Uptown Meatloaf

Serving  size  5

Prep   20  mins
Cook   60  mins

Total Time:   1 hour 20 mins

 Gluten Free    

 

Affectionaly called MeatLove in our house, this gluten free meatloaf is simply scrumptious comfort food at its best.  It is not your traditional meatloaf; more of something you might find at a nice restaurant.  I love the way it makes our home smell; inviting and warm.  Especially yummy on a fall or winter evening.”

INGREDIENTS 

• 2-2.5 lbs ground beef (not too lean)
• 2 large whole eggs (3 if they are smaller)
• 3 shallots or green onions
• 1 large sweet onion (regular yellow onion will work)
• 3-4 cloves of garlic
• 1 ½ cups of fresh mushrooms, chopped (any kind works, I prefer Baby Bellas or Crimini)
• 2 large handfuls of fresh spinach (uncooked)
• 4-6oz of plain goat cheese
• 1/3 cup tomato sauce
• ½ cayenne pepper powder
• 1 Tsp oregano
• 1 Tsp Sea Salt
• 2 sprigs of rosemary (finely chopped)

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
2. In a large bowl, mix ground beef, whole eggs, chopped mushrooms, chopped onion, chopped green onions (or shallots), minced garlic, oregano, salt and half the cayenne pepper.
3. When meat mixture is well blended and ingredients are evenly dispersed throughout the mixture, lay plastic wrap on counter slightly longer than your baking dish.  (I like to place the baking dish in front of plastic wrap to visually see the size I am trying to fit the free form meatloaf into.)
4. Flatten out meat mixture to fit on plastic wrap.  As best as possible ensure thickness is uniform.
5. Layout washed spinach evenly, lengthwise on meat mixture.  I usually sneak in a little extra spinach.  The kids eat it up!
6. Layout goat cheese evenly along spinach from end to end.
7. Time to roll this bad boy!  Slide clean hands under plastic wrap along the length of the rectangle.  Gently fold, flopping 1/3 of the meat over the spinach and
8. goat cheese.  Lightly tuck.
9. Pull plastic wrap off of 1/3 of meat that has been rolled over.
10. Pick up the other side of the plastic wrap and firmly roll over to make a log.  Press firmly.
11. Use sides of plastic wrap to transfer meatloaf to baking dish.  Roll out of plastic wrap, seam down into baking dish.  If it starts to come apart, simply press it back together firmly and re-shape.  Once cooked, you will never know. (BE SURE YOU VEHAVEHAVE REMOVED PLASTIC WRAP.)
12. Smother meatloaf in tomato sauce end to end.  Sprinkle with chopped rosemary.  Add a few twists of fresh ground pepper if you like.
13. Put in oven, uncovered for 55 – 65 minutes.
14. You will be slicing it to serve, so feel free to slice to ensure it is cooked all the way through.

 

 

Chef Notes:

Be sure your ground beef is not too lean; a little fat in this dish will make a big difference.  We prefer grass-fed, Prather Ranch ground beef.  I never knew I would be able taste a difference until we tried it!

Recipe inspired/adapted all or in part from The 4-hour Chef.

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 Gluten Free       Egg Free      Lactose Free    Vegetarian          *Dairy Free