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–+ servings
white plate with Vegetarian Meatloaf
Prep: 20 minutes
Cook: 50 minutes
Total: 1 hour 10 minutes

Vegetarian Meatloaf

Chickpeas, lentils, and walnuts pair up with seasoned veggies and a smoky ketchup glaze for a full-of-flavor meatloaf! A vegetarian main worthy of centerpiece status.
Yield: 10 slices

Ingredients

Meatloaf:

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 medium yellow onion diced, 125 g, 2 cups
  • 8 ounces white button mushrooms chopped, can sub cremini mushrooms; 1/2 pound, 227 g
  • 1/2 cup walnuts finely chopped, 60 g
  • 3 cloves garlic peeled and finely minced
  • 2 tablespoons fresh parsley chopped
  • 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning mix
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
  • 15 ounces brown lentils drained and rinsed; 1 can; about 2 cups
  • 15 ounces chickpeas drained and rinsed; 1 can; save 1/3 cup of the chickpea liquid; can substitute veggie broth or water
  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1/2 cup bread crumbs

Glaze:

  • 1/3 cup ketchup
  • 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
  • 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
  • 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika

Equipment

  • 1 standard size loaf pan
  • parchment paper

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350° F (175° C). Line a 11x6-inch loaf pan with parchment paper, making sure to leave the parchment paper overhanging so that you can easily extract the meatloaf once you’re done baking it. Set aside.
  • In a large pan, heat the olive oil over medium-low heat. When hot, add the chopped onion and cook until translucent, about 8 minutes. Add the mushrooms, walnuts, and garlic, then continue cooking over medium heat until the mushrooms soften, darken, and release most of their liquid, 7-8 more minutes. Add the parsley, Italian seasoning, and tomato paste. Mix well and cook 3-4 more minutes, stirring, until bubbling and fragrant. Add the balsamic vinegar and stir to deglaze the pan. Transfer the vegetables to a plate and let them cool a little while prepping your remaining ingredients.
  • Drain the lentils and chickpeas, taking care to reserve 1/3 cup of the chickpea liquid (also known as "aquafaba") and set it aside. Add the lentils and chickpeas to a large bowl. Mash with a potato masher until broken down but still chunky. Add the cooked veggies, 1/4 cup of the aquafaba, salt, pepper, and breadcrumbs. Mix together until combined. The mixture will be very thick but should stick together when pressed together. If it doesn't, add more aquafaba a tablespoon at a time just until it sticks together.
  • Transfer the mixture to the loaf pan, distributing it evenly and pressing it down to make a compact loaf.
  • Cover with foil, and bake for 30 minutes. 
  • While the meatloaf goes through the first round of baking, prepare the ketchup glaze. In a small mixing bowl, combine the ketchup, maple syrup, mustard, and smoked paprika. At the 30-minute mark, remove the loaf from the oven, dispose of the foil, and brush the top with the ketchup glaze, distributing it evenly over the entire surface.
  • Place it back in the oven and bake for another 15-20 minutes, until the glaze has thickened and darkened.
  • Once the meatloaf is done baking, let it cool in the loaf tin for at least 10 minutes, so it can firm up. Then, use the parchment paper to remove it, slice it, and serve warm. 

Notes

Make-Ahead:

This vegetarian meatloaf is great for assembling ahead of time! Follow the recipe through step 4. Instead of baking it, cover it tightly with plastic wrap and store it in the refrigerator for up to 2 days ahead of time. When you’re ready to bake it, pull it out of the fridge and have it at room temp to warm a bit as you preheat the oven. Then cover it in foil and bake, continuing at step 5. If you want to save yourself even more time, you can stir together the glaze ingredients and store in the fridge as well until it's time to bake.

Storage:

Store leftover meatloaf in the fridge, in an airtight container, for up to four days. When you’re ready to eat, you can quickly pop it in the microwave for a couple of minutes.

Gluten-Free Option:

Use GF breadcrumbs. 

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 1slice, Calories: 335kcal, Carbohydrates: 49g, Protein: 18g, Fat: 9g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g, Monounsaturated Fat: 3g, Sodium: 617mg, Potassium: 733mg, Fiber: 18g, Sugar: 8g, Vitamin A: 221IU, Vitamin C: 6mg, Calcium: 80mg, Iron: 5mg