This vegan chickpea meatloaf is wonderfully hearty, wholesome, and packed with satisfying texture and flavor. Made with mushrooms, kale, walnuts, and wild rice, this festive chickpea loaf is a beautiful centerpiece for your holiday table and a healthy dinner any time of year! This healthy vegan meatloaf recipe is gluten-free and oil-free, whole-food plant-based (WFPB) and can also be made without nuts.
Why You'll Love It
This chickpea meatloaf is exactly the kind of main course I think of when I'm craving a home-cooked, whole-food, plant-based recipe for a special occasion.
It's packed with umami thanks to mushrooms, walnuts, and tamari, and it's not a mushy loaf, either! The chickpeas, wild rice, nuts, and mushrooms contribute varying textures and make it so satisfying.
This chickpea loaf is also gluten-free, depending on your choice of flour, made with nutritious ingredients, and easy to prepare.
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Ingredients
Here's a quick overview of the ingredients you'll need.
- Chickpeas - for simplicity, the recipe is written to use 2 (15 oz) cans of chickpeas, approximately 3 ¼ cups cooked chickpeas.
- Wild Rice - you'll need 1 ½ cups of cooked wild rice. Prepare it in advance to save time.
- Mushrooms - cremini, white button, or shiitake mushrooms are all great in this loaf.
- Kale - I prefer regular curly kale in this recipe, but lacinato (Tuscan) kale is also an option.
- Poultry Seasoning - this herb blend usually contains a combination of sage, thyme, onion, black pepper, marjoram, and celery seed. Make your own with this recipe for poultry seasoning.
- Smoked Paprika - if you don't have smoked paprika feel free to omit it, or use regular, sweet paprika instead.
- Walnuts - they add nice crunch and texture. For a nut-free option, raw sunflower seeds are great, or for a lower fat option, substitute ⅓ cup rolled oats.
- Thyme - either fresh or dried.
- Flour - this helps with binding. For WFPB diets, spelt or whole wheat are good choices. For gluten-free, use chickpea flour, rice flour, or a gluten-free flour blend.
See the recipe card below for amounts and full instructions.
How To Make Chickpea Meatloaf
Though this isn't a quick recipe, it's actually very easy to prepare! It breaks down into 4 basic steps: saute the veggies, process/chop the ingredients, combine, and bake the loaf.
- Sauté the onion and mushrooms until soft, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic, thyme, poultry seasoning, and paprika, and cook for another minute. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper.
- Add the chopped kale to the pan, and cook until dark green and wilted, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat.
- In a large food processor pulse the chickpeas, walnuts, vinegar, tamari, salt, pepper, and flour just until chunky (about 7 or 8 pulses). Transfer to a large mixing bowl. Now add the sautéed vegetables to the food processor, and pulse just 5 or 6 times until the kale is shredded. Add the veggies to the mixing bowl.
- Stir to combine the chickpea mixture and vegetables. Then stir in the cooked wild rice.
- Transfer the mixture to a parchment lined loaf pan (see Equipment Notes below), and press down firmly so the mixture is compact. Bake in a preheated 375 degree oven for 40 to 45 minutes.
Optional Glaze
If you plan to serve the chickpea loaf with vegan gravy or cranberry sauce you may prefer to skip the glaze, but it's very easy to prepare and does look nice.
To add a glaze: at the 30-minute mark, remove the loaf from the oven and brush the top with your choice of vegan worcestershire (not gluten-free), balsamic glaze, or a combination of tamari and maple syrup.
Again, the glaze is totally optional and mostly for appearance. If you're a fan of balsamic vinegar, try this raisin-balsamic reduction. It only takes a few minutes to prepare and the flavor pairs nicely with the ingredients in this vegan loaf.
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Rest Before Slicing
This recipe is made with all gluten-free, whole-food ingredients (unless you use wheat flour). This means that it is naturally more fragile when you first remove it from the oven.
So it's important to let the loaf rest and cool for about 20 minutes before lifting it from the pan. Then let it cool for another 15 minutes before slicing.
Serving Suggestions
Chickpea meatloaf is delicious anytime, though it also makes a lovely main course for special occasions and holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas.
Pair it with your favorite vegan appetizers, sides, and desserts. Here are some of our favorites:
- Creamy Vegan Wild Rice Soup
- Roasted Sweet Potato and Spinach Salad
- Broccolini Salad
- Roasted Brussels Sprouts With Balsamic Reduction
- Vegan Cranberry Sauce
- Vegan Mashed Potatoes
- Easy Mushroom Gravy
- Instant Pot Acorn Squash
- Healthier Vegan Pecan Pie and Pumpkin Pie
Equipment Needed
A large food processor is important for the recipe. It's the easiest way to chop the ingredients uniformly. I use this 14 cup model by Cuisinart.
I used an 8.5-inch by 5-inch glass loaf pan (1.5 quart) during recipe testing. Glass, ceramic, or metal are all fine. If using a metal pan cook time will be reduced by a few minutes.
Note: If you use a 9x5 inch pan the loaf will be shorter and cook more quickly. So keep an eye on it during the last 5 to 10 minutes.
How to Store Chickpea Meatloaf
Store leftover chickpea meatloaf in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Reheat individual servings in a microwave or in a non-stick pan on the stovetop.
I haven't tried freezing the loaf yet, but all of these ingredients are freezer-friendly, so I suspect it will freeze well. We can't help but finish up the leftovers over the course of a few days!
Top Tip
It's important not to over-process the ingredients in the food processor, since the varying textures and chunky pieces of walnuts and chickpeas are part of what makes the loaf so enjoyable. But you also don't want pieces of veggies, beans, and nuts to be too large. Refer to the process photos above for help.
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I hope you enjoy the chickpea meatloaf as much as we do! If you try the recipe be sure to comment below and give it a star rating to let us know how it turned out!
Recipe
Vegan Chickpea Meatloaf (Gluten-Free Option)
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups cooked wild rice
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 8 ounces baby bella or white button mushrooms, roughly chopped
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 small bunch green kale, stems removed, chopped
- 2 teaspoons poultry seasoning blend
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme - or 2 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- 2 (15 oz) cans chickpeas, rinsed, drained and patted dry - or 3 ¼ cups cooked chickpeas
- ¾ cup raw walnut halves - or ⅔ cup raw sunflower seeds for nut-free.
- 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar - or 1 ½ tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 3 tablespoons tamari - or soy sauce if not GF
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- ½ to 1 teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ cup flour such as spelt or whole wheat or chickpea or rice flour (for GF)
Optional Glaze (select 1 of the following):
- 1 to 2 tablespoons vegan worcestershire - (not GF)
- 1 to 2 tablespoons reduced, good quality balsamic vinegar - tap for recipe
- equal parts tamari and maple syrup
Instructions
- If you haven't already, cook wild rice according to package instructions, then set aside. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F, and line a 1.5 Qt. loaf pan with parchment paper (this makes it easy to lift the loaf out of the pan after cooking).
- Preheat a large saute pan over medium heat. Dry sauté the onion and mushrooms until softened, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic, poultry seasoning, thyme, and paprika, and cook for another minute, stirring frequently. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper.
- Add the chopped kale to the pan, and cook until dark green and wilted, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat.
- In a large food processor pulse the chickpeas, walnuts, vinegar, tamari, salt, pepper, and flour just until chunky (about 7 or 8 pulses). Transfer to a large mixing bowl. Now add the sautéed vegetables to the food processor, and pulse just 5 or 6 times or until the kale is shredded. Transfer the veggies to the mixing bowl.
- Stir to combine the chickpea mixture and vegetables, then stir in the cooked wild rice.
- Spoon the mixture into the prepared pan, and use a large spoon or spatula to firmly and evenly press it down into the pan. Bake for 30 minutes. If adding a glaze on top, brush that on now. Return the loaf to the oven and bake for another 10 to 15 minutes or until the top edges are golden and the center of the loaf is hot and only slightly soft when pressed. *Total bake time is about 45 minutes.*
- Let the loaf rest in the pan for about 20 minutes, then lift out by the parchment paper onto a cutting board or platter. Allow to cool for another 15 to 20 minutes, then slice and serve.
Notes
Estimated Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition information is an estimate and will vary depending on the exact amounts and specific products and ingredients used.
Jennifer H
The Umami in this is so warming and delicious and it has a fantastic, meaty texture and it’s filling.
I have attempted several plant based loafs prior to this recipe, but my husband wasn’t pleased with any of them. But to this recipe, by My Quiet Kitchen, he remarked several times , “This is the one!” He even said he would help with the food prep if I would make several of these loafs to keep on hand in the freezer.
Definitely follow the instructions for the baking so you get a nice solid and stable meatloaf.
Lori
Jennifer, thanks so much for sharing with us! So glad this one passed the picky husband test. That's a big win!
Marlene
You say to let it cool for quite a long time before slicing ( about 45-50 minutes total ). Is this dish served room temp/cold? I was thinking of making a vegan meatball with this recipe. Would adding some JustEgg help it stay together maybe?
Lori
Hi Marlene,
Since it's a loaf, it holds onto heat for quite a long time. So even after resting it is still warm. The reason for the extended rest is because it's made without any gluten-containing ingredients, or any saturated fat. So allowing it to cool off a little helps it hold together. If you're planning to make meatballs you won't have that same concern. The smaller shape should hold together more easily. But yes, if you are a fan of Just Egg I think that's a great addition. Since that will add some moisture you may want to reduce moisture elsewhere.
Tracy
This recipe has amazing flavor and texture. It’s so flavorful! I topped mine with vegan Worcestershire. I used the chickpea flour as listed and mine was crumbly, even after overnight refrigeration. I may try a different flour next time since I’ll definitely be making this again. Thank you for a tasty recipe!
Liana
Delicious 🤤 I made this for Christmas. I loved the glaze too. It has a nice bite to it due to the walnuts. Easy to make and it looks nice.
Tesha
We gave this a try yesterday. It had a great flavor and texture. It wasn't crumbly, but it wasn't a brick either. I substituted cannellini beans, since I thought I had chickpeas, but realized we were out at the last minute. Also added a bit of celery and bell pepper and subbed spinach for kale. It would probably be nice made into a hamburger. We had a lot left over so it's in the freezer, hoping it can handle a couple weeks in there. If it doesn't hold up I'll turn it into a sloppy joe mix and put it on buns. Thanks for the recipe!
Ashley
I made this as a Thanksgiving trial run and it was excellent. It will definitely be my main dish! I was wondering if you think it would work to prepare it the day before and bake it off the day of. Perhaps with slightly more time in the oven since it would be cold? Or bring to room temperature before baking? Thanks for a great recipe!
Lori
So glad you enjoyed it, Ashley. Prepping the day before sounds good. Yes, I would let it warm up somewhat, so that it's closer to room temp and you won't have to guess much about the bake time. Thank you for sharing your feedback!
Polly D’Eredita
Made this and followed the directions to the letter. Very crumbly, didn’t hold together at all. It tasted good but I was disappointed that it didn’t stay together. I even put it in the fridge after letting it sit out to cool for an hour and it still crumbled. Maybe I didn’t chop it fine enough. I reread the recipe again to make sure I had all the ingredients and I had everything. Help!
Lori
Oh no, sorry to hear that, Polly! I sent you an email, to the email address you submitted with your comment so I hope you received it. Would love to try to troubleshoot and figure out what may have happened. If the pieces of chickpea, walnuts, and veggies are too big that can definitely cause crumbling.
Marianne
I just made this tonight and it was delicious!! It held together well (I followed the directions exactly). I loved the combination of flavors and textures and I appreciate that you didn’t use a flax egg. I have made other loaves with flax eggs and I really don’t like that flavor in something savory. I have a question: for the kale, could you estimate a measurements in terms of cups? Thanks again!
Lori
Glad you enjoyed it, Marianne! I'm with you on flax eggs. Not a big fan of the flavor, and I find that they're rarely necessary.
The amount of kale in this is pretty forgiving, since it wilts down. I should have measured the chopped kale the last time I made it... but I'd say the small bunches I buy are usually around 4 to 5 cups when chopped, loosely packed.
Thanks so much for taking time to share your feedback with us!
Janell
Have you tried this in a muffin pan? Would I cook at the same temp but a shorter time?
Lori
Hi Janell,
No I haven't tried it in a muffin pan yet, but that's a great idea! Cook time will be much shorter, probably closer to 25 min. Let us know how it goes!