If you’ve given up meat, this vegan Impossible or Beyond Meat meatloaf is better than the real thing, for lots of reasons! Try this recipe with Beyond Meat® Plant-Based Ground or Impossible® Plant-Based Ground Beef. There’s also a variation using beans and walnuts for a whole foods approach.
A reader favorite: Yet even for someone like me who doesn’t share the nostalgia factor, I have to admit that this classic vegan meatloaf is freaking delicious! And fortunately, many readers agree, as you’ll see in the comments section.
When I first spotted Beyond Meat’s Beyond Beef® Plant-Based Ground in my local natural foods store and supermarket, I was curious to try it.
Oh my gosh, it does look meaty in the package, almost a bit too much for this longtime vegan. But I understand its appeal, and would much rather people make this than the animal-based recipe.
Side dishes to serve with vegan meatloaf
Keep it simple with a steamed green vegetable (broccoli, Brussels sprouts, green beans) and a comforting carb like oven fries, onion rings, or baked sweet potato.
If you want to go a step further, what’s more classic to go with meatloaf than mashed potatoes? Try Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes.
Quick to put together, baked slowly: Putting this together is super easy and doesn’t take much time, but you’ve got to allow a bit of time for slow baking in the oven.
Go for the glaze! While adding the glaze is optional, it uses some of the same ingredients that go into the loaf and gives the loaf a nice finishing touch. Serve with your favorite vegetable sides for an amazing meal.
Do other plant-based ground or crumble products work?
You might be wondering if another type of plant-based ground product can be used in this, in case you can’t find the Beyond Meat® or Impossible® ground.
Some burger-style crumbles are dry and — well, crumbly — so I’m not sure they’d create the same effect. As long is it’s a moist ground style plant-based product, one that, for lack of a better description, is kind of solid and sticks to itself, it should work.
This is NOT a sponsored post! I like recommending products that I’ve enjoyed in creating recipes.
Red beans and walnuts — a whole food option
I’ve made this exact recipe using red beans and walnuts instead of the packaged plant-base ground and it tastes almost exactly the same — a whole food option at a fraction of the cost!
Simply pulverize 1/2 cup walnuts in a food processor until just about powdered. Add a 15-ounce can red beans, drained and rinsed, and pulse on and off until the mixture has the texture of ground. Then add to the mixing bowl in place of the Impossible or Beyond Ground.
You’ll find lots more recipes like this using today’ amazing meat alternatives in Plant-Powered Protein by Nava Atlas. Here are more vegan “beefy” ground recipes on this site:
- Italian-Flavored Beef-less Ground
- Easy Coleslaw & Plant Protein Soft Tacos
- Vegan Korean Beef-less Rice Bowl
Vegan Impossible or Beyond Meat Meatloaf (with a beans & walnuts variation)
This 100% plant-based Impossible or Beyond meatloaf is freaking delicious! You can also make it with whole foods. Serve with your favorite veggie sides.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 1/2 bell pepper, finely chopped
- 2 to 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 16-ounce package Impossible® Plant-Based Beef or Beyond Beef® Plant-Based Ground (or see red bean and walnut alternative in Notes)
- 1 cup tomato sauce
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup or agave
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce or tamari
- 1 tablespoon barbecue seasoning blend (see Note)
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 2/3 cup quick-cooking oats (oatmeal)
- 1 cup fine breadcrumbs (see Note)
- Freshly ground pepper to taste
Glaze topping (optional but highly recommended)
- 1/2 cup tomato sauce
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce or tamari
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup or agave
- 1 teaspoon barbecue seasoning blend
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375º F.
- Heat the oil in a medium skillet. Add the onion and sauté until translucent. Add the bell pepper and garlic and continue to sauté until all are golden.
- In a mixing bowl, combine the skillet mixture with all the remaining ingredients (other than the optional glaze topping). Work together thoroughly with a large spoon or clean hands.
- Transfer the mixture to an oiled 9-by-5-by 3-inch loaf pan (metal is preferable, though ceramic works, too. Glass is less desirable) and pat in. If you think your loaf pan will be sticky, line the bottom with a fitting piece of parchment. Or, if you want to be able to easily lift the loaf out of the pan, cut a piece of parchment to fit the bottom, sides, and enough to make "wings" on the side of the pan.
- Cover with foil and bake for 45 minutes.
- If you’re using the optional glaze, combine the ingredients in a small bowl and stir together. After the initial 45 minutes of baking time, spread evenly on top of the loaf.
- Whether or not you're using the glaze, bake for 20 minutes longer, uncovered, or until the loaf looks firm and you can see browning around the edges (keep an eye out; you don't want it to burn!.
- Remove from the oven and let the loaf stand, covered, for 10 to 15 minutes. Loosen the loaf around the edges with a knife. Use a sharp knife to cut into 8 to 10 slices. Or if you've made parchment "wings," carefully lift out of the pan and set on an oblong serving plate before cutting.
Notes
Red beans and walnuts option: I've made this exact recipe using red beans and walnuts instead of the packaged plant-base ground and it tastes almost exactly the same — a whole food option at a fraction of the cost! Simply pulverize 1/2 cup walnuts in a food processor until just about powdered. Add a 15-ounce can red beans, drained and rinsed, and pulse on and off until the mixture has the texture of ground. Then add to the mixing bowl in place of the Impossible or Beyond Ground.
Barbecue seasonings are available in the spice section of most supermarkets. One of the best-known brands is McCormick®. Varieties include smokehouse maple, mesquite, chipotle, and there are lots of others. Discover your favorites, and keep a couple on hand.
If you don't have breadcrumbs on hand, you can make them by whirling two slices of whole-grain bread in the food processor fitted with the metal blade. That should make about a cup.
As shown, you can top with some finely chopped fresh herb or greens of your choice — parsley, cilantro, scallions, or baby spinach.
Leftovers make delicious sandwiches!
If you like this vegan meatloaf, you might also enjoy …
Vegan Beef-less Ground Recipes Made with Whole Foods, 4 Ways
Find more ways to veganize your favorite recipes.
Hello. You vegan meatloaf looks good and I plan to make my first one today. Your recipe sounds good but I’m curious the reason for the oats as I never personally put in a “regular” meat loaf. Wasn’t sure if it was for texture, keeping it together , flavor or all the above.
Amber, that’s a great question. Most meat loaf recipes I’ve seen (as a longtime vegetarian, and now longtime vegan, I never actually made the meaty version) have egg. So the oats act as a binder. If they’re finely ground, you won’t even detect them in the final product.
I’d love for you to come back with feedback — flavor, texture, and cook time — the latter because ovens are all so different. By the way, I made this same meatloaf with a can of red beans (drained and rinsed) and a half cup of ground walnuts instead of the Beyond and it came out great. I hope to post this whole foods variation soon!
I have been plant based since Feb 7, 2020 and this recipe was amazing. I wasn’t a huge fan of the glaze as I don’t like anything sweet. But I was impressed, and made some minor adjustments
Dina, I’m so glad you enjoyed this. If you don’t care for the glaze, then next time you make this you can try accompanying it with a simple vegan gravy like the one in this recipe: https://theveganatlas.com/smashed-potatoes-with-vegan-mushroom-gravy/ Thanks so much for your feedback!
I made this and found it be outstanding. I made it exactly as the recipe states however, I had no barbecue seasoning. Instead I used smoked paprika. I made no glaze instead, I made a mushroom gravy. Thanks for this recipe.
Thank you, Ruby; I’m glad you enjoyed it. From yours and the many comments on this recipe, it’s nice to know that it can be slightly tweaked, yet still come out good!
I am baking mine now. I also had no bbq seasoning. I did have smoked paprika. Thank you for your suggestion.🤞🏽
It’s very disappointing that in today’s day and age where everyone is counting macros and looking for healthy cooking options that someone would post a vegan recipe without the nutritional facts. And then go one further and tell one of his followers to do it themselves on an app. I love the recipe. But please do better with adding nutritional facts to a healthy meal recipe. Thank you
Hi — your thinking is well taken, but presenting accurate nutrition facts is quite a tricky thing. The recipe cards come with a nutrition analyzer, but any time I’ve tried to use it, I just sense that it’s inaccurate, sometimes wildly so. The apps are adequate, but mainly to give a general sense of the facts. To get a truly accurate assessment of the facts requires quite a bit of expertise, which I don’t have, and can’t afford to hire.
There are also so many variables; what if someone uses one product and not another in the recipe; serving size is always an estimate (someone might, for example, cut this loaf into 10 pieces rather than 12), and many etceteras. So in all, I think it’s better for me not to present nutrition facts than ones that may not be 100% (or even 90%) accurate.
I have made both the beyond/ impossible ground “beef” version of this recipe and the bean and walnut version many times and my family loves both. I personally prefer the bean and walnut version and my Omni husband prefers it with impossible grounds but my kids love it either way! Highly recommend. Especially served with mashed potatoes.
Thank you so much, Jessica! I’m glad you enjoy both versions of this recipe.
Hey y’all
I loved this recipe! So I made mine with a little added crunch by adding french’s fried onions, but I feel like I didn’t really need it.
Thanks for the recipe.
Thanks so much for the feedback, Robyn! Glad you enjoyed it.
I would love to make this right now with the red beans and walnut but don’t exactly know what the barbecue seasoning blends is.
Candace, I did have a note about the BBQ seasoning, but I clarified even further. You can find barbecue seasonings where other spices are shelved. The brand most often found in the supermarket is McCormick®, which comes in several varieties. One of my favorites, for example, is Smokehouse Maple. But they’re all really good!
Made this tonight and tweeted it a little by adding some nooch and a little dry mustard. Omitted the agave in the mixture. Was absolutely delicious ….
So glad you enjoyed it, Kristina! And I love your tweaks. Great idea to add a little nooch for B12 and cheesy flavor!
Recipe looks great. Just a quick question about the oat before I make this recipe. . Do I have to grind the oats up or do I just toss in as is? What’s your preferred method?
Thanks
Ray G.
Ray, the recipe calls for quick-cooking oats, or oatmeal, rather than rolled oats. So if you start with the latter, yes, do grind them up first into a finer meal.
One final question, Do I put the glaze on in the beginning of the cook cycle or do I wait until 45 minutes in to glaze the loaf and then add 20 more minutes of cook time? Don’t want to mess this up.
Thank you,
Ray G
Ray, I can see how that wasn’t 100% clear, so I just clarified in the recipe. You add the glaze after the 45 minutes initial bake time, after the loaf is uncovered. Please let me know what you think, I’d love more feedback!
I have this ready to go for vegan thanksgiving tomorrow. I will let you know how it goes. I’m excited to try it.
I made this for our first vegetarian Thanksgiving, and it was delicious. Thanks so much. I used a cast iron loaf pan, and let it sit after cooking for 15 minutes as instructed. I did not make the glaze, but my guests added Red Duck ketchup to their servings. Our sides included au gratin potatoes, green beans, butternut squash with maple syrup, and a Lundberg mixed wild and regular rice pilaf with broth, dried cherries, walnuts, and sauteed beets, onions, garlic, and celery. We will definitely make this meatloaf again.
Oh wow, thank you for your kind feedback! It sounds like you had a fantastic first veg Thanksgiving, and it will probably linger in your memory. I’m glad the vegan meatloaf was a success for you.
For the person who asked about oats, most meatloaf recipes use breadcrumbs as a binder, but I discovered years ago that oats also add protein, not just empty carbs. I’m not a fan of either red beans or walnuts, so I’m looking forward to Nava’s variations with lentils…
Hi Barbara! Thanks for weighing in on the oats. I’ll see what I can do on those further variations …
Loved it. Had some leftover cranberry sauce from Thanksgiving and used that as the baked topping sauce plus added the other ingredients. I found the syrup a little sweet for me and next time will add mustard powder.
Those unfamiliar with the BBQ spices-just throw in all your spices (onion and garlic powders, dried dill, chili and coriander, Italian seasoning).
Seriously – a great recipe.
Thank you, Morgan! Glad you enjoyed it.
I made this tonight for our family (including a 4yo, 3yo and a 2yo) and everyone ate every bite. I used the Beyond Meat Beyond Burger patties. I didn’t read the notes about the oats so I actually ended up using regular rolled oats (not quick oats) and did not pulse them or blend them before adding them. The burger meat worked great and no one could detect the oats- even me and I knew they were in there. Overall, fantastic. My family loved it and we’ll be making it again!
Wow, Cara, thanks so much! So glad the little ones liked it as well.
I made this with the red beans and walnuts option and it was really incredible. I loved the flavor and the texture.
I’m so glad, Karen! It really does come out so similarly to the Beyond® Ground.
Hi.
Can I use old fashion oats that’s what I have on hand. And I see you say blend them first is that correct if I blend them do I still need to cook them.
Paris, you can just take your rolled oats and pulse on and off in a food processor to make them finer, but as you see below, another reader just used regular rolled oats because she didn’t see that note, and it still worked fine. Either way, no need to cook them beforehand. enjoy!
Thank you I’m making this today and thanks for the response
Thank you I’m making this today and thanks for the response
Also I notice the recipe says use all the ingredients except for the topping ingredients but if I’m seeing this right some of the ingredients Listed are used for both like sauce, tamari and barbecue seasoning do I use those for both the topping sauce and the meatloaf
Yes, you use those same ingredients, but separately for the topping.
HI. DO you think I would be able to sub almond flour for breadcrumbs? Thanks so much.
Kara, that might be a great idea! I’d love to try that myself. Let me know how it turns out.
I actually did this and it worked quite well. Might have been a little less firm (bread crumbs absorb liquid whereas almond flour doesn’t), but still tasty. Great recipe!
Sorry for the delayed response, Morly. I think you’re right about the firmness of bread vs almond flour, but glad it worked out, and that you enjoyed it!
So okay, this “meat” loaf turned out DELICIOUS!!! Only swap I made was instead of BBQ seasoning, which I’m not a fan of, I threw in some Cajun seasoning. Oh my goodness, it was awesome!! Thank you so much for giving me the courage to try a new product. Just awesome. 🙂
So glad you enjoyed this, Linda! And I totally approve of swapping in a seasoning you prefer, since this needs to suit your tastes. Thanks so much for the comment —
Can you make this the day before?
Yes, it works really well to make it the day before … it slices up very easily!
I most definitely will get back to you after my “guinea pigs“ leave! This is my first true vegan meal with mashed potatoes, broccoli, mushroom gravy and your meatloaf. Thank you for helping me out I appreciate it!
I need to ask another question please! Could I use Scottish oatmeal instead of quick cooking? They seem like a fairly fine grind. It’s something I have on hand.
Jackie, since I haven’t made this with Scottish oatmeal I can’t guarantee it, but poking around about this kind of oatmeal, it seems like it would work. Another reader inadvertently used rolled oats and it worked just as well, so this recipe seems to be forgiving. Can you come back and let us know after you’ve made it?
I have this in the oven now…can’t wait to taste it. I couldn’t find BBQ seasoning at my grocery store so I found a recipe online that used a bunch of spices that I already had in my cabinet. This is the one I used: https://www.myforkinglife.com/homemade-bbq-seasoning/
But there were plenty others to choose from online.
Thanks for your comment, Michelle! Come back and let us know how it came out for you.
It came out so very delicious! My husband and daughter loved it!!
I made this using pecans and red beans and it was absolutely delicious! I also used a mix of spices (that you’d find in a regular meatloaf) I had on hand rather than using a premixed bbq seasoning. Such a close match in texture and taste to traditional meatloaf! I served with vegan mashed potatoes and homemade mushroom gravy. Pinning this so I can make it again. Meatloaf was always one of my favorite meals growing up so I’m glad I am still able to enjoy it 🙂 thanks for the wonderful recipe
Thanks, Veronica! I’m so glad it worked for you with the whole foods option and your own touches.
Just to let you know that the meatloaf was amazing!
I just ground the steel oats into almost a powder and you didn’t notice.
The vegans and myself really loved it and the real meat eaters seemed to really like it.
Thanks for your help and encouragement. My dinner was a success!
Thanks for coming back, Jackie, and for your feedback! I’m glad this recipe helped make your dinner such a success.
This recipe calls for only a 16 ounce package of beyond beef, which is only one pound. Does this make a small meatloaf? It seems like most meatloaf recipes I have made in the past called for 1 and a half to 2 pounds of meat. If I made this with two pounds of beyond beef, would I simply double all of the ingredients or just double some of them? One pound just doesn’t seem like a lot.
Danielle, as you can see, this recipe has been thoroughly vetted by a number of readers. Though it doesn’t make a super tall vegan meatloaf, it fits nicely into a standard loaf pan. If you want to take the chance of adding another half pound of Beyond, I’d love it if you could report back to let me know how it turns out. But if it’s just more meatloaf you’re looking for, it may be safer to just double the recipe and divide between two pans.
Thank you so much for responding. I think what I will do is completely stick to the recipe as is. You have a good idea if I want more I would just make two separate pans of it. Thank you again. I can’t wait to try it. I believe I’m going to be trying it this Sunday.
Excellent recipe as I’m a fan of Beyond Meat products. Second time around I doubled this recipe and used both the ground beef (16oz) and hot Italian sausage (14oz.). As you suggested earlier, this could easily be divided into two pans, however I put this into a large 2 1/2 quart covered oval casserole dish lined with brown parchment paper and increased the cooking time to 90 minutes. I served the portions smothered in vegan mushroom gravy and result must’ve been good, my husband who has an aversion to ground beef (vegan or otherwise) couldn’t stop talking about it and insisted on having it the following night!
Hi Scott — I love your variation, it sounds fantastic. I’m glad you both enjoyed it, and I appreciate your comment!
Hello! Can I prepare the meatloaf the night before, stick it in the fridge, and then bake it the next day? I’m worried about it drying out in the fridge?
Hi Ashley — As long as you have it covered really well, I don’t see why this should be a problem. Another idea is that if you already have it made, you could bake it the night before (if you have enough time to let it cool before bedtime!), cover it well and store in the fridge. Reheat as needed covered with foil the next day, which should only take a few minutes.
Made this tonight for dinner and it was amazing. Looking forward to meatloaf sandwiches tomorrow. I followed the recipe as is.
Thanks so much for your feedback, Debra. So glad you enjoyed it1
Made this tonight with two packages of Sweet Earth meat sub … added a few things that I like and it came out delish. My hubby was impressed. We have leftovers for another day. Thanks.
So glad you and your hubby enjoyed this, Kathleen!
Absolutely delicious. My little girl wanted to make dinner that looked like a cake, and meatloaf sprang to mind. We doubled the recipe (without the glaze) and made it in two round cake pans, then piped mashed potatoes onto it. Best vegetarian meatloaf I’ve had. I’m excited to try it again using lentils and nuts as suggested.
Thank you so much, Vanessa! I’m happy that you and yours enjoyed it. If you try the lentil version, please come back with your feedback.
I made this today with a few variations and it’s marvelous! I didn’t have barbecue seasoning so I used this recipe https://www.taketwotapas.com/homemade-bbq-seasoning-mix/ but without salt. I have to limit sodium, so I used extra garlic powder, no celery salt, and no other salt. I used soy aminos instead of soy sauce. The tomato sauce was also low sodium. I put 1/2 of the meatloaf mixture into the loaf pan, added 2 slices of Vialife cheddar cheese, and then the rest of the meatloaf mixture. I added the glaze after 45 minutes and cooked for another 30 minutes. But I couldn’t wait for 20 minutes to eat a big slice. So delicious! I’ve got plenty of the barbecue seasoning left for future cooking adventures. Totally did not miss the salt.
Maureen, I’m so glad you enjoyed this. And glad that this is a recipe that can be tinkered with and still come out good!
Hi, I’m allergic to tomatoes, what would you recommend to replace tomatoes and BBQ sauce?
Fay, that’s a great question! There’s no BBQ sauce, it actually calls for BBQ seasoning, and I believe most if not all the varieties don’t have tomato. The 1 cup of tomato sauce does give flavor, but also moisture. So I’m thinking that a vegetable puree might do the trick; perhaps a cup of pureed cauliflower, carrot, or a carrot-cauliflower blend (starting wit the vegetables cooked, of course). You might have another idea along those lines. Let me know if you try it, and how that works!
I quit eating animals in the 70’s as a kid, so never made meatloaf and had no idea what goes in it. I had bought “Pure Farmland” brand ($4.99/lb) ground plant-based “meat”, and since my mother loves meatloaf, I wanted to make it for her and needed a recipe that didn’t use beans or nuts (which she cannot handle). Then I found yours and decided to make it.
Dad loves onions but I left them out because my elderly mother feeds 80% of her food to the dog, and onions are toxic for dogs. (It makes her feel powerful/in control to do what she wants in defiance of logic, common sense, pleas or explanations. )
I made a few other substitutions. Despite having oatmeal on hand nearly 365 days a year, we were out of it, so I used “JUST” eggs, and also a no-salt seasoning for my parents’ low sodium diets. I put some bread in the food processor like you suggested (SO much faster and better than trying to break it into little pieces by hand!)
Mom is too impatient for anything to cook longer than a microwave minute, so I ended up feeding her something else and ate the meatloaf with Dad when it was done. I was really pleased with how it all turned out, and the sauce on top made it perfect. Thanks, Nava!
Hi Kim — we must be from the same generation, as I also stopped eating animals in the 70s as a kid — we were ahead of our time! I’m glad this was a hit even with all the modifications! Readers are either making it to a T or tweaking for various reasons, but the outcome always seems good. I’m glad you enjoyed it. The oatmeal acts as the “glue” so I’m glad it held together with Just Egg. If you make it again according to the recipe, come back and comment again!
I’m a 19 year old dude who went vegan like 6 months ago, and have been resurrecting my favourite pre-vegan meals with plant based recipes, so I tried making this tonight (as meatloaf and mashed potatoes used to be my favourite stuff ever)! The meatloaf turned out great (although I cooked it a bit longer cause I like mine superrrrr-loaf-y. I also paired it with your mushroom gravy recipe and it was awesome! Couldn’t taste a difference. For the gravy I couldn’t get nutritional yeast but I supplemented some soy sauce and Worcester sauce with a half teaspoon extra flour, and it was fantastic! Thanks for the good stuff!
Thanks so much for your comment, Zachary, and I’m impressed that you went for these two recipes just 6 months into your vegan journey. Keep it up and come back for more recipes! This site has a section called Veganize This, featuring recipes converted into plant-based versions: https://theveganatlas.com/recipes/veganize-this/
Maybe I missed this, but what size loaf pan did you use? Also, since oftentimes if you bake/cook in glass, the oven temp needs to be adjusted, I’m wondering what type of pan this recipe is based on: metal or glass?
Hi Melissa — great questions! I can’t believe I hadn’t specified, and with all the comments, no one asked. I do intend a standard size loaf pan, and added the dimensions to step 4. For this plant-based meatloaf, just like the “other” kind, metal or ceramic is preferable to glass, as the loaf browns more slowly to hold together (I added this as well). I do give a range of baking time, but ovens run so different, that the best tip is to keep an eye on it toward the end and make sure it’s browning around the edges. I hope that helps, and thank you for prompting me to add these tips, as this is the most popular recipe on the site, by far!
Hey there! Do you cook the beyond meat before adding it to the oven?
Can’t wait to try!
Hi Laurie — fortunately, you don’t need to take the extra step of cooking the Beyond! Just follow the steps as is, and I hope you’ll enjoy this recipe.
Loved this! I used Pure Farmland instead of Beyond Beef. It was very flavorful and the texture was perfect. Thanks for the great recipe!
Hello! i hoping to make this soon but i was wondering if since the oats are acting as a binding agent could i use applesauce? i don’t have oats :/
Kai, like you, I use applesauce as a binding agent, but in desserts — I’m really worried that they won’t do the trick here, as the loaf really needs some serious binding. I’d suggest trying to use extra bread crumbs, but can’t guarantee results! I hope you can wait until you can get some oats, but if not, please let me know how things work out!
i bought oats but i’m now realizing that i forgot to put the soy sauce and syrup in the loaf and forgot to cover with foil. i’ll let you know what happens
it turned out great despite my mistakes lol. thanks for sharing the recipe
So glad it turned out! As I’ve always said, a good recipe is one that you can mess with …
Hello ☺️ I’m planning on making this but wanted to make 4 little coffin shaped meatloafs and I was wondering if it will bake well without being patted into the loaf pan and instead put on a sheet pan?
Hello Andrea — sorry for the delayed response, I somehow missed this. This is a tough question! The mixture is a bit loose before baking, so I’m not sure how well it would firm up without being held together with a pan. If you still have time, maybe explore the possibility of getting 4 mini loaf pans? The baking time would be less than what I give for the single loaf. I hope that helps!
I love this recipe but the bottom always gets overdone burnt sometimes. i’ve tried various pans, and have used different ovens (4 to be exact) and it always is burnt on the bottom. Help
Hi Matt — as indicated in the recipe, metal pans make for more even baking. Also, lining with parchment (or making parchment “wings:) could help, too. The only other idea I have might be to try a lower oven temperature, and placing the rack on which you set the pan higher in the oven. I hope you try again and I’d love some feedback!
Only been learning to cook since covid lockdown, and this recipe was so easy and it turned out great, super hearty and tasty, I am in a temporary home with an electric cooker so I cooked it longer and slower from 335 up to only 360 for a longer time, as I find the oven gets too hot otherwise, then I uncovered it on a lower heat and it was perfect. My husband had no idea it was not meat, and I have not told him either ! He loved it.
Thanks so much for your feedback! I love the story about your husband, that’s great …
I just made your “meatloaf” the other day & it was fantastic! Truly, one of the best tasting vegan recipes I’ve ever eaten/made (I’ve been vegan for going on 25 yrs). I did make a couple of changes, tho’, based on preference & “for old time’s sake”. Instead of the bell pepper (we aren’t friends) I added (to 1/2 # beyond meat) 1/2 of a small carrot & 3 small mushrooms–both finely diced & sautéed w/the onion. I always use quick-cooking oats when I add to recipes as they smoosh better than old fashioned. I definitely used the glaze. I just wanted you to know how much I loved it & what I did since i avoid green bells when I can. This recipe is a gold star winner! Thank you for creating it. Now I want to try it w/the beans & nuts. Woo hoo!
Thank you, Gaye! I love your tweaks, too …
I’m going to try this recipe I’ve been longing for meat loaf .i can’t eat tomatoes so I thought I might substitute canned pumpkin or applesauce what do you suggest?
Susan, I think the applesauce might make it too sweet, but canned pumpkin is a brilliant idea! Please let me know how it comes out.
Do you think it would work to make it the night before and put it in the oven the next evening?
Kim, I think that would work well; just make sure to cover the loaf pan with plastic wrap so that it doesn’t dry out. Enjoy!
its great to know there are creative alternatives to meat.
Thank you so much!
Thanks for your comment! I hope you enjoy the recipe.
Excited to see a vegan meatloaf. It’s so worthy, being my first one 😉
Thanks, Nava.
Made this today following the recipe exactly. The taste is great but we found it to be what we felt was excessively moist. I had a thermometer in the oven and know it was 375 F. I left it in 35 minutes after uncovering it and applying a glaze. The internal temperature was 180 F when I removed it from the oven. Is this to be expected?
Jerry, I’m not sure what happened here, as it’s a tried and true recipe … there are slight variables, such as what kind of breadcrumbs used, etc. It does firm up after standing, so if you have some patience, let it cool and refrigerate overnight. It will be firmer tomorrow.
Made this tonight. Substituted 1/2 the tomatoes sauce for bbq sauce. Was delicious. Even my omni son was impressed
I’m glad you enjoyed this, Maureen!
My family really enjoys this recipe. I do wish the Beyond stuff wasn’t so pricy, and the packages here are 12oz instead of 16oz, so I use 1.5. I try to wait for sales. I’m lazy and just pour a bunch of barbecue sauce on the top, comes out delicious. I had to us spaghetti sauce tonight, because I forgot to buy tomato sauce. I’ll let you know how that goes.
Thanks for the feedback, Barb. I’m glad your family enjoys this. I hear you on the Beyond … I’m hoping the price comes down when economies of scale happen. In the meantime, try the bean and walnut variation. The flavor and texture come out really similar, at less cost (of course walnuts aren’t cheap, either).
I made it and it was amazing. I added a little liquid smoke.
Thanks, Nyree — so glad you enjoyed it!
We are a 60 year old Mom and 35 year old daughter roommate team. My daughter and I enjoyed this recipe more than our two previous vegan meatloaves! This is our favorite. We didn’t change anything other than following the suggestion to pulse grind our oats because we didn’t have instant, only rolled, and used the Whole Foods 365 brand grounds because we couldn’t find any beyond beef. Now we’re done trying out different recipes for “meat”loaf because yours is going to be our “go to”! It’s really delicious!
Our question: we were wondering what the nutritional values are, if you happen to know. If not, we will guesstimate, but thought we’d ask first!
Keri and Rory — I’m so glad you enjoyed this recipe! And how lovely that you are mom and daughter roommates. My adult daughter has been home during this historically strange time and it had really been a blessing. As for the nutrition, I haven’t analyzed it, but you can go to an app like MyFitnessPal (I think) which you can plug the ingredients into. Stay safe and well!
We made a variation of this without oats and used bread crumbs instead. It tastes delicious.
Thank you! I’m glad you enjoyed it.
Hi,
Made this tonight but did it in a large muffin tin. Oh my, so delicious! I got 6 large muffin sized meat loafed ( loaves?) Going to freeze a few but I will definitely do this recipe again!
Thanks, Alison! What a great idea to make vegan meat loaf muffins …
This looks awesome, I’ll be making it tomorrow. Quick question, what exactly do you mean by tomato sauce? In Australia, this describes something close to ketchup, do you mean ketchup? or is it more like a tomato-based pasta sauce?
Amy, this would be more like a tomato based pasta sauce than ketchup, but here in the U.S. there are canned tomato sauces that have a very smooth, somewhat thin consistency, and that’s really what I refer to here. This recipe uses not quite all of a 15-ounce (425g) can. If you do need to go with a pasta sauce, make sure it’s smooth in texture, and not too salty! I hope this recipe works out well for you.
Thanks for the reply, the recipe worked out wonderfully for our Christmas in July party!
Wonderful; I hope you’re having a good winter in Australia!
Hi Nava, I have 1 question. This recipe doesn’t need salt for the meatloaf?
Thx
Elen, there are 2 tablespoons soy sauce in the recipe, and the Beyond product also has a fair amount of saltiness, so I’m confident that no further salt is needed! Enjoy …
I was really looking forward to enjoying this recipe but was bummed with the results. The end result was somewhat soggy and crumbly, and didn’t hold together like a “loaf” should. I used a whole bell pepper (by accident) instead of the 1/2 called for in your recipe. And maybe my onion was a bit larger than medium-sized. I’m not sure if that was what lead to the structural failure? All I know is that it certainly wasn’t undercooked. The flavor was there, though.
Hi Brad — As you can see from the many previous comments, this recipe is a crowd favorite and the results have been consistent. It’s possible that the extra moisture of the bell pepper and onion threw it off. I wouldn’t have thought this would make that much of a difference, but apparently so! If you like the flavor, I hope you’ll give it another try.
Really appreciate your response. Not blaming the recipe so much as trying to figure out where the cook went off the rails. After a night under wraps in the refrigerator the loaf now holds together nicely and has a nice density to it. Looking forward to leftovers!
Brad, sorry this went under my radar! I’m glad the loaf firmed up for you. Possibly with the extra time in the fridge, the breadcrumbs and oats absorbed some of the extra moisture. I hope you enjoyed the leftovers!
In the alternate version that calls for red beans, are those kidney beans?
The beyond meat version turned out great, thank you for a delicious recipe.
Thank you, Teresa, glad you enjoyed it — I also made this for Thanksgiving after not having made it for a while … I mean the smaller, rounder kind of red beans (something like these: https://amzn.to/3rj7qme), kidney beans tend to be a little tougher, but they’d probably work, as would pinto beans. I’m planning to revisit that variation soon, and I’ll see if kidney beans do indeed work.
This recipe looks delicious and I am going to try it for the holidays. I am planning on preparing it in advance. Is that advisable, if so how would you recommend reheating it? I am planning on bringing the loaf to the home of the host of the holiday gathering.
Thank you!
Laura
Hi Laura — this loaf is good made a day or two in advance. I would say to perhaps shave 10 minutes off the recommended baking time, then store it in the fridge tightly covered with plastic wrap once it cools down completely. Then reheat in a 350º F oven (take the plastic off, of course!) covered in foil for about 20 minutes. Keep covered in foil until you’re ready to take it out of the loaf pan to slice. I hope that works, and that you and your hosts enjoy it!
Hello, this seems so easy I am going to bake one day ahead to serve to houseguests whose dinner arrival time is uncertain. My question is how long to reheat (straight from refrigerator, but still in the pan. Or should it be foil-wrapped?) and on what temp? Am I correct that I would need to heat uncovered so the pretty glaze doesn’t stick to foil? Thanks, can’t wait to make!
Hi Wendy — great questions! I would say to do the recipe through step 5, in which you bake for the initial 45 minutes. Remove from the oven, let it cool, then cover and refrigerate overnight. Then, when you reheat the next day, just continue on with the recipe from step 6 where you glaze it and put it back in the oven. I hope you and your guests enjoy it!
This makes an amazing meatloaf! I followed all directions, but added some of the impossible ground sausage with the beyond meat and it was delicious! Thanks for sharing this recipe, had been so long since I’ve enjoyed a meatloaf and this will be my go to recipe to make and enjoy many more times.
Thank you, Louie! What a good idea to add in some Impossible ground sausage. That must have added even more depth of flavor. I’m glad you enjoyed this.
Wonderful. I am neither vegan or vegetarian, but I love good food and trying new recipes (even at 75). However, my adult granddaughter is vegetarian and she is coming to visit. After reading the recipe, I was intrigued. So, we were having another couple over and I decided to test this on two carnivores. Everyone loved it. Since I am low carb, I made a few tweaks. I used Impossible Burger, I used RAO, pizza sauce, low carb syrup, hemp hearts instead of oats, low carb “breadcrumbs”. I added an egg and 1 cup of shredded cheddar. DELICIOUSNESS. Can’t wait to try this with low carb cranberry sauce or low carb mushroom gravy. Eating left overs as I type. Thank you.
Thank you, Brigida — glad you enjoyed this and that it worked will with your tweaks!
Is this something that can be made ahead and frozen to bake later?
Ceylina, this is a really good question! I’ve never tried to do this, so I couldn’t give you a confident answer. But I don’t think there’s anything in it that could become watery, so I’ll cautiously say that I think it may work. I would fully thaw it out before baking.
I cannot consume oats, therefore please indicate a gluten free & lactose free substitution. Can I use a flaxseed egg instead of the oats?
Yvette, the oats are one of the dry ingredients, so a flax egg would make this too gloppy. I imagine you’ll be using GF breadcrumbs, so you can just add an additional 2/3 cup; or, dry quinoa flakes would likely work very well instead of oats, too. If you try either of these suggestions, please come back and let me know how it works out!
This excellent recipe is a monthly meal for me, a vegetarian and my husband, a flexible eater. My daughter always asks me to make this when we visit her in Ft. Meyers. My question is whether I can make meatballs using this recipe. I know you have a specific meatball recipe on this site, but we really like this! It would be for a party my daughter is having. We are visiting this week. I would make and freeze for her to serve at her gathering the following week. Any suggestions and can I do that with this recipe? I hope so! Thank you!
Hi Shari — so glad this has become a favorite in your family! That’s a great question. I haven’t tried this (but should). My only suggestion would be that once you make the mix, try and see if it’s firm enough to roll into a ball. If not, add a little more oats and/or breadcrumbs. Baking time would be seriously reduced, not sure by how much but check after 20 minutes, turn them a little, and continue to bake until firm and lightly browned on the outside. You can lightly spray with cooking oil spray before baking if you want them a little crispier on the outside. Once cooled completely, these should freeze well.
Another idea would be to make the mixture and put in a container, freeze without baking first, and then thaw, roll, and bake once you reach your destination. I’d love to know how this works out, if you care to come back and report!
Thank you very much for your response! I really appreciate it and will go with option one. I know our vegan daughter will be excited to have it and share with her friends. I will let you know the results!
Has anyone tried freezing left overs? I had this at a family dinner but would like to make it for myself, however it is too much for one person to eat by themselves during the week. I thought about portioning out servings and freezing.
Hi Tripp — interestingly, someone asked about freezing the whole thing to make ahead of time, so it seems like I should make it for the purpose of freezing, then thaw out to see how it all works out. I cant see why this wouldn’t freeze well. What about the idea of portioning it into foil-lined muffin tins to freeze? Then a couple of them could be thawed out at a time for a single serving. I may try that myself!
I made this recipe using the red beans & walnuts. I didn’t have the same oatmeal but used instant. I used McCormick Monterey steak seasoning. Otherwise, I followed the directions. It was way too salty & I like salt. I only served 2 slices and don’t think we will be able to finish it. I found the meatloaf to be mushy; not firm. I don’t know if using instant oatmeal caused it not to be “meaty” “firm”. Perhaps, another bbq seasoning would have been better.
Hi Phyllus — I’m sorry this didn’t work for you; as you can see, it’s a reader favorite and I’ve made it many times myself. I guess those couple of swap-ins may have made all the difference. I looked it up and McCormick Monterey steak seasoning has more than double the sodium of their BBQ seasonings. And there probably is enough of a difference between quick-cooking and instant oatmeal to affect the texture. If you liked the flavor, perhaps you can give this recipe another try and follow it to a T!