This vegan meatloaf is chock full of vegetables, lentils, and seeds that are magically transformed into a hearty plant-based dish that will please anyone! This is a perfect vegan main dish for a family dinner or holiday meal. Easily made gluten-free, too.
1head of cauliflower, cored and broken into florets (1.5-2 lbs)
1onion, chopped into 1" pieces
8ozcremini mushrooms, quartered
2carrots, peeled and chopped into 1" pieces
3clovesgarlic, peeled
¾cuppepitas (raw shelled pumpkin seeds)
1/3cupsun-dried tomatoes (not in oil)
1/2cupdried red lentils
1/2cupdried green/brown lentils
2Tground flax seed
5Twater
1cuppanko bread crumbs (use gluten-free version if needed)
1/2cupmarinara sauce, ketchup, or protein-packed gravy
3tablespoonsvegan Worcestershire sauce or A1 sauce (or a combination)
1teaspoonsalt
1teaspoonground black pepper
1/2teaspoononion powder
1/2teaspoongarlic powder
1TablespoonItalian seasoning
Instructions
In a medium bowl, soak pepitas, sun-dried tomatoes, and lentils in 4 cups of very hot water. Set aside.
Add 2 tablespoons of ground flaxseed to a small bowl and stir in 5 tablespoons of water. Set aside.
Preheat the oven to 375F.
Next, prepare the vegetables. In a food processor fitted with a grating attachment, grate the cauliflower, mushrooms, onions, carrots, and garlic. Spread out evenly on a large rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Roast for 30-40 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes to ensure even cooking. You should end up with about 4-5 cups after cooking.
While the vegetables are cooking, prepare the marinara sauce or gravy if using (I often use jarred marinara or ketchup to save time).
When the vegetables are finished cooking, remove from the oven and reduce the oven temperature to 350F.
Straing the soaked lentils, pepitas, and sun-dried tomatoes. Add to a food processor fitted with the s-blade and pulse until a fine crumb is formed and no large pieces of lentil or pepita remain. Scrape down the sides of the food processor as needed. Remove to a large bowl.
To the bowl with the ground lentil mixture, add the cooked vegetables. Stir in flaxseed, marinara/ketchup, worcestershire/A1 sauce, panko, and seasonings. Mix very well until evenly combined.
Line a loaf pan with parchment paper if desired (not necessary, just helpful for removing the loaf and slicing). Pat the meatloaf mixture evenly into the loaf pan, pressing down to eliminate air pockets.
Bake the loaf at 350 for 1 hour. If using the glaze, remove the loaf after 45 minutes and spread the glaze over the top and bake for 15 more minutes.
Serve with whatever sides you like. We love it smothered with protein-packed vegan gravy on a bed of mashed potatoes!
Notes
To bake this as mini meatloaf cups, portion the mix into muffin tins and bake for 25-30 minutes, adding the glaze in the last 5 minutes of baking if desired.