made this last night to have for dinner tonight.. as comments say it is best if it sits for awhile... would there be any nutritional information and calorie count for this recipe? I an using a meal log to help with weight management. Thanks for the recipe idea.. I can't wait to try it.
Alissa Saenz says
This is a great too to try if you'd like the nutrition info: https://www.verywell.com/recipe-nutrition-analyzer-4129594
And I hope you enjoy the recipe!!
Jasta says
We made this with great anticipation. It tasted great but it looked like a hot mess, a bunch of scrambled mush on a plate. I really wish we could post a picture because it's pretty comical. We are fairly adventurous and adept plant-based cooks and i because of some of the comments, I was careful to follow the recipe pretty closely. I just couldn't get it out of the pan without it disintegrating into crumbles. We salvaged our meatloaf scramble by covering it with veggie mushroom gravy.And we still have 75% of it in the pan so maybe it will set up enough to slice tomorrow.
Kathleen says
I've made this twice now and it came out great both times. One small suggestion -- stop using canned garbanzos. And any other beans from a can. A stovetop pressure cooker (as opposed to the new, countertop pressure pots) is a small investment to make and they last a life time. Stainless steel is better than aluminum, we have a 6-quart and it cooks a kilo of garbanzos in half an hour. I freeze what we don't need, take out a meal-sized bag in the morning to thaw during the day. Garbanzo loaf, burgers, Buddha bowl or hummus portions are ready by the time I get home. We know eating stuff out of cans isn't good for us because of the chemicals that leach into the food. And there's the can to throw away as well.
Alissa Saenz says
Thanks so much! I'm glad you enjoyed it! Lately I've been cooking beans in large batches on the stove top and freezing them instead of using canned. :)
Allie says
Thank you for this wonderful idea. I'm trying to get away from canned foods but the time to make the beans by hand is intimidating. I will definitely try making up a bunch ahead of time.
do you have any ideas for how to deal with canned tomato sauce, paste, etc? I only see them in cans. Maybe it's similar where I would make a big batch by hand and freeze it?
(I currently have my loaf cooking and I can't wait to try it! (the batter certainly tasted good, lol)
Allie says
Yay- i can eat meatloaf again. :) I'm one of those who loved regular meatloaf and had a few different versions. This recipe is so great. I can see myself making a bbq one or etc. And having lots of fun with your recipe as my base. Thank you so much for sharing. (I love the maple glaze you used. And I've had to make another batch of it for dipping.)
Alissa Saenz says
I'm so glad you're enjoying it!! Thanks Allie!
Alissa Saenz says
You could definitely make tomato sauce and paste and then freeze them! I'm not that ambitious (yet!) so I don't have any recipes or tutorials on how to do that, but I know there are a bunch out there. :)
Lauren says
I made this last week. Not only was it delicious, but my husband (a serious meat eater) LOVED it! He was so surprised that it was vegan. I will definitely be making this again!
Alissa Saenz says
Yay! I'm glad to hear you both enjoyed it! Thanks Lauren!!
Lyn says
OMG! This is a go to recipe for me and my daughter's. We love it. We used "Neat Egg" in replace of the chia seeds. I like to add red pepper flakes, parsley, basil and a little oregeno. Nice firm loaf. Delicious! Thank you!
Alissa Saenz says
Awesome! I'm glad you enjoyed it!!
Deirdre Stein says
What can I sub for the Panko? I prefer a gluten free suggestion.
Alissa Saenz says
Some gluten-free oat flour will probably work!
carla says
I don't use oil. Would this be OK without the olive oil, or can you suggest a substitute? This sounds yummy ~ thanks!
Alissa Saenz says
I think you could skip it! It adds some moisture to the loaf, but I think it would be okay without. Enjoy!
larry u says
Made meatloaf several times and was great, I will try to make swedish ball with this recipe, do you think I shoul d chqnge anythin8g?
Alissa Saenz says
Glad you like it! Usually for meatballs I bake at 375-400 for 30 minutes or so on a lightly oiled baking sheet. Other than that I can't think of anything I'd change. I'd love to hear how it works out if you try!
Linda says
Made this last night with the intent of eating it tomorrow. Waiting a day helps firm up the loaf. Definitely is one of the best recipes for meatloaf I've had! Thanks for sharing!
Alissa Saenz says
I'm glad you like it!! Thanks Linda!
silvia says
This sounds- and looks amazing! Something to try this weekend :) But I will have to replace the liquid smoke with something, since we don't have it here (Amsterdam) Any suggestions?
Alissa Saenz says
Thank you! You could try smoked paprika or smoked sea salt. :)
Cynthia Teruya says
WOW! I made this and at first it didn't look like the entire mixture would fit into a loaf pan, but it did. We're seriously addicted to it and this makes really amazing cold "meat loaf" sandwiches for leftovers. I wish I had made two of these, so next time I'll double the recipe so we can keep noshing on this for days and days. Or maybe I'll freeze one. I just know we need more of this and FAST!
Alissa Saenz says
Yay!! I'm glad you enjoyed it!! We love stuffing the leftovers into sandwiches too! Thanks so much Cynthia!
Nina says
The other night it got chilly and just wanted some comfort food. Tried your Classic Chickpea Vegan Meatloaf. It was delicious. Easy to make, tasted great and made it with mashed red potatoes with just a little vegan butter and seasoning. My son really enjoyed! He is the vegan in the family but have to say I will make this again for the whole family. We all really liked it. Really hit the spot! Looking forward to trying more of your recipes!
Alissa Saenz says
That's so great to hear! I'm glad everyone enjoyed it! Thanks Nina!!
Lauren Paluch says
Hi Alissa!! I loved your recipe! I have an Instagram account (mommagoneveg) where I share vegan recipes I have tried with friends/followers. I made this the other night and loved it but my pictures came out horrible :( Would you mind if I used one of yours for my post?? The link to your recipe/page will be attached to the posting!
Alissa Saenz says
I'm glad you enjoyed it! I don't mind you using the photos if it's a personal instagram account. :)
Caroline says
Hello! I'm super excited to try and make this for TG. One question though - are the flax seeds a must? Any sub for those? I am battling cancer so I need to avoid foods that are high in phytoestrogens. Please let me know if you think I could use chia seeds or something else like that. Thank you! :)
Alissa Saenz says
I think chia seeds would work!
Caroline says
Thank you! I made this tonight and absolutely LOVE it!!! Such a yummy, healthy meal and I look forward to adding it to my list of regular meals :). Thanks for sharing!
Alissa Saenz says
Yay!! I'm so glad to hear that!! Thanks Caroline!
Colleen says
This looks amazing and I'm going to make it for thanksgiving, I will make it the night before for the extra firmness. My question is how long would I reheat it for and should I reheat in the oven or microwave? Thank you!
Alissa Saenz says
With the microwave I usually do 1-2 minutes per slice. If you're heating the whole thing I'd slice it up and keep check it every 2 minutes or so (there's so much variation between microwaves!). For the oven I'd say say 400 degrees and 15 minutes, but again you'll need to check on it.
Tiara says
This made a far better veggie burger than a "meatloaf". It was also good with a breading and fried like nuggets.
Alissa Saenz says
I actually have a burger recipe that's based on this one. :) I'll have to try it as nuggets too - great idea!
Lindsay says
Looks great, but I was missing ingredients so I had to substitute a bunch. I credited you with the original recipe on my blog. Its very tasty!
Alissa Saenz says
Glad you enjoyed it!!
Tammy says
Meatloaf is one of those things I never enjoyed because it was just meat. I absolutely loved this! So delicious and healthy. I can’t wait to make it again Thank you.
Alissa Saenz says
That's exactly how I always felt about meatloaf. :) I'm glad you enjoyed this! Thanks Tammy!!
Sue Elmes says
HI Alissa,
I want to make this for my son who is vegan as his Christmas roast, could I freeze this? I was thinking to cook for the first 30 mins and then freeze when cool, after defrosting add the glaze and then cook? What do you think?
Alissa Saenz says
I've frozen it fully cooked, so that definitely works! I think freezing it halfway through cooking would work too, but I haven't tried so I can't be 100% sure.