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  • Serves 6

Most vegan “meat loaf” recipes call for beans, grains, or processed soy foods and taste nothing like mom’s. This homey version features millet, an ideal meatloaf ingredient that takes on the flavor of whatever spices you cook with it. Because millet loses its binding power as it cools, be sure to put the mixture into the baking dish as soon as you finish incorporating the spices.

Recipe from Forks Over Knives — The Cookbook

Ingredients

  • 2½ cups low-sodium vegetable broth or water
  • ¾ cup millet
  • 1 cup finely chopped onion
  • 1 tablespoon snipped fresh sage
  • 1 tbsp snipped fresh thyme
  • 12 cloves garlic, minced
  • ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 2 tablespoons white miso paste
  • ¼ cup hot water
  • ¾ cup tomato sauce or ketchup
  • ¼ cup nutritional yeast (optional)
  • Salt, to taste

Instructions

  1. In a medium saucepan bring broth to boiling. Stir in millet. Return to boiling; reduce heat to medium. Cover pan, and cook 20 to 25 minutes or until millet is tender.
  2. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350°F. In a large saucepan cook onion over medium heat 7 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally and adding water 1 to 2 tablespoons at a time as needed to prevent sticking. Add sage, thyme, garlic, pepper, and nutmeg; cook and stir 1 minute.
  3. Dissolve the miso paste in ¼ cup hot water, and stir into onion mixture. Stir in ¼ cup of the tomato sauce and nutritional yeast, if using the yeast. Stir in cooked millet. Season with salt.
  4. Immediately press mixture into a 9x5-inch nonstick loaf pan. Top with the remaining ½ cup tomato sauce. Bake 30 minutes or until heated through. Let stand 10 minutes before slicing.

Comments (30)

(4.1 from 10 votes)
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Paul H7 months ago
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Follow up…

Since I couldn’t find the millet grain but just the flour, I decided not to use either of those. Instead cooked 3/4 cup of brown rice in my Instant Pot and skipped the millet portion of the recipe.

I also used a Pyrex shallow pan 5×5 and monitored the internal temp to an average 180F. My oven isn’t the best for even heat.

I changed the bake time to 15 minutes. Let it cool and placed in fridge for 2 hrs to let firm.It was even better the next day.

Turned out to be a perfect loaf.

Paul H7 months ago
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I could not find millet grain but I did find millet flour. Do I need to adjust the millet quantity for the recipe?

Thanks!

Courtney Davison6 months ago
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Hi Paul,
Thanks for posting your follow-up comment about subbing in brown rice instead! We love hearing how modifications work out.

In case anyone else comes across this original comment and is curious—we wouldn’t recommend using millet flour in this recipe, as it will significantly change the texture and cook time of the loaf.

Thank you,

Courtney
Editor, Forks Over Knives

Cynthia Prouty8 months ago
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Great Recipe with a few modifications! I used REGULAR vegetable Broth, and OMMITED the nutmeg. I used a Full 8oz Can of tomato sauce in the millet and decreased the water for the millet to cook. (I’m still experimenting with hw much water)

I Added: 2 Tablespoons Chia Seeds to help the millet firm up
1 Tablespoon Worcestershire
1/2 teaspoon Dry (powdered) mustard
1/4 teaspoon poultry seasoning
2 Tablespoons tomato paste

I spread the millet mixture in casserole dish and covered it with Chili Sauce. Most of these ingredients were ones I used to use in making meat loaf. I knew I got it right when someone asked for the recipe with my modifications.

Linda Wade10 months ago
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Your liquid to Milley ratio is off. Like a number of others commenting here, I found the millet did not firm up.
You have 2-1/2 C. broth + 1/4 C. Miso water + 1/4 C. tomato sauce=
3 1/2 C liquid : 3/4 C. millet
A ratio of 4.67 liquid : 1 millet is far too high for the loaf to set properly.

Jan9 months ago
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Package says liquid to millet is 2 to 1

Mary McDonald10 months ago
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What should the liquid to millet ratio be?

Rae10 months ago
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What do you all think about adding just eggs as a binding agent to this recipe. Think it work in making it a more sliceable meat-not loaf?

Judy10 months ago
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Mine didn’t set correctly either, even after letting it sit more than 15 minutes and using mini muffins and a small loaf pan. Initially I reduced the time then put them both back in the oven for the full 30 minutes, but had to cook longer, and it still fell apart after sitting a while. It tastes good; but not something I would serve to guests.

Darlene Cloud11 months ago
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Loved this loaf but need to know if the leftovers can be frozen.

Mayla11 months ago
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2 cuillères à soupe de pâte miso blanche
3/4 tasse de sauce tomate ou de ketchup
1/4 tasse de levure nutritionnelle (facultatif)
Sel, au goût
!!!!
Je rêve quelle h0rrévr ls né d0ivént jamais être cuits

Joan Miller11 months ago
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Can this be frozen? How long can it be held in the refrigerator?

Vincent Savino11 months ago
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How to measure the 12 cloves of minced garlic using jarred, already minced garlic?

Can a glass loaf pan be used instead of a nonstick?
Thanks

Jenna11 months ago
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My jar says on the side that 1/2 tsp is equivalent to one clove.

Stacey C.1 year ago
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I love this recipe! What can I substitute for the millet? My grocery doesn’t always have it. Can I use quinoa?
Thanks!

Cris1 year ago
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I loved the flavor, but it did not firm up enough. Slices did not hold. I am going to try again adding either flax egg or oats or maybe both. I would love to hear any suggestions. I did not have fresh herb so I used 1 teaspoon of dried sage and thyme. Again, I though it had a lot of flavor.

Carole2 years ago
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I also didn’t have sage, so I used oregano. Wasn’t too sure about that substitution, but it was great. Always used oregano now.

Judy10 months ago
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How did it work with the flax egg? Something I should have tried and/or rolled oats.

Carole2 years ago
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I didn’t have white miso, so I used red. Very good.

Elizabeth2 years ago
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So, I modified the recipe a bit. I had decided to make the baked beans recipe also from Forks Over Knives. It was a day of cooking with what I already had in the house. I had millet and I had beans. Once I saw the recipe for the beans, I decided to use the sauce in the millet loaf as well. I did not use the miso or sage. I added some basil. It turned out wonderfully. And, once cooled, was easy to cut in slices.

Patia2 years ago
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Doesn’t stay firm, but definitely tasty. Had it over some greens and hummus. Definitely will make this again.

Sharme2 years ago
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This was absolutely delicious. Made a yummy sandwich the next day.

gloria cappetto2 years ago
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This one was not my favorite cup of tea (so to speak). After it was cooked I tried numerous ways to do something with it. My hubby put barbecue sauce on and it was acceptable, but still lacked something. To me the flavor was not there or any flavor but a small taste of sage and thyme. Could have been plain and for me would taste the same.

Jann2 years ago
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In my experience what is missing is fat. I have another Millet loaf recipe that has you take four cups of canned tomatoes and blend them with two tablespoons of raw sunflower seeds. Doesn’t sound like much, but this bit of naturally occurring fat makes a difference (used for cooking the Millet).

Hazel Cole2 years ago
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My husband and I very much enjoy this meatless loaf. I do, however, need to know the nutrients, i.e., calories, and also the serving size. Thank you for healthy and delicious recipes.

Hazel Cole2 years ago
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I really need the nutritional information for this dish, i.e, calories. Also, how much is one serving? Thank you so much for all you do to help us be healthy and happy with delicious recipes. Hazel

Heather@healthnutavenue2 years ago
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I have to say, I’ve tried several of the vegan “meat loaf” recipes, and this one is by far my family’s favorite!! We made it for Thanksgiving and it was a huge hit!

Gene2 years ago
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Please could you suggest what to serve with this to make a complete meal. thanks

Carole2 years ago
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Veggie of choice, salad, but best of all mashed potatoes with red miso gravy.

Heather@healthnutavenue2 years ago
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We made buffalo cauliflower, and broccoli soup to go with ours. It was epic!!

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about the author

Del Sroufe

Chef Del Sroufe is co-owner and executive chef of Wellness Forum Foods, a whole-food, plant-based meal delivery and catering service in Columbus, Ohio. He is the author of Forks Over Knives – The Cookbook and Better Than Vegan. Del teaches cooking classes and helps people transition to a healthy plant-based diet.

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