Think of ground beef as mundane weeknight fare? Feel like only a big, honking roast spells holiday feast? This fancy meatloaf (yes, meatloaf!) is here to change your mind. Recast as an impressive centerpiece bursting with creamy, cheesy spinach and slathered in glossy ketchup, this lower budget protein can be tender, delicious, and positively luxurious.
There’s no risk of overworking the meat mixture (in fact, frenetic mixing is highly encouraged) so take your time forming a perfect log. Should your baked meatloaf crack in spots, arrange the parsley strategically on top and call it art.
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What you’ll need
Silicone Pastry Brush
$11 At Amazon
Instant-Read Thermometer
$35 At Thermoworks
Large Skillet
$74 At Amazon
Rimmed Baking Sheet
$26 At Amazon
Ingredients
8 servings
Filling
2
1
4
2
1½
1
⅔
2
8
⅓
Meatloaf and assembly
2
1
1
¼
2
2
½
Preparation
Filling
Step 1
Heat 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Cook 1 large red onion, cut into ½" pieces, stirring occasionally, until softened and translucent, 5–7 minutes; transfer to a medium bowl. Add 4 oz. chilled cream cheese, cut into pieces, 2 tsp. Diamond Crystal or 1¼ tsp. Morton kosher salt, and 1½ tsp. garlic powder to bowl and mix to combine, then mix in 1 large egg and ⅔ cup panko. Add two 10-oz. packages frozen chopped spinach, thawed, squeezed dry, 8 oz. extra-sharp cheddar, coarsely grated, and ⅓ cup chopped pickled cherry or other hot peppers and mix again. Set filling aside.
Meatloaf and assembly
Step 2
Place a rack in middle of oven; preheat to 375°. Lightly whisk 2 large eggs in a large bowl. Using a wooden spoon or rubber spatula, stir in 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth, 1 cup panko, ¼ cup soy sauce, preferably low-sodium, and 2 tsp. Diamond Crystal or 1¼ tsp. Morton kosher salt. Let sit at least 15 minutes and up to 30 minutes (you want panko to hydrate).
Step 3
Add 2 lb. ground beef (15–20% fat) to bowl with egg mixture and mix until fully incorporated (your hands are most efficient for this; there is no fear of overmixing).
Step 4
Lay a few large pieces of plastic wrap on a slightly damp surface to create about a 15" square. Transfer meat mixture to plastic wrap and pat into a ½"-thick 13x9" rectangle. Scatter spinach filling over meat mixture and pat into an even layer, leaving a ½" border of meat mixture exposed on long sides. Starting from the long side closest to you, roll meat mixture into a log, enclosing filling (just as you would a jelly roll), using plastic wrap to lift and shape log. Using plastic wrap, squeeze ends of log closed to seal. Transfer log to a parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet. Carefully remove and discard plastic wrap. Gently reshape meatloaf as needed.
Step 5
Bake meatloaf until golden brown and an instant-read thermometer inserted into center registers 140°, 30–40 minutes. Brush meatloaf with ¼ cup ketchup; bake until ketchup feels tacky, 10–12 minutes. Brush remaining ¼ cup ketchup on top and bake until surface is tacky and thermometer inserted into the center registers 155°, 8–10 minutes. Let meatloaf cool on baking sheet 15 minutes.
Step 6
Transfer meatloaf to a platter; top with parsley leaves with tender stems. Place drained pickled vegetables in a small bowl and serve alongside.
Do ahead: Spinach mixture can be made up to 1 day ahead. Cover and chill.
How would you rate Creamed-Spinach-Stuffed Meatloaf?
Leave a Review
Reviews (1)
Back to TopI made half of this recipe last night. While rolling the log takes some patience, it was well worth it! The pickled cherry peppers are a must. We loved them. The hubs had a slice this morning with a runny egg on top. Perfect amount for two, with enough for a couple of lunches or breakfasts later in the week!
Tricia
3/15/2024
This was so good - I made a 1/2 recipe and did not roll up, just put 1/2 the meat on parchment, then the spinach, then the rest of the meat and patted it together. Next time I'll make it in a meatloaf pan - the meat mixture was pretty "loose" and did spread. The pickled vegetables were a big hit, I made a full recipe of these and we ate all of them. Next time a double batch of vegetables - so easy and delicious. Also what a pretty plate, very colorful. Also I might try to make this into spinach stuffed meatballs. Thank you for this great idea!!!
Dana C
Cleveland OH
3/6/2023
Delicious! A new take on meatloaf with addition of pickled cherry peppers-adds a little kick! My family loved it and declared it "a keeper!"
Biggie
Bayville, NY
1/8/2023
Expected more from a BA recipe. Mediocre at best. The meat mixture needs far more seasoning. Use fresh garlic instead of garlic powder. Plus it split open during cooking and looked a mess. Won’t make again
DebW
Massillon
12/12/2022
This was awful. I wanted to like it and was willing to try. I followed the recipe almost exactly. I am an experienced cook, and didn't find the stuffing and rolling hard. It just tasted awful. The texture of meat was dry, salty and boring. The filling was uninteresting, just tasted like cooked spinach. Do not waste your time, just use a meat loaf recipe you trust. We through out the leftovers which is unusual for us.
Gayle
Portland, Oregon
12/10/2022
This turned out great! I used goat cheese instead of cream cheese which worked well. It’s a bit of a project, and takes some dexterity to roll it up (I’m amazed I did a decent job on the first try), but worth it!
Jaclyn K
Vermont
12/7/2022
I followed the recipe and it turned out amazing! My whole family loved it. The flavors were incredible.
Anonymous
Pacific Northwest
12/7/2022
Let me start by saying I'm a retired professional cook, and have been a BA subscriber since 1979. This recipe needs a serious redo. It was awful. It seemed like an interesting recipe. Jacques Pepin (one of my idols) said, in the same issue "I feel that you should make the dish exactly like the recipe says". I generally think that's true, except I did saute fresh garlic with the onions instead of using garlic powder. I was dubiuos of all the cheese. The cream cheese made this, to me, inedible. It was a mushy mess. I would omit the cream cheese entirely, and use a lot less cheddar. I also like to add a bit of basil and thyme when I make meatloaf. Also, I don't really see the point of rolling it up. You could just add the spinach and peppers to the meat mixture and bake it. I have been tweaking recipes as long as I've been cooking. This one needs help.
Dill Lamb
Seattle WA
12/5/2022