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Smoky Southern-Style Meatless Meatloaf is so delicious! It has a wonderful smoky flavor and it’s made with whole foods that are good for you. This black bean and chickpea meatloaf recipe has become one of our most popular, and for good reason! Serve it with our Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes and Spicy Sizzled Green beans.



This post may contain Amazon affiliate links. Purchases made through these links help support Veganosity.com at no additional cost to you.

Published October 17, 2016 and updated September 21, 2020.

Hi there! Thanks for visiting us, we’re so happy you’re here. If you’re looking for Southern inspired vegan comfort food recipes, you’ve come to the right place.

We love vegan comfort food and we’re really good at making it. Take a tour through our site and you’ll find all of the recipes that scream, stretchy pants required!

The good news, they’re all plant-based recipes, so you don’t need to feel guilty eating them. Now sit back, relax, and eat happy. 🙂

Also, in case you didn’t know, we’re published cookbook authors. We’ve written two vegan cookbooks that will help you make amazing vegan BBQ (you don’t even need a grill) and everyday meals, from breakfast to dessert.

Click on the titles to check them out. GREAT VEGAN BBQ WITHOUT A GRILL and THE ULTIMATE VEGAN COOKBOOK .

Food is Emotional and is a Part of Who We Are

Anyone who knows Linda, knows that she loves the South.

She loves the weather, the architecture, the trees with drooping moss, the friendly people, and, she loves the food.

Some of her best childhood memories are intertwined with food.

Why We Love Southern Food

Linda’s love of most things Southern began when she was a child.

Her mom (Alex’s grandmother) is from the South, and she spent part of every summer in Virginia and the Carolinas.

The food was a big part of those trips because it was a change of pace from the typical Midwestern Wisconsin fare of cheese and brats.

She remembers watching her mom pack brats in a big cooler to bring to her Southern relatives, because at that time, they couldn’t find them in their community.

So yes, even from a young age, food made an impression on her.

Speaking of food and our dear mom/grandma, she made a bangin’ meatloaf back in the day.

Her classic meatloaf recipe and the sides of mashed potatoes, gravy, and peas were a Sunday staple.

It was such a simple meal, but sometimes the simplest of foods are the best.

Although we no longer eat animal products, we still love good comfort food, and that will never change.

That’s why we created this classic vegetarian main course.

A hearty vegan meatloaf is the ultimate comfort food that will bring the whole family together, and help you maintain and create memories.

WHAT IS VEGAN MEATLOAF?

Yes, we know. Traditional meatloaf has… meat. Vegan meatloaf doesn’t, but that doesn’t mean that the flavors, textures, and appearance has to be different!

Our vegan meatloaf, just like the traditional.

It has a moist texture, tangy and sweet sauce, and looks exactly like a regular meat loaf!

In fact, it’s so much like a regular meat loaf that this recipe has become a favorite amongst our non-vegan friends and family.

However, vegan meatloaf is different in a couple key areas.

Vegan meatloaf doesn’t contain animals! Hooray! You can have all of your favorite parts about traditional meatloaf without harming our furry friends : ) This meatloaf is free of cholesterol, animal hormones, and saturated fats. Our vegan meatloaf is filled with more fiber and tons of plant-based protein!

It makes a great main dish for Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter, or any holiday.

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF EATING VEGAN MEATLOAF?

There is plenty of protein in this gorgeous loaf, thanks to the black beans and the chickpeas, and there’s a whole lot of delicious smoky flavor.

The texture is about as close as you’re going to get to the kind I used to eat as a kid.

It’s super low in cholesterol, full of flavor, and good for you.you’re going to want to try this vegan black beans and chickpea meatloaf.

If you’ve looked around the internet you’ll see that a lot of vegan loafs are made with tofu, nuts, mushrooms, or all of the above.

Not this one, this “meatloaf” is free of all of those things.

All you’ll find in this recipe are black beans, chickpeas, onions, vegetable broth, oats, corn meal, and spices and flavors that take the beans to another level.

How to Make It

To make this gluten-free vegan meatloaf all you’ll need is a food processor , a skillet , a large mixing bowl , a loaf pan, and an oven.

Process the chickpeas in the food processor until they’re creamy. Like this.

2. Process the black beans the same way you did the chickpeas. Like this.

3. Process the second can of black beans so that they’re slightly ground up. Like this.

4. Put them all in a big bowl and add some ground oats. Like this.

5. Add some corn meal, liquid smoke, and the aquafaba (bean juice from the chickpeas) to the beans.

6. Saute the onions and cook with the spices, salt, and pepper, then add the vegetable broth, Worcestershire sauce (vegan), and ketchup and mix it all up until it’s blended well.

7. Add the onion mixture to the bean mixture and gently fold until it’s completely blended.

8.Line a nine inch bread pan with parchment paper and spoon the loaf ingredients into the pan and spread evenly. Make sure that you get the loaf into the corners of the pan. Like this.

9.Spread the BBQ sauce evenly over the top and bake it for an hour and twenty minutes, or until a wooden toothpick is inserted and comes out clean. Let it cool and remove from the pan to slice.

If you want to spoon extra BBQ sauce on top, go for it! Can you ever eat enough BBQ sauce?

Notes on the BBQ Sauce – You can buy a vegan sauce or make mine. Click here for the recipe.

Tips for Making the Perfect Vegan Meatloaf

Remember to reserve the juice from the chickpeas. Aquafaba/bean juice is the main binder for this bean loaf.

Be sure to process the chickpeas and half of the black beans until they’re nice and creamy. This will help the loaf bind together instead of crumble.

Leave some whole pieces when you process the second half of the black beans. This gives the loaf texture.

Taste the mixture before you put it in the bread pan. Adjust the salt and spices to suit your tastes.

Every oven is calibrated differently. Check the loaf with a toothpick to make sure it’s done. It may take more or less time to make yours depending on the elevation, humidity, or oven.

Can You Make it in Advance?

Yes!

You can prepare it up to three days in advance.

Cover it and store it in the refrigerator until you’re ready to make it.

Don’t add the barbecue sauce to the top until you’re ready to bake it.

Can You Freeze It?

Yes!

Wrap in freezer safe packaging and freeze for up to 3 months.

Thaw in the refrigerator overnight and reheat in a 350˚F (176˚C) oven until it’s hot in the middle.

How to Serve It

We love to serve our BBQ meatloaf with Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Spicy Green Beans, and Vegan Cornbread.

It also goes great with our creamy potato salad, cucumber salad, and macaroni salad.

Leftovers

Crumble it and add it to spaghetti sauce.

Slice it and make a meatloaf sandwich on toasted bread with crisp lettuce, tomato, and extra BBQ sauce.

Crumble it and use it for taco filling.

More Vegan Loafs and Mains You’ll Love

Vegan Lentil and Vegetable Loaf

Crispy Baked BBQ Tofu

Vegan Seitan Ham

Jackfruit Pulled BBQ Chicken

Vegan Seitan Chicken

Seitan BBQ Ribs

Make our Smoky Southern-Style Meatless Meatloaf and let us know what you think. We love to hear from you! And, don’t forget to take a picture of your gorgeous creation and tag us @veganosity on Instagram.

Let’s connect! Hop on over to our Facebook page and give it a like, and follow us on Instagram and Twitter, and follow us and share this and other Veganosity recipes on Pinterest. We’d be so grateful if you did. If you like this recipe and can’t wait to see what we’re going to share next, subscribe to Veganosity. Just fill in the subscription box above our picture in the top right corner of the page. And, Alex and I love hearing from you, please leave a comment and let us know what you think of our recipes.





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