This vegan meatloaf is a comfort classic. This plant-based meatloaf packs lots of veggie flavour with a sweet and spicy glaze on top!
Despite my very Vietnamese childhood, my mom often relied on microwave TV dinners for me to eat on days where she was stuck at work and I had to fend for myself for dinner. I ate countless meatloaf and sainsbury steak dinners, but I don’t think I had a “real” meatloaf until I went to one of my mom’s work potlucks.
There’s something so comforting and homey about a slice of meatloaf with that classic sweet red glaze on top. I love serving this vegan meatloaf with some leafy greens and roasted potatoes. But sometimes I just skip the side of veggies because this loaf is so full of veggie goodness.
There are plenty of versions of vegan meatloaf that use walnuts and lentils, and those are definitely more wholesome and fibre-rich. My family does not appreciate lentils as much as I’d like, and I’m allergic to walnuts, so we rely on vegan ground beef substitutes like Beyond and Impossible. I prefer Impossible for this plant-based meatloaf!
Where to find vegan Worcestershire sauce
Worcestershire is typically made with anchovies, and is a classic umami-bomb for a lot of Western dishes. These days, I find vegan Worcestershire sauce easier to find at health food stores or Asian markets.
Wizard’s Worcestershire is my usual go-to, and I usually keep this in my fridge. I normally find this at Coven, but I saw you can get it at Well.ca as well.
Wan Ja Shan Worcestershire is found at places like Goodness Me or T&Ts (or other Asian markets), and is now what I have, now that my Wizard’s bottle is gone. It’s a thin consistency, and does pack a good amount of flavour.
Vegan Meatloaf Recipe Notes
- I tried being lazy and cutting the vegetables into a larger dice, but it really impacts how well the meatloaf holds together. The best method is to cut the veg as fine as possible (even grated might be good. Then cook out the majority of the water content on the stove before adding to the meatloaf mixture.
- To make a vegan meatloaf that holds its shape well, cook ahead of time. THEN give it time to chill overnight. Giving it time to chill will ensure a meatloaf you can slice.
- If you prefer no spice, feel free to leave out the sriracha for a more classic sweet red glaze.
- I do not recommend omitting vegan Worcestershire sauce. Regrettably, it is one of the hallmark flavours of meatloaf that really adds a je ne sais quoi. You CAN omit and replace with some MSG and soy sauce, but Worcestershire sauce really does impact the overall dish.
Vegan Meatloaf
Ingredients
For the Meatloaf
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 small carrot very finely diced
- 1 ribs celery very finely diced
- 1 medium onion very finely diced
- 5 stems of parsley leaves and stems separated, both finely dinced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 pack vegan ground mince 340 g (I used Impossible)
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1.5 tsp vegan Worcestershire sauce
- 1/4 cup bread crumbs
- 1 tsp vegan butter for greasing the pan
Sweet and Spicy Glaze
- 1/3 cup ketchup
- 1.5 tbsp brown sugar
- 1/2 tsp sriracha
- 1.5 tsp vinegar
- 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
- A dash of black pepper
Instructions
Prep the Meatloaf
- Preheat oven to 350F.
- In a large skillet, cook the finely diced carrot, celery and onion with olive oil until translucent and soft. This should take between 5-10 minutes, depending on how fine you've chopped your veg.1 tbsp olive oil, 1 small carrot, 1 ribs celery, 1 medium onion
- Add the garlic and parsley stems, and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Turn off the heat and transfer the entire mixture to a mixing bowl. Add the chopped parsley leaves to the bowl as well.5 stems of parsley, 3 cloves garlic
- Add the vegan ground mince, garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, kosher salt, black pepper, worchestershire sauce, and bread crumbs, and mix everything together until well combined.1 pack vegan ground mince, 1/2 tsp garlic powder, 1/2 tsp onion powder, 1 tsp chili powder, 1/2 tsp kosher salt, 1/4 tsp black pepper, 1.5 tsp vegan Worcestershire sauce, 1/4 cup bread crumbs
- Prepare a loaf pan by greasing with vegan butter or margarine, especially on the bottom and corners. Transfer the meatloaf mixture to the pan and flatten with a spatula. Clean up the edges of the loaf pan to make cleanup easier later.Cover with tinfoil and bake for 40 minutes.1 tsp vegan butter
Prepare the glaze
- While the meatloaf bakes, prepare the glaze by combining ketchup, brown sugar, sriracha, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder and black pepper. Mix well.1/3 cup ketchup, 1.5 tbsp brown sugar, 1/2 tsp sriracha, 1.5 tsp vinegar, 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce, 1/4 tsp garlic powder, A dash of black pepper
- After the loaf has baked for 40 minutes, remove the foil and add the glaze in an even layer. Bake for an additional 15 minutes (uncovered), and then remove from the oven.
- You may serve immediately, but it has better structural integrity after you let it cool completely. It'll be tasty but fall apart if you serve it fresh.
Nancy Grovum says
This was simple and delicious! I could have halved the sauce but that’s easy enough!
Angry birds says
Hi Lisa, your meatloaf vegan provides a satisfying and heart-healthy option that can be enjoyed by anyone, regardless of dietary preferences.
I like it and thanks for the original recipe.
L says
Do you think this would freeze well? I’m thinking the glaze is a liability, so I’m wondering whether leaving that out and adding it when thawed & reheating (in an air fryer, probably) might be the way to go? Though maybe the sauce would survive okay, I’m not sure!
Lisa Le says
Yes I’ve definitely frozen it with the glaze on. Still totally fine!