Using Impossible burger is my new favorite way to make vegan meatloaf! This recipe is super flavorful and an easy dinner idea.
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We are definitely not shy when it comes to vegan meat – we try a lot of it! Many are misses, but there are some hits. And Impossible burger is definitely a hit. We first tried it when Red Robin started carrying it, and now we eat it at least once a week since our local Kroger started carrying it.
I have made tacos and meatballs with Impossible burger (both delicious!) but the current family favorite is Impossible meatloaf. It had been YEARS since I made meatloaf and while it was never something I craved after going vegan, my husband really missed it. He says that you cannot even tell this meatloaf is vegan, which is a total win!
(P.S. This recipe is totally not sponsored in any way, we are just obsessed with the stuff!)
While I have not tried this recipe using Beyond beef (we prefer the Beyond sausages out of their products), I believe it will work. Many readers in the comments have tried it with success.
Since Impossible has been slowly rolling out their ground beef, I recommend checking out their store locator to see if it has hit your area yet. I have found it in Kroger, Hannaford, and Price Chopper. The incredible news is that you can order it online and have it delivered right to your home!
Ingredients
For the list of all ingredients and amounts, see the recipe card below.
Impossible burger: The vegan meat needed for this recipe! You can also use Beyond if that’s your preference.
Breadcrumbs: These act as a binding agent. You can also use oats.
Ketchup: This is usually added on top either before or after baking, but I love to add a little bit right into the meatloaf. It adds flavor and moisture. You can use tomato sauce instead.
Vegan Worcestershire sauce: I find Worcestershire sauce is crucial for that classic Mom’s meatloaf flavor. However, typical store-bought Worcestershire sauce contains fish! Some brands are vegan, like Annie’s and the Kroger brand. You can also make a homemade vegan Worcestershire sauce. If all other options are exhausted, soy sauce is a good replacement.
Garlic powder, onion powder, parsley, salt, and pepper: Flavor!
Is Impossible Burger Vegan?
There is some controversy around this topic. Impossible Burger does not carry the certified vegan label and you can read why here.
But in my opinion, yes – Impossible Burger is vegan. The “beef” contains NO animal products and no animal testing is actively being conducted.
Plus, Impossible Burger is by far the closest thing to real beef I’ve tried. It will allow more and more people to ditch animal meat and go with plant meat. The definition of veganism is to do the least amount of harm possible, and I believe Impossible Burger does that and inspires others to do so as well.
Instructions
See the printable instructions in the recipe card below.
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
Mix all of the ingredients together in a bowl, then form into a loaf and place on the baking sheet.
Bake for about 25-30 minutes, or until golden brown and no longer pink in the middle.
Brush some ketchup or BBQ sauce on top if desired! You can also serve with sautéed green beans, vegan gravy and mashed potatoes for a delicious dinner.
Variations and Substitutions
Gluten-free: Good news – the Impossible burger is gluten-free! To replace the breadcrumbs, use an equal amount of gluten-free oats or make your own breadcrumbs from GF bread.
Double this recipe: Simply double all the ingredient amounts (you can do this right in the recipe card next to “servings”) and cook for an additional 10 minutes or so.
If you cannot find or don’t have the time to make vegan Worcestershire sauce, use soy sauce instead.
Storing Leftovers
Leftovers will keep in the fridge for about 3 days, stored in an airtight container.
Did you enjoy this recipe? Please leave a comment and a ⭐ star review below!
Vegan Impossible Meatloaf
Karissa Besaw
This vegan meatloaf made with Impossible burger tastes JUST like your Mom's classic meatloaf. Bonus – it's simple, easy, and made in about 30 minutes!
Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
In a bowl, mix all ingredients together (Impossible burger, breadcrumbs, ketchup, garlic powder, Worcestershire sauce, onion powder, parsley, salt, and pepper.
Form into a loaf shape on the baking sheet.
Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until browned.
Brush some ketchup or BBQ on top if desired, or serve with gravy.
Video
Notes
If doubling this recipe, increase the baking time by about 10 minutes.
In a bowl, mix all ingredients together (Impossible burger, breadcrumbs, ketchup, garlic powder, Worcestershire sauce, onion powder, parsley, salt, and pepper. Form into a loaf shape on the baking sheet. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until browned. Brush some ketchup or BBQ on top if desired, or serve with gravy.
While Impossible's proprietary plant-based heme is 100 percent free from animal-derived ingredients, it was tested on animals – at least once – in order to gain full approval from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and to be “generally recognized as safe,” or GRAS.
The Impossible Burger can be a sustainable alternative to regular burgers and does contain higher amounts of several important nutrients, including vitamin B12, folate, and thiamine (3, 4 , 5 ). However, the Impossible Burger contains more sodium than regular ground beef and is lower in some vitamins and minerals.
Other than the protein, there is very little nutritional value in the Beyond Meat patty. Whereas a 100% grass fed beef patty, not only contains a high amount of protein, but is also loaded with vitamin B12, vitamin E, heme iron (a more bioavailable source), creatine, zinc, omega-3 fats, and others.
The legal dispute between Impossible and Motif — which began in March 2022 — centers on the use of heme proteins to impart a deep red color and meaty flavors to plant-based burgers and other products.
“Compared to a meat-based burger, Beyond and Impossible contain roughly the same amount of saturated fat and more sodium,” she says, both of which, when over-consumed, can increase the risk of heart disease and stroke.
As some plant-based meat and mock meat products are created to replicate animal meat, they may undergo more processing. This leads to a high content of saturated fat, sodium, and added sugar.
These same nitrates can bind to proteins in meat, preventing them from releasing oxygen molecules as they normally would during the cooking process. As a result, the proteins remain oxygenized and maintain a red or pink color even when the meat is fully cooked.
I'm interested! I want to learn more. Stouffer's® Meatloaf with Gravy features flavorful individual oven-roasted beef meatloaves containing ground beef, onions, tomato puree, green peppers and oats, then smothered with a savory brown gravy.
The base for this loaf is cooked sweet potatoes, mushrooms, lentils, nuts (we went for walnuts and pecans), and fresh thyme. Tomato paste adds moisture and hearty flavor, coconut aminos or Worcestershire add that “umami” effect, and salt and pepper help round everything out.
The new protein is a genetically modified protein from herbicide-tolerant soy. Consequently, this new Impossible Burger product can contain residues of glyphosate – the main ingredient of the herbicide used on genetically modified soy and a “probable carcinogen.”
The white flecks in Beyond Meat and Impossible that act as fat are made from coconut oil and sunflower oil. Beyond meat also has cocoa butter in the “fat” component.
Impossible Foods was founded by Patrick O. Brown in 2011. In July 2016, the company launched its first meat analogue product, the Impossible Burger, which is made from material derived from plants.
As such, it is not strictly vegetarian or vegan by default. Customers who want to avoid cross-contamination with meat products can ask for it to be prepared separately, in an oven or a microwave instead of on the grill. Customers who want to make it vegan can ask for no mayonnaise.
The company determined that it would have to test its special ingredient in animal models in order to get the stamp of approval it wanted from the FDA. So it did so, on a total of 188 rats in three separate experiments. As is typical in medical research, the rats were sacrificed.
The Impossible patty is made from a combination of plant-based ingredients, including wheat protein, coconut oil, potato protein, and heme. Heme is a molecule found in plants and animals that gives the patty its meat-like flavor and aroma. The patty is free from any animal products, making it suitable for vegans.
According to Samuels, Impossible meats are particularly problematic. "This product is highly processed," she says. "Ultra or highly processed foods are foods that have additional artificial colors, flavors, and preservatives to promote shelf stability, preserve texture, and increase palatability.
Introduction: My name is Lidia Grady, I am a thankful, fine, glamorous, lucky, lively, pleasant, shiny person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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