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Comforting, hearty, tangy, and ‘meaty’- this is the best vegan Beyond Meat meatloaf. This lentil-free vegan and vegetarian meatloaf recipe has the most convincing taste and texture!
Why You’ll Love This Beyond Meat Meatloaf
This veggie meatloaf is a family recipe passed down from my mom. She would make a vegetarian version of this meatloaf growing up and it was one of my favorite meals!
Here’s why we love this recipe and you will too:
Emily’s Recipe Notes:
- No Lentils or Mushrooms: Thanks to Beyond Meat, this meatloaf is 100% plant-based, making it a great choice for picky omnivores you may be serving it to.
- Easy Recipe: With a food processor to make the prep easier, this vegan meatloaf is simple to put together.
- Incredibly Flavorful: With our homemade tangy BBQ sauce and sautéed veggies every bite of this meatloaf is full of deliciousness.
- Substitutable Ingredients: Whether you’re out of Just Egg or prefer not to use it, you can easily substitute it with a flax egg.
Vegan Meatloaf Ingredients:
This veggie meatloaf is made with just a few simple ingredients, most of which are easily accessible. All of these meatloaf ingredients help flavor and bind the veggie loaf!
Below are the core ingredients that we’ll be using in this flavorful, “meaty” loaf:
- Beyond Meat: The star of our recipe, providing a hearty, meat-like texture that replaces ground beef. I chose to use the sausages over the patties since the package contained 14 oz of ‘meat’. They also have a more compact consistency which will help hold the meatloaf together.
- Gardein Plant-Based Beefless Crumbles: These frozen crumbles come in a large 13 oz bag. They’re more affordable than the Beyond Sausages, and they add a nice texture to the loaf. You can also use these homemade vegan ground beef crumbles.
- Just Egg: Typical meatloaf calls for eggs to bind everything together. Today I’m substituting in a little bit of Just Egg. You can now find this at your local grocery store (I get mine from Kroger).
- Oats & Breadcrumbs: These two ingredients, in addition to the Just Egg and the Beyond Sausage, help hold the loaf together and help it keep its shape once cooled.
- Onion, Pepper, and Celery: These veggies add really nice flavor to this Beyond Beef meatloaf.
Homemade BBQ Sauce Ingredients:
What I LOVE about this recipe, is the tangy, homemade bbq sauce. It’s incredibly easy to make and only takes about 5 minutes. This BBQ sauce is used in the vegan & vegetarian meatloaf mixture, and it’s also used on top of the loaf. To make this easy bbq sauce, you’ll need the following ingredients:
- Tomato Sauce
- Ketchup, or tomato paste
- Vegan Worcestershire Sauce
- White Vinegar
- Brown Sugar
- Yellow Mustard or Dijon Mustard
Substitutions
While this recipe is delicious as it is, there are a few substitutions you can consider based on your dietary needs or personal preference:
- Beyond Meat Sausages: If you don’t have Beyond Meat Sausages, you can substitute the Beyond Meat Burger Patties or their packages of Beyond Ground Beef. Just be sure to use the same amount. You could even use Impossible Burger in this recipe.
- JUST Egg: If you prefer or need to, you can substitute the Just Egg with a flax egg. To prepare a flax egg, mix 2 tbsp of ground flaxseed with 5 tbsp of water and let it thicken for about 5 minutes.
- BBQ Sauce: While homemade BBQ sauce is recommended for its tangy, sweet, and savory flavor, you can use a store bought version if you’re short on time. Just remember that the taste might vary a bit.
- Vegan Worcestershire Sauce: this can be substituted for 1 tablespoon soy sauce if you’re in a pinch.
- Brown Sugar: feel free to swap coconut sugar or maple syrup in the homemade BBQ sauce.
- Breadcrumbs: If you’re gluten-free, you can opt for gluten-free breadcrumbs or more ground oats as a replacement.
- Oats: If you don’t have oats on hand or prefer not to use them, you can substitute them with an equal amount of additional breadcrumbs.
Egg Substitutes in Meatloaf Recipes
This vegan meatloaf can definitely be made without any eggs! We just need to sub in a binder in its place. My preferred egg replacement in this vegan meatloaf is JUST Egg.
In combination with the oats, breadcrumbs, and sautéed veggies, the JUST Egg does an amazing job of replacing real egg and holding the veggie meatloaf together. It creates beautiful, clean slices of meatloaf after it’s baked.
Helpful Equipment
- Food Processor
- Large Bowl
- 9×5” Baking Pan
- Parchment Paper
Step By Step Guide
Here’s how to make the vegan Beyond Meat Meatloaf!
A video tutorial is above the recipe card at the bottom of the post. 🎥
Prep the Sauce & Veggie Ingredients
Make the BBQ sauce by combining all the ingredients in a medium pot. Simmer to reduce and thicken the mixture.
In a food processor, pulse the old-fashioned oats into fine flour or powder. Transfer the oats to another bowl.
To the same food processor, add the onion, green pepper, celery and garlic. Pulse the food processor to finely chop the veggies.
Sauté the veggies in a large skillet over medium low heat for 15 minutes to get most of the water out of them. This is so the meatloaf mixture doesn’t become too wet.
Pulse the Beyond Meat and the vegan beefless ground in the food processor to combine them.
Combine those sautéed veggies with the Beyond Meat, meatless crumbles, parsley, Just Egg, seasonings, and a bit of the homemade BBQ sauce in the mixing bowl.
Mix everything until well combined and shape the mixture in a large loaf pan. You can shape the loaf with a spatula or with clean hands.
Pour of the homemade BBQ sauce on top of the loaf. This will get all caramelized and browned after baking, creating a perfect meatloaf glaze.
Baking the Vegan Meatloaf
This vegan meatloaf needs to bake for a good amount of time to cook all the way through. I recommend baking it covered at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 45 minutes.
To get a bit of crispy caramelization, at the very end you can increase the temperature to 425 degrees Fahrenheit and bake for an additional 15 minutes.
Serving the Vegan Beyond Meat Meatloaf
This vegan meatloaf is so delicious straight out of the oven! You can slice it up and it will hold together pretty well when it’s piping hot. But it keeps its shape even better if it’s left to cool for a few minutes.
I love serving this with some fluffy mashed potatoes, green beans, and topped with fresh chopped parsley. You could also serve it with Roasted Brussel Sprouts. This meatloaf would also make a delicious Thanksgiving main course (alongside my stuffed acorn squash and lentil shepherd’s pie).
The recipe below makes a large amount (about 2 cups) of the homemade BBQ sauce. You’ll use about 3/4 of a cup on and in the actual loaf, and the remainder is great for topping.
I drizzle a little bit over my slice and mashed potatoes, which I highly, highly recommend! It’s so tangy, sweet, and savory, and adds so much extra flavor to the dish! This really is the Best Vegan Meatloaf with Beyond Meat!
Storage
Keep any leftovers in the refrigerator in an airtight container. It can stay fresh for 3-4 days.
It can also be frozen in an airtight container for 2 months.
FAQ
Thanks to Beyond Meat, the steps to make this veggie meatloaf are very similar to a traditional meatloaf. I like to use a food processor to make the prep easier, but it’s not necessary. You’ll want to mix together the vegan meat, breadcrumbs, oats, veggies, bbq sauce, and Just Egg. Then you’ll shape the loaf, cover it in more BBQ sauce and bake it!
A flax egg can be substituted for Just Egg in this recipe. Please note, that Just Egg does a much better job at holding the vegan loaf together. Flax will work but the texture will be crumblier after baking. To use a flax egg, mix 2 tbsp of ground flaxseed with 5 tbsp of water. Let the mixture sit for about 5 minutes to thicken before adding it to the meat mixture.
While you technically can use store bought BBQ sauce, I don’t recommend it and I can’t guarantee the end result will be the same. This homemade BBQ has a ton of tangy, sweet, and savory flavor that can’t be replicated with a store bought bbq sauce. Since this BBQ sauce is used in the meatloaf mixture and on top of it, it plays a key part in flavoring this meatless meatloaf.
More Comforting Vegan Main Dishes
- Vegan Shepherd’s Pie
- The Best Vegan Beef Stew
- Creamy Vegan Chicken & Rice Casserole
- Vegan Sunday Roast Dinner
Video Tutorial
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The Best Vegan Beyond Meat Meatloaf
Ingredients
BBQ sauce
- 15 oz tomato sauce
- 1 cup ketchup
- 5 tbsp brown sugar
- ¼ cup white vinegar
- 1 tbsp vegan Worcestershire sauce
- ¼ cup yellow mustard
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
Meatloaf
- 1 ½ cups old fashioned oats, pulsed into a flour
- 2 medium yellow onions, quartered – about 2 cups
- 2 stalks celery, chopped into 3″ pieces
- 1 green bell pepper, chopped into 3″ pieces
- 2 cloves fresh garlic, roughly chopped
- 1-2 tbsp olive oil
- 13 oz vegan frozen ground beef, thawed, I used Gardein Beefless Ground (or sub more Beyond Meat)
- 14 oz Beyond Sausages, Beyond Burgers, or Beyond Ground Beef
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 2 tsp dried oregano
- ½ cup chopped fresh parsley
- ¼ cup fine bread crumbs , or panko bread crumbs
- ¼ cup JUST Egg, see notes for substitutions
- ¼ tsp each fine table salt & black pepper
Instructions
Make the BBQ Sauce
- Combine all of the BBQ sauce ingredients into a large saucepan. Heat over medium heat until the mixture begins simmering and the brown sugar dissolves.15 oz tomato sauce, 1 cup ketchup, 5 tbsp brown sugar, ¼ cup white vinegar, 1 tbsp vegan Worcestershire sauce, ¼ cup yellow mustard
- Add any salt and pepper to taste (this will depend on how much salt your ketchup has).Salt and black pepper
- Remove from the heat and let cool slightly. Set aside while prepping the other ingredients.
Prep the Ingredients
- In a food processor or high speed blender, pulse the old fashioned oats until they are a fine powder. Transfer to a bowl.1 ½ cups old fashioned oats
- Add the onion, celery, green pepper, and garlic to the food processor, and pulse until finely chopped, but not juiced. If you don't have a food processor, finely chop or mince the vegetables.2 medium yellow onions, 2 stalks celery, 1 green bell pepper, 2 cloves fresh garlic
- Sauté onion, celery, green pepper, and garlic in a heated pan with a tablespoon or two of olive oil (over medium-low heat). Cook until most of the water evaporates, about 10-15 minutes.1-2 tbsp olive oil
- Add the thawed beefless ground and Beyond Meat to the food processor and pulse until medium-sized crumbles emerge. Place them in a large bowl.13 oz vegan frozen ground beef, 14 oz Beyond Sausages, Beyond Burgers, or Beyond Ground Beef
Make the Vegan Meatloaf
- Preheat oven to 375°F.
- Create a well in the center of the Beyond Meat mixture. Add the sauteed veggies to the ‘meat’ mixture.
- Add in the oats, bread crumbs, ½ cup of the BBQ sauce, the JUST Egg, garlic powder, oregano, and chopped parsley. Add the salt & pepper. Mix them into the 'meat' mixture.Note: You'll have about 1 ½ cups of BBQ sauce remaining, which can be used for serving. We love adding a generous drizzle over the sliced loaf when ready to eat.2 tsp garlic powder, 2 tsp dried oregano, ½ cup chopped fresh parsley, ¼ cup fine bread crumbs, ¼ cup JUST Egg, ¼ tsp each fine table salt & black pepper
- Stir the mixture until all the ingredients are well combined. The mixture should adhere together.
- Grease or line the loaf pan with parchment paper. Place the mixture in a large loaf pan and shape it into a loaf. Cover the top of the loaf with more BBQ sauce (about ¼-½ cup). Loosely cover the loaf with foil.
- Bake at 375°F for 45 minutes.
- Then uncover and bake for 15 more minutes at 375°F.
- Increase heat to 425°F. Bake uncovered for 15-20 additional minutes until the top is slightly browned (for a total of 1 hour and 15 minutes).
- Serve with mashed potatoes. Top with parsley and a generous drizzle of the remaining BBQ sauce. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Video
Recipe notes
- JUST Egg can be substituted for 2 flax eggs. Mix 2 tbsp ground flaxseed with 6 tbsp of water. Set aside for 5 minutes to thicken.
- Straight out of the oven when hot, the loaf may crumble a bit when cut. If you leave the loaf to cool slightly, it holds together very well!
- Add any additional salt at the end after baking. Salt levels will depend on the brand of ketchup you use in the BBQ sauce.
- You can also use homemade vegan ground beef instead of store-bought crumbles.
Did You Make This?
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Categories:
Comfort Food, Date Night, Fall, Mains, Recipes, Seasonal, Thanksgiving, Vegan Proteins, Winter,
Well, I made it. It was delishus.
I made this tonight. You wouldn’t even know it was vegan. Very good!
Was fantastic..can I make ahead and freeze? Do I freeze before or after I bake it?
Hi Linda! I’ve never frozen this prior to baking before, so I’m not sure how it would turn out. I’d recommend freezing it after baking and reheating in the oven.
Has anyone tried the “egg replacer” by bob’s red mill in this recipe? I think it’s a little different than the flax egg that Emily mentions.
If not, I’m going to give it a go. My co-op and whole foods are both out of just egg and naturally, I’m making this tomorrow.
Hi Monica, I haven’t tried Bob’s Red Mill Egg Replacer in this particular recipe, but I suspect it will hold the Beyond Meatloaf together better than flaxseed. Just make sure to use the equivalent of 1/4 cup, so the amount of liquid in the loaf stays the same. I believe the ratio for BRM Egg replacer is 1 tbsp egg replacer + 2 tbsp water = 1 egg.
This recipe is very similar to my old meatball recipe minus the bbq sauce of course. Do you think if I formed it into meatballs and baked them they would keep their shape?
I made this loaf using the flax seed and also added the ‘guts’ of 3 small tomatoes. It didn’t crumble at all and was very delicious! I highly recommend:)
Wondering your thoughts on using cooked lentils as a substitute for 14 oz of beyond beef or sausage?
Hi there, I haven’t tried this substitution before. The mixture may have more moisture, so the amount of oats may need to be increased. Also the amount of salt may need to be increased since Beyond Meat has a good amount of sodium. If you try it out, let us know how it goes!
Hi, can I prepare this recipe the day before I am going to bake it?
Hi Deanna, I’ve made this recipe the day before serving it. I actually baked the whole loaf the day before at 375f covered for about 1 hour. Then the day I served it, I added a bit more sauce on top and baked it at 425f, uncovered, for about 20-25 minutes (or until warmed through).
Soooo good! This is the BEST recipe I have ever made, period!!! Yum!