Meatloaf is a classic for a reason. During wartime it was one of the recipes used to disguise the less-palatable cuts of meat (like kidney and liver) when the more desirable ones were not available, and ever since then it has been used by mothers everywhere to hide vegetables from unsuspecting picky eaters.
This version has nothing to hide—the base is chickpeas and sautéed vegetables, but the ketchup sauce, seasoning, and presentation guarantee every bite is a taste of nostalgia. Enjoy it on a school night, with a glass of milk (non-dairy, if you are so inclined)!
Heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan over a medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, celery, and garlic and sauté until onions are translucent. Remove from the heat and set aside.
In a large bowl, combine the chickpeas, breadcrumbs, ground flax seeds, nutritional yeast, sage, cayenne, cumin, soy sauce, 2 tablespoons of the Worcestershire sauce, and 1/4 cup of the ketchup.
Mash with a potato masher until the mixture is homogenous and the chickpeas are beginning to come together, but are not entirely mushy.
Add the sautéed vegetables and mix well.
Press the loaf mixture into a loaf pan lined with parchment paper, ensuring it is evenly spread into all of the corners. Cover the loaf pan with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes.
Combine the remaining ketchup and Worcestershire sauce and spread over loaf. Bake for an additional 15 minutes.
Allow the loaf to rest 10-15 minutes before serving.
