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.
Mary
April 15, 2013 at 3:14 pmI have made this meatless loaf so many times in the last few months. People who are not vegan all love this, and I can eat it endlessly. It even makes good sandwiches as left overs ( if there are any!)
Thanks!!
Usha
September 20, 2013 at 12:33 pmI am planning to make this…small question…is rolled oats ok instant of quick? Or will that stick out too much in texture in the meatloaf? If so, I was thinking of pulsing it in the food processor to break it up a bit. I have a giant Costco bag of the stuff, so reluctant to get more, esp. the sort I don’t usually eat… Your advice would be much appreciated!
Susan Voisin
September 20, 2013 at 1:45 pmI think if you break it up in the food processor, rolled oats will be fine. Hope you enjoy it!
Usha
September 23, 2013 at 1:14 pmwill do…thanks!
Usha
September 24, 2013 at 2:00 pmOk…so here’s my review. It was truly delicious (and healthy…because I knew exactly what went into it!). I did keep it in the oven longer…but it never felt quite done enough to cut neatly. However, it was a learning attempt, and I’m thinking next time…add some more oats, maybe even roasting them a little first? Also, I would love to know what kind of tofu you use (I used the firm one from Costco…by House Foods). The Mushroom Gravy was gorg…wouldn’t change a thing…who knew gravy could be that good without butter or milk? Thanks Susan!
shannon calvert
September 29, 2013 at 7:56 amHi, I am wondering if you have ever frozen this loaf and how it compares to freshly made. Also how you reheated it. Thanks
Susan Voisin
September 29, 2013 at 9:10 amSorry, I haven’t tried freezing it. Maybe someone else has and will answer your question.
jen
November 17, 2013 at 12:38 pmWhat, if anything, can you sub for the tofu?
Susan Voisin
November 17, 2013 at 1:46 pmYou could try using more beans or sweet potato.
suzanne gariepy
November 18, 2013 at 3:58 pmYour vegan recipes look wonderful!!! I look so forward to try your recipes for Thanksgiving and Christmas! I’m allergic to wheat, dairy, gluten… who knows what else… I’m more sensitive to a lot of foods as I’m older now. Plus I’m a diabetic. Type 2. Thank you for sharing your recipe! 🙂
Suzanne Gariepy
Shellie
November 20, 2013 at 11:17 amHi. I made this last night as a test before next week’s Thanksgiving dinner. I know I don’t have the best oven in the world and had to do some turning of the pan halfway through, but the outside ends were much browner, the center mushy, the entire bottom burned, and all the insides, even the ends, are like a pate’. You can’t slice it like meatloaf. It just falls apart. I followed the directions to a ‘T’ with no substitutions, so I’m not sure what happened. We are still having what I cooked (but not for Thanksgiving). It is flavorful, and my husband had it in a bowl with ketchup last night, but as of today it’s a spread on the Ezekial tortillas. I was so frustrated after all the work involved.
lauri
November 20, 2013 at 5:39 pmok, made this and love it…my sons girlfriends parents are coming for thanksgiving…they are vegetarians…will be making it…thank you…
Pam
November 21, 2013 at 11:25 amHi Susan,
When you say “sweet potato”, I assume you don’t mean a yam. I’ll look for a sweet potato at the supermarket, but sometimes they don’t have them. Would it work with a yam instead?
Is it okay to make it a day or two beforehand and reheat it?
Thanks,
Pam
Susan Voisin
November 21, 2013 at 11:45 amHi Pam,
There is so much confusion over the terms “sweet potato” and “yam.” To be completely accurate, there are almost never any true yams in American grocery stores, outside of those that specialize in African and Asian produce. True yams are larger and look and taste nothing like what we Americans think of as a yam. So it’s sweet potatoes that we mean, though sometimes they are mislabeled as yams. Anyway, it’s the orange-fleshed, sweet-tasting tuber that I mean, whatever you call it. 🙂
This casserole is perfect to make ahead and reheat or to assemble ahead of time and then bake right before serving.
Jack
November 24, 2013 at 9:35 amMy wife and I made this last year for Thanksgiving and it was excellent! But now we are reading over the recipe and we are confused about the tofu. Is it the water packed tofu rather than silken tofu. We think we used silken tofu last year with still excellent results but when we read the comments, it sounds as if we were suppose to use water packed tofu. Which is it? (Or maybe we are remembering wrong too.) Thanks!
We cannot say enough about how much we liked this recipe last year. As new vegans, it made our Thanksgiving much better.
Susan Voisin
November 24, 2013 at 10:59 amJack, I used regular, extra-firm water pack tofu, which I think makes it firmer than silken would. But if you used silken before, why tamper with success? 🙂
Jack
November 29, 2013 at 6:46 pmWe opted to use the water packed tofu and it was excellent once again! Susan, thanks again for a great recipe (one of many).
Judy
November 24, 2013 at 10:30 amHi I was wondering if you can freeze this? Thanks
Susan Voisin
November 24, 2013 at 11:00 amI haven’t frozen it, but I think it would do just fine.
moomoo
November 24, 2013 at 11:42 pmI made this with substitutions to make do with what I had on hand and it is delicious! Crispy crust but still somewhat paté-like inside. After reading the comments I suspect this in part because I added a small baby beet, my veggies may have added up to slightly more volume than in the recipe, and perhaps I over-processed the veggies (they were minced quite small).
I used Whole Foods extra-firm tofu and am glad I gently pressed it. I also used rolled oats gently processed in food processor to make “quick oats” instead of quinoa and before baking wondered if the mix could use more oats. So next time I would just add a few more oats.
The flavor is awesome (I used fresh thyme and oregano, as well as extra garlic and a little cayenne to taste). I might cut the salt in half as my tamari is very, very salty. I cannot imagine eating the loaf with gravy as the flavors really popped and stood on their own. The beet gave it a reddish color that some might feel approximates meat (or corned beef) a little too well, but since the loaf tastes great I would use it again next time!
Amber
November 25, 2013 at 11:10 amI would like to bake this in muffin tins for easier serving at an office party. What cooking time would you recommend?
Thanks! 🙂
Susan Voisin
November 25, 2013 at 11:20 amHaven’t done it, so this is just a guess: Cover them with foil and cook for 20 minutes. Start checking every 5 minutes to see if they are hot and firm in the centers. Then remove the foil and give them a couple more minutes if necessary to get a little crispy.
Uli
November 28, 2013 at 2:48 pmhi susan,
we’re celebrating thanksgiving on the 8th of december as our schedules wouldn’t allow, here in germany, one german, one american and one irish… so we wanted the make this loaf, and my question is: can i replace the quinoa flakes with millet flakes? (it needs to be gluten-free) i don’t know if i can get quinoa flakes here, will have to search for it.
thanks for your help and thanks for these fabulous recipes!
uli
Uli
November 28, 2013 at 2:49 pmps happy thanksgiving!!
Susan Voisin
November 28, 2013 at 2:57 pmThanks, Uli! I think millet flakes should work just fine.
Marie S.
November 28, 2013 at 7:57 pmhello Susan V.,
can the tofu, be substituted, with a non soy, product ?
Emma Hobbs
November 29, 2013 at 11:38 pmHi! My name is Emma and I’m a Gluten Free and Vegan cook, culinary student, and baker! I absolutely loved this loaf and made a version of this and another soy free version for Thanksgiving. I wanted to feature the adapted version on my new blog but of course wanted to get your permission first!
Thanks and talk to you soon!
Emma
Tom
November 30, 2013 at 11:33 amThis is such an amazing recipe. I have made it every year since Susan created it. So tasty and again in 2013 its DELICIOUS!!!!! I just love it. I put a mushroom gravy on it and I just love it. Thanks Susan. YOU ROCK!!! 🙂
M. Brown
December 7, 2013 at 8:00 pmTwo questions. One, do you think I could make meatballs from this or would they be too small to hold their shape? And two, I often freeze firm tofu. I find it changes the texture to a “meatier” feel and it crumbles nicely for chilis and sloppy joes (to better hide it from the hubby). Would that work in this or does the tofu need to be smooth?
Susan Voisin
December 8, 2013 at 2:35 pmThe tofu is helping hold this together, so my suspicion is that frozen tofu wouldn’t hold together as well. On the other hand, it might make it have a chewier texture, but the only way to know is to experiment. As for meatballs, again, I’ve never tried, but I don’t see why not. This is a very moist loaf, though, so the texture might not be what you’re looking for.
Courtney
December 19, 2013 at 3:18 pmDo you think this could be baked in a loaf pan rather than shaping into a loaf? Thanks.
Kate
December 21, 2013 at 11:08 amI made your Thanksgiving Meatless Loaf for my son for Thanksgiving. He is a gluten free vegan. I made two and brought them along for him. Now, mine did not look exactly like yours (he ate them straight from the pan), but he loved it and ate both. He said it was completely delicious. Thank you so much!
C Smith
May 11, 2014 at 2:43 pmI am fairly new to this vegan world. My wife and daughter are vegan and I have recently gone vegetarian(baby steps) to be supportive. I was extremely dissapointed in this recipe for one reason only. It didn’t make enough!!!!! OMG this recipe is litterally to die for. The taste is absolutely amazing. I am currently making a double batch now for Mother’s Day at my wife’s request. The double batch is so I can feast on this all week. It did take some extra time as we have also turned to a local, natural, organic, gluten free family, thus I had to soak the beans. Being as I am the cook in the family, I have become frustrated with many recipes (not from this site) that have taken considerable time to prepare, only to disappoint. It could be because I’m a bit of a perfectionist in the kitchen. Regardless of my faults, THANK YOU. This is an absolute must try for everyone.
Keep up the great work on the recipes and I look forward to reading/preparing more of them.
Judee@ Gluten Free A-Z Blog
November 13, 2014 at 7:45 amWow! It really looks like meatloaf! What a nice idea for a vegan entree. Pinning this one. Thanks
Andrea
November 14, 2014 at 10:01 amThis looks amazing! I’m hoping to make it for Thanksgiving this year. Unfortunately I can’t stand parsley. Is there a good sub for it?
Thank you!
Susan Voisin
November 14, 2014 at 10:21 amJust leave the parsley out. It won’t make a big difference. If you want, you can increase one of the other herbs, but it’s not essential. Hope you enjoy it!
Andrea
November 14, 2014 at 10:22 amThank you so much for the quick response. I’m going to test it out this weekend!
Thanks again!
Andrea
Karen
November 21, 2014 at 12:48 pmHow was it without the parsley?
Andrea
November 21, 2014 at 1:31 pmIt was delicious! My husband and I ate the whole loaf in one day :). Can’t wait to make it on Thanksgiving! Thanks again!
Melissa
November 26, 2014 at 10:48 amI’m thinking of making it today, putting in the fridge, and then baking tomorrow right before Thanksgiving dinner. Do you think this would work?
Susan Voisin
November 26, 2014 at 10:53 amI think that should work, Melissa. Hope you enjoy it!
Melissa
November 26, 2014 at 1:19 pmThanks Susan! Happy Thanksgiving!
Carolyn
November 26, 2014 at 12:25 pmMaking this for my first thanksgiving as a vegan, when doing the minced veggies in non stick pan, do you use any oil or just water?
Susan Voisin
November 26, 2014 at 12:49 pmI just use water, and not much of it. A good non-stick skillet should be enough to keep it from sticking.
MT
November 26, 2014 at 7:14 pmDear Susan. Thank you for this recipe. I tried it out today and it tasted very good. One thing however, it did not set for me. Even baking extra time, the loaf remained mushy inside (the crust did form but the inside did not firm). So it became more spreadable than sliceable. What did I do wrong? I checked all the ingredients and I don’t think I missed anything. I would like to try to make it again, but I would like it to be sliceable like in your picture. Any clues as to what went wrong for me?
Holly
November 28, 2014 at 7:05 amI made this for my first gluten free Thanksgiving this year. It was absolutely delicious! (even though I accidentally left out the tomato paste). I made the mushroom gravy as well as the always popular green bean casserole. I made the green bean casserole gluten free by drying onions in the oven a day in advance. It worked out great. Thank you so much for your amazing recipes.
Laura
December 26, 2014 at 6:46 pmHi Susan,
I also had the same problem as MT. Nice and crispy outside but near the middle most part of the loaf it didn’t set all the way. Still delicious though but wondering why this happened.
Josephine
January 5, 2015 at 9:24 amDear Susan,
thank you so much for this wonderful recipe!
I made my entire family a vegan christmas dinner and as part of that I made this loaf. The years before my family didn’t really care about me eating vegan and believe it or not, left me eating mashed potatoes with nothing on the side. Obviously I took matters in to my own hands and look at your recipes for inspiration. I pretty much followed your recipe even though I did modify it a bit and added 7 tbsp of white wine, which I can highly recommend!
Thank you!
Josie
Josephine
January 5, 2015 at 9:26 amOh… I made the loaf a day early because I’ve learned this helps to set it and hold it together when served…
Ana
March 3, 2015 at 3:24 pmHi, Susan! Can I use red beans instead of white?
Susan Voisin
March 3, 2015 at 4:17 pmSure, use any beans you like. 🙂
New vegetarian
July 4, 2015 at 12:40 amWill this taste good the next day, after cooking?
Susan Voisin
July 4, 2015 at 7:50 amYes. Refrigerate it overnight, and it may even firm up a little.
New Vegetarian
July 6, 2015 at 3:51 pmHi, thanks Susan for your response. I didn’t see it until after I tried it out. I cooked it half the first day and half the second day and it was fabulous! Even my long time vegetarian friends asked for the recipe! I feel like this was an absolute success, thank you!
Terran
July 14, 2015 at 10:23 pmHello,
I tried this recipe and let me tell you it was fantastic! I had mad a nut loaf prior to finding this recipe and it didn’t turn out so well. I’m so glad I came across yours. When allowed to sit and sliced it surprisingly sits up well like a meat based meatloaf and it has the appearance of a meat based meatloaf. Thanks for sharing!
Cinde
September 17, 2015 at 8:04 pmHi, Can I substitute a white potato , such as a russet baking potato for the sweet potato?
Marguerite White
November 18, 2015 at 10:29 amLovely recipes.
Belinda
November 19, 2015 at 1:14 pmI made this last night and it was AMAZING! Even my carnivorous daughter loved it and had seconds. I used oats instead of the quinoa flakes and it was fine. Walnuts added a great texture. Next time I’m going to add chopped mushrooms and saute these when the other veggies are almost done. Think it will add another nice texture and depth of flavor, plus it will be good with the mushroom gravy. Oh, so yummy. Thanks for another great recipe!
Mindy
November 29, 2015 at 3:11 pmHi, I made this yesterday and it was very tasty, but I noticed that the baking time says 65 minutes, but the instructions say 25 uncovered plus 20 covered, so there are 20 minute missing.
Susan Voisin
November 29, 2015 at 3:16 pmHi Mindy, I was including the time to cook the sweet potato and sauté the vegetables in the cooking time. You’re right that it’s just 45 minutes baking time.
Celine
January 31, 2016 at 8:15 amYour recipe was a real succès , my husband and children liked it very much.
Thank you.
Celine from France.
Ravynne
March 10, 2016 at 7:14 pmWhat can be substituted for the tofu?
Jobina
June 7, 2016 at 6:06 pmI believe it said an extra can of beans.
Dee
May 1, 2016 at 7:39 pmCan’t wait to try this!!!
Jobina
June 7, 2016 at 6:10 pmMade this and although wonderful flavor it did not set up at all and was a pan full of mush. I followed the exact directions. And I used oats instead of qinuoa flakes. If I could figure out how to get it to set up it would be our new loaf of choice. Anyone have any ideas? Thanks.
Genie
September 12, 2016 at 11:22 amYUMMMM! Thank you for making a meatless loaf that is also g-free! Most I have found use seitan or wheat gluten, and since I have recently become intolerant, this will be great to try.
Can you use cooked quinoa for the flakes? Just curious.