Hearty and comforting, lentil meatloaf muffins are perfect for both holidays and weeknight dinners. Made in a muffin pan, they cook faster than most vegan meatloaf recipes and are perfectly sized. Topped with a balsamic ketchup glaze, this plant-based main dish is easy to make in well under an hour.
While they are enjoyable any time of year, these easy mini meatless meatloaves were originally created as a vegan Thanksgiving recipe when I was deciding what to make for our entree.
They are delicious with traditional comfort food dishes like mashed potatoes with olive oil, mushroom gravy, and roasted Brussels sprouts and carrots. And since they freeze well, they're perfect for meal prep.
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I made these to take to my family's carniverous Thanksgiving this year and WOW were they delicious! The texture, consistency and flavor were just right and reminded me of my childhood and my mom's magnificent meatloaf! Oh, and freeze instructions weren't necessary as these muffins disappeared in no time! I saved one and cut it in half side-to-side to use for a meatloaf sandwich the next day... SO delicious! I'll be making these again... and again!! Thank you!!
- Sam
Ingredients
Ground flaxseeds: Since our vegan meatloaf doesn't contain eggs as a binder, we'll combine ground flaxseeds (flax meal) with water to form a "flax egg".
Lentils: I recommend using pre-cooked lentils that come canned or in a vacuum-packed bag. Or you can cook dried brown or green lentils before preparing this recipe. (Do not use red lentils for this recipe as they are too soft to hold their shape.)
Please see the recipe card at the bottom of this post for the complete ingredients, measurements, and instructions.
Instructions
- Mix the ground flaxseeds and water in a small bowl and set aside.
- Saute the onion, garlic, celery, and carrots.
- Transfer the cooked vegetables to a large mixing bowl. Add the lentils, Italian seasoning, ketchup, Dijon mustard, panko breadcrumbs, flaxseed mixture, and salt and pepper. Fold together until well combined.
- Fill the cups of a non-stick silicone muffin pan (or metal pan rubbed with olive oil to prevent sticking) with the lentil mixture and pat each one down tightly. Brush the glaze over the tops, then bake 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow the meatloaves to rest for 5 to 10 minutes before removing them from the pan to prevent them from falling apart.
Serving suggestions
You can't go wrong with serving your vegan meatloaf muffins with other comfort food favorites like Instant Pot mashed potatoes, vegan mushroom gravy, and roasted Brussels sprouts.
And they are delicious served with nut-free vegan mac and cheese, Mediterranean stuffing, and fresh green beans and mushrooms.
Many readers tell me they like to freeze a batch for those times when they're in the mood for a hearty, cozy meal.
Made this recipe or have a question? Please leave a comment below. 💙 For even more recipes, join the Veggies Save The Day community. It's less like a newsletter and more like emails between friends.
Love and Veggies,
Amy
📋 Recipe
Vegan Lentil Meatloaf Muffins
Ingredients
For the lentil meatloaf:
- 1 Tablespoon ground flaxseeds, (flaxseed meal)
- 4 Tablespoons water
- ½ cup diced onion
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- ¼ cup diced celery
- ¼ cup diced carrots
- 3 cups cooked lentils, (2-15 ounce cans) rinsed and drained
- 1 Tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 2 Tablespoons ketchup
- 1 Tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs, (gluten-free, if desired)
- salt and pepper, to taste
For the glaze:
- ¼ cup ketchup
- 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Mix the ground flaxseeds and water in a small bowl and set aside.1 Tablespoon ground flaxseeds, 4 Tablespoons water
- Saute the onion in a little water over medium heat until it's soft and slightly translucent.½ cup diced onion
- Add the garlic and saute for 30 seconds.3 cloves garlic
- Add the celery and carrots and saute for a couple of minutes until softened. Add a splash of water if the pan appears dry.¼ cup diced celery, ¼ cup diced carrots
- Transfer the cooked vegetables to a large mixing bowl. Add the cooked lentils, Italian seasoning, 2 Tablespoons of ketchup, Dijon mustard, panko breadcrumbs, flaxseed mixture, and salt and pepper, to taste. Fold together until well combined.3 cups cooked lentils, 1 Tablespoon Italian seasoning, 2 Tablespoons ketchup, 1 Tablespoons Dijon mustard, 1 cup panko breadcrumbs, salt and pepper
- Fill the muffin pan cups with the lentil mixture and pat each one down tightly.
- In a small bowl, mix the ¼ cup ketchup and balsamic vinegar. Brush each lentil meatloaf muffin with a little of the mixture.¼ cup ketchup, 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
- Bake for 25 to 30 minutes.
- Remove the pan from the oven and allow the muffins to rest 5 to 10 minutes. Carefully remove and serve.
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Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimation only.
Amy S says
Hi Amy, these sound great! We are having an early Christmas dinner and would love to make theses Wondering if I could make these in a loaf pan or ramekin? Would the cooking time remain the same? Thank you.
Amy Katz says
Hi Amy! Sounds perfect! You can, but the cooking time will be longer than if you use a muffin tin.
Sue says
When I cook my own lentils, what is the measurement of dry lentils . Thank you
Amy Katz says
Hi Sue! Approximately 1 cup dried lentils will yield 3 cups cooked.
Sue says
Thank you Amy. I can’t wait to try this recipe today
Amy Katz says
YAY! I hope you enjoy it, Sue!
Julie says
This recipe sounds wonderful.
Do you make them in a standard cupcake tin or a mini cupcake pan? Your pictures look like standard cupcake size but you say mini in the directions. I can’t imagine serving an adult 2 mini size meatloaf bites. Certainly wouldn’t fill anyone up and would look silly being that small on an adult plate.
Thanks
Amy Katz says
Thank you! Yes, standard size, not mini.
Elaine says
Brought these to Thanksgiving dinner with the in laws, all omnivores. They were a hit!
Amy Katz says
I'm so happy to hear this, Elaine!