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.
Red
Hello Susan..I hope the Autumn finds you well? I just wanted to stop by and thank you for this recipe. I finally tracked down Quinoa Flakes here in England and I made the loaf last night. I’ve posted a pictorial blog about the loaf today with links straight here for the recipe and to your site in general. I hope you stop by and check out the photos?
All the best ~Red~
Jane Shakman
Your recipe calls for extra firm tofu. I have 2 packages of firm tofu in the frig. Do you think I can use those?
Jane
SusanV
Yes. Unless they’re small packages, you’ll just need one. Press it or squeeze it to get out as much moisture as you can before using it.
carrotstixx
That looks so delicious and the ingredients don’t require all the work of the seitan prep. Question: Do the “calories from fat” listed include the optional walnuts?
Susan Voisin
If you look closely, there are two sets of nutritional stats: the first includes walnuts, the second doesn’t.
Rita
I am SO making this for Christmas dinner. I can taste it already! Thanks as always for the inspiration! I LOVE your blog.
Wendy (Healthy Girl's Kitchen)
Susan-I’m doing so well on time with everything that I am preparing for the holiday that I think I need to add this loaf to our menu! But I don’t dare go back to the grocery store the day before Thanksgiving and I have used up all of my sweet potatoes. What do you think would happen if I used a white potato? Thanks! Wendy
Susan Voisin
I think it will be fine! I’m a big proponent of not going to the grocery store unless absolutely necessary. 😉 I hope you enjoy it! (I’m envious of your planning. Despite my good intentions, I’ve put off all the cooking until tomorrow.)
Wendy (Healthy Girl's Kitchen)
Thanks for your quick reply Susan. Have a wonderful holiday! Your sweet potato casserole and string bean/mushroom thingie will be gracing our table this year. I’m so excited!
Wendy (Healthy Girl's Kitchen)
It’s in the oven right now-put it into a 12 muffin baking tray to get the maximum amount of surface area. Wish us luck!
Meg Hansen
Can I use plain rolled oats instead of quick oats? I am cooking our feast with only the ingredients I currently have (giving thanks for a full pantry!) and I don’t have quick oats. My vegan husband is sure to love this! Thanks for the lovely loaf ideas- also trying your double layer pumpkin-cheesecake. I cannot wait 🙂
Megy
I just found your website. It’s amazing, thank you. I am a vegan wanna-be. I am not quite there yet, but, with your help, I can prepare some delicious protein rich food for me and my husband. I’ll try the meatless loaf recipe. I am a bit confused about sweet potato x and yams, though. Which one is better, the firm or the soft variety?
Shirley
This loaf was fantastic. I was road testing some recipes for Christmas dinner and after making this yesterday my search is over as this is going on the Christmas table this year. It has a great texture and the flavor was amazing. I was even thinking about wrapping it in puff pastry to add to the splendor. THANK YOU.
Mina
Hi Susan,
I have made many of your recipes before and loved them all, and I was hoping to make this one for our christmas day celebration! However, there will be so many dishes that I have to prepare on the day of christmas, so I was wondering if you think it would be okay to make the entire mixture, and simply wait 24 hours to bake it?
Susan Voisin
I haven’t done that, but I can’t see any reason why it wouldn’t work.
renee
Can you pre-mix and cook the next day?
Susan Voisin
Yes.
Sheesh
I made this for Christmas dinner, my sister found your recipe in our local paper. It was so tasty, thank you! My mom and sister liked it better than stuffing and I used it as my main as I am the vegetarian in the family. The spices are perfect btw, tastes like Christmas 🙂
Susan Voisin
I’d really like to know what paper you saw it in, but thanks for letting me know.
Sheesh
Sorry I didn’t respond yet! I think it was in the Langley times? Or the Langley Advance? Here in Langley, BC Canada 🙂 I’ll ask my sister if she still has the clipping to be sure.
P.S. I absolutely love your site and can’t wait to cook my way through it. You have a great balance of health, comfort foods and classics.
Jean
I am trying to save the Thanksgiving to Meatless Loaf to My Recipe Box but there doesn’t seem to be a link for that. The loaf looks scrumptious!
Jean
Susan Voisin
Jean, can you see the link on other recipes? It should be right at the top. If not, it could be your browser, so if you can, look at it in Firefox, which is what I use. Also, once it’s in your recipe box, the link changes to “Remove From Recipe Box,” so maybe you’ve already saved it.
Becca J
Thank you so much for the recipe. I made meatloaf Sammies out of the loaf and it was so very yummy!
Leah & Whessel
Susan dear, thank-you so much for sharing this lovely recipe. Me and my partner enjoyed it thouroughly tonight alongside a nice bottle of wine! … & we discovered the wonderful versatility of nutritional yeast. We look forward to more Susan recipe nights to come 🙂
Alana
Hi Susan, thank you so much for this recipe. It was so easy to make and my goodness, so delicious to eat! It was even great to eat as a cold lunch the next day. Funnily I broke my food processor trying to make this because, stupidly, I didn’t chop the firm tofu small enough. Was well worth the breakage. 🙂
Susan
This was outstanding! Made it last night. Didn’t have quinoa flakes – ended up using corn meal. Was so delicious. Really enjoyed it – thank you! It made a huge loaf – do you think I can freeze the leftovers?
Susan
Oh – forgot to mention – I had made your mushroom barley soup, too – didn’t make the mushroom gravy but I spooned a bit of the soup over the loaf – yum!!!!!
deb
Made this tonight! It was awesome! It will definitely be a keeper recipe. Thank you!
Janet
Hi! This recipe looks DELICIOUS! However, I am trying to stay away from a lot of soy and wondering on if you have any thoughts on something else I could use for that light, fluffiness that soy gives. Thanks!!
Hannah {The Erohs}
I’ve made this recipe twice and both times it came out very wet and mushy in the middle. I read others reviews saying theirs came out cooked all the way through but mine just seems to heat up in the middle but stay…well, mushy. Am I doing something wrong?
By the way, I love your blog and have made several of your recipes. My hubby is gluten-free and its sometimes difficult finding good gluten-free recipes. Yours are always a hit!
Ron
I made this for the first time last night and mine turned out mushy too – like thick peanut butter. Loved the flavour but the texture was awful and couldn’t be sliced. It did turn out to be a nice spread for breakfast toast this morning though and I’ll have again on sandwiches for lunch today and again tomorrow (my family wouldn’t eat so I have plenty left).
Any suggestions such as bread crumbs or something to give it a chewable texture please?
Susan Voisin
Sorry about that. I don’t know exactly why some come out mushy and others don’t, but I suspect the moisture content of the beans differs. You could try increasing the oatmeal or quinoa flakes or adding bread crumbs.
Constance
Hi Susan,
I volunteered to bring the main dish for my 4 y/o son’s pre-k class thanksgiving celebration. There are 12 kids. I need a loafy or faux turkey kind of thing that is healthy but that the kids will like. I’m trying to introduce homemade vegan food to the kids when it’s our turn to bring snack or contribute to a potluck. I don’t want to turn them off! I made Pumpkin Oat Muffins from Nava Atlas’ Let them Eat Vegan for Halloween and they loved them. Do you have any suggestions?
Thanks!
Constance
Jessica
I made this as a trial run for possible thanksgiving centerpiece. Now, before making this I had NEVER had ANY kind of loaf before, meat or veggie. I wasn’t sure I would like it. And I admit, while making it I was kind of freaked out. The processed tofu mixture scared me! The flavor of this ended up being pretty good though! I made two smaller loaves because the mixture was a LOT and I was worried about it cooking in the center. Mine never did brown up as beautifully as Susan’s, and I think I might have dried it out a little bit, but it still tasted good. I added the optional walnuts and wouldn’t if I made it again. If you’re a fan of walnuts go ahead, but I found the texture distracting amidst the rest of the loaf. I’m not sure I would make this again, but that’s because I’m not sure if I am a loaf lover, period, not because of this recipe. It was easy to put together and the flavors were great. I didn’t make the gravy but wish I would have, and I served with a side of mashed potatoes which were a must.
Patty
Do you have any suggestions of what to replace the tomato paste with? THis sounds wonderful but we can’t do tomatoes.
Susan Voisin
Just leave it out. It only adds a little flavor. If you want you can increase the soy sauce, but it probably won’t be necessary.
Lee
I made this loaf for our vegan potluck last Thanksgiving and I’ve been racking my brain for what to make for this get together. I’ve decided that it was so scrumptious we deserve to have it again only this time I’ll make two since we ran out last year. Anyone who is looking for a full of taste special main dish for TG need look no further. This is the bomb!
Tamra
I made this loaf too! I think I minced the veggies a bit too much- which may have taken away from the texture. One of the herbs was a bit over-powering for me. Really good though. Will make this again!
JoAnn
WOW!
I made this for our very traditional thanksgiving dinner for the 3 vegans. It completely disappeared because all the turkey eaters gobbled it up! I used oats because it seems like they haven’t heard of quinoa flakes here in Israel. I served it with Cosmopolitan Cranberry sauce and it was really yummy.
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Cosmopolitan-Cranberry-Sauce-240449
Todd
Susan….this was absolutely delicious! I don’t know how you come up with some of these recipes but this one was truly inspired. It has some of the flavors of really good stuffing and the texture of a meatloaf but it is absolutely in a class by itself. Bravo on this one. Love!
Chris
Thank you so much for the meatless loaf! This will be our very
first vegan Christmas ever! I am 60 years old! It tastes like
stuffing and is so delicious.
Question: Can I make the ‘batter’ and leave in the fridge and
then bake it on xmas day? That way the outside will be crunchy.
A must for my converting to vegan son and daughter in law.
Susan Voisin
Yes, I think it would be fine to make it ahead of time. You might need to cook it longer, though, or allow it to come to room temperature before baking. I hope your family likes it!
Chris
Susan, it worked beautifully. I opted to bring it to room
temperature before baking. It is a staple in our house now.
Please spin your magic and give us more options for loaves.
With health issues and needing oil free vegan recipes, you
are exactly what we need.
Thanks so much.
Lauren M
I made this for Thanksgiving this year and absolutely fell in love with it. I couldn’t eat enough of the loaf. I ate it cold without anything on it: it tasted delicious. I put it on a sandwich: even more delicious. I think it only lasted me three days and I wouldn’t let any of it go to waste on my my meat-eating family. I ate the whole thing except for the three pieces my family ate on Thanksgiving.
Jenna
Just wanted to say I made this last x-mas and really enjoyed it. I think your method of cooking would have browned it more on the outside (I used a loaf pan) but it was still awesome. I love your blog and all the recipes I’ve tried so far have come out great! Keep up the fantastic work.
Sarah Clark
I made this for Thanksgiving this year and couldn’t get enough of it! I was sad when it was gone, lol. My kids all tried it and liked it (though they focused on the non-vegan fare I’d made them).
I’m using this recipe as a base to make a huge batch of veggie patties today that I can freeze and use as I need them. I’m adding eggplant and zucchini I need to use up from my Bountiful Baskets order, and I’ll be adding brown rice just because I like it. 🙂 I’ll have to adjust the cook time for patties, of course, but I’m so excited to make them. We’ll see how many actually make it into the freezer and how many we can’t help but eat right off the pan. 🙂
Chris
Yes please do MORE loaves! Our first ever vegan xmas
was with this meatless loaf. Tastes like stuffing, and is
amazing with home made cranberry sauce.
I would adore many more loaves. One afternoon
of cooking, and instant suppers since the portions freeze
so well.
Thank you so much!!
Shannon
I know this post is a couple years old, but I just made it today and wanted to tell you how wonderful it is. Before baking I mixed in some cooked wild rice. I truly appreciate the high nutritional value and uncompromised good taste that this dish had. Not to mention, the texture was fantastic – hefty enough to be satisfying.
Way better than any ground meat loaf I had growing up!
Laura
Susan, I printed this off a few years ago but finally made it last night. It was so good I almost cried on the first bite. Thank you for a recipe that truly soothed my soul last night, in the dead of winter.
Susan Voisin
Laura, thanks for letting me know how much you enjoyed it! Your comment just made my day!
Nikki
I made this for the first time at Christmas 2012. I’ve made it twice more since then. I follow the recipe as printed only changing up the minced veggies based on what I had. I. Love. It. I live alone and it makes about eight to ten meals! I wrap the leftover slices individually and freeze them. I brown the thawed slices in a frying pan (no oil) and I think they taste even better. Thank you, Susan. It’a fabulous recipe.