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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
Lauren
Loved it! I have made other vegan meat loaves in the past and this is by far the best. The walnuts add great texture. I think the mashed potatoes really helped everything stick together too. I used lentils instead of rice because that’s what I had on hand, and it was really so delicious and filling. Also added some kale for health points. I served mine with a side of mashed potatoes. Big hit for a usual “meat and potatoes” crowd.
Melissa Huggins
Hi Lauren, I'm so glad it was a hit with everyone! Sounds perfect with the lentils and kale. Thank you for sharing feedback. 🙂
Pat Graves
Very tasty. Next time, though, I will skip the sage and add raosemary instead. We like sage more with chicken dishes. Good meatloaf texture.
Melissa Huggins
Hi Pat, I'm so happy you loved it and you'll make it again. Thank you for sharing feedback. 🙂
Alissa Marshall
I can't wait to try this recipe for Thanksgiving.....do you think it can be made in advance and frozen?
Thank you!
Melissa Huggins
Hi Alissa, yes, you can freeze it for 2-3 months. Just cook right from frozen too. 🙂
Denise
I so want to make this, just wondering if I can replace the rice with quinoa!?☺️
Melissa Huggins
Hi Denise, I haven't tried it. The starch in the rice helps it stay together nicely. Quinoa could work, but it might not hold as well. I'm sure still delicious though. 🙂
Debra
Delicious loaf....thanks fotsharing.
Melissa Huggins
I'm so glad you loved it, Debra! Thank you for sharing feedback. 🙂
LAUREN B LOEBER
I would like to double this recipe and freeze one loaf. Have you any recommendations for this?
Melissa Huggins
Hi Lauren, it's hard to double the recipe because the mushrooms really need the space in the pan to cook down. Overloading the pan will create a lot of moisture and might affect the end result. I would just make two batches separately and freeze one. I hope this helps 🙂
Alissa
Hello,
If i want to freeze these for Thanksgiving, do you think I should bake it and then freeze it? Thank you!
Tee Jacober
This is an amazing recipe - very flavorful, and moist and held together beautifully! The only thing I changed was I used "Bone Suckin' Sauce instead of the ketchup glaze and in the future I think I will use significantly more mushrooms.
Melissa Huggins
Hi Tee, I'm so glad you loved the recipe! Sounds perfect with the sauce. Thank you for trying it and sharing feedback. 🙂
Jordanna
Hello Melissa,
I’m excited to try your recipes! Your website is so helpful and you are a great teacher! Can we use ground chia seeds for the flax eggs?.If yes, would the measurement of ingredients to make the chia eggs be the same as flax eggs? I appreciate your advice so much! Have a wonderful day and be well!
Jordanna
Melissa Huggins
Hi Jordanna, I'm so happy you find the recipe helpful! Yes, you can use ground chia seeds in the same way as the flax and same measurements. Have a wonderful weekend! 🙂