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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.
Dear Richa,
I wanted some change from the traditionnal Wellington this Christmas and made this nut loaf (the version with lentils), we loved it! It was also less work, which was also great! Since we didn’t have ketchup, we used a bit of tomato paste instead – probably less glaze in the end, but nonetheless delicious. Thank you for this recipe and I wish you a nice end of the year!
Thank you for commenting and Happy New Year!
Hi Richa, thanks for the bean free recipe. About to whip it up!
I too, having been able to eat lentils, beans, dried peas all my life 45+ years, suddenly found skin issues, body pain from legumes around 2006. And a few years later, discovered the “acne” I’d suffered from for 40 years was an inability for my body to process fructose and resulted in my body purging through my lymphatic system to my skin. So, ALL grains, dried and rehydrated legumes and all fruit cause all over body aches and pains, cystic acne, and constipation. And dairy puffs my body up like a marshmallow person! Weird. But if you can lay your hands on freshly shelled beans (before being dried) might be worth a shot. I can eat those. So I grow them and then can them. Yaay.
This is one of the first recipes I tried when we decided to go vegan, so I was a little unsure for a lot of reasons. I needn’t have worried. We like it better than meatloaf (an old staple), and my husband says that the leftovers make better sandwiches – with a mixture of vegan mayo and mustard and some lettuce on whole grain bread – than meatloaf ever did! Flavor and texture are right on point, especially for former omnis who are making changes in our seventies and are changing ways that are pretty set.
I’ve passed this recipe on to friends, and they agree – this one is a keeper, and we don’t just save it for holidays!
yay! so glad you enjoy!
🌟 🤩 ⭐️ 🌠 💫 ✡️ 🌟 🤩
♥️🍽😍
Delicious😋 Will definitely be making this again!
Terrific!
The recipe looks wonderful. Do you think it would be ok if I wrapped it in puff pastry and cooked it that way? Would the inside still cook properly? Thank you.
Yea it will
Wow, this is a fantastic recipe and made a delicious main course for Christmas Eve! So much savory, umami richness. Thank you, Richa!
umami for the christmas eve win! 🎄 🎄 🎄
We all loved this; I made it with oats for gluten free. One member of our family gets acid reflux from onions. Richa, can you suggest a substitute for the chopped onion?
Omit the onions and use zucchini instead . For flavor if onion powder is ok, use that.
Made this last night … Yum!!! Will add to my Favorites file!!!
a good file ! thanks for popping in ♡
This is the best vegan meatloaf I’ve ever made! Thank you!!! I discovered a great spicy thousand island dressing (and veggie Burger sauce) by adding the glaze in this recipe to 3 Tbsp vegenaise. Scrumptious
wow! thank you
OMG. So good.
yay!