Need a stunning, nutritious, delicious vegan main dish idea? Make this Brown Rice Loaf that's loaded with veggies, whole grains, and flavor. This vegan loaf recipe is very easy to prep and is gluten-free. It's perfectly sliceable and goes great with any side dish!
This vegan loaf makes an amazing holiday main course. This recipe is also a great way to use up leftover brown rice!
Vegan loaf
This vegan loaf is a favorite because it's the perfect combination of hearty, filling, delicious, and healthy. The loaf is made with almost 3 cups of veggies, whole grain brown rice, heart-healthy oats, plus a few seasonings.
Besides all the healthy ingredients, it is just simply delicious. It's super hearty and perfectly sliceable. It goes great with pretty much any side dish: mashed potatoes or roasted young potatoes, mashed butternut squash, green beans, yellow squash, baked cauliflower.
This loaf also makes great leftovers, reheated and served up on a sandwich (try it between 2 slices of homemade whole wheat bread!).
Leftover brown rice recipe
This recipe uses cooked brown rice, so make sure you cook it in advance or have some left over—either way is fine!
Related recipe: Vegan Wild Rice Casserole
Ingredients
- 1 red onion, diced
- 2 cups chopped carrot (2 large carrots)
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons chipotle sauce (such as La Costena), or replace with tomato sauce or BBQ sauce for no spice
- ⅓ cup tomato sauce (such as your favorite marinara sauce or tomato puree)
- ½ cup pecans (use sunflower seeds for a nut-free loaf)
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning (or use a 1 teaspoon each dried basil, dried oregano, and dried parsley)
- 2 cups cooked brown rice
- 1 cup rolled oats (use gluten-free oats if needed)
- For garnish: extra tomato sauce or vegan ketchup and fresh parsley leaves
Equipment
- Food processor (a large one is better so you can blend everything at once!)
- 8- or 9-inch bread loaf pan
- Medium or large pan to sauté the veggies
Related recipe: Vegan Cheesy Rice and Cauliflower Casserole
Instructions
Step 1: Preheat oven to 350F. Brush an 8-inch bread loaf pan with olive oil.
Step 2: Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil into a medium skillet and heat it over medium heat. Add the chopped carrot, onion, and minced garlic and sauté until the onion is translucent, stirring frequently (about 5 minutes). Season with salt.
Step 3: Place the sautéed veggies in a food processor. Add the chipotle sauce, tomato sauce, pecans, and Italian herbs, and blend until combined.
Step 4: Add the cooked brown rice and blend to combine. Finally, add the rolled oats and blend one last time.
Step 5: Place the mixture into an 8-inch loaf pan and bake at 350F for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the loaf gets golden brown on top. Another option is to brush the top with extra tomato sauce or vegan ketchup for the last 5 minutes of baking.
Step 6: Let the loaf cool slightly before unmolding and slicing, or it could break apart.
Step 7: Garnish with extra tomato sauce and chopped fresh parsley.
Related recipe: Vegan Seitan Steaks
Recipe tips and variations
→ You can add other veggies instead of carrots, such as chopped green beans, chopped bell peppers, or substitute some veggies for chopped sundried tomatoes.
→ Add more protein by substituting 1 cup of brown rice with TVP soaked in vegan chicken broth and drained (use 1 cup soaked, not 1 cup dry TVP).
→ Time saving tip: You can chop the veggies in advance and store them together in a container in the fridge. You can also prepare the recipe in advance and keep the uncooked loaf in the fridge until ready to bake, just cover it with plastic wrap or parchment paper pressed gently on top of the loaf to keep the top from drying out. Add 5 minutes baking time if baking straight from the fridge.
Related recipe: Vegan Red Rice Salad
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Recipe
Rice Loaf (Vegan and Gluten-free!)
Ingredients
- 1 red onion, diced
- 2 cups chopped carrot, (2 large carrots)
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons chipotle sauce, such as La Costena, or replace with tomato sauce or BBQ sauce for no spice
- ⅓ cup tomato sauce, such as your favorite marinara sauce or tomato puree
- ½ cup pecans, use sunflower seeds for a nut-free loaf
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning, or use a 1 teaspoon each dried basil, dried oregano, and dried parsley
- 2 cups cooked brown rice
- 1 cup rolled oats, use gluten-free oats if needed
- For garnish: extra tomato sauce, vegan ketchup, and fresh parsley leaves
Special equipment
- Food processor (a large one is better so you can blend everything at once!)
- Medium or large pan to sauté the veggies
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F. Brush an 8-inch bread loaf pan with olive oil.
- Add 2 tablespoons olive oil a medium or large pan and heat it over medium heat. Add chopped carrot, onion, and minced garlic and sauté until the onion is translucent, stirring frequently (about 5 minutes). Season with salt.
- Place the sautéed veggies in a food processor. Add chipotle sauce, tomato sauce, pecans, and Italian herbs, and blend until combined.
- Add cooked brown rice and blend to combine. Then add rolled oats and blend one last time.
- Place the mixture into an 8-inch loaf pan and bake at 350F for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the loaf gets golden brown on top. Another option is to brush with tomato sauce or vegan ketchup for the last 5 minutes of baking.
- Let the loaf cool slightly before unmolding and slicing, or it could break apart.
- Garnish with extra tomato sauce, and chopped fresh parsley.
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