Vegan “Meatloaf”
Who doesn’t like comfort food? This vegan “meatloaf” will satisfy both vegans and non-vegans! The added bonus, if you have leftovers, is a yummy sandwich for the next day's lunch!
Ingredients:
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 ½ cups onion, chopped finely
¾ cups celery, chopped finely
1 package (227 g) cremini mushrooms, diced small
⅓ cup red pepper, chopped finely
1 ½ Tsp basil
1 ½ Tsp oregano
1 bay leaf
¾ cup walnuts
1 package (454 g) medium firm tofu, crumbled
2 flax eggs (2 Tbsp ground flax seed + 6 Tbsp water)
2 Tbsp tamari
1 package (1.5 oz) dried onion soup mix (I used Knorr)
1 ½ cups panko bread crumbs (check ingredients label to make sure they are vegan especially if they are regular bread crumbs)
¼ cup of ketchup
2 Tbsp brown sugar
2 Tsp yellow mustard
Instructions:
Grease a loaf pan. (or line loaf pan with some parchment)
Prepare vegetables by chopping the onion, celery, and red pepper finely while placing them in separate bowls and set aside. Slice the mushrooms as well and place in a separate bowl.
Heat oil in a pan and saute onions until translucent. Add celery, red pepper, mushrooms, basil, oregano and basil leaf and cook for 3-5 minutes. Set aside in a bowl. Remember to remove bay leaf from vegetable mix.
Heat oven to 350°F.
In a food processor, chop up walnuts by pulsing. Add to the nuts the tofu, flax egg, tamari, onion soup mix and blend all ingredients together.
Add tofu mix to the bowl with sauteed vegetables & herbs. Add the bread crumbs and combine all ingredients. Once all ingredients are combined, press into a greased/lined loaf pan.
In a separate bowl making the topping by mixing ketchup, brown sugar and mustard. Spread the topping on top of the loaf.
Bake the loaf for 45 minutes.
Remove from oven and let cool for 5-10 minutes before serving.
Suggestion: Serve with rice or potatoes and vegetables as sides.
Note: If you don't want to use walnuts, try sunflower seeds instead.
Enjoy!