Don’t assume that you can no longer again enjoy meatloaf because you just turned vegan. It is still very much possible for you to have tasty meatloaf that is meat-free! It’s just as mouthwatering as the real deal, but does not contain any animal product that’s no longer suited for your moral or health reasons.
There are all sorts of ingredients that can be used as meat substitutes whenever you want to whip up meatless meatloaf in your kitchen. Some of the most popular ones are legumes, in particular peas and beans. Soybeans and soybean-based products such as tofu and tempeh are some of the most used meat imitations on the planet.
Certain herbs also help make meatless meat dishes taste phenomenal. Adding different ones helps you achieve a dish that can sometimes blow everyone away upon knowing that there is actually no animal product in it. Breadcrumbs and oatmeal are also usual staple ingredients as they help you attain texture that’s very similar to that of meat.
Especially if you just stepped foot into the world of vegetarian cooking, the goal is to opt for the simplest recipe you can find on the internet. By going for one that is trouble-free to make, you won’t get discouraged. Also, basic vegetarian recipes allow room for tweaking, letting you obtain an outcome that suits your liking.
Indeed, the meatloaf recipe that’s absolutely meat-free you will find below won’t leave you frustrated even if you have the least vegetarian cooking skills around. Also, you are not going to have a hard time getting your hands on the various ingredients. They are available at your local supermarket — no need to hit a vegan grocery store!
One of the ingredients you will use is egg replacer. Just in case it’s not available at your favorite supermarket, worry not. It is actually very easy to come up with it from scratch. Combine 2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour, 2 tablespoons of coconut, soy or almond milk, 1/2 teaspoon of olive oil and 1/2 tablespoon of baking powder.
Also, you will need some vegetarian parmesan cheese. You can buy one or make your own. In a food processor or coffee grinder, add 3/4 cup of raw cashews, 2 to 3 tablespoons of nutritional yeast, 3/4 teaspoon of sea salt and 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder.
Here’s how you can make delectable meatloaf that’s 100 percent meat-free, which is good for 4 to 6 people:
Ingredients:
- 1 cup of chickpeas
- 1 cup of oats (quick-cooking)
- 12 ounces of tomato or spaghetti sauce
- 3/4 cup of vegan parmesan cheese (supermarket-bought or homemade)
- 1 small onion (diced)
- 1 egg replacer (supermarket-bought or homemade)
- 1/4 teaspoon of ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon of dried basil
- 1 tablespoon of dried parsley
- 1 teaspoon of garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon of sea salt
Directions:
- In a saucepan, boil chickpeas in water until cooked.
- In the meantime, preheat your oven to 350°F.
- Once the chickpeas are cooked, drain and partially mash using a fork or potato masher. Don’t mash the chickpeas too much so that you may achieve the consistency of meat.
- Transfer to a large mixing bowl and allow it to cool for a while.
- Stir in quick-cooking oats, diced onions and vegan parmesan cheese.
- Afterwards, add egg replacer, tomato or spaghetti sauce, dried basil, dried parsley, sea salt and ground black pepper. Mix all of the ingredients very well.
- Grab a loaf pan and spray with non-stick cooking spray. Place your meatless meatloaf mixture into it. Smooth the top with the back of a wooden spoon.
- Bake it for 30 to 45 minutes or until the loaf is firm and golden brown.
- Once cooked, take the loaf pan out of the oven and allow the meatless meatloaf to cool for about 10 minutes.
- Transfer to a serving platter and wow everyone with your vegetarian masterpiece!
Source: simple-veganista.com
