Stuffed meatloaf recipes are great because they can be made in advance, which means that you don’t have to worry about being ready on time when your guests arrive.
What Is The Recipe For Stuffed Meatloaf?
The following recipe will help you create an amazing stuffed meatloaf experience for yourself or your loved ones this holiday season!
Ingredients:
- 1 pound ground beef
- ⅓ cup milk (or water)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- 3 eggs
- 2 tablespoons butter, melted
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1/4 cup seasoned breadcrumbs
- 6 slices American cheese (shredded)
- Salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
In a large bowl combine all the ingredients except the cheeses and bread crumbs until well mixed.
Roll into 1-inch balls.
Place the balls between wax paper and flatten slightly using your hands.
Press each ball lightly to form a patty shape.
Place two pieces of cheese inside each patty.
Cover with another piece of wax paper and press down firmly on top so that the cheese is completely enclosed within the patty.
Repeat steps 3 through 6 until you run out of patties and filling.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and place patties onto baking sheet covered with foil.
Bake for 30 minutes then remove foil and continue cooking for 10 more minutes.
Serve immediately.
How Do You Make Stuffed Meatloaf?
Making stuffed meatloaf takes a little bit more work than just putting ground beef into a loaf pan and baking it.
But it is well worth the effort!
The end result is an easy-to-make dish that will impress even the pickiest eaters.
Here is how to make stuffed meatloaf from scratch.
Step 1: Preparing the Meat Loaf Mix
The first step is to prepare the ground beef mix.
You want this to be as tender as possible so you would like to use chuck roast or top round instead of regular ground beef.
You also want to get rid of any excess fat before mixing the meat together.
To do this, place all of the pieces of meat between two sheets of plastic wrap.
Use a mallet or rolling pin to gently pound the meat until it flattens out slightly.
Once flattened out, remove the excess fat using paper towels.
Place the remaining ingredients (except butter) into a large bowl.
Add the ground beef mixture and combine thoroughly to form a uniform ball.
Step 2: Making Stuffed Meatloaf Mixture
Now we move onto forming the meatloaf itself.
Take one half of the mixture and shape it into a log shape.
Roll it back over itself to create a cylinder.
Once formed, cut off both ends of the cylinder. Repeat with the other half of the mixture.
Step 3: Stuffing Meatloaf Mixture With Seasonings
When stuffing the meatloaves with the desired seasonings, try not to pack them too tightly.
If you do, you run the risk of having the stuffing leak out during cooking.
Instead, leave room inside each meatloaf so that there is enough space for the filling to expand while cooking.
Also, if you have extra stuffing left over after stuffing each individual meatloaf, spread it out on a baking sheet and put it in the freezer.
When frozen solid, transfer the stuffing to resealable bags or containers.
Store these away in the refrigerator, where they will keep for up to three months.
What Ingredients Do You Need For Stuffed Meatloaf?
You will need:
- 1 pound ground beef (or turkey)
- 1/3 cup breadcrumbs or crushed crackers
- 4 eggs
- ½ teaspoon dried parsley flakes
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- Salt and pepper to taste
How Long Does It Take To Make Stuffed Meatloaf?
This recipe takes approximately 30 minutes from start to finish if you follow the directions exactly.
If you want to speed up this process so you get more done before your guests arrive, you may wish to cut down on the cooking time by using frozen breadcrumbs instead of fresh ones.
You will also likely save yourself some time by opting for ground beef rather than whole pieces of steak.
Step 1: Prepare Your Ingredients
The first step in any recipe is preparing all of the necessary ingredients.
In order to create a tasty meal, you must work diligently to prepare everything correctly.
For example, you might choose to use chicken broth or water as your stuffing ingredient instead of milk.
The reason why is because chicken broth has an intense umami taste, while milk only contains small amounts of glutamate.
As such, you will find that the stuffing tastes better when prepared with chicken broth.
Step 2: Boil Water and Cook Meat Loaf
Meat loaf requires the proper temperature to cook properly.
Once you boil the water, you will notice that it starts to foam slightly.
When it foams, it indicates that the water has reached its boiling point.
Once the water is at its boiling point, add the ground beef and let it simmer until the beef reaches 160 degrees Fahrenheit (71 C).
Step 3: Add Starch and Salt
After the beef has cooked through, you will need to add the salt and flour into the mixture.
Since the meatloaf is already seasoned, you won’t need much extra seasoning.
However, adding additional salt will help enhance the overall flavor of the dish.
As for the starch, feel free to leave out the flour entirely depending on how sweet or salty your filling needs to be.
Although there isn’t a set rule regarding what constitutes enough starch, you will probably find that the most common amount used is 1/4 cup of flour per pound of meat.
Step 4: Mix Everything Together
Now that you have added the salt and starch to the mixture, you will then need to mix everything together thoroughly.
To ensure that the entire stuffing has been mixed well, you will need to continue mixing until no lumps remain.
In addition to mixing, you will also need to knead the mixture. Kneading ensures that the stuffing becomes even more evenly distributed throughout the meatloaf.
By doing this, you will prevent the stuffing from getting stuck inside the meatloaf once it is heated.
As such, the stuffing remains moist during the baking phase.
Step 5: Form Into Round Pockets
At this stage, you are almost finished!
All that remains is to form the meatloaf pockets.
Using a large spoon, scoop out portions of the mixture onto a greased pan that fits perfectly within the size of the oven.
Make sure that you place each portion of the mixture into a round shape.
To ensure that the meatloaves hold their round shape after they cool off, fill them full of stuffing.
Try not to overstuff the meatloaves since too much stuffing will cause the meatloaves to lose their round shape.
Step 6: Bake Stuffing-Filled Meatloaf
Baking the meatloaf involves placing the filled meatloaves directly onto the stove top or into the oven.
If you decide to bake the meatloaves right away, simply place them directly on the burner.
Otherwise, you can wrap them tightly in foil and put them into the oven immediately.
Regardless of where you decide to place the meatloaves, you will still need to allow them to heat up completely before serving.
Can You Freeze Stuffed Meatloaf?
You can freeze any type of food if you want to save yourself from having to cook an entire meal at one time.
However, you will definitely have to thaw the frozen meatloaf before using it.
You may also find that the texture changes after freezing, so you might not want to use them as leftovers.
If you do decide to freeze a dish, however, there are several ways you can go about doing this.
Freeze Meat Loaf
This method involves wrapping up everything into individual portions (like small loaves) and placing them directly into freezer bags or containers.
When you are ready to eat, just pop out whatever amount you need and let it defrost in the fridge overnight.
The downside to this method is that you won’t get the same taste experience as eating fresh.
So, if you aren’t going to be serving these meals very often, then this is probably the best option for you.
Make Stuffed Meat Loaf Subs
Another simple solution is to cut each loaf into smaller pieces and wrap separately in plastic wrap.
Then place those wrapped portions into a single container and freeze.
Each portion has its own wrapper, which helps keep things organized while they are frozen.
Make Frozen Meatloaf Pizzas
Frozen meatloaf pizzas are another popular choice since they allow you to enjoy all the flavors of your favorite stuffed meatloaf without having to wait around for it to fully defrost.
To create a pizza crust, simply roll out a piece of pie dough and top it with stuffing.
Next, add toppings like cheese, peppers, onions, etc.
Once you’ve got that all set, put the whole thing back in the oven until it is cooked through.
Make Mini Pies Instead
Mini pies are a fun and easy alternative to frozen meatloaf sandwiches.
They are basically mini versions of regular meatloaf sandwiches, but instead of bread, you use pastry shells.
Fill the shells with your favorite filling, bake them, and voila! You now have a delicious treat that you can enjoy anytime.
What Is The Best Way To Reheat Stuffed Meatloaf?
Reheating food after freezing or refrigeration is easy if you know how to do it properly.
Just follow these simple steps:
- Remove any wrapping from the frozen or chilled food.
- Place the wrapped item onto a rack over a pan filled with hot water (120°F-140°F). The water will help release trapped moisture inside the packaged item.
- Allow the item to warm slowly by moving the rack around every 15 minutes or so until thawed completely.
- Once fully thawed, remove the packaging before serving.
What Should I Serve With Stuffed Meatloaf?
This recipe is so good that you may want to save it just for yourself.
That said, there are plenty of options for what else you could pair this with.
You could try serving it alongside mashed potatoes or baked beans.
If you like spicy food, you might also consider serving it with coleslaw instead.
What Are Some Variations Of The Stuffed Meatloaf Recipe?
If you want to try something different from the recipe below, here are some other options:
Vegetarian Stuffed Meatloaf
This vegetarian version uses egg noodles instead of breadcrumbs and adds mushrooms for extra protein.
Gluten-Free Stuffing Meatloaf
You can use gluten-free stuffing mix if you prefer not to eat wheat products or if your son has an allergy to them.
Italian Herb Meatloaf
It is important to add Italian seasoning at the end so that it doesn’t get too strong otherwise.
What Are Some Tips For Making The Perfect Stuffed Meatloaf?
The first thing you will want to think about when preparing this dish is how much stuffing you will use.
You will definitely want more than one layer of stuffing inside the loaf as well as some additional stuffing outside the loaf.
The amount of stuffing used depends on the size of the loaves you plan to cook.
Smaller loaves require less stuffing while larger ones usually require more stuffing.
If you are using large loaves then you may also wish to wrap them individually before cooking so that each individual piece has its own stuffing.
If you decide to bake the whole batch at once, then you will probably want to slice or cut them into smaller pieces after baking.
Another important tip to remember is that if you choose to stuff your meatloaf with cheese and bread crumbs, then you will want to add an egg wash to help bind everything together during the initial stages of cooking.
After the initial cooking process, however, you can skip the egg wash.
When you start prepping all of the other ingredients, you will want to work quickly.
Stuffed meatloaf cooks very fast, so you will only have enough time to prepare the filling, patty the loaf, and put it in the oven.
Once you get started, you won’t have time to stop!
Is There A Stuffed Meatloaf Recipe For Veget
It depends what type of vegetarian you prefer.
If you like tofu, then you will want to try this stuffed meatloaf recipe with tofu instead of ground beef or chicken.
If you prefer vegetables as part of your meals, then this stuffed meatloaf recipe has options for both those who eat eggs and those who don’t.
Ingredients for Stuffed Meatloaf Recipe with Vegetables
Meat Lovers’ Meal Ideas
For someone who likes meat, this stuffed meatloaf recipe is a tasty choice.
Ground beef is used here but any other types of meats could also work well with this dish.
You may even use leftover roast beef from last night’s meal if you wish!
Vegetarian Meal Idea
Many people think of stuffing meatloaf with bread crumbs.
While this is not a bad idea, we recommend using whole wheat bread so that you get more fiber and nutrients from the loaf.
The bread adds texture to the meat while keeping the loaf moist inside.
Equipment
- The Stove
- The Oven
Ingredients
- 2 pounds lean ground beef
- 1 cup bread crumbs
- 1/2 cup onion
- 1 egg
- 2 garlic
- 1/4 cup milk
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1 teaspoon basil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons worcestershire sauce
- 4 slices deli ham
- 5 slices mozzarella
- 1 roasted red pepper
- 1/2 cup basil leaves
Instructions
- Turn on the 375 degree oven. To make cleanup simple, line a 9 x 13 baking dish with foil.
- Combine the meat, bread crumbs, onion, egg, milk, oregano, basil, salt, and Worcestershire sauce in a large bowl. Use your hands to gently combine, being careful not to overdo it.
- Make a loaf out of half of the meat mixture and place it in a baking dish. Along the center, arrange the ham, mozzarella, roasted red peppers, and basil, leaving the edges unfilled so you can close it.
- the leftover meat mixture on top. (I think layering three huge patties is the simplest technique.) By tightly pressing the steak together, seal the edges.
Video
Nutrition
My blog is all about creating delicious meals with ingredients that are easy to find in your local grocery store. I’m passionate about making yummy meals that I can share with my friends and family.