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This Mushroom-Walnut Meatless Loaf w/ Ketchup Glaze is hearty, healthy & full of flavor. It will keep the vegans & non-vegans at the table together.
After going vegan, I really missed meatloaf, but when I really thought about it, it wasn’t the meat that was comforting my taste buds & senses back then...it was the texture, taste, and aroma I craved. Meat by itself just smells & tastes gross…especially, when it’s raw. So a Meatless Loaf was in my future.
I made this Meatless Loaf with mushrooms to capture that “meaty” texture, and I used most of the same veggies, herbs & spices of a classic meatloaf recipe. You won't be missing a thing!
Mushrooms will do the trick every time, and I use them often to replace the meat-like texture. These Lentil Mushroom Tacos and my Portobello Vegan Fajitas are very popular with my non-vegan friends, and they look forward to eating dinner at our house.
How do I make a Vegan Meatloaf?
As I was saying, the mushrooms really do the trick for the meaty texture, but to pull it all together, I also added some cooked rice, rolled oats & mashed potatoes. Together, these ingredients add a nice bitey texture and will make the loaf tender and moist.
It's almost the same as making a meat-based loaf, with some additional steps. I promise it'll be worth it though. Here's what you'll need to do:
STEP 1
Cook your rice and potatoes. This helps with texture and the potatoes keep it all together. I make them the night before to make things easier.
STEP 2
Prepare your flax egg and set aside
STEP 3
Sauté the onions, celery, mushrooms and spices.
STEP 4
Add the sautéed veggies, flax egg and to a large bowl with the rice, potatoes, oats, tomato paste, Worcestershire, salt, and pepper. Combine well.
STEP 5
Transfer to a lined loaf pan and press down firmly so it molds into pan. Top with ketchup glaze and bake to perfection.
How do you make ketchup glaze for meatloaf?
It's really easy! You'll just need mustard, brown sugar, vinegar, salt, and of course, ketchup. Combined, these ingredients create a subtly-sweet, savory & tangy flavor.
Just mix them all together and set aside while you prepare the rest. When everything is done, just brush it on to the top of the loaf. During the baking process, it'll get bubbly, gooey, and caramelized. My mouth is watering just thinking about it!
Can I freeze it?
Yes! You can bake it all the way through and freeze or just freeze after you fill the loaf pan. I haven't tried freezing it with the ketchup glaze. It's so easy to make fresh, so I just do it the day of.
The loaf will take at least 30-40 minutes longer to heat throughout. I usually add the ketchup glaze at the halfway mark to avoid it getting too crispy.
What can I serve with it?
- Vegan Mashed Potatoes
- Vegan Coleslaw
- Salad
- Vegan Cauliflower Casserole
- Sautéed Green Beans
I'd love to hear from you
If you make this recipe, let me know what you think by ★ star rating it and leaving a comment below. It would really make my day. You can also follow me on Instagram and share your creation with me. Just tag me @veganhuggs and hashtag #veganhuggs so I don’t miss it.
📖 Recipe
Mushroom-Walnut Meatless Loaf with Ketchup Glaze
Ingredients
Ketchup Glaze:
- ½ cup ketchup
- 2 tablespoons mustard
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Meatless Loaf
- 2 ½ tablespoons ground flaxseed + 6 tablespoons water (for flax egg)
- 2 tablespoons grapeseed oil (or preferred cooking oil)
- 1 medium red onion , diced
- 3 stalks celery , diced
- 3-4 cloves garlic , minced
- 12 oz cremini mushrooms , finely chopped or minced (about 4 cups)
- 2 cups cooked rice
- 1 cup cooked potatoes , mashed
- ¾ cup rolled oats (gluten-free if preferred)
- ⅓ cup breadcrumbs (gluten-free if preferred)
- ¾ cup walnuts , pulsed in food processor into a loose meal (or finely chopped)
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 ½ teaspoons dried thyme
- 1 ½ teaspoons dried parsley
- 1 teaspoon ground sage
- 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
- 2 tablespoons vegan worcestershire sauce
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt , more to taste
- Fresh cracked pepper , to taste
Recommended Equipment
- Large Mixing Bowl
Instructions
Ketchup Glaze:
- To make the glaze, mix all ingredients together in a small bowl. Mix well & set aside.
Meatless Loaf:
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Mix the water and flaxseed meal together in a small bowl, set aside for at least 10 minutes (this makes 2 flax eggs). It will gel up.
- Prepare a loaf pan by lining with parchment paper. Lining the pan makes it so much easier to remove after cooking. Here is a quick video on how to line a loaf pan with parchment paper. Set aside.
- In a large pan, heat the oil over medium heat. Sprinkle with salt. Sauté onion & celery over medium heat for 5-6 minutes, until onions are slightly browned and celery is softened.
- Add garlic, thyme, rosemary, parsley, and sage. Sauté for 1 minute.
- Turn heat up to medium-high and then add the mushrooms. Cook until they have released all their liquid and the pan and mushrooms are mostly dry. About 6-8 minutes.
- Transfer the cooked mushroom mixture to a large bowl. Add the mashed potatoes, breadcrumbs, flax eggs, rice, rolled oats, walnuts, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, salt & pepper. Combine all ingredients really well, using hands if necessary. Give a quick taste to see if it needs any more seasoning, add as needed.
- Place mixture into your lined loaf pan. Press down firmly so it molds into pan. Brush top of loaf with the ketchup glaze.
- Bake for 30-40 minutes, until heated through. If you would like to crisp the glaze a bit, turn the broiler on for 2-3 minutes. Be careful not to burn.
- Let the loaf cool for about 10 minutes before trying to remove from pan. Use the paper to pull it up and onto your serving dish. Let sit for another 5-10 minutes before serving. This helps firm it up more.
Notes
Nutrition
Laura
I wonder if I could use all fresh herbs?
Melissa Huggins
Hi Laura, Yes, you can definitely use fresh herbs for this 🙂
Linda
Can you cook in advance and reheat the next day? I have one in the oven now, but would like to do one for an Easter celebration, if we like this one, which I’m sure we will. Great recipe.
Diane Landis (Morgan)
Recipe ingredients look very compatible. I will make the meatloaf in a week & rate it then. 👌 and then I hope to try other of your meatless meals.
Melissa Huggins
Looking forward your feedback Diane. 🙂
Julz R
This was yummy! I used regular eggs as I'm not vegan. The entire family loved it and they do eat meat. I will definitely be making this on a regular basis in our house. Thanks for sharing.
Melissa Huggins
You are welcome Julz! I am happy you all loved the recipe. 🙂
nikita
This was delicious, thank you.
Melissa Huggins
I am happy you loved it! 🙂
Paul
This was a hit for T-day. Slight variations: portobello for lack of cremini;; toasted walnuts, pecans & pistachios before pulsing; made the easy apple-cranberry sauce ( also a hit). I'll do this loaf again, no question about it.
Melissa Huggins
Hey Paul, I am glad you liked this recipe and made it work with what you have. 🙂 Happy weekend.
Lu Masters
Wondering if I can make the loaf mixture the day before and store in fridge to cook the next day or is freezing the only option?
Thanks this dish is so delicious!!
Melissa Huggins
Yes, you can make the mixture and chill it in the fridge. It'll take a little longer to heat but everything else will work the same. Thanks for making it. Happy Thanksgiving! 🙂
Dennis Wells
Takes longer than 20 minutes to prep and I replaced the bread crumbs with 2 crushed weetbix. Other than that…perfect and delicious!
Melissa Huggins
Hi Dennis, the prep time is based on how long I did it, so it really depends. I hope it did not take you too long though. I am happy you enjoyed the dish. 🙂
Denise Heeren
I’ve only made this recipe twice but both times it was exceptional. It’s even better the next day when all the flavors have had an opportunity to come together. I used both shiitake and cremini mushrooms. The second time around I made sure I had everything chopped up and it went together quickly and easily. I made a little extra sauce to have some to add to it when serving. My mom isn’t vegan and had no idea she was eating a plant based loaf. I would highly recommend this recipe. 😋
Melissa Huggins
Thank you for your positive feedback, Denise! I am so pleased that you love the recipe and I am stoked that your non-vegan mom loves it too. 🙂
Christine Westhoff
Hello! Has anyone tried freezing a loaf? I have an extra loaf that I would like to freeze for later, and wondering how it will hold up.
robert eckel
I have made this many times, it’s such a tasty dish. Thank you so much !
Melissa Huggins
You are very much welcome Robert! Thanks for leaving such great feedback. 🙂
Margaret
This has become a favorite comfort food recipe for our family. It is so nice finding a vegan loaf that isn't lentil, and this tastes better than a lentil loaf. I knew when I read your ingredients it would be a winner. The only change I made was baking it in a 9x9 baking dish, which I personally find bakes loaves better than a loaf pan. And it serves nicely, too. Thanks so much.
Melissa Huggins
Hi Margaret, I absolutely agree with you! This Mushroom-walnut loaf is a true winner. 🙂 I'm glad you made it work for you.