This post contains affiliate links. Please see our disclosure policy.
Chickpea Veggie Loaf with spices and a spicy bbq glaze. Chickpea Cannellini bean Vegan Meatloaf for Thanksgiving and the holidays. Easy and delicious. Vegan Recipe. Nut-free, Soy-free, Can be gluten-free
Jump to Recipe
It seems to be the year of the chickpeas. This loaf is easy and quick prep if you have cooked/canned chickpeas. It is inspired from my Lentil Quinoa Loaf. This is a great loaf for anyone who finds lentils too earthy.
Cook some veggies. Pulse the chickpeas and beans, add spices, shape and bake. You can also shape the mixture into fat balls or patties and bake. Use your favorite glaze or my spicy bbq sauce glaze. Serve with cranberry sauce or gravy, some mashed potatoes, other sides and the menu is done! I used up some leftover slices in tacos with guacamole and sprinkled with chipotle pepper. Pictured below with Spicy Cranberry Sauce and Butternut, Apple, Pecan, Cranberry Salad with Harissa spiced Pecans.
More Thanksgiving Mains Recipes:
- Lentil Quinoa Loaf
- Cauliflower Steaks with mushroom gravy GF
- Lasagna Bechamel with Sweet Potato and Cauliflower layers.
- Cauliflower Alfredo, Spinach, Artichoke Lasagna. can be GF
- Easy Vegan Veggie Lasagna. Can be GF
- Whole Roasted Cauliflower with creamy makhani sauce .
Steps:
Cook the veggies, process the beans and half the veggies. Transfer to a bowl and mix in spices and sauces. Get in there to mix and mash if needed.
Press into loaf pan. Glaze and bake.
Cool for 15 minutes, then remove from the pan. Cool completely before slicing.
Serve with sides of choice and sauces or gravy.
This amazing loaf is also in my second book Vegan Richa’s Everyday Kitchen
Chickpea Veggie Loaf - Vegan Meatloaf Recipe
Ingredients
For the Loaf:
- 1 tsp oil
- 1/2 red onion chopped, 3/4 cup
- 4 cloves of garlic finely chopped
- 1/2 cup finely chopped celery , or use other veggies
- 1/4 cup chopped red bell pepper , or carrots or both
- 2 tbsp dried cranberries, optional
- 15 oz can chickpeas , or 1.5 cups cooked
- 15 oz can cannellini beans, or other white beans or use more chickpeas or cooked lentils
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 2 to 4 tbsp my soy free barbecue sauce
- 1.5 tsp lemon juice
- 1 tbsp chia seed meal , or 1.5 Tbsp flax seed meal
- 1 Tbsp Tahini, optional
- 1/4 to 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1/4 to 1/2 tsp cayenne , or chipotle pepper powder
- 1 tsp dried thyme , or rosemary or 2 tsp fresh
- 1/2 tsp dried sage
- 1/2 to 3/4 tsp salt or to taste
- 1/2 cup or more breadcrumbs or a mix of half oats and half breadcrumbs, (for gf use coarsely ground oats or gluten-free breadccrumbs)
Glaze
- 3 tbsp bbq sauce
- 1 tsp hot sauce
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
- 2 tsp ketchup
- a generous dash of freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 tsp smoked paprika
Instructions
- Heat a skillet over medium heat. Add oil, onions and garlic and pinch of salt. Cook until translucent. Add celery, peppers, cranberries and cook for 3 minutes, * You can cook the veggies without oil. Cook onions and garlic in a splash of broth or water until translucent, then add other veggies.
- Drain the chickpeas and beans really well. In a food processor, process the chickpeas, beans, cilantro, parsley and half of the cooked veggie mixture. Pulse, process until the mixture is half mashed and half coarsely chunky. You can add a handful of greens in as well at this step. .
- Transfer to a bowl. Mix in the chia seed meal into the bbq sauce + lemon juice in a small bowl and let it sit for a minute. Add spices, tahini, bbq sauce mixture, leftover veggies to the beans bowl. Mix in. Add in the breadcrumbs and mix in. The mixture should be like a veggie burger mixture. If too wet, add more breadcrumbs. If too dry, add a tbsp of aquafaba (chickpea brine). or 1 tsp chia/ flax seed meal mixed in 1 tbsp water. Taste the mixture and adjust salt, spice, seasoning.
- Transfer the mixture to parchment lined loaf pan with parchment sheet hanging out to make it easy to remove the loaf. Even it out(by lightly pressing. too much pressing will make a mashed texture loaf ) If you don't have a pan, use a parchment lined baking sheet and shape into a rectangular log.
- Prepare the glaze by mixing everything and spread over the loaf.
- Cover the loaf with parchment, bake at pre-heated 400 degrees F / 200ºc for 20 minutes. Remove the cover and continue to bake for another 15 to 25 minutes, till toothpick from the center comes out clean. Bake longer for taller loaf or if you want crispier edges.
- Cool for 15 minutes, then remove from the pan. Cool almost completely and slice with a serrated knife.
- Or shape into balls and bake for 15 minutes, then flip and bake for another 10-15 minutes. Serve with cranberry sauce, gravy, mashed potatoes or other sides of choice.
Video
Notes
Add 2 Tbsp nutritional yeast.
Add 1/2 cup chopped mushrooms with the onions.
Add 1/4 cup walnuts, oats or cooked rice with the beans in the processor for more textured loaf. Freeze: Bake the loaf, cool, slice and freeze the individual slices. To reheat, reheat slice on a skillet like a burger patty or bake for 15 mins. Nutritional values based on one serving ( 2 slices)
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Can I use chia seeds instead of chia meal?
Yes
The perfect holiday vegan entrée!!
Paired with mushroom gravy and all the side dishes, we enjoyed a scrumptious meal.
Thank you once again Richa for sharing your talent with the world ☺️
Awesome! So glad you liked it.
This recipe is awesome ! I have been making it for the past 6 yrs ! Yes . Since 2018 when i first stumbled upon this. This has to be one of the best recipes like ever ! Again making it tomorrow 🙂
Yay!! So good to hear!
I love this recipe for Thanksgiving! This year I am doubling it because it is so good for leftovers.
I do have a question. Is it okay to stop at instruction 4 and refrigerate the loaf overnight and glaze and bake the next day? I know I will have to bring it to room temperature before baking or bake for longer. Any advice?
Thanks for this yummy recipe!
Yes, this will work, just bring back to room temp.
Hi…the chickpea veggie loaf looks great – but I won’t have access to either chia or flax seed meal. Can ground sunflower seeds be subbed? Or perhaps flour or cornstarch? Also, can you make the loaf in advance (uncooked) and then bake on Thanksgiving day? Thanks so much.
Add 1-2 tbsp flour for binding. Yes assemble and refrigerate for upto 3 days or freeze. On the day, add glaze and bake
I will like to know which book I could fine this recipe; the chickpea loaf?
It’s in my everyday kitchen book
Very flavorful. I’ve made it twice, most recently for Thanksgiving. Thanks for another yummy recipe.