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So remember that Chunky Portabella Veggie Burger I shared with you guys? Well let me tell you what.. that recipe has gone on to get worldwide attention and has fast become one of the most gawked, favorited, pinned and shared recipes on the net. Thing is it wasn’t all vegans and vegetarians either! You meat lovers, the people that must eat meat raved over this thing. You fooled your carnivore steak lover with it and when they asked for their 2nd or 3rd helping you told them they were eating all veggies. Trust me I know, I got the same reaction from folks. The look of “NUH UH!” was priceless!
“But this is too awesome to not have meat in it! It takes just like beef!” Fooled ya didn’t I! Told ya that thing rocked! Well this veggie meatloaf is right up there with it being equally awesome!
After posting that recipe I had to work on a meatless meatloaf recipe. For you.. and for me. The requests came pouring in asking how to make one. Now you’ll see this recipe differs from the veggie burger as this, like traditional meatloaf, has more binder (bread/breadcrumbs) but what’s awesome about this recipe is that it’s not heavy. That meatloaf doesn’t sit in the bottom of your stomach.
As you can see this thing is beyond loaded with veggies. It’s funny as it looks like my normal meatloaf. But the taste… OMG the flavor is incredible! Thanks to the addition of the steak seasoning and such this has a beefy taste but when you bite down and that spicy ketchup glaze hits your tongue you wanna talk about a flavor explosion!
Seriously if I could have just had a plate of the glaze I would have been happy BUT add in this veggie meatloaf and WOW!
No seriously.. WOW! 
It’s funny when people think what vegetarian food tastes like. Most people assume that it tastes like grass or fake meat. Like they eat veggies but try to make it taste like chicken or beef. Why? If you’ve never had a real vegetarian meal (and I’m not talking salads either) try this. It’s so unbelievably delicious that you won’t want the meat. This can stand on its own. No I’m not promoting everyone go vegetarian (as I love meat AND BACON) but I also like to mix it up a bit; have a variety if you will. Plus if your kids refuse to eat veggies you can make this and they are none the wiser. This truly is spectacular and you HAVE to try it!
Ultimate Mushroom Veggie Meatloaf
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Ingredients
Veggie Meatloaf
- 3 1/2 cups chopped portabella mushrooms
- 2 cups chickpeas, drained and divided
- 1 cup chopped broccoli florets (make the pieces small – not minced but not chunky)
- 1 cup shredded zucchini
- 4 Xl eggs
- 2 tablespoon Montreal Steak Seasoning
- 1/2 cup chopped onion (make the pieces small – not minced but not chunky)
- 2 tablespoon minced garlic
- 2 tablespoon Worcestershire (regular or vegetarian as regular contains anchovies)
- 1/2 cup chopped red peppers (make the pieces small – not minced but not chunky)
- 1 1/2 cup unseasoned bread crumbs (regular or gluten free)
- 3 slices wheat (or white) bread torn into small pieces (can use gluten free)
- 2 tablespoon milk
- 3 tablespoon spicy ketchup glaze
Spicy Ketchup Glaze
- 1 cup ketchup
- 2 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon hot sauce (tabasco)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 2 tablespoon white vinegar
- 1 tablespoon liquid smoke
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F, rack in the middle.
- Line a rimmed large baking sheet with parchment paper and lightly spray.
- Make the spicy ketchup glaze by adding all ingredients in a bowl, mixing and setting aside.
- Place 1 cup of chickpeas in a bowl and using a masher, mash them until they form a chunky paste.
- In a large bowl add the mushrooms, whole chickpeas, mashed chickpeas, broccoli, zucchini, peppers, onions, garlic and steak seasoning; mix to combine.
- Add in the eggs, Worcestershire, bread crumbs, milk and ketchup glaze and using your hands, mix until combined. The mixture will be very wet.
- Slowly add in the bread pieces until the mixture holds shape.
- Place the mixture in the center of your parchment paper.
- Using your hands, form a loaf that is about 15” long, 6-7” wide, and about 2 1/2” tall. You want the meatloaf to be smooth and to have more rounded edges. You want it pressed tightly together.
- Bake the veggie meatloaf for 25 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and brush with a thick layer of the spicy ketchup glaze.
- Bake for another 10 minutes, remove from the oven and brush with another thick layer of the glaze.
- Bake for a final 10 minutes or until the glaze is thick and dark in color.
Notes
Don’t buy the steak seasoning! Make your own! You can find the recipe for Montreal Steak Seasoning here!
You use cups as a measurement. What size or equivalent weight please?
Can this be cooked in a meatloaf tin & could I replace white bread with oats ?
Will rate this recipe once I have made it, looks & sounds yummy
Hi Lin!
Yes you can but you need to soak the oats first. For 1 1/4 cup of old fashioned oats I soak them in about 1/4 cup of milk (or you can use any liquid of your choice). I’ve never used a meatloaf tin but I don’t see why not.
Best Kitchen Wishes!
Yum! Made this last night. Put all veggies in the food processor (didn’t have zucchini or broccoli on hand so I skipped those ingredients). Baked in a La crueset baking dish. So good. I’m eating leftovers for breakfast as I type. Thanks for the recipe!
★★★★★
LOL I love leftovers for breakfast too! I’m so happy you loved it too!
Best Kitchen Wishes!
Hi,
Do you have a version of this recipe that is REALLY vegan? Vegans don’t eat eggs or any animal products at all… This looks really yummy. Thank you!!
Hi Christie,
This isn’t a vegan recipe but a vegetarian one as it does use cheese and eggs but yes I know many have converted it to truly vegan – it’s in the comments. Many use nutritional yeast for the Parmesan, ground flax for the eggs. For Worcestershire use a vegan version.
Others have substituted the eggs with Hannah sweet potatoes. Baked them and pulled the flesh out, let them cool and mashed with all of the other ingredients. Also used Vegan Go Veggie Parmesan cheese and vegan Worcestershire sauce.
3tbsp ground flax + 9tbsp water and refrigerate for about 45 minutes to replace the 3 eggs.
Look at this page (http://www.thekitchenwhisperer.net/2014/04/12/chunky-portabella-veggie-burgers/comment-page-2/) and search for a comment from Rachel posted on 1/18/15 – she posted how she converted it to Vegan.
Best Kitchen Wishes!
Can I bake this in a pan?
Hi Gaybreal,
Yep 🙂
Best Kitchen Wishes!
I made this today. I love it! Left out the zucchini. You really wouldn’t know there wasn’t meat. I will make this again.
Thank you so much Lauren! I love this “meat” loaf!
Best Kitchen Wishes!
★★★★★
Made this “meatloaf” for my husband and son. Neither one of them guessed that there was no meat in it, and both had second helpings. I chopped the veggies in the food processor and did not use the whole chickpeas, only the mashed chickpeas.
This is now in my “top ten” recipes to make.
Thank you so much Ellen! Oh that’s a good idea to chop the veggies in the food processor! This way there is no ‘evidence’ for the carnivores *wink*.
Best Kitchen Wishes!
★★★★★
Well, mine retained more of the green color from the broccoli compared to the photo above, and I didn’t use as much sauce. The loaf stuck to the bottom, even though I put foil and sprayed it (I didn’t have parchment paper), so it fell apart a bit. But it was tasty! My husband knew ahead of time that it was veggie, so he said it was better than he expected it to be, haha. I think it would’ve been too spicy for us if I had used all of the sauce it called for you to make. Here’s a picture of mine: http://i61.tinypic.com/2mfam8w.jpg As you can see, mine seems to be a rougher consistency. Maybe I have a different interpretation of what “chopped” means for vegetables. 🙂
★★★★
Hi Marian,
I updated the recipe – my chopped pieces were smaller than yours. They are more on the smaller size. Yours looks yummy! Yeah because there isn’t really any fat in this recipe, like how traditional beef meatloaf does, it would stick on the foil. I’m sorry yours stuck to it – stupid foil (wink). And that’s awesome your hubby liked it as well!
Best Kitchen Wishes!
★★★★★