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.
Debs says
I followed the recipe, but the muffins all fell apart! What did i do wrong? Its taste devine but was in bits on the plate.
Amy Katz says
I'm glad you were able to enjoy the dish anyway. It could be an issue with the breadcrumbs and flax seed mixture combining with the other ingredients. Or maybe the ingredients weren't packed down enough in the muffin pan.
LisaRose says
Hi, Amy,
I dislike both ketchup and balsamic vinegar. What do you think of subbing Worcestershire sauce for the ketchup in the mix and omitting the glaze? Thanks!
Amy Katz says
Yes, this recipe is very adaptable. I know one reader told me she skips the ketchup and balsamic and uses marinara sauce both in the mix and on top. Or you could use barbecue sauce. I hope this helps!
LisaRose says
Thanks, Amy. Very helpful. I’ll let you know how things turn out.
LisaRose says
Another winner, Amy! I used 3 TBS of Worcestershire sauce in the mix, which may be about a 1/2 TBS too much for most people’s tastes. Me, I like WonderWoman sauce, so it worked out perfectly fine for me. Had them with smashed spuds and steamed Brussels sprouts. Made a very nice meal and I have plenty of leftovers. Thanks for such wonderful ideas, Amy!
Amy Katz says
I'm so happy you enjoyed it, LisaRose!
Mel says
I had scoured the web for some vegan meatloaf recipes. I've tried different recipes but few hit the mark. I really enjoyed this one. I am thankful for the simple and not long list of ingredients, too!!I will make these again. For anyone who loves the sauce bit on top, like me, you'll want to double that for the meatloaf muffins. Otherwise wonderful!
Amy Katz says
I'm so glad you enjoyed it, Mel! Great tip about adding extra sauce. 🙂
Julie Johnston says
Hi, Amy! This was fabulous. I added some smoked paprika to the spices, because it makes the lentils taste "meatier. " I also used Texas size muffin tins, so I got 6, not 12. Just increase your baking time, right?
Amy Katz says
I'm so happy you enjoyed the recipe, Julie! Smoked paprika is such a great idea.
Moira says
My family loves these . I also mixed it up , used black beans , corn and salsa in place of lentils and ketchup .
Amy Katz says
That's wonderful to hear, Moira! I will have to try it with your substitutions!
Shari says
"I could eat these everyday" said my husband!
Amy Katz says
Thank you so much, Shari! You made my day!
JoAnn says
I’m confused, when you say ground flax seeds does that mean the whole flax seeds or flax seed meal you buy in a bag?
Thank you I can’t wait to make these
Amy Katz says
I hope you enjoy them, JoAnn! You'll want to use flax seed meal.
Julie Johnston says
Hi Amy,
I wondered if you could make this in a standard loaf pan for one large loaf, or would the quantities need to be changed?
Thank you!
Julie J
Amy Katz says
Hi Julie! Yes, you can make it in a loaf pan. It will just take longer to cook.
Julie Johnston says
Thank you!
Crystal says
This is such a great recipe. It’s simple, the ingredients are things that I typically have and it’s delicious!
Amy Katz says
Thank you so much, Crystal!
Vicki says
Super delicious
Amy Katz says
Thank you, Vicki!
Lola Plough says
Can I use something other than lentils? We have had too many recipes lately with lentils, and sort of want to try something else.. I wanted to make these but my husband just said, "lentils?".. lol
if not, I can wait a week or so to try this.. it looks great to me..
Amy Katz says
I think you'll have to wait (or make them and freeze for later!) since you definitely need lentils for this recipe. I hope you enjoy it!
Dana says
Love these! Thanks so much for posting this recipe. What a satisfying, delicious meal. Love the muffin size. I served this with mashed potatoes and your mushroom gravy. It was a hit with the whole family.
Amy Katz says
I'm so happy everyone enjoyed them, Dana!
Sarah says
Made these yesterday so yummy will be making again for Christmas dinner this year my first meat free Christmas
Amy Katz says
That's fantastic, Sarah!
Rhonda Hart says
I don’t know why it has taken me so long to comment on these wonderfully delicious lentil muffins. I have made these more times than I can count. They are perfect for holiday meals or any day meals. The balsamic-ketchup glaze takes them to a new level of scrumptiousness. I always double or triple the recipe and freeze extra muffins. They warm up to make a very easy meal later. This recipe is also pretty versatile. I have used crackers or ground oats to replace panko when I didn’t have any. I highly recommend these! Thanks for this go-to recipe Amy!
Amy Katz says
Thanks so much, Rhonda! Those are great suggestions for replacing the panko. And I love that you make extra to freeze!
Dianne says
Came in my email today and HAD to try it. Oh my! Am I glad I did. Ingredients I have in hand, simple to put together, and so so so good. Hubby gave it 👍👍 Thank you. I did double the carrots and onion but otherwise made the recipe as stated.
Amy Katz says
That's fantastic, Dianne! I'm so happy you both enjoyed it.