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.
Dor says
I love this recipe! Thank you for posting. I did take the suggestion from the comments to process about half of the batter in a food processor. It will be added to my rotation.
Amy Katz says
Thanks Dorothy! I'm going to have to try that.
Louise Gresham says
Can I use a regular size muffin pan for this recipe?
size
Amy Katz says
Hi Louise, Yes, this recipe uses a regular size muffin pan.
Wendi C says
Haven´t made it yet, but this recipe sounds delicious. We really love mushrooms and I´d like to add that in. Would I need to change the amount of any other ingredients to still get the right moisture and texture?
Amy Katz says
Hi Wendi! I think adding mushrooms will work as long as you saute them well to remove the excess moisture. But I haven't tried adding them myself. If you do, please let me know how it turns out!
Elaine says
This was such a hit for Thanksgiving dinner that I'm making it again for Christmas Eve dinner (with some to take to in-laws for Christmas pot luck).
Amy Katz says
This is so wonderful to hear, Elaine! Happy Holidays!
Sam says
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!!
Amy Katz says
I'm so happy everyone enjoyed them, Sam. I love your idea of slicing one to use in a sandwich!
Mary M-C says
Wonderful flavor.
Lori S. Atkinson says
Hi Amy,
I made this tonight and it tastes delicious. The only problem is, since the recipe didn't say to drain the beans, I only drained them about half way, just in case. Well, they are very mushy, like mashed potatoes. BUT, I also cooked them all in one glass pan, so that might be the reason also. Can you please advise on these two matters? Should I have drained the beans completely?
Amy Katz says
Hi Lori, Yes, you should drain the lentils if using canned. I'm glad it was delicious anyway!
Darlene Cloud says
I am interested in making this recipe, but I'd like to make it as a loaf, in a loaf pan. Can you tell me the temperature and time I would need to bake the loaf if I do it this way? Thank you.
Amy Katz says
Hi Darlene, You can bake it at the same temperature for about twice as long. I would check it periodically for doneness as it bakes. Enjoy!
Darlene Cloud says
Thank you for your prompt response. I'm looking forward to making the recipe tonight!
Edina says
I made these for the first time yesterday. Although tasty and they held together well, we found them to be very dry. Wondering if adding some broth to the mixture might help them retain more moisture?
Amy Katz says
I haven't had this issue. I wonder if the lentils were dry. Did you cook them yourself or use canned?
Jen says
Same. VERY dry. And they didn't hold together very well. Could use more ketchup topping too!
Sara says
This recipe spoke to me as a native Midwesterner 🙂 I have made it twice. I made it as written the first time, and the second time, I ran the mixture through a food processor before baking. The muffins stuck together better, so I recommend the extra step.
Amy Katz says
Thanks so much, Sara! That's a great tip. 🙂
Barb says
Hello. I'm interested in making this recipe but not sure what consistency the cooked lentils should be. I have the red lentils --- should I simply drain all the excess water before I use it in this recipe?
Thanks.
Amy Katz says
Hi Barb! This recipe doesn't work with red lentils. You will need brown or green lentils.
Eve says
Marvelous recipe! I used half black lentils, half brown. Next time I might use all black or cook them a bit less as the loaves were just a bit pasty. I doubled the sauce on top, used tomato paste & balsamic. I used a Wilton mini loaf pan, so I ended up with 8 mini meatloaves, super delicious! I could barely wait even 5 minutes to try them. EXCELLENT!
Amy Katz says
That's fantastic, Eve! How long did you need to cook them in the mini loaf pan?
Eve says
I packed them down tight as the recipe instructed and baked them 25 minutes. I let them set 5 minutes which was tough, the smell was so delicious!
Margaret Cossentino says
Hi Amy,
Can this recipe be made with egg for non-vegans? How would you adjust the ingredients, if so?
Thanks!
Amy Katz says
Hi Margaret, Yes, you will only need one egg. Simply leave out the ground flaxseeds and water and use the egg instead. I hope you enjoy it!
Margaret Cossentino says
Thanks for the quick reply, Amy! I’m so glad to have seen this recipe. It will be a big help as main dish for my vegetarian guests at Thanksgiving. I think the rest of us will enjoy it too!
Brandi says
How moist are these supposed to be before cooking? How much water am I adding to the flax seed? 1/4 cup? 1 cup? Are they supposed to be goopy when putting them into the muffin tins or are they more dry?
Amy Katz says
Hi Brandi, you will combine 1 tablespoon flax meal with 4 tablespoons water. The lentil mixture will be dry.
Inga says
Made this for the lunchboxes and to keep on hand to bring to gatherings with limited vegan options. They are amazing!
Amy Katz says
That's such a great idea, thanks Inga!