Go Back
–+ servings

Dolly-Inspired Vegan Family Favorite Meatloaf

A hearty lentil, mushroom, walnut, and oat loaf inspired by Dolly and Rachel's family meatloaf, finished with the same sweet-tangy style of ketchup glaze.
Print
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: American, Southern
Keyword: Dolly Parton inspired, lentil loaf, meatloaf, mushroom, Southern, vegan
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Servings: 8 servings

Equipment

  • 9x5-inch loaf pan
  • Food processor
  • Large skillet
  • Large mixing bowl

Ingredients

Glaze

  • 1 cup ketchup
  • 1 tablespoon light brown sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon prepared yellow mustard

Vegan Loaf

  • 2 tablespoons ground flaxseed
  • 5 tablespoons warm water
  • 3/4 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
  • 12 ounces cremini mushrooms finely chopped
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1/2 medium yellow onion finely chopped
  • 1/2 cup green bell pepper finely chopped
  • 2 cups cooked brown or green lentils well drained
  • 1 cup raw walnuts
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened plain soy milk
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 2 teaspoons soy sauce or tamari
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon onion powder

Instructions

  • Heat the oven to 350°F. Line a 9x5-inch loaf pan with parchment, leaving enough overhang to lift out the finished loaf.
  • Mix the flaxseed and warm water and let it stand for 5 to 10 minutes until gelled.
  • Pulse the rolled oats briefly in a food processor so they are broken down but not powdered. Transfer to a large bowl.
  • Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the mushrooms, onion, and bell pepper until the vegetables are soft and the mushroom liquid has cooked away, about 8 to 10 minutes. Cool slightly.
  • Pulse the lentils and walnuts in the food processor until roughly chopped and sticky in spots but not pureed.
  • Add the lentil mixture, cooked vegetables, flax mixture, soy milk, tomato paste, soy sauce, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder to the oats. Mix thoroughly.
  • Stir the ketchup, brown sugar, and mustard together. Mix 1/4 cup of this glaze into the loaf mixture and reserve the rest.
  • Pack the mixture firmly into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top. Bake for 45 minutes.
  • Spread the remaining glaze over the loaf and bake for another 20 minutes, until the top is glossy and set.
  • Rest for at least 15 minutes before lifting from the pan and slicing. The rest is not decorative bureaucracy; it is what keeps the slices together.

Notes

Vegan adaptation inspired by the corresponding recipe in Good Lookin' Cookin': A Year of Meals - A Lifetime of Family, Friends, and Food by Dolly Parton and Rachel Parton George. This adaptation uses original wording and plant-based substitutions. The Parton family version uses a roughly two-to-one combination of ground beef and pork with eggs, evaporated milk, rolled oats, onion, green bell pepper, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder, plus a ketchup-brown sugar-mustard glaze. This vegan version keeps the oats, vegetables, seasonings, and glaze while replacing the meat and eggs with lentils, mushrooms, walnuts, and flax.