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With all the traditional seasonings of the original this vegan meatless meatloaf with chickpeas, peppers, and onions is big on flavor topped with a tomato maple glaze. Perfect as the main dish at your next dinner party, or easy enough to pull together for a weeknight meal.
When I was growing up meatloaf was one of those dishes my mom served at least a few times a month. My mom was known in her circle of friends and family to be the best home cook. When she was in the kitchen she was in her element. Her way of showing others that she cared was to prepare their favorite meals. My dad loved meatloaf, hence the reason we had it so often. It was also a rather simple dish she could pull together on a weeknight when she got home from teaching.
While my dad was thrilled to find we were having meatloaf for dinner, I wasn’t. I’m pretty sure I was meant to be a vegetarian from birth. My mom served meatloaf with ketchup, of course, and usually a side of potatoes, and some green beans.
I usually ate a few bites of meatloaf and loaded up on the potatoes and green beans. Recently, I found an old box of recipe cards my dad had given me when my mom passed away. I hadn’t looked at the recipes for years, most of them not being vegan, but I thought it would be fun to see if I could take one of her old recipes and put my spin on it.
I came across her meatloaf recipe and was taken back to my childhood. This recipe is my take on the traditional meatloaf my mom made, using the same spices, but turning it into a meatless version.
I make this recipe as the featured dish when I have friends or family over for dinner, but also on a weeknight. It’s easy to pull together, and looks and tastes fantastic!
Ingredients you’ll need for the Best Traditional Meatless Meatloaf:
- 2 cans organic chickpeas rinsed
- 1 green pepper chopped
- 1 yellow onion chopped
- 1 tsp garlic minced
- 1 tbsp fresh parsley
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tbsp vegan Worcestershire sauce
- ½ cup unflavored almond milk
- 2 tbsp ground flax
- ¼ cup water
- 1 cup gluten free breadcrumbs
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ¼ tsp pepper
- fresh parsley for garnish
The ground flax and water work as a binder as an egg replacement. It also adds some extra omega-3s and fiber in this dish!
If you’re not gluten-free feel free to use a different type of breadcrumbs. I like the Panko 100% whole wheat breadcrumbs.
Ingredients you’ll need for the glaze:
- ¼ cup tomato paste
- 1 tbsp pure maple syrup
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tbsp vegan Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
Tools and Equipment you’ll need to make this Traditional Meatless Meatloaf
You will need a food processor to make this traditional meatless meatloaf. It is how you’ll quickly be able to combine all the ingredient quickly and easily. I recommend using a 9 cup or larger food processor. Mind is a little smaller, so I had to work in batches because it wouldn’t all fit at one go.
You’ll also need parchment paper and a loaf pan. Lining your loaf pan with parchment paper is key to removing the loaf from the pan without it falling apart.
HOW TO MAKE TRADITIONAL MEATLESS MEATLOAF – STEP BY STEP
- Preheat oven to 375 F. Line a loaf pan with parchment paper.
- Pulse chickpeas, green pepper, onion, garlic, parsley, tomato paste, and vegan Worcestershire sauce in a food processor until combined but not until it becomes mushy. You want some texture in it. You may need to work in batches to fit the size of your food processor.
- Whisk together ground flax and ¼ cup of water in a small bowl. Let sit for 5 minutes.
- Combine chickpea mixture, flax mixture, breadcrumbs, almond milk, salt, pepper, and garlic powder in a large bowl using your hands or a spatula.
- Pour mixture into lined loaf pan. Press mixture down firmly and evenly.
- Bake in the oven for 30 minutes.
- While the loaf is baking prepare your glaze. Combine tomato paste, maple syrup, apple cider vinegar, vegan Worcestershire sauce, and soy sauce. Set aside.
- Remove loaf from oven after 30 minutes. Spread glaze overtop. Bake an additional 25 minutes.
- Cool in pan for 15 minutes.
- Remove from pan by gently lifting the sides of the parchment paper, slice, and serve.
The Health Benefits of Meatless Meatloaf
The main substitution in this best ever traditional meatless meatloaf are the chickpeas. Chickpeas make an excellent substitution for animal protein.
They are a rich source of vitamins, minerals, and fiber.
I stay away from packaged meat substitutes. I know a lot of vegans tend to rely on meat substitutes in the form of textured soy protein.
The reason I don’t use those substitutions is because they are processed and full of added ingredients. I keep it simple, using whole food plant-based ingredients.
How to Serve Meatless Meatloaf
I like to serve this meatless meatloaf with a side of steamed or oil-free roasted garlic broccoli.
Everyone in my house is a fan of broccoli so I know it’s an easy win. Choose a steamed or roasted veggie of your choice; carrots, green beans, brussels sprouts, or cauliflower all make excellent accompaniments.
Variations
You can play around with the spices in this dish, adding more or less depending on what you like. If you like a bit of a smoky flavor add a tablespoon of paprika. If you like a bit more spice add 1 tsp of cayenne.
For a fall/Thanksgiving flavor profile add 1/2 tsp sage, 1/2 tsp thyme, and 1/4 tsp nutmeg. This makes for an excellent dish to serve around the holidays!
Check out these other family favorite recipes!
- 37 Vegan Prep Meals: An Ultimate Guide to Vegan Meal Planning
- Easy Vegan Chili
- Easy “Cheesy” Vegan Pasta Bake
- Vegan Pesto Lentil Pasta with Arugula and Basil
If you’ve tried my Best Traditional Meatless Meatloaf, please rate it and let me know how it turned out. You can also follow me on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest for more plant-based family recipes your whole family will enjoy!
Best Ever Traditional Meatless Meatloaf
Ingredients
Meatless Meatloaf
- 2 cans organic chickpeas/garbanzo beans drained and rinsed
- 1 organic green pepper chopped
- 1 yellow onion chopped
- 1 tsp garlic minced
- 1 tbsp fresh parsley finely chopped
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tbsp vegan Worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 cup unflavored almond milk or other unflavored dairy free milk
- 2 tbsp ground flax seeds
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 cup gluten free breadcrumbs
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp pepper
Tomato Maple Glaze
- 1/4 cup tomato paste
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 tbsp vegan Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tbsp low sodium soy sauce omit if gluten-free
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 F. Line a loaf pan with parchment paper.
- Whisk together ground flax and ¼ cup of water in a small bowl. Let sit for 15 minutes.
- Drain and rinse chickpeas. Pulse chickpeas, green pepper, onion, garlic, parsley, tomato paste, and vegan Worcestershire sauce in a food processor until combined but not until it becomes mush. You want some texture in it. You may need to work in batches to fit the size of your food processor.
- Combine chickpea mixture, flax mixture, breadcrumbs, almond milk, salt, pepper, and garlic powder in a large bowl using your hands or a spatula.
- Pour mixture into lined loaf pan. Press mixture down firmly and evenly.
- Bake in the oven for 30 minutes.
- While loaf is baking prepare your glaze. Combine tomato paste, maple syrup, apple cider vinegar, vegan Worcestershire sauce, and soy sauce (omit for gluten-free version or use coconut aminos as a substitute). Set aside.
- Remove loaf from oven after 30 minutes. Spread glaze overtop. Bake an additional 25 minutes.
- Cool in pan for at least 15 minutes.
- Remove from pan by gently lifting the sides of the parchment paper, slice, and serve.
Video
Notes
- Make sure to drain and rinse canned chickpeas well before adding them to the food processor.
- Don’t pulse the chickpeas and vegetable mixture too long. You want some texture and chunks.
- Allow the loaf to sit for a minimum of 15 minutes before pulling it out of the pan. If you have more time allow to sit a little longer. It will firm up as it cools.
- This tastes great the next day for leftovers.
- If you are gluten-free omit the soy sauce from the glaze.
Hmmm, my family is definitely not Vegan, but this looks interesting. You have some recipes that I might try. I found your site and since I was browsing I just wanted to take a moment to comment to let you know you had a visitor. Thank you and take care.
Thanks for stopping by my site and looking through my recipes. My family is not vegan either, but I am. I make recipes that are vegan plant-based but still delicious and approachable for my kids and my husband. I hope you give some of them a try!
What a tasty recipe and a great meat-free alternative to the classic meatloaf. That glaze is my favorite part 🙂
This looks so tasty, I love vegetarian alternatives to classic dishes!
Can you believe that I have never tried meatloaf before. It looks so comforting.
I know what I am having for dinner tonight! This looks like a restaurant worthy dish, indeed!
Wow, this recipe looks wonderful! I’m saving to make alongside a traditional loaf when we have vegan family members for dinner. Thanks for sharing.
This is amazing! I love all the incredible recipe options on your blog! My kids are kinda picky but I feel like I could sneak this one by.
Thank you, Trisha! I’m so glad you enjoy my recipes.
Hi Alison, I found this recipe via the Hurry the Food Up website. Looks delicious and I’m going to give it a go – as well as exploring your site in more detail. Just two questions first though:
1. Can I use soy milk instead of almond?
2. I have my own beautiful eggs so is it okay to use them instead of the flax and water? If so, would that be one or two eggs? Or is the recipe better with the flax and water?
I will visit again and leave a star rating once I’ve tried out the meatloaf … might not be immediately because I’m in Oz and we are coming into summer.
Many thanks.
Hi Sue! Thanks for commenting! I’m glad you were able to find my recipe through Hurry the Food Up! Yes, you can use soy milk instead of almond milk. I would just make sure that it is plain and unflavored. You could also try using eggs. I haven’t used eggs in this recipe before, but it would probably work just fine. I like using the flax egg in this recipe because it adds extra fiber and omega-3s. If you haven’t made a flax egg before, I recommend giving it a try.
Hi again Alison. We had a cold snap so it was a perfect time to try the meatless meatloaf. I was delighted with the outcome, delicious and good texture. I used 2 eggs because I cannot buy ground flax where I live and it was easier than grinding the seeds, however, I’ll try them in the future. The eggs were quite big and I think one would have been enough. Did you know that the ingredient list for the printed recipe is missing the parsley, apply cider vinegar and soy sauce? The soy isn’t mentioned in the instructions either, so I definitely didn’t use that, nor the parsley because when I got to that in the instructions it was too late for me to go out and gather and I didn’t know how much. With the apple cider vinegar I guessed 1tbsp, which I see was correct when I have revisited the blog list of ingredients. So, next time I’m sure the result will be even better! 🙂
Alison, I’m wondering whether the meatless meatloaf freezes okay? Otherwise, how long will it last in the refrigerator? Many thanks.
I’m so happy to hear that it turned out well! Thank you for noticing the ingredient omissions in the recipe card! I did an update including those ingredients. Good catch!
What would you recommend in place of Worcestershire sauce? I know they have vegan varieties but unfortunately they do not have gluten free varieties. Thanks!
I found one called the Wizard’s Gluten Free Vegan Worcestershire Sauce.If you can’t find that one, I would leave it out or the recipe. It will still be very flavorful.
The loaf was very moist. I used 1 egg instead of the flax though I will try that next time.
I left out the green pepper because unfortunately I don’t digest them well. I put extra garlic and added some portobello mushrooms instead. The loaf was good but needs a bit of pizzazz. Maybe something spicy. More onion or garlic. Not quite certain but will try again. I think kids would definitely like it. Thanks for sharing
Your additions sound delicious! I’m glad you enjoyed the recipe! You can always increase the spice if it needs a little something more. Sometimes I’m a bit conservative on the spice because of the kids!
The recipe was really easy to make but it turned out a little too wet, even after I left it in the oven for longer than what the recipe calls for. I did line my loaf pan with aluminum foil instead of parchment paper, but other than that I followed the recipe to the letter. Do you have any idea as to why it came out wet and what I could do to prevent that again? Thanks!
Be sure to drain and rinse the chickpeas well. If you didn’t drain the chickpeas that could cause the loaf to be too wet.
A good recipe, we use it at least every other week. You can save the chicken pea liquid & use it vs flax if you do not have it. I believe it us 3tbl aquafaba per eggs or flax egg, pls look up to verify..
I’m so glad to hear that you make this recipe regularly. The aquafaba is a great tip! You are correct, 3 tablespoons of aquafaba is equivalent to 1 egg, so would also be equivalent to one flax egg.
Great recipe but it came out really soft and mushy for me ! I followed the instructions exactly. Any tips ?
Hi Sarah! Thanks for giving this recipe a try. I’m sorry to hear it came out a little mushy. One tip, is to make sure you drain the chickpeas from the can. If you use the added aquafaba from the chickpea can, it will turn out on the soggy side. You could also leave out the almond milk, or use 1/4 cup instead of 1/2 a cup. That will cut down on the overall moisture.