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This Vegan Meatloaf is flavorful, decadent, nutty and great for anyone wanting a no bean/lentil loaf. Use nuts of choice. Vegan Recipe. Can be Glutenfree, soyfree Jump to Recipe
Every year a new “meat” loaf ! My Lentil Quinoa Loaf is super popular. Hearty with Lentils Quinoa and Veggies and amazing texture and flavor (no nuts) and my Chickpea Veggie Loaf is a close second and is a bean version. Both are nut-free and are also available in my second book.
So this year I went with loads of nuts in this Bean free Loaf! This Nut Loaf is rich and hearty, uses nuts and seeds, some butternut squash for the binding, mushrooms and herbs for umami. It comes together easily and is bean free and lentil free! You can add in some lentils for a lentil nut “meatloaf”. The simple glaze balances out the flavor so you get rich umami, texture, tangy, sweet, savory all in one bite! Serve it with my easy gravy or some cranberry sauce.
More Mains for the Holidays
- Lentil Quinoa Loaf can be SF,NF and GF
- Mushroom Lentil Shepherd’s Pie. NF, GF, SF option
- Chickpea Veggie Loaf NF can be SF and GF
- Shepherd’s Pie with Chickpeas/Lentils & Sweet Potato NF SF GF option
- Cauliflower Alfredo, Spinach, Artichoke Lasagna. NF SF can be GF
- Easy Vegan Veggie Lasagna. NF Can be GF
- Grilled Portobello with Garlic Sauce. GF
This year hasn’t been fun with legumes(digestion changes with peri menopause). After eating them all my life, hundreds of varieties of them(dals, beans, chickpeas) in Indian food for so long, I am reducing them this year, go figure. So this loaf works out amazingly for me. You don’t have to be bean free to try it. Its a hearty delicious loaf with amazing texture and rich flavor to please everyone. Add some cooked lentils for more volume if you like for a lentil nut loaf. Make it into patties or stuff into puff pastry hand pies! This Loaf mix is very versatile.
Look at that perfect slice! served here with my 1 Pot Gravy with added mushrooms.
Vegan Meatloaf - Nut Loaf Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cups nuts, (I use a combination of raw or roasted cashews, raw walnuts, raw pecans)
- 1/4 cup sunflower seeds,
- 2 tsp oil, (or use 1/4 cup broth)
- 1 cup chopped onion
- 4 cloves of garlic, chopped
- 1 cup chopped mushrooms, (cremini or white or a mix)
- 1 cup cubed butternut squash, , heaping cup
- 2 tsp italian herbs, (1/2 tsp each thyme, ground sage, rosemary, oregano
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 3/4 tsp poultry seasoning, (poultry seasoning is just herbs). or use more sage and thyme
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1/4 tsp each cinnamon and nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 to 3/4 tsp salt, (less or more depending on if the breadcrumbs are already salty, if using regular or low sodium soy sauce etc)
- 2 tbsp soy sauce, or tamari for gf ( or use a combination of balsamic vinegar and coconut aminos for soyfree)
- 2 flax eggs, (mix 2 tbsp flaxseed meal mixed with 5 tbsp water)
- 2/3 cup breadcrumbs, (use glutenfree breadcrumbs or coarsely ground oats for glutenfree)
Glaze:
- 1/4 cup ketchup
- 1.5 tbsp soy sauce/tamari, , or use 1/4 tsp salt + 1 tbsp broth for soyfree
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
- 2 tsp apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp sriracha, , optional
Instructions
- Toast the raw cashews and sunflower seeds in the oven at 325 deg F (160 C) for 5 mins. Or toast on a skillet over medium heat until golden. (optional if using pre-roasted nuts). Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F for the loaf
- Add the cashews and sunflower seeds to a food processor with the rest of the nuts and pulse to a somewhat coarse meal with a few chopped size pieces visible.
- Heat a skillet over medium heat. Add oil or broth. Add onion, garlic and a pinch of salt and cook for 2 mins. Then add mushrooms and a pinch of salt and cook until some golden edges. 3-4 mins.
- Add butternut squash and mix in. Add a splash of water, cover and cook until the squash is tender. Mash and transfer to a bowl. Add in the spices, salt and mix in. Add the chopped nuts and seeds, soy sauce, flax egg mix, breadcrumbs and mix well.
- Taste and adjust salt, herbs and flavor. ** The flavor will get more pronounced on baking. If the mixture is too wet, add a tbsp or so flour. You want it to be just slightly sticky. If too dry or crumbly, add a splash of broth. If you like sweeter, profile, add a tbsp of tomato paste or some chopped dried fruit such as dried cranberries or apricots.. (this mixture can be used to make burger patties, pan fried or baked. Or can be stuffed into puff pastry for a puff pastry loaf or small hand pies).
- Transfer to a parchment lined pan. Lightly press to shape and even it out. Do not pack too much. Bake for 25 to 30 mins.
- Meanwhile, mix everything under the glaze. Taste and adjust if needed.
- Take the loaf out of the oven. Spread the glaze over the loaf and then bake again for 20 to 30 mins. Let cool for 15 mins before removing from the pan. Then cool completely before slicing. Serve with gravy. or cranberry sauce.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I love this recipe and make it several times a year. It has nice texture and flavor that gets even better after it’s been refrigerated for a day or two. Thank you for creating this recipe!
awesome! yes indeed. The flavors get absorbed into the nuts and the rest of the ingredients more and the nuts also soften more to be not as toothsome with time.
This was hands down the best vegan meatloaf I have tried thus far. I made it Day 1 with mashed potatoes and plain (no mushroom) gravy for a friend who is not vegan. We both loved it, great comfort food dinner. Day 2 I just repeated it again for myself and added a salad. Day 3 I broke up a big slice and served it over pasta with the gravy and sautéed broccoli and green beans. Plus I have some left over for a snack and I put some in the freezer. I would post my photos but don’t know how to attach! Well done Veganricha!!! Loved this one…
awesome! you can post them on your social and tag me @veganricha or #veganricha
Loved this so much! I could eat it every night of the week. Recipe turned out great, held together well and flavor was perfect! Easy to make, will put this one into the dinner rotation.
yay!
OHHH MYY I was already a big fan of your quinoa lentil loaf but I think this one tops that. SO delicious!! Thank you!
Note: I did think it tasted too salty before baking but once it was done it was perfect.
awesome!
Maybe the breadcrumbs were salted?
Love this recipe except the salt + seasoning + soy made it super salty so I cut it with some maple syrup
ah i should note the salt addition based on the other ingredients that might add salt such as breadcrumbs. I used low salt breadcrumbs and soy sauce. You can add more nuts and breadcrumbs when you taste before baking to balance the salt.
I tried this recipe tonight and it was a disappointment. It had a good if overly sweet taste. The consistency was also more like refried beans than meatloaf.
I drained the lentils and quinoa before some to the vegetables, yeast, and bread crumbs (I used Panko rather than fresh bread) and note the mix was very moist. I added another full half cup of crumbs and cooked it a full 35 minutes before removing the foil, them cooked the loaf for another 20 minutes, resting it for more than another 20 minutes.
As soon as I attempted to cut the loaf, I knew it was too soft and mushy, even though it still had discrete lentils throughout..
Amy helpful hints!
i think you may have may a different recipe. Did you make my lentil quinoa loaf. This loaf doesnt have quinoa. If you did make the lentil quinoa loaf, Maybe the quinoa was overccooked or there was too much moisture overall. You can check the video in the recipe to see what the mixture consistency is before baking. that much extra breadcrumbs prob means that there was too much moisture which will cause mushy texture
Hello. What can replace mushrooms?.
you can leave them out or use tofu/tempeh, zucchini, sun-dried tomatoes, or eggplant
Thank you! It looks like the link for the Frenchy is not working, could you please send me the recipe?
you mean gravy? https://veganricha.com/?s=gravy
Yes, gravy! This auto-corrector lol. Thank you so much, I got it now! Merry Christmas!
thanks!
Hi Richa & Jacquie,
Beans and legumes and also nuts can be triggers of inflammation for many. Not because they aren’t healthy but their complex proteins can cause auto-immune issues if a person develops severe leaky gut and the incompletely digested or undigested proteins enter the blood. Read info on food sensitivities posted by Dr Jockers’ website for help in clarifying the issue. Consider testing for your own food sensitivities thru Enterolab.com (no doctor order needed – at home specimen collection), It will help guide you in elimination of certain foods pending re-healing of the gut. Join FB group Plant Based Gut Health for additional info.
thanks for the tasty alternative to bean loaves. I did start wondering about something when i was reading your post and thought you might know the answer. Do you have any idea on how nuts/seeds compare to beans in terms of causing inflammation? I’m asking because i’m trying to decrease the food in my diet that might lead to inflammation due to increasing problems with arthritis. Thanks.
it would depend on each person really. Inflammation has various reasons like mild intolerance to medical conditions etc. I havent heard about nuts causing inflammation in general, but you should check if they do for you. Beans lentils nuts are generally listed as antiinflammatory.
At long last the internet has a reliable, delicious, vegan nut loaf recipe! 🙌🙌🙌
Everybody rejoice!
indeed!