This Vegan Beyond Meat Meatloaf combines hearty Beyond Beef and lentils for a fun twist on the vegetarian lentil loaf, and tucked inside is the most delicious shiitake mushroom stuffing! This vegan meatloaf looks and feels extra fancy but is actually easy to prepare. It's as perfect for weeknight dinners as it is worthy of holidays and special occasions. Gluten-free and nut-free.
This recipe was originally published in November 2019 and has been updated for content.
If you're looking for a meaty, satisfying entree that will please vegans and omnivores alike, look no further.
Vegan Meatloaf With Beyond Beef
I'm so excited to share this stuffed vegan meatloaf with you! It's impossibly delicious, fun to make, and really is the perfect main dish when you want to please a mixed crowd of meat eaters and vegans/vegetarians.
First, a quick note about the inclusion of Beyond Meat's beef in this recipe. I share a lot of oil-free, whole-food recipes, so I fully appreciate that this isn't a recipe for everyone. And that's okay!
Mark and I enjoy a tasty Beyond Burger or Impossible Burger every now and then, so when their 1-pound packages of Beyond Beef became more widely available I couldn't wait to experiment.
Combined with the shiitake stuffing, lentils, oats, and herbs, Beyond Beef makes one seriously satisfying meatloaf!
If you're not into Beyond Meat for whatever reason, I have plans for a whole-food-based lentil loaf, too. Update: that chickpea meatloaf recipe was new to the blog in the fall of 2021 and has received great reviews. Be sure to check that out!
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Ingredients
Here are a few notes on the main ingredients you'll need. Refer to the recipe card below for amounts and full instructions.
For the stuffing:
- mushrooms - lightly adapted from one of my old favorite stuffed seitan roasts by Isa Chandra, this shiitake stuffing is so amazing you'll want to eat it by the spoonful! But if you can't get fresh shiitakes feel free to sub button mushrooms or mixed wild mushrooms.
- breadcrumbs - I used a gluten-free panko, but any hearty breadcrumb works well here, including whole-grain.
- thyme - fresh thyme takes the flavor of this stuffing over the top, but dried works in a pinch. Add several generous dashes if using dried, and adjust to taste.
For the Beyond meatloaf:
- Beyond Beef - you'll need 1 pound of vegan beef; Impossible works, too.
- lentils - we love the dramatic appearance and firmer texture of black lentils, but green or brown lentils may also be used.
- oats - regular old fashioned rolled oats are inexpensive, easy to find, and lend nice texture to the loaf.
How to Make Beyond Meatloaf
One thing I really love about this recipe is that it's pretty much foolproof. It requires a few steps and takes about an hour-and-a-half from start to finish.
It's definitely not as complicated as some main dishes and 1 hour of that time is totally hands-off (while it bakes).
The basic flow goes like this:
- Saute the stuffing ingredients
- Process the Beyond meat-lentil mixture
- Assemble in a loaf pan and bake. Voila!
I won't bore you with step-by-step photos of how to cook the stuffing, because really it's just a simple sauté of onion, mushrooms, herbs, and breadcrumbs. It's super easy, and you've got this!
So let's walk through the rest of the process and pretend you've already made the stuffing and set it aside to cool. Next:
Blending the Beyond Meat mixture
First, you need some cooked lentils. I used black lentils in this recipe because they're a bit firmer than green or brown (plus, they're beautiful).
Just try to keep them on the al dente side, not overcooked. Remove any excess water by placing the lentils on a tea towel or double layer of paper towels, then gather the edges, and squeeze it over the sink.
- In a food processor pulse ½ cup of rolled oats to break them up. Add 1 cup of lentils to the food processor, and pulse to combine.
- Add the paprika, sage, rosemary, tamari, and olive oil, and process again to incorporate.
- Next, pinch off large chunks of Beyond Beef from the package and drop it into the food processor. Pulse the machine a few more times.
- Transfer the mixture to a large mixing bowl, and add the remaining ¾ cup lentils. Use a sturdy spoon or spatula to mix in the lentils, and be sure the Beyond Beef is fully incorporated. It should look like the photo above on the far right.
How to stuff meatloaf
- Scoop half of the meat mixture into a 9x5-inch loaf pan lined with parchment. The parchment will serve as a handle making it easy to lift the finished loaf from the pan.
- Tip: I like to trim the parchment so that it overhangs the long sides of the pan but not the ends. This prevents bunched-up paper in the corners and keeps the shape of the loaf nice and neat. Use your hands or the back of a spatula to press the lentil meat down and smooth the surface.
- Use a spoon to dig a long, oval "boat" down the center (see photo above left). You can also use your hands to widen and shape the trough, pressing the meat mixture firmly up against the sides and bottom of the pan.
- Fill the trough with yummy shiitake stuffing, packing it down as you go. Pile it all on there (see center photo above).
- Carefully dollop the rest of the meat mixture around the pan, and press it down. The filling should now be completely encased.
Bake and Glaze
Bake the lentil loaf uncovered in a 375-degree oven for 30 minutes. While it's baking, stir together a simple glaze:
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 1 teaspoon tamari or soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons ketchup
After 30 minutes, spread the glaze on top of the loaf, and return the loaf to the oven for another 25 to 30 minutes. Let it cool in the pan for about 5 minutes, then use the parchment to lift it out onto a cutting board.
Serve Black Lentil-Beyond Meat Loaf with your favorite sides, drizzle with our easy mushroom gravy, and dig in!
Speaking of gravy, check out this gorgeous Vegan Porcini Mushroom Gravy from Elizabeth over at Healthy Midwestern Girl.
Beyond Meatloaf FAQs
Impossible should work, though I haven't tested it. I don't recommend any other type of beefy crumbles. Part of the reason this loaf is successful is that Beyond Beef serves as a binder.
Definitely. Feel free to substitute brown or green lentils for the black lentils. Avoid red or yellow lentils though, as they're too soft.
A small amount of cooked rice, farro, barley, or similar grain also works well.
No, this vegan meatloaf is great on its own, even without the stuffing.
Of course! Fresh shiitakes are amazing for their unique, naturally smoky aroma and flavor, but if you need to substitute, white button or cremini (aka baby bella) are easy to find and also delicious.
What to Serve With Vegan Meatloaf
- The Best Vegan Mac and Cheese (GF option)
- Air Fryer Green Beans (GF)
- Sweet Potato Salad With Lemon Vinaigrette (GF)
- Roasted Brussels Sprouts With Balsamic (GF)
- Modern Cauliflower Gratin (GF option)
- The Best Vegan Southern-Style Cornbread (GF option)
- Vegan Cornbread Dressing (GF option)
- Rosemary Potato Salad (GF)
- Vegan Yogurt Mashed Potatoes (GF)
If you try the recipe I would love to hear from you! Comment below to let everyone know how it turned out, and tag a photo on Instagram with @myquietkitchen.
Update: we're loving this new way to use Beyond Beef, Beyond Meat Chili!
You might also like:
📖 Recipe
Vegan Beyond Meat Meatloaf
Ingredients
For the shiitake stuffing:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ large onion, diced
- 8 ounces shiitake mushrooms, stems removed, sliced
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- black pepper
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 ½ tablespoons chopped fresh thyme
- ⅓ cup panko or breadcrumbs of choice, regular or gluten-free
- ¼ cup vegetable broth
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
For the lentil meat mixture:
- ½ cup rolled oats - GF certified if needed
- 1 ¾ cups cooked black lentils, excess water removed by lightly squeezing in a tea towel or paper towels
- 1 ½ teaspoons paprika
- 1 ½ teaspoons rubbed sage
- 1 ½ teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoons tamari (or soy sauce if not gluten-free)
- 1 pound Beyond Meat's Beyond Beef (1 package) - Or Impossible's vegan beef.
For the glaze:
- 1 teaspoon tamari (or soy sauce if not gluten-free)
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 2 teaspoons ketchup
Instructions
Prepare the stuffing:
- Preheat a large saute pan over medium heat. Add the oil and onion, and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add sliced shiitakes, and cook until soft, about 7 minutes more.
- Add salt, pepper, garlic, and thyme and cook for about 2 minutes, stirring often. Add the breadcrumbs and toss to coat. Stir occasionally, and cook until the breadcrumbs are slightly toasted. Add the broth and stir to combine.
- Remove from heat, drizzle in the lemon juice, and stir again. Set aside.
Make the loaf mixture:
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F, and line a standard 9x5-inch loaf pan with parchment. Trim the parchment so that it overhangs the long sides of the pan but not the ends. This allows you to easily lift the finished loaf from the pan, but prevents bunched up paper in the corners from affecting the shape of the loaf.
- Pulse oats in a food processor 4 to 5 times to break them up slightly. Make sure excess water has been removed from lentils, and add 1 cup lentils to the food processor. Pulse to combine.
- Add paprika, sage, rosemary, olive oil, and tamari to food processor, and pulse several more times. Pinch off large chunks of Beyond Beef, and drop into the food processor. Pulse 5 or 6 times to incorporate.
- Transfer lentil-meat mixture to a large bowl, and add remaining ¾ cup lentils. Use a sturdy spoon or spatula to incorporate the lentils and make sure the Beyond Beef is fully blended.
- Scoop half of the meat mixture into prepared pan. Use your hands or the back of a spatula to firmly press the mixture down and smooth the surface. Use a spoon to dig a long, oval boat down the center (see photos in post for reference). You can also use your hands to widen and shape the trough, pressing the meat mixture firmly against the sides and bottom of the pan.
- Fill the trough with shiitake stuffing, packing it down as you go. Once the stuffing is level with the meat mixture, continue to mound it on top, but within the trough's vertical boundaries. Dollop the rest of the meat mixture around the pan, and carefully press it down so that the stuffing is now completely encased. Smooth the top.
- Bake uncovered loaf for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, stir together ingredients for the glaze.
- Remove loaf from oven, and baste the top with the glaze. Return to oven, and bake for an additional 25 to 30 minutes or until hot in the center. Allow loaf to cool in the pan for 5 to 10 minutes, then use the parchment paper to lift onto a cutting board.
Notes
Estimated Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition information is an estimate and will vary depending on the exact amounts and specific products and ingredients used. We calculate this information using the online calculator cronometer.com.
Linda
Daughter and son in law loved it!!! Added a total of 2C black lentils to the loaf. Will definitely make again. But it is a bit pricey ($10 for 200 gr) here in Australia to use the Beyond Beef. But a winner!
Myra Bonella
Easy recipe to follow. I can definitely taste the beyond meat taste. Texture is excellent. Slicing beautifully. The shiitake mushroom brings a nice change of texture and flavour. It was lovely warm but I think it might be nice cold too. Definitely one to Pin.
Louise
Can't wait to make this for Thanksgiving! Do you think I could make it ahead, freeze it, then bake it on Thanksgiving Day?
Lori
Hi Louise,
Hmm that's a great question. I can't think of a reason why not! All of these ingredients freeze well, so that should be fine. I would allow time for it to thaw in the fridge (overnight), so the bake time is predictable.
Hope you enjoy! It really is delicious, and in fact, I think this will be our Thanksgiving main this year, too.
Caroline
Can I prepare this the day before I want to bake it, and refrigerate overnight? Thanksgiving entree for my favorite vegans.
Lori
Absolutely! You may want to remove it from the refrigerator an hour or so before baking to let it warm up. Also, bake time may be slightly increased. As long as the center is hot, you're good to go. Hope they enjoy it!
J G B
Hello! Do you think it is possible to sub out all lentils for the beyond meat? Looks delicious - cannot wait to try this version of a lentil loaf!
Lori
Hi! Unfortunately a straight swap won’t work because the Beyond meat is sticky and works as a binder. There’s definitely a way to do it, but it would mean re-working the lentil mixture entirely. Finding a lentil loaf recipe that incorporates grains, oats, or some other starch/binder, and combining it with this recipe would be a start!
Ginny Bates
I made this last night. Taste was excellent and my DH and I both enjoyed it. Happy there are leftovers! I did not make the stuffing part because I was a) lazy, b) didn't have the mushrooms, and c) wanted to see the texture before doing anything more complicated. I did sauté half a diced onion and a few cloves of garlic and added to the mix. I made my own glaze of catsup, brown sugar, and vinegar. I will say that the loaf was a bit crumbly when slicing; that could be due to the onion or perhaps I didn't process the mixture long enough. I will be making this again! Thanks for a tasty recipe.
Lori
Hi Ginny,
Thanks for the feedback! I'm glad you both enjoyed it. And you're probably right about the mixture. Pulsing it more next time or making sure the onions are smaller will help it hold together. The mushroom stuffing is so good, so even if you don't feel like stuffing it inside the loaf next time, it's awesome on the side! 😀