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? Have a question? Please leave a comment below. 💙 And for even more recipes, join my email list for community, inspiration & to chat directly with me!
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.
Robin Neville says
Would love to try this but I am allergic to tomatoes, any suggestions for replacements for the ketchup? Maybe roasted red peppers blended?
Amy Katz says
A roasted red pepper sauce would be wonderful on these!
Maggie says
Can this be made in a loaf pan as well?
Amy says
Yes, but you'll have to bake it for longer.
Angela Brooks says
I was wondering if I can make them and freeze them.
Amy says
Yes, some readers have told me they have successfully frozen them.
Jenny says
I made these for thanksgiving this year and they were a hit. I loved them and especially how easy they are to make!
Amy says
I'm so glad you enjoyed them, Jenny!
Kim says
Can’t wait to try these! I have everything to make them except GF panko breadcrumbs. Do you think I could use almond meal or something else instead?
Amy says
Hi Kim, I haven't tried it myself, but oats might work in place of the panko.
Diana says
Thanks for the great recipe! My teenage daughter and I both loved it! Was it wrong of me to accidentally tell her it was meatloaf? lol
Amy says
Ha! That's so funny. I'm so happy you both enjoyed it!
Kelli says
Do you have to use the flax seed?
Amy says
The flax seeds act as a binder in place of an egg. You could use ground chia seeds instead.
DOROTHY HIXSON says
Are the Nutrition Facts for 1 or 2 muffins?
Amy says
2 muffins
Michele says
When I was growing up my mother made a lentil roast similar to this but one main ingredient was pecans instead of bread crumbs. The bread crumbs do give it a different texture. I made this recipe but put the lentils and vegetables in the blender for about 10-15 seconds. To me it made the texture more like meatloaf. Thank you for the recipe. It is delicious.
Amy says
I love that modification, Michele! I'll have to try it that way next time. And using pecans sounds delicious, too!
Mary says
Hi Amy, I am going to try this recipe tonigh but not sure which type of lentils to use? Red,brown etc?
Mary
Amy says
Hi Mary, brown or green will work. Red will not. I hope you enjoy it!
katie Douglas says
Amazing !! thank you for sharing this LIFE Changing now I have leftovers for tomorrow Score!!
Amy says
I'm so happy you enjoyed them, Katie!
Suzy Vance says
Not wanting to run to the store, all I have is Italian seasoned breadcrumbs. Should I just omit the Italian seasoning then? Sounds about right to me... Thanks for this recipe. I am making it today with homemade vegan cream of mushroom soup... So excited...
Amy says
Yes, that should work perfectly! Let me know how they turn out!
Val says
I’m currently making my third batch. They are fantastic. The ones we don’t have for dinner tonight will go into the freezer for a quick lunches.
Amy says
That's so wonderful to hear, Val! Great idea to freeze the extra ones!
Lisa Canavan says
Forgot to mention...I made them the evening before. Put the muffin pans in fridge overnight and then popped them in oven next day. Perfect!
Amy says
This is so great to know! I had actually planned on doing this, but I ran out of time. Next time for sure!
Lisa Canavan says
I made these for Thanksgiving and they were a huge hit and absolutely delicious! Followed the recipe exactly and they turned out perfect. Your choice of seasoning and flavors put it miles ahead of any other lentil type loaf/muffin I've had. Ketchup and balsamic....yum!! They're still great 2 days later, heat them up, add a veg and you have a super healthful meal.
Thanks for sharing your talents!
Lisa
Amy says
I'm so happy they were a hit, Lisa! I made them for Thanksgiving as well, and you're right that they were great as leftovers!