Gluten Free Vegetarian Meatloaf Recipe

Meatloaf.

Just hearing that word probably conjures up some memories for you.

You may be in the camp that absolutely loves the stuff — meatloaf is the ultimate comfort food! Or it’s the recipe mom made weekly that you swore never to make when you were on your own. Or you don’t eat meat and why would you ever want meatloaf in your life?

It’s a loaded word, Meatloaf. But whatever your meatloaf proclivities, I’m here to argue that you should give this gluten free vegetarian meatloaf recipe a try.

Meatloaf itself has taken many forms: from its humble medieval beginnings made from meat scraps to its evolution into a staple of the Depression era to its role in the wartime effort (dubbed “the Vitality Loaf”) to its unenthusiastic presence on literally every diner menu, meatloaf is something every family is familiar with in some way.

Historical accounts show meatloaf ingredients ranging from fruits (including bananas!), milk-soaked bread, spices, crushed crackers, vegetable soup and even cereal. But always there was meat.

Which is where this Gluten Free Vegetarian Meatloaf recipe comes in. Consider it merely the newest face of the old stand-by meatloaf. It’s a modernized version, if you will.

Whether you’re a meat eater or not, you will appreciate that this gluten free vegetarian meatloaf is super quick to whip up, is full of flavors you can tailor to your own tastes, and is truly hearty. Because it’s made gluten free and vegetarian or vegan, you can serve it to nearly anyone, and have a great conversation starter. “Meatloaf? Wow. Never thought I’d see that coming out of YOUR oven. But Wow. This is really good!”

I hope by this point in the meatloaf story you’re at least intrigued enough to give this recipe a try. You can even call it something else, if that’s more palatable for you. But do try it.

Gluten Free Vegetarian Meatloaf is bringing meatloaf back, better!

So let’s get onto the recipe, shall we?

This is no bean loaf, or lentil loaf or whatever other kind of no-meat meatloaf you may have seen before (and your kids turned up their noses at). It’s made from veggie burgers. You can use your favorite brand (or make your own gluten free veggie burgers – it’s super easy!) if you already have one, but they all have different consistencies and ingredients and moisture contents, so the recipe may need to be adjusted so that the mixture will hold together without getting soggy.

I’ve partnered with Hilary’s Eat Well Veggie Burgers and Veggie Bites* to bring you this recipe because I love their many flavors and I find that the texture of these veggie burgers is perfect for this recipe. Hilary’s burger flavors (World’s Best; Adzuki Bean; Hemp & Greens; Root Veggie; Black Rice; and Spicy Thai) allow you to mix up your vegetarian meatloaf flavors depending on your preference or each time you make it, if you want!

I love Hilary’s because it doesn’t remind me of meat and they’re not mushy, so the texture is great for dish like this. Hilary’s burgers are made from whole gluten free grains like millet and quinoa, as well as veggies like sweet potatoes and leafy greens, plus plenty of herbs to make them yummy on their own or to add deliciousness to a recipe like this.

It means that unlike traditional meatloaf recipes, there’s really no need to add much in the way of spices, herbs or other add-ins like onions or veggies — they’re already inside. Even easier!

Simply thaw two boxes of Hilary’s burgers, then mash them. Add the remaining ingredients and smoosh into a parchment-lined pan (for easy clean up).

Slather some ketchup on top and bake for 45 minutes.

It’s a dinner anyone could whip up in minutes, even if you don’t have fresh herbs or onion or anything else. Everyone’s got ketchup, right?

Oh and speaking of other ingredients, gluten free breadcrumbs may be something you don’t regularly have on-hand. No worries! I keep homemade gluten free bread in the freezer at all times for sandwich or burger emergencies, and for making stuffing or breadcrumbs. It’s so easy!

Here I just grabbed some of my homemade gluten free buns from the freezer, plopped them in my food processor, gave it a whirl and voila! Bread crumbs!

Of course you can feel free to add herbs or spices to liven up the bread crumbs, or you could even use different kinds of gluten free bread — how fun would gluten free pumpernickel be in this vegetarian meatloaf??

So hopefully you get the idea: this Gluten Free Vegetarian Meatloaf is your new favorite quick and easy-peasy dinner that you can tailor to your own tastes and what you have or don’t have in your fridge that day. My kinda meal!

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Gluten Free Vegetarian Meatloaf Recipe

Yield: serves 4-6

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour

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Ingredients

• 13 ounces Hilary's Veggie Burgers, thawed (2 boxes = 4 burgers) or make your own homemade gluten free veggie burgers
• 3/4 cup dried gluten free bread crumbs
• 2/3 cup-3/4 cup milk, dairy or non-dairy
• 2 large eggs, beaten OR 2 Tbs. flaxseed meal steeped in 6 Tbs. warm water
• 3 Tbs. ketchup
• 1 tsp. dried minced onion (optional)
• 1 tsp. apple cider vinegar
• 2 tsp. molasses
• 1 tsp. coconut aminos or gluten free tamari
• 1 tsp. Tabasco or other gluten free hot sauce (optional)
• 1 tsp. dried parsley (optional)
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. black pepper
• ~1/4 cup ketchup for top of loaf

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350F. Line loaf pan with parchment paper or oil all sides and bottom.

Thaw veggie burgers in microwave or heat on stove-top until soft.

Mash in a large bowl.

Process frozen gluten free bread in a food processor to make crumbs. Measure out 3/4 cup and save any remaining crumbs by sealing in a freezer bag and return to the freezer for later use.

Add crumbs to bowl with mashed veggie burgers and stir in mixed egg or flax egg substitute, 2/3 cup milk, and remaining liquids, onions, herbs and spices, as listed. If mixture holds together well, transfer to prepared pan. If it is slightly dry, add more milk until the mixture holds together when squeezed in your hand, without being wet or drippy.

Smooth top of the meatloaf in pan with a rubber spatula. Spread ketchup across the top of the meatloaf.

Bake for 45 minutes.

Remove to cool slightly before slicing and serving.

Did you make this recipe?

Please leave a comment (and maybe even a picture!) below or share a photo on Instagram! Be sure to tag me! @gfJules

* This sponsored post was created in partnership with Hilary’s Eat Well. As always, all opinions are my own. See my disclosure policy for more information. Working with select brands I love allows me to keep bringing you free recipes, and I hope that in the process, you’ll learn about some of the safe gluten free products I choose for my family. Thanks so much for your support!