Go Back
+ servings
Print Recipe
4.41 from 5 votes

The Best Vegan Meatloaf

Moist and amazing vegan meatloaf with mushrooms, pecans, tofu, and breadcrumbs--perfect crowd pleaser for vegans and non-vegans alike.
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time50 minutes
Course: Entree, Main Course
Cuisine: American
Servings: 12
Calories: 192kcal

Ingredients

For the Meatloaf:

  • 1 medium yellow onion (finely diced in food processor or grated)(about 3/4 cup when diced/grated)
  • 4 ounces baby bella or cremini mushrooms (diced)
  • 1 tablespoon oil (or 1/4 cup water, to make recipe oil-free)
  • 14 ounces extra firm tofu (drained)
  • 4 slices whole grain bread
  • 2 cups raw pecans
  • 2 tablespoons chopped parsley fresh or dried
  • 2 1/2 tablespoon soy sauce (or 2 tablespoons Bragg's liquid aminos)
  • 1 1/2 tablespoon maple syrup
  • 1 1/2 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 1 tablespoon vital wheat gluten (optional)
  • 1 tablespoon flax meal
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt (eliminate if using Bragg's above)
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground sage
  • 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 2-4 tablespoons warm water (or enough to make meatloaf type consistency)

For the Maple Tomato Glaze:

  • 1/3 cup tomato paste
  • 1/3 cup tomato sauce (unseasoned sauce from a can)
  • 3 1/2 tablespoons maple syrup
  • 2 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice (fresh or bottled)
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt (or to taste)

Instructions

For the Meatloaf:

  • Preheat oven to 350 degree Fahrenheit.
  • Finely dice onion in food processor or grate.
  • Dice mushrooms in 1/4 inch pieces
  • Heat 1 tablespoon oil on medium heat, and saute onion and mushrooms for about 5 minutes, or until onions are translucent and mushroom is soft and lightly browned. Set aside.
  • Drain water off of tofu, and place block of tofu in large mixing bowl. Mash tofu with a fork or masher until it is crumbly.
  • Add onion and mushroom mixture to tofu mixture.
  • Tear up 4 slices of bread into bite sized pieces. In a blender or food processor, place 1/2 of the bread with 1 cup of pecans, and grind until you have breadcrumbs and pecan meal. By mixing the bread with the pecans, you prevent the pecan oils from causing the mixture to stick to the blender blades, saving you time. Repeat process with the other half of the bread and the last 1 cup of pecans. Add all breadcrumbs and pecan meal to large mixing bowl with tofu.
  • Add parsley, soy sauce, maple syrup, tomato paste, vital wheat gluten, flax meal, garlic powder, salt, sage, paprika, and warm water to your tofu mixture above. Mix thoroughly.
  • Spray an 8.5 inch x 5 inch loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray. (I use a coconut oil spray.)
  • Press meatloaf mixture sprayed loaf pan, and bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit x 45 minutes.
  • Remove meatloaf, spread maple tomato glaze (instructions below) on top, and bake for another 10-15 minutes. Allow meatloaf to cool for 10-15 minutes before attempted to slice or remove from pan.

For the glaze:

  • In a medium saucepan, combine tomato paste, tomato sauce, maple syrup, lemon juice, and salt.
  • Mix thoroughly with a wire whisk, and heat until mixture starts to bubble. Set aside until after meatloaf has baked for 45 minutes. Then spread on meatloaf for final 10-15 minutes of baking.

Notes

This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Nutrition

Calories: 192kcal | Carbohydrates: 13g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 455mg | Potassium: 339mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 265IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 42mg | Iron: 2mg