Man cannot live on cookies alone…including Mr. Kringle! When we met, he was NOT a fan of meatloaf because he’d only had what he ate as a kid. When he tasted mine about 8 months after we started dating, he was a convert! It wasn’t even the recipe I’m about to share but ever since then, he knows I’ll make a good, flavorful, comfort food meatloaf from time to time.
Someone shared a recipe that was supposed to be close to the Cheesecake Factory. I tweaked it to be a little healthier and have an extra veggie or two so that we could feel a little better about it. Obviously this recipe is totally customizable on so many levels from the type of meat you use (the grocery usually has a pre-made “meatloaf mix” of ground beef, pork and veal or just 80/20 beef if you prefer) to the types of veggies you use, the cheese, all of it. This recipe is meant to be a base for you to get creative just as I did when I started tweaking the original for our tastes! This pairs perfectly with caramelized onions on the slice especially if you’re having a sandwich. This freezes beautifully so you can have a hearty meal at your fingertips anytime!
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Ingredients
- 2 lbs of meat of your choice (I used 1 lb lean ground beef/1 lb lean pork)
- 3/4 cup (185g) ricotta or cottage cheese
- 1/2 cup (57g) cheese of your choice (I used gruyere/parmesan mix but cheddar works well)
- 1 large carrot, grated
- 1-2 peppers of your choice, diced (I used poblano/red pepper)
- 1/2 cup of scallions (50g) or 1 small onion (80g), diced
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup (54g) panko bread crumbs
- 1/3 cup (82g) marinara sauce
- 1/4 cup (61g) chicken broth (moisture), steak sauce (moisture/flavor) or water
- 1 tbsp dry mustard (optional)
- Salt/pepper/spices of your choice
- **This meatloaf does not have a glaze because Mr Kringle and I differ on what condiment we like on top. If you want a traditional ketchup glaze, use 1/2 cup of ketchup and 1/4 cup of brown sugar mixed well and applied to the top of the loaf the last 5-7 minutes of baking**
Instructions
- Mix all ingredients in a large bowl until thoroughly combined.
- Pack tightly in a loaf pan that has been placed on a cookie sheet to minimize grease splatter as it bakes. (You may even want to cover it with foil to further minimize splatter)
- Bake at 350 degrees for 55 minutes.
- Allow to rest for 5 minutes before removing from pan and rest an additional 5 minutes before serving.
