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.
- 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
- ¼ cup tomato paste
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoons soy sauce or tamari
- 1 teaspoon paprika
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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.)
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.