It’s fully fall. Time for soups, stews, hearty casseroles, and even… planning for the holidays!
I know, that sounds early, but we have Canadian Thanksgiving in October, and soon after we are in the swing of holiday season. We need recipes we can rely on for the holidays – and recipes that are relatively easy!
This year I made my Autumn Dinner Loaf for our Thanksgiving dinner, and paired it with kale salad, mashed potatoes, and vegan gravy.
I recorded a video making this recipe, so you can watch it and see just how easy it is!

So today I’m sharing a vegan meatloaf recipe that I know you’ll enjoy. Many of you already know and love the No-Fu Loaf from LTEV.
This Autumn Dinner Loaf from Plant-Powered Families is also sensational. Quite different from the no-fu loaf, as it’s made with a base of grains, almonds, and vegetables rather than the lentil base of No-fu.

This vegan meatloaf is also especially easy to make! So, if you’re feeling overwhelmed with holiday cooking but still want a special main, this is your recipe. Seriously. Everything into the food processor, then into the oven. Done!
And, if you’re feeling a little more adventurous with holiday cooking and want to build a full menu around this vegan meatloaf, hop over to this post for inspiration.
Please let me know how you enjoy the recipe! x Dreena
Autumn Dinner Loaf
Ingredients
- 2 cups carrot sliced
- 2/3 cup whole raw almonds
- 1/2 cup sliced green onion
- 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- 1 – 1 1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 1 1/4 teaspoons sea salt
- 1 teaspoon dried rosemary or 2 teaspoons fresh rosemary leaves
- 1/4 teaspoon ground dried sage
- 1 medium-large clove garlic
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 2 lightly packed cups cooked and cooled brown rice
- 1 cup + 2 tbsp rolled oats
Topping Options (see note)
BBQ Topping:
- 21/2 tablespoons barbecue sauce
- 1 – 2 tablespoons rolled oats
Dry Topping:
- 2 tablespoons almond meal
- 1 tablespoon rolled oats
- Pinch of sea salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly wipe a glass loaf pan with a smidgen of oil. Line the bottom of the pan with a strip of parchment paper (place it in so it hangs over the short ends of the pan; this helps for easier removal of the veggie loaf from the pan). In a food processor, add the carrots, almonds, green onions, nutritional yeast, Dijon mustard, sea salt, rosemary, sage, garlic, and lemon juice. Process until the mixture smooths out and starts to become sticky, scraping down the bowl as needed. Add the rice and puree. At this point the mixture should be sticky enough to hold slightly when pressed. Add the oats and process through. Transfer the mixture to the prepared pan and evenly distribute. If using the BBQ topping, spread the sauce over the top of the loaf, and then sprinkle on the oats. If using the dry topping, combine the almond meal, oats, and salt in a small bowl, and then sprinkle over the loaf. Cover the dish with foil and bake for 33–35 minutes. Remove foil and bake for another 5–7 minutes. Remove from the oven and let stand for about 5 minutes, then slice and serve.

photos by Nicole Axworthy
This post was originally published in September 2017 and updated with a video tutorial for 2020.
Alison says
Hi Dreena! Is there a way to eliminate the nuts all together? I know of your other nofu loaf but this sounds particularly interesting and yummy! Is there any way to substitute it for something else?
Dreena says
Hi Alison, for a nut allergy? In the video I mention some substitutions – mix of pumpkin seed and sunflower would be a good option.
Jcb says
Can one use cooked frozen brown rice as is? Or should you heat per directions or simply thaw?
Dreena says
Hi, I missed your question. No need to heat the rice, just thaw. I do find thawed rice can be watery, however. So you may want to use a touch less rice and make up for the difference with oats (maybe 1/3 cup).
Mary says
Hello, I’m very interested in trying this for Thanksgiving but am curious if it is “mushy/gooey” inside after it bakes? I have a major issue with textures and most of the plant based “meat” loafs and burgers are usually mushy.
Dreena says
Hi Mary, it’s a softer loaf, and I intended it to be that way. If you want a firmer set, you can add in more oats, and also can try baking longer at a lower temperature. Finally, you might consider the no-fu loaf in this post: http://bit.ly/veganmains Hope you enjoy!
Kristen Gadson says
Just made this! The flavor was great but the texture was not. I used a high-powered blender so maybe I need to use a food processor? I was wondering about adding an egg to help bind as it didn’t really stick together or maybe sauteing the carrots to make them softer? But that may be because It couldn’t blend well in my blender. Really looking forward to trying this again in the food processor! Thanks
Dreena says
Hi Kristen, thanks for the note, glad you enjoyed the flavor profile. Yes, the blender will give a different result for sure. It tends to make the mixture sticky before fully incorporating the components. Try again with a processor, and see how that works for you. You can also bake a little longer and reduce the heat slightly to dry the loaf a touch more if you still find the texture slightly soft for you. Good luck.
Amanda Larsen says
Dreena, we are thrilled to say we purchased your ppf book back in February and have loved it! This is our new favorite “leaf loaf” as my kids call it, ha ha.
One thing we used to love doing was baking a meat loaf in a muffin tin so they’re little individual portions. Do you think this loaf would work on a muffin tin?? I’m mostly worried about it being able to come out after baking. No one likes digging their food out of those ha ha.
Thanks again for this great cook book! We’ve cooked through at least 80% of the recipes so far, and I can’t wait to try many more recipes from your site.
Dreena says
Hi Amanda, thanks so much for this cheer! I love that name – leaf loaf – kids are clever. Yes, I think you could do this, absolutely. I might bake for about 20-25 minutes, check doneness after about 18-10. You might try using parchment paper liners. I use them all the time. Here they are on amazon: https://amzn.to/2jPGKpm These are great for oil-free muffins and cupcakes as well, the baked goods don’t stick. Another option is to use a silicone baking pan – though I prefer the baking using traditional pans, I find silicone can ‘steam’ muffins. I hope that helps! (and wow, you’re really working your way through PPF) 🙂