This vegan meatless loaf is so moist and flavorful that you won’t need stuffing or even gravy. It’s gluten-free and soy-free, too!
This is not your mama’s meatloaf. This is not even your mama’s seitan loaf, tofu turkey, or nut roast. It doesn’t taste like meat. It doesn’t even pretend to have the texture of meat. But if you like savory, Thanksgiving flavors so concentrated that you can just skip the gravy and dressing, you will want to give this recipe a try.
I was inspired by the Comfort Loaf in Robin Robertson’s Vegan on the Cheap*, but instead of using vital wheat gluten, oatmeal, and bread crumbs, I decided to make my meatless loaf gluten- and grain-free. So it’s brown and slightly crispy on the outside like a traditional meatloaf, but the inside is almost as tender as mashed potatoes, partly because it does, in fact, contain mashed (sweet) potatoes. The heady flavor and aroma come from the holy quartet of fall herbs–parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme–and believe me, they will have you singing!
In order to get a crispy crust on all sides of this vegan meatloaf, I formed it into a mound on a baking sheet instead of using a loaf pan. It cooks a little faster this way, and the slightly crunchy sides add a great texture. I don’t recommend baking it in a loaf pan, but if you do, allow for more cooking time.
*If you’re interested in the original recipe, I highly recommend getting a copy of Vegan on the Cheap.
More Vegan Thanksgiving Recipes
I’ve compiled a list of my readers’ favorite Thanksgiving recipes, along with my own favorite main dish, Mushroom Seitan Roast. For even more holiday recipes, please visit my Thanksgiving Recipes page for all of my holiday dishes, from side dishes to desserts.
Thanksgiving Meatless Loaf
Ingredients
- 1 medium sweet potato
- 1 medium onion
- 2 ribs celery
- 1 medium carrot
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 15- ounce can cannellini beans or other white beans drained and rinsed
- 14 ounces extra-firm tofu or an additional can of white beans
- 2 tablespoons gluten-free soy sauce or coconut aminos
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon spicy brown or whole-grain prepared mustard
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley chopped
- 1/2 tablespoon rubbed sage
- 1 tablespoon thyme leaf
- 1/2 tablespoon dried rosemary crushed
- 1 1/2 teaspoon salt or to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- 1/2 cup chopped walnuts optional
- 3/4 cup quinoa flakes or quick oatmeal
Instructions
- Wash a medium sweet potato (about 7 ounces), pierce it several times with a fork, wrap it in a paper towel, and microwave until done, 4-5 minutes. (Alternately, bake or steam the sweet potato.) Allow to cool enough to handle and then peel and set aside.
- Mince the onion, celery, and carrot. You can do this quickly by cutting each vegetable in quarters and then pulsing in a food processor until finely chopped.
- Heat a large, non-stick skillet. Add the minced vegetables, including garlic, and cook, stirring regularly, until they become tender, about 6-10 minutes. Add water by the teaspoon if necessary to keep the vegetables from sticking or becoming dry. Once they’re softened, add the drained beans and mash them lightly with a slotted spoon or spatula.
- Place the peeled sweet potato into the food processor along with the tofu, soy sauce, and all seasonings, including nutritional yeast. Process until fairly smooth. Add the walnuts and pulse a few more times. Scrape the tofu mixture into a large mixing bowl and add the quinoa flakes and the cooked vegetables. Stir well.
- Preheat oven to 375F. If you have a silicone baking mat (recommended) place it on a baking sheet. Otherwise line the baking sheet with parchment paper or spray with non-stick spray. Spoon the tofu mixture onto the prepared baking surface, using dampened hands to shape it into an oblong or oval loaf about 2 1/2 inches high. Bake for 25 minutes or until the top is evenly browned. Loosely cover with aluminum foil and cook for 20 more minutes. Check to make sure that the center is firm; if not, give it a little extra time. (You can also remove the foil and cook for 5 more minutes for a crunchier crust.) Remove from oven and allow to stand for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.
- Serving Suggestion: Serve alone or with Mushroom Gravy on the side.
Notes
Nutritional info is approximate.
Heidi
Thank you, thank you! I have never, ever left a comment on anyone’s blog, but this recipe was so good I just had to! My daughter has followed your blog for years, but I happened upon it just a month or so ago. She was pretty impressed that I found the blog, and that I wanted to try the Meatless Loaf for Thanksgiving. And we were all so impressed with the results. It was voted delicious, by vegans and meat-loving teenage boys alike. It has so much protein and so much flavor – amazing! And I suggest trying it crumbled into leftover mashed potatoes. Very yummy. Thank you, again!
Angie
Made this for Thanksgiving. It was really good. A little more work than I expected. Next time I will make sure to have all the spices pre-measured and maybe mash up the beans ahead of time. Will definitely make again.
kathr9n
I made this for Thanksgiving and enjoyed it very much. I finished the last of the leftovers last night. Thanks for making my holiday yummy!
Maddie S
This recipe was a delicious addition to my Thanksgiving table. And..it was even better the net day. Thanks so much.
Mary
Delicious! I tried this recipe yesterday and am eating the leftovers right now with some mushroom gravy . The only thing I need to do differently next time is to make the loaf a little flater, it was so fat in the middle that I had to cook it for almost an hour before it started to harden.
Katherine
Due to food allergies, I wonder what I could substitute for the following items:
(1) cannellini beans (or other white beans) >> would green beans or corn work?
(2) quinoa flakes
I am okay with soy/tofu but am allergic to chickpeas so am leary on eating the other types of beans. I’ve had green beans without a problem though.
Thanks 🙂
SusanV
The beans help hold the loaf together, so I’m afraid green beans and corn wouldn’t be good substitutes. If tofu is okay, you could just use a second package of it instead of the beans. If you can eat oatmeal, you could use it instead of the quinoa flakes. Good luck!
Katherine
No, I can’t eat oatmeal; I am allergic to wheat and the wheat family.
Any other idea for that?
SusanV
How about more sweet potato or a yukon gold potato?
Ben Roberts
This was fantastic. I subbed Rolled oats for the Quinoa because I can’t seem to find it… and I trew in some Bok Choy because my Celery was a bit under the weather. Hit the spot – I’ve been craving something meatloaf-like for ages!
Raquel
I made this for Thanksgiving and it was so yummy delicious! Since I am the only vegetarian in my family, needless to say, I was eating this for lunch and dinner for three days in a row. But It tasted so good I just didn’t want it to go to waste! Thanks for giving me a vegan recipe that is not supposed to taste like meat!
moonwatcher
Hi Susan,
Just wanted to let you know my son and I made this together on Thanksgiving and it was wonderful! Across the miles in southern Idaho, my son’s girlfriend made it as well. We all loved it. It was great as leftovers, too. Thank you!!
xo
moonwatcher
heidi
Hi,
I love your site and make recipes from it often–thanks! I made this one last night, and I’m still trying to figure out what went wrong. It went together fine, although it was definitely on the wet side. I just double-checked the ingredients, and the only substitution I made was oatmeal for the quinoa flakes. However, we cooked it over 1.5 hours and it’s still mushy (“raw” seeming) in the middle.
Others seem to be having lots of success, though. Wonder what I did wrong??
SusanV
Heidi, all I can think of is that tofu can differ widely from brand to brand. Even extra-firm tofu can have different moisture and softness levels. Since the tofu provides most of the moistness of the recipe, I’m guessing that that’s where the problem lies. I’m sorry you had a bad experience and I hope it won’t keep you from trying some of my other recipes.
Elizabeth S.
This was a tremendous success! When my picky 10 year old walked in the house he immediately said, “What’s for dinner, it smells amazing!”. And my obnoxious 18 year old who refuses to eat dinner unless there is some meat involved knew right away it wasn’t “real meat” but ate two helpings because it smelled so good and said… are you ready for it… “That wasn’t half bad.” Real praise in deed!
I had all the ingredients on hand, so didn’t need to deviate from the recipe one bit. I was a bit worried it would be too “mashed potato” like in the center and wouldn’t appeal to my picky, manly, meat eaters. So I decided to add 2 Tablespoons of raw sunflower seeds along with the walnuts and 1/4 cup of steel cut oats to add to the chewy texture. I don’t know if chewy is really the best word for it, but the center was not mushy at all and the flavor was fantastic. I will be making this again, and often.
I served this with steamed green beans, tossed with slivered almonds, and a homemade cranberry-apple-pear chutney that complemented the loaf beautifully. It felt like Thanksgiving all over again, but better! Thank you so much Susan for this fantastic recipe.
Krissy
This looks sososo delicious! I am definitely going to making this for our solstice feast! My parents aren’t vegans, but they enjoy tasting my new recipes (or so they say). Looks like a winner:) Thanks for all your lovely tasty recipes!
Glenda
I gave this a try and it was fabulous! I couldn’t believe it when I opened the oven door and it was so brown and perfect, just like a meat loaf. I had to give it a longer time to cook than recommended. Just make sure the center is firm and the top is nicely browned and crunchy. I purchased my quinoa flakes at Walmart in their Mexican area. They add to the appearance of the meatloaf with their tiny white specks… This is truly worth a try. It does not taste like meatloaf but sure does look like it. Mine turned out moist, not dry and I will be making it again for Christmas. I stuck to the recipe and didnt alter a thing. I made a mushroom gravy to go with it. My husband liked it too.
Sarah
I was just wondering if this can be frozen when it is all put together but not yet cooked?
SusanV
I haven’t tried that, but I can’t think of a reason why it wouldn’t work. Just be sure to defrost it thoroughly in the fridge before you bake it.
DeeDee Bridgewater
Hi Susan`-> Just got around to making this great comfort food recipe;
a great make ahead dish for Christmas Pot Lucks which is exactly what popped into the oven after our first steaming test loaf came out. I substituted coconut flour which I happened to have and increased the amount to a little over one cup instead of 3/4, since I added one large sauteed fresh minced red pepper. Also, because this recipe is bursting with pungent savory flavors, our family agreed that home made organic ketchup fit nicely with added sweetness as a topping. For pot lucks, I will make a sweet/sour sauce too. Susan, we are so grateful to have you online.
Merry Christmas to you and your family, and thank you for your gifts throughout the year of joyous vegan dishes. Don’t forget to have a healthy and happy New Year.
Miriam
This looks fabulous and seems to cut well too, which sometimes can be a problem with these loaves particularly because they are egg-free. I will probably serve this with steamed veges and crunchy roast potatoes.
Lizabet
Very tasty and worth the prep time. Followed the recipe exactly but could not get it to “firm up” even with additional cooking time. Perhaps my oven is not up to temp? My husband saved the day with his suggestion to slice and then broil the individual slices. Next time I will make two smaller loaves.
Emma
Just wanted to let you know that I made your loaf for xmas and really enjoyed it. I made it as the recipe but subbed quick oats for quinoa flakes. I didn’t really have time to let it sit ten mins after cooking so it was a bit soft but I had more for lunch the next day and it had firmed up nicely. I didn’t realize it would make so much! Not that I mind of course, leftovers in the freezer for lazy days 🙂
Thank you, Emma
nicolav
This was absolutely delicious! (And much healthier than what the omnivores were eating Christmas day). Will definitely be trying some more of your recipes.
Karen
I made this loaf for christmas dinner along with your mushroom gravy and green bean casserole (that I had also made for Thanksgiving). After 20 years of not eating meat and only having the side dishes at holiday meals, this is the first time I had a main dish to enjoy while everyone else was eating the turkey. All the dishes turned out awesome. Thank you for sharing your wonderful recipes!
Michelle
Thanks so much for this recipe! I’ve made it twice now and I think it’ll become one of my favorite standby dishes. I’ve always loved lentil loaf, but this is so tender and flavorful compared to any lentil loaf I’ve ever made. Excellent recipe, and a real crowd pleaser too.
Bert
This looks fantastic. I have been vegetarian since last January so this Thanksgiving was my first without turkey, and I must say it was less than impressive. I have decided to vegan (very recently) and came across this blog. Let me say, you are a Godsend. I look forward to trying this recipe ASAP…forget thanksgiving!
kirsty wellcoat
http://www.lindamccartneyfoods.co.uk/tastiestmeatfree/kitchen-table-home.php
Hi again, this is the link for Paul McCartney competition.. think a meat loaf would be good too.. Kirsty x
SusanV
Thanks, Kirsty! I’m taking a look at it now.
SusanV
Oops, I live in the wrong country. It’s for U.K. residents only. Oh well.
samantha
This was so fantastic! I ended up getting a softer tofu by mistake, so the result was a slightly crunchy outside with a fluffy yummy inside. Made the mushroom gravy with vermouth and rosemary, and it was also fantastic! add the chocolate covered cherry pudding cake, and i’m soooo happy and full and ready for bed way too early. the perfect winter dinner after working in the freezing cold today! thank youu!
kifar
Hi…. how do you come up with the “nutrition facts” and the “points”? Is there some type of program to figure all this out? I would like to take some of my simple recipes and figure out what is going on. P.S. I took this loaf to a Thanksgiving pot luck and it was a HIT!!!!!
SusanV
Glad to hear you liked it! To get the nutrition facts, I use a program called Living Cookbook. If you go to http://www.livingcookbook.com, they usually have a free trial offer so you can try it for 30 days.
Sonia
I made this for Christmas(I know, crazy long time ago) and it was delicious. Very easy to put together and came out great. Like some others have said, it tasted a lot like stuffing.
FYI- I formed it, refrigerated it and baked the next day. I think there was a question about that so thought I’d help:)
Get Skinny, Go Vegan.
YUM!!! A GF vegan meatloaf!! Do you eat gluten yourself?? Looks like you have lots of good GF recipes.
Natalie
Oh,… yum.
We just finished nomming this & it is so very delicious. We couldn’t even bring ourselves to put any sauce or gravy on it and soil the perfect balance of flavors. (It was moist enough, anyhow.)
I do not normally comment, but I have tried & loved so many of your culinary creations. Please, never ever stop. This is def going on my regular rotation recipe list. Much too good to save for the gluttonous holiday.
I am thinking of trying it in eight patty forms sometime, as well, just to get more browning surface. How much do you think that would change thw cooking time?
Anyway, another excellent recipe! Many, many thanks.
SusanV
I’m so glad you liked the recipe! I think if you made it into burgers, you could probably cut the time in half. Please let me know how it comes out if you try.
Camila
I love this recipe! I had problems the first time because the loaf wouldn’t cook in the middle so I improvised and made meatballs out of it. This time I actually put it in cupcakes baking cups and it worked really well. The presentation was great too (with a bit of gravy on top). Thanks Susan!
Caitlin
Just had this for dinner 🙂 It was delicious, my mom thought it tasted like traditional thanksgiving stuffing. Thank you so much for the recipe! This was my first entree I made from your site and I can’t wait to try more! I subbed out the nutritional yeast and used oats instead of quinoa flakes and it turned out very yummy! But it was on the mushier side, we didn’t mind it, but I’m just wondering for future reference, what could we do differently to firm up the loaf?
SusanV
I would add more of the oats–that should firm it up. Thanks for the feedback!
Natalie
This was absolutely disgusting; a waste of valuable food, time and money.
Caroline
Hi Susan,
Thanks for the recipe- I made this last night for a Christmas in July dinner here in Australia and it was absolutely delicious.
My only substitution was parmesan cheese for nutritional yeast (as I couldn’t find it after going to 4 different sotres). We had this with mashed potato and roast vegies and it was YUM!!
Do you think this recipe would also work w/ curry powder and fresh coriander instead of the other herbs and spices?
Thanks,
Caroline
Emanuelle
This faux meatloaf looks delicious. I’ve tried making one before with mung beans but it tasted awful. I’m going to give your recipe a go and I’m sure it will taste much better! Thanks -Emanuelle
http://www.emanuellefrancesca.com
Cathy Guy
Susan,
I love your recipes!
Just had a question, I just recently started Weight Watchers, and am happy that
you list the points after most recipes. Are they the new Points Plus or the older
points value system? I am not strictly vegan, but I prefer it and there aren’t many vegetarian/vegan recipes on the WW site.
Thanks much!
Cathy Guy
SusanV
Thanks, Cathy! I switched over to the new Points Plus during the past year, but this recipe seems to have been posted before I made the switch. The Points Plus on the recipe with the walnuts is 8.9 and without the walnuts is 7.5.
miri
If i can’t find quinoa flakes what can I use ? could i substitute with breadcrumbs?
Thanks,
miri
SusanV
I’d use quick oatmeal. If you use breadcrumbs, you may need a little more.
georgina0912
Hello Susan, i am new to your blog but i have been increasingly looking for fat free vegan recipes thanks to a good “fat free” friend who always forwards your recipes to me. I am a vegan just not a fat free one, but i am getting there.
Last night i made this meatless loaf, followed the instructions and got incredible flavor, but i had to leave the loaf in the oven for about an hour to get it crusty on the outside and it never got firm on the inside. It is mushy. What do you think happened? I think i would like to bring this recipe to a thanksgiving get together with meat eaters but i want to blow their socks off…i want them to think “this is better than the bird.”
What did i do wrong? Why did i get a mushy loaf?
Thanks!
SusanV
I’m sorry to hear that it was mushy! I can’t be sure what happened, but it’s possible that your tofu or some other ingredient had more moisture than mine. If you make it again, try draining the tofu well (even squeezing it out in a tea towel if you can) and add a little more quinoa flakes. You could also try cooking it as two smaller loaves rather than one big one–that should help it cook all the way through.
georgina0912
That makes sense. I usually squeeze my tofu but i did not this time and that may be it. I will also cook small loaves instead of a big one next time.
Thank you!