Thanksgiving Meatless Loaf

This is not your mama’s meatloaf.  This is not even your mama’s seitan loaf, tofu turkey, or nut roast.  It doesn’t taste like meat.  It doesn’t even pretend to have the texture of meat. But if you like savory, Thanksgiving flavors so concentrated that you can just skip the gravy and dressing, you will want to give this recipe a try.

I was inspired by the Comfort Loaf in Robin Robertson’s Vegan on the Cheap*, but instead of using vital wheat gluten, oatmeal, and bread crumbs, I decided to make my loaf gluten- and grain-free.  So it’s brown and slightly crispy on the outside like a traditional meatloaf, but the inside is almost as tender as mashed potatoes, partly because it does, in fact, contain mashed (sweet) potatoes.  The heady flavor and aroma come from the holy quartet of fall herbs–parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme

Thanksgiving Meatless Loaf

Ingredients

• 1 medium sweet potato
• 1 medium onion
• 2 ribs celery
• 1 medium carrot
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 15-ounce can cannellini beans (or other white beans), drained and rinsed
• 14 ounces extra-firm tofu (one 14 to 16-ounce package)
• 2 tablespoons gluten-free soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 tablespoon spicy brown or whole-grain prepared mustard
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
• 1/2 tablespoon rubbed sage
• 1 tablespoon thyme leaf
• 1/2 tablespoon dried rosemary, crushed
• 1 1/2 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
• 3/4 cup quinoa flakes or quick oatmeal

Instructions

1. Wash a medium sweet potato (about 7 ounces), pierce it several times with a fork, wrap it in a paper towel, and microwave until done, 4-5 minutes. (Alternately, bake or steam the sweet potato.) Allow to cool enough to handle and then peel and set aside.
2. Mince the onion, celery, and carrot. You can do this quickly by cutting each vegetable in quarters and then pulsing in a food processor until finely chopped.
3. Heat a large, non-stick skillet. Add the minced vegetables, including garlic, and cook, stirring regularly, until they become tender, about 6-10 minutes. Add water by the teaspoon if necessary to keep the vegetables from sticking or becoming dry. Once they’re softened, add the drained beans and mash them lightly with a slotted spoon or spatula.
4. Place the peeled sweet potato into the food processor along with the tofu, soy sauce, and all seasonings, including nutritional yeast. Process until fairly smooth. Add the walnuts and pulse a few more times. Scrape the tofu mixture into a large mixing bowl and add the quinoa flakes and the cooked vegetables. Stir well.
5. Preheat oven to 375F. If you have a silicone baking mat (recommended) place it on a baking sheet. Otherwise line the baking sheet with parchment paper or spray with non-stick spray. Spoon the tofu mixture onto the prepared baking surface, using dampened hands to shape it into an oblong or oval loaf about 2 1/2 inches high. Bake for 25 minutes or until the top is evenly browned. Loosely cover with aluminum foil and cook for 20 more minutes. Check to make sure that the center is firm; if not, give it a little extra time. (You can also remove the foil and cook for 5 more minutes for a crunchier crust.) Remove from oven and allow to stand for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

Serving Suggestion: Serve alone or with Mushroom Gravy on the side.

Preparation time: 20 minute(s) | Cooking time: 1 hour(s) 5 minute(s)

Impromptu Vegan Mushroom Gravy

My mushroom gravy is always an ad lib affair; I don’t think I ever make it the same way twice. Here’s the basic recipe, but the amounts of herbs should be adjusted as necessary. 

Ingredients

• 1/2 onion, minced
• 10 mushrooms, sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 cups vegetable broth
• 1/2 teaspoon thyme
• 1/4 teaspoon rubbed sage
• 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
• 1 teaspoon sherry (optional)
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons unbleached flour (substitute with arrowroot for gluten-free)
• 1/4 cup plain soymilk
• salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Instructions

1. In a medium-sized non-stick saucepan, saute the onion until light brown, about 10 minutes. Add the mushrooms and 1 tablespoon of water, and cook for another 3 minutes. Add the garlic, and cook, stirring, for another minute.
2. Add the vegetable broth, herbs, nutritional yeast, sherry, and soy sauce. In a bowl, whisk or blend (with a hand blender) the soymilk and flour together until smooth. Add it to the saucepan and stir well. Simmer, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve.

Preparation time: 5 minute(s) | Cooking time: 25 minute(s)

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