Mom's Meatloaf
Meatloaf - an American classic; but of course, my family adds their own flair…a distinctly Italian flair! I will NOT eat meatloaf at a restaurant. And I generally won’t eat it at someone else’s house. Why? Because it’s not my mother’s meatloaf, which, in my opinion, is the only one worth eating! What makes hers so special (besides the obvious, she’s my Mom!)? It’s essentially a giant meatball! Yup. Mom makes meatloaf, basically the same way she makes meatballs. Instead of tomato sauce, she glazes it with some marsala wine at the end (told you there was an Italian flair!).
This was on the regular dinner rotation in my house growing up. Truth be told, it’s actually my grandmother’s recipe. Mom says she learned it from her - which I love because passing down recipes is EVERYTHING! If you’re an American meatloaf purist, your head may spin as you read our version. There is no ketchup, it’s not dry or thick like others I’ve seen. You actually can barely slice it evenly because it’s so moist it starts to break apart! But it’s DELICIOUS! We actually won a little friendly competition down at NJ 101.5 a while back with this dish!
Probably the best thing about it is it just feels like home. Served with potatoes and some veggies, it’s a really quintessential American dish that I feel like almost everyone grew up on in some form or fashion. But, if you’ve never had it, or you don’t like other recipes, give this one a try! And of course, make it your own! Check out the step by step cooking video below and then read through the recipe just beyond that.
Mom’s Meatloaf
Serves 4
1 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil
1 1/2 lbs. ground beef, veal & pork (all beef or any mix of the 3 would work)
2 C. Pepperidge Farm breadcrumbs
1/4 C. grated parmesan cheese
1 egg
1/4 C. chopped, fresh parsely
pinch of salt & pepper
1 C. sweet marsala wine
Preheat oven to 350°. Moisten the breadcrumbs with some warm water and set aside. Prepare a 7x11 baking dish with the olive oil.
In a large bowl, combine ground meat, moistened breadcrumbs, cheese, egg, and parsley. Add salt and pepper.
Use your hand to mix everything together until it becomes uniform and sticks together in a ball.
Loosely shape the meat mixture into a “loaf” and place it in the prepared baking dish. Use a sharp knife to gently cut an X pattern across the top.
Bake, uncovered for 30 minutes. Remove from the oven. Pour marsala wine on top of the meatloaf and return to the oven for another 15 minutes.
Serve hot with potatoes and salad or roasted veggies.