Meatloaf with Italian Flavors
January 8, 2015 • Easy Entrees, Meat & Poultry
I simply love meatloaf, but my husband? Not so much. I’ve spent many, many years making different varieties in the hopes that one of them will sing to him. I’ve tried adding lots of ground up vegetables for extra moisture, tried making it with pork and pancetta, even tried wrapping it in bacon like the recipe in my Tasting Colorado cookbook. But he always seems to turn up his nose. Not one to be easily deterred, I figured I just might be on to a great idea adding in all sorts of flavors you find in Italian foods – foods that I KNOW are his favorites.So in went both beef and pork, Italian herbs like basil and oregano, sundries tomatoes and minced up roasted cippolini onions, minced roasted garlic, and Parmigiano Reggiano cheese. If you smothered this with marinara sauce, I’m guessing it would taste more like a meatball than meatloaf. But guess what? He liked it, finally!
- 1 pound ground pork
- 1 pound ground beef or bison
- ½ cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes (oil packed)
- 4-6 large cloves of garlic, roasted and minced
- 6-8 small cippolini onions, roasted then chopped
- 2 stalks celery, very finely chopped
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 tablespoon dried parsley
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 1 cup coarse cried breadcrumbs
- Combine all ingredients except the breadcrumbs in a large bowl and use a fork to mix things evenly without packing down the meat. Stir in the breadcrumbs with the fork, then use your hands to mix just a minute more and shape into a loaf.
- Spray a baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray and place the meatloaf onto the baking sheet, shaping it into an even loaf about 10 x 4-inches. Bake at 375 degrees for 45 minutes. Serve with additional sun-dried tomatoes for garnish if desired.