Kirly-Sue’s Vegan Kitchen Food Column

A Celebration of Plant-Based Comfort Food

As the days grow shorter and the air turns crisp, autumn invites us to slow down and savour life’s simple pleasures. Golden leaves, cosy evenings, and the smell of something hearty in the oven make this season special. It’s also a time of gathering – when family and friends come together to share warmth, good food, and gratitude. While traditional autumn menus are often centred on meat, plant-based dishes can be just as hearty, flavourful and satisfying.

That’s the heart of my column in Keep The Faith: showing that vegan food isn’t about giving things up but about embracing abundance. Comfort food is what we crave when nights draw in and vegan cooking delivers it in abundance. By leaning into seasonal ingredients and creative combinations, we can reimagine familiar dishes without losing that soul-satisfying comfort.

This month’s recipe, my Vegan Meatless Meatloaf, is proof. Made with lentils, chickpeas, mushrooms and oats, it bakes into a rich, savoury loaf with a tangy-sweet glaze that makes a perfect centrepiece. Served with roasted vegetables or creamy mash, it’s rustic, wholesome, and deeply comforting.

As you embrace the flavours of autumn, why not give this recipe a try? It may just become a new family favourite.

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Vegan Meatless Meatloaf

This Vegan Meatless Meatloaf takes meat-free celebration meals to a whole new lip-smacking level! It’s packed with so many healthy vegan ingredients, such as lentils, mushrooms, chickpeas, onion, garlic, ground flaxseed, oats and seasonings, it’s the best comfort food you can have for a celebration lunch or dinner this autumn.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 230g/1 cup onions, diced
• 230g/1 cup mushrooms, chopped
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 2 flax eggs (2 tablespoons ground flaxseed plus 4 tablespoons water)
• 15oz cooked lentils (can be canned, drained and rinsed)
• 15oz chickpeas (can be canned, drained and rinsed)
• 460g/2 cups oats (can use gluten-free oats)
• 125ml/½ cup plant milk (such as oat, almond or rice)
• 230ml/1 cup ketchup
• ½  tablespoon dried mixed herbs
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon pepper

TOPPING

• 170ml/¾ cup tomato ketchup
• 3 tablespoons coconut sugar
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees, 400 degrees F, gas mark 6.
2. Heat the olive oil in a pan, then add the onions, mushrooms, garlic and a pinch of salt. Sauté until the onions turn translucent, which should take about 10–12 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Meanwhile, make the flax eggs. In a small bowl, combine the ground flaxseed and water and let it sit until it congeals, which should take about five minutes.
4. While the flax egg is setting, add the drained and rinsed lentils and chickpeas to a large bowl. Smash them with a fork until no large pieces are left.
5. Add the oats, plant milk of choice (I used almond milk), tomato ketchup, dried mixed herbs, flax eggs, salt and pepper to the bowl, then add the sauteed onions and mushrooms to the bowl. Stir to combine well.
6. Spray a loaf pan with cooking oil and then place the mixture into the pan. Bake the loaf in the oven for 30–35 minutes.
7. While the meatloaf is baking, make the topping.
8. Whisk together the tomato ketchup, coconut sugar and apple cider vinegar in a bowl or measuring cup.
9. After the loaf has baked for 30–35 minutes, take it out of the oven and spread a layer of the topping sauce over the entire loaf. Place it back in the oven to bake for another 15 minutes.
10. Remove the pan from the oven and let it cool for about 10-15 minutes to set before serving.

Pic caption ‘Plant-based comfort food at its finest’