Vegan meatloaf is a comforting main course, ideal for a classic Sunday dinner or holiday. Made with Impossible ground beef, sautéed onions, garlic, and spices, it has rich, meaty flavor, and endless amounts of umami.
It’s a vegan main course that’s worthy of a knife and fork! It can also be made as individual meatloaf muffins, which cook much faster and work well for weeknight meals.
Vegan meatloaf is one of those dinners that makes you feel instantly nostalgic.
Like many of us, meatloaf made regular appearances on my childhood dinner table. Thanks to the addition of breadcrumbs and veggies, it stretched ground beef just a little further, adding more bulk, but also lots of homey flavor and moist texture along the way.
Thanks to vegan ground beef options like Impossible meat, it’s really easy to adapt those old recipes into a plant-based option. (No egg necessary!)
I’ve been working on this vegan meatloaf recipe for the past several months, and I’m delighted with how it has turned out. It’s hearty, savory, and sliceable, just like the classic.
Sautéed onions and garlic give it extra flavor and texture. Mustard (in addition to the usual ketchup) adds tang and depth. Vegan Worcestershire adds delicious meatiness that makes this a comfort food favorite.
You can enjoy this Impossible meatloaf on its own or with a little steak sauce on the side for dipping, like my husband enjoys. A1 Steak Sauce is his go-to and accidentally vegan.
In this post:
Ingredients for vegan meatloaf
Here are the ingredients you will need to make this recipe.
Oil: Avocado oil is my preferred option, but any neutral-flavored cooking oil works here.
Onion: Yellow onion adds a subtle savory sweetness that adds delicious flavor and texture.
Garlic: Several cloves of garlic make this vegan meatloaf even yummier. Choose firm cloves with unbroken skin, and no signs of sprouting.
Impossible ground beef: For that classic meatloaf flavor, Impossible works beautifully. I like it better than any other vegan ground options on the market.
However, if you prefer, it can be replaced with an equal amount of your vegan ground beef of choice. (Be sure to use the kind that can be formed into a loaf, not crumbles.)
Panko: Japanese breadcrumbs act as a binder for the meatloaf. They can be replaced with standard breadcrumbs.
Vegan Worcestershire sauce: Mainstream Worcestershire is made with anchovies or fish sauce. So look for a vegan brand like Wizard’s.
It’s often sold near the ketchup, barbecue sauce, and other shelf stable sauces. Or you can sometimes find it with other natural foods.
Seasonings: Granulated onion or onion powder, dried oregano, dried basil, dried parsley, and salt add nuance and lift.
Ketchup: Ketchup brands vary by sweetness. I recommend using a natural ketchup that doesn't include high fructose corn syrup, so that it's not overly sweet.
Mustard: Use either stoneground or yellow mustard.
Many people use ketchup only for meatloaf. However, I like to do a 50/50 mix of ketchup and mustard for added depth, tang, and complexity of flavor. Also, ketchup can be sweet, and the mustard keeps it from going too far in that direction.
How to make Impossible meatloaf
This section shows how to make this recipe at a glance with process photos of the steps. For complete ingredient amounts & instructions, keep scrolling to the recipe card below.
1. Sauté onions with oil in a non-stick skillet until translucent. Then add garlic, and continue cooking another 30 seconds to a minute – until fragrant. Turn off the heat, and set aside to cool slightly.
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine the following:
- Impossible ground beef (or your preferred vegan ground beef)
- Panko breadcrumbs
- Vegan Worcestershire sauce
- Granulated onion or onion powder
- Dried oregano
- Dried basil
- Dried parsley
- Ketchup
- Mustard (stoneground or yellow)
- Sautéed onions and garlic
3. Use your hands to combine the ingredients and form into a loaf.
4. Transfer the Impossible meatloaf to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake at 400 degrees for 35 minutes.
5. Remove the vegan meatloaf from the oven. Lightly coat it with more ketchup or your choice of glaze.
6. Return the vegan meatloaf to the oven, and bake 5 more minutes.
Before serving, let the loaf rest for about 5 minutes before slicing for neat, easy slices.
Make it your own
You can make this plant-based meatloaf recipe your own by varying the ingredients or shape.
Vary the glaze: Instead of plain ketchup, try glazing with barbecue sauce. Or you can do a mixture of ketchup and A1 Steak Sauce.
Vary the shape: Instead of making a full-sized loaf, make mini meatloaf muffins. (See the notes section of the recipe card for complete instructions.)
Serving ideas
This classic vegan meatloaf tastes like pure Americana. Serve it alongside all of your favorite classic side dishes:
Storage instructions
Store leftover vegan meatloaf in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat in the microwave until warmed through.
To freeze leftover slices, wrap them in cling wrap, and put them into a freezer bag. When you’re ready to enjoy them, move them to the refrigerator to thaw. Then remove cling wrap, and reheat in the microwave. They will keep for 3 to 6 months in the freezer.
FAQ
Yes, simply use gluten-free breadcrumbs. You should also double-check that your vegan Worcestershire sauce is gluten-free. (Wizard’s is gluten-free.)
Yes, this vegan meatloaf recipe works just fine with Beyond, if that’s what you prefer.
Yes, it works beautifully that way.
To make this vegan meatloaf in a muffin tin, grease the cups or use paper liners. Then fill each muffin cup three quarters full with the meatloaf mixture.
Bake at 400 degrees on the bottom rack for 15 minutes. Then add ketchup glaze to the tops. Return to the oven and bake 5 more minutes.
(You can use silicone muffin liners. However, the mini meatloaves brown better in an oiled tin or with paper liners. Silicone has a tendency to steam the bottoms rather than get them crispy.)
If you try this recipe and love it, let me know! Leave a comment and ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating in the comment section below. It truly makes my day and is such a help!
📖 Recipe
Vegan Meatloaf With Impossible Meat (Classic comfort food)
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons avocado oil
- 1 cup chopped onions yellow
- ¾ teaspoon salt plus a pinch more for sauteing onions
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 2 (12-ounce) packages Impossible ground beef (or 24 ounces vegan ground beef of choice)
- ½ cup panko breadcrumbs
- 2 ½ teaspoons vegan worcestershire sauce
- 2 teaspoons granulated onion or onion powder
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- 2 Tablespoons ketchup plus more for glaze
- 2 Tablespoons mustard yellow or stoneground
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- Add oil to a large non-stick skillet. Bring to a medium heat. Add onions and a pinch of salt. Sauté 2 or 3 minutes, until the onions are becoming translucent.
- Add minced garlic, and saute 30 seconds to a minute, until fragrant. Then turn off the heat, and move the skillet to the side to cool somewhat.
- Put the following into a large mixing bowl: Impossible ground beef (or your preferred vegan ground beef), panko breadcrumbs, vegan Worcestershire sauce, granulated onion, dried oregano, dried basil, dried parsley, ketchup, and mustard. Then add the sautéed onions and garlic.
- Use your hands to evenly combine all of the ingredients in the mixing bowl. Then shape into loaf.
- Put the loaf onto the reserved baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Put the vegan meatloaf into the oven and bake for 35 minutes.
- Remove the vegan meatloaf from the oven, and lightly coat it with more ketchup. (If you prefer, barbecue sauce or a mixture of ketchup and steak sauce like A1 also works well.)
- Return the vegan meatloaf to the oven, and bake 5 more minutes.
- Remove from oven, and let the loaf rest for about 5 minutes before slicing for neat, easy slices.
Leave a Reply