Do you feel like enjoying some classic, savory recipes that taste like grandma’s dishes? How about some delicious meatloaf? Yes, that’s right! Why not choose a quick and easy way of cooking something that will surely “incite” your taste buds and delight your nostrils?
If you are not very fond of meatloaf, read these delicious meatloaf recipes that will definitely change your opinion about this mouthwatering culinary base! And if you simply love meatloaf, the following cooking ideas will most certainly make you hit the kitchen and try them for yourself!
Classic meatloaf recipes
A classic meatloaf dish could not overlook the traditional, Greek moussaka that obviously abounds in meatloaf!
For this delicious formula, you will need the following ingredients: 4-5 aubergines (eggplants); ½ kilo minced meat; 2-3 tomatoes; 1 teacup of olive oil; 2 onions, finely chopped; 1 bay leaf; 1 garlic clove; oil for frying; ½ teacup grated Parmesan cheese; some flour and 3 teacups of Bechamel sauce.
In order to start preparing your classic meatloaf, heat the oil in a pot and sauté the chopped onions together. Add the meatloaf and continue to sauté them for the next 10 minutes. Then, add the tomatoes, the garlic, the bay leaf, salt, and pepper and let them there for approximately one hour.
Meanwhile, after washing the aubergines and removing their stems, cut them into round slices and leave them for approximately one hour in salted water (to remove their bitter juices). Next, drain the round slices of aubergines, coat them with flour and fry them in hot oil (200 degrees Celsius). In a pan, arrange the aubergine slices in a layer with salt and pepper, put the minced meat in another layer, and then repeat the procedure until the end.
Finally, pour the Bechamel sauce over the last layer, add the grated Parmesan cheese, and bake them for about 20-25 minutes. Take this Greek meatloaf out after it is ready and serve it hot. Bon appétit!
Roast meatloaf with tomatoes, garlic & basil
And since we are talking about classic meatloaf recipes, why not try a new way of preparing it, with the ingredients of a typical American dish that will make you feel the crunchy and spicy meatloaf taste mixed all together?
Here is what you need: 2 red chopped onions; 1 tablespoon coriander seeds; 1 bit of ground cumin; 1 kg quality minced beef; 2 eggs; 2 tablespoons breadcrumbs; a couple of rosemary sticks (no more than 8); 10 cherry tomatoes; 2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped; olive oil and fresh basil.
Before you start cooking this dish, make sure you preheat the oven up to 220 degrees Celsius (425º F). Mix the meat, onions, and spices in a blender (or any other food processor) until they are well
chopped together. Then add the eggs, breadcrumbs, salt, and pepper. Put the mixture on a flat surface and divide it into 8 balls.
Remove the ends of the rosemary sticks and push each stick through each meatball, leaving the leafy bit sticking out. Cut the tomatoes in half and remove most of the seeds; next, season with the garlic, olive oil, and what you have left of the chopped rosemary leaves, leaving these ingredients on a roasting tray.
Place a baking rack over each roasting tray of tomatoes and arrange the meatballs on top. Put them in the oven for about half an hour or until you think the meat looks cooked and crisp on the outside. Take it out and sprinkle with fresh basil before serving.
A special way of cooking the meatloaf
If you crave some special meatloaf recipes from time to time, either because you would like to impress your partner/friends/pretentious guests you have at dinner, or you simply want to “pamper” yourself with a unique dish, here is a suggestion: Spicy Meatloaf with Olive Salsa.
This recipe has a bold and spicy steak sauce, lavishly seasoned with whole kernel corn and chopped black olives. You need 1 kg ground beef; 1 cup plain dry breadcrumbs (they are better if they are in Italian seasoned-style); ¾ cup Spicy Steak Sauce; 2 eggs; 1 medium red pepper, chopped; 1 can pitted black olives, drained, chopped and divided; 1 can whole kernel corn and ½ cup sliced green onions.
The oven has to be well pre-heated first (about 190 degrees Celsius). You mix the meat, the breadcrumbs, ½ cup of the steak sauce, the eggs, and half of the peppers and olives until everything is well blended. Put this mixture into the aluminum foil of a 32.5×23 cm baking pan.
Bake it for about 1 hour and 10 minutes; let it rest for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, mix the remaining peppers, ¼ cup of the steak sauce, remaining olives, corn, and onions. Season the meatloaf with it.
Therefore, meatloaf can come “at hand” when you have no idea what to cook because it will always be guaranteed success if you choose the right recipe (either classic, like the Greek moussaka), or a surprising combination of spicy ingredients (like the Spicy Meatloaf with Olive Salsa). In either case, these meatloaf recipes will surely not deceive your taste buds!