The Ultimate Meatloaf Recipe

ground beef

🥗Healthier: ground turkey

💰Cheaper: ground pork

Ground turkey is leaner, while ground pork is often less expensive.

bread crumbs

🥗Healthier: oats

💰Cheaper: crushed crackers

Oats add fiber, while crushed crackers can be more economical.

ketchup

🥗Healthier: tomato puree

💰Cheaper: homemade sauce

Tomato puree has no added sugars, and homemade sauce can be made at a lower cost.

egg

🥗Healthier: flaxseed meal

💰Cheaper: applesauce

Flaxseed meal is a vegan option, while applesauce adds moisture and sweetness.

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Have a parchment-lined baking sheet prepared and set aside.

Roughly chop the onions, carrots, and celery. Clean and quarter the mushrooms. Add the prepared vegetables and garlic to a large food processor, or work in two batches if too large for one batch. Fill the processor and pulse the vegetables until they are finely minced, 10-15 pulses. Without a food processor, the vegetables can be minced by hand.

In a 4-quart saucepan, warm 2 tablespoons of butter over medium heat. Once the oil is warm, add the prepared vegetables and salt. Sauté the mixture until the vegetables are cooked down and begin to brown, 8-12 minutes. Add the minced thyme and tomato paste and stir into the vegetables. Cook the tomato paste until it darkens and starts to coat the bottom of the saucepan, 4-6 minutes. Once the tomato paste is cooked, remove the mixture from the heat to cool.

In a large bowl, beat the eggs until smooth. Add the ground beef, ground pork, Worcestershire sauce, breadcrumbs, Dijon mustard, salt, black pepper, beef stock, and cooled vegetable mixture. Stir to combine, and ensure the mixture is well mixed with no pockets of unmixed meat or vegetables.

Pat the mixture into a loaf shape on the prepared sheet pan, roughly 12 inches by 9 inches. Mix together the ketchup and Dijon mustard and brush the top of the meatloaf. Bake in the preheated 350°F until the center reaches 160°F, 45-60 minutes. Once baked, remove from the oven and cool for 15 minutes before slicing and serving.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Allergens