Chef John’s Meatball-Style Loaf
Chef John’s Meatball-Style Loaf brings classic Italian meatball flavors into a sliceable, tender meatloaf. Milk-soaked breadcrumbs, Parmesan, parsley, and a touch of cayenne create a juicy interior topped with rich tomato sauce for a comforting finish. Ideal for a cozy family dinner or meal prep with leftovers for sandwiches.
- Prep20 mins
- Cook1 hr 15 mins
- Serves10
- DifficultyMedium
easyChef Pro health score
Calculated from USDA-referenced nutrient data for the ingredients in Chef John’s Meatball-Style Loaf, not estimated by an AI model. The same recipe returns the same score every time.
- Glycemic ImpactFair
- 48 / 100
- Carb quality, not quantity. Higher is better.
- Nutritional DensityPoor
- 0 / 100
- Nutrients per calorie. Higher is better.
- Energy DensityFair
- 58 / 100
- Calories by weight. Higher means more food for fewer calories.
- NOVA Processed Culinary Ingredients
- 2 / 4
- Processing level, 1 (whole) to 4 (ultra-processed). Lower is better.
How it scores for each health goal
The same recipe scores differently against different goals, because the goal changes the calculation rather than filtering a list. Set your goal in easyChef Pro and every recipe is scored against it.
- 11
- Heart Health
- 56
- Metabolic
- 19
- Digestive
- 25
- Inflammatory
- 42
- Performance
- 32
- General Wellness
- 1
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.
- 2
Heat the olive oil and butter together in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sauté the onion with a pinch of salt in the hot oil and butter until the onion is golden brown and soft, 5 to 10 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Remove the skillet from the heat and let the onion mixture cool to room temperature.
- 3
Put the bread crumbs in a large bowl. Add the milk and stir with a fork until combined. Let it sit until all the milk is absorbed into the breadcrumbs, 15 to 20 minutes.
- 4
Combine the ground chuck, cooled onion mixture, parsley, Parmesan cheese, eggs, 2 teaspoons salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper in a bowl. Grab a handful of breadcrumbs and squeeze very gently to remove the excess milk. Repeat with the remaining breadcrumbs, transfer the breadcrumbs to the ground chuck mixture, and discard the excess milk. Stir the ground chuck mixture until evenly combined.
- 5
Turn the chuck mixture out into the prepared baking dish, and shape the meat into a 3x4x10-inch meatloaf. Pour the tomato sauce over the loaf and into the bottom of the dish.
- 6
Bake in the preheated oven until no longer pink in the center, about 1 hour 10 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read at least 160 degrees F (70 degrees C). Let the meatloaf rest for at least 10 minutes before slicing.
- Calories 427.63 kcal High 21%
- Protein 24.52 g Good Source 49%
- Carbohydrate 25.62 g 9%
- Total Fat 24.91 g High 32%
- Saturated Fat 10.05 g High 50%
- Trans Fat 0.0 g Low Source 0%
- Cholesterol 121.7 mg High 41%
- Sodium 576.47 mg High 25%
- Dietary Fiber 1.83 g Low Source 7%
- Total Sugars 5.55 g --
- Added Sugars 0.63 g Low Source 1%
- Calcium 156.06 mg Moderate 12%
- Iron 3.48 mg Moderate 19%
- Potassium 348.96 mg Low Source 7%
- Vitamin A 97.57 mcg Moderate 11%
- Vitamin C 8.95 mg Low Source 10%
- Vitamin D 0.63 mcg Low Source 3%
Values are per serving. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000-calorie diet.
- Eggs 🥚
- Milk 🥛
- Wheat 🌾
- Gluten
- Tomatoes 🍅
- Garlic 🧄
- Onions 🧅
About This Recipe
Chef John's Meatball Style Loaf is an American dinner recipe made with 14 ingredients. It takes about 1 hr 35 mins, serves 10, and is rated medium. Key ingredients include Black Pepper, Bread Crumbs, Butter, and Cayenne Pepper. Each serving provides about 427.63 kcal, and is a good source of protein.
Recipe Questions
- What is Chef John’s Meatball-Style Loaf?
- It is an American meatball recipe made with 14 ingredients, usually served for dinner or lunch.
- What is Chef John’s Meatball-Style Loaf made of?
- The main ingredients are Black Pepper, Bread Crumbs, Butter, Cayenne Pepper, Eggs. The full list of 14 is above.
- What goes well with Chef John’s Meatball-Style Loaf?
- Explore these American side-dish recipes.
- How long does it take to make Chef John’s Meatball-Style Loaf?
- About 1 hr 35 mins in total: 20 mins to prepare and 1 hr 15 mins to cook.
- How many calories are in one serving?
- One serving provides about 427.63 kcal. The full nutrition breakdown is above.
- Is Chef John’s Meatball-Style Loaf easy to make?
- This recipe is rated medium, with 14 ingredients and 6 steps.
- Is Chef John’s Meatball-Style Loaf healthy?
- Chef John’s Meatball-Style Loaf has an easyChef Pro health score of 37/100. Per serving, it provides 427.63 calories and 24.52 g of protein, or 49% of the Daily Value. Worth noting per serving: sodium at 576.47 mg (25% of the Daily Value) and saturated fat at 10.05 g (50% of the Daily Value). It contains Eggs, Milk, Wheat, Gluten, Tomatoes, Garlic and Onions, so it may not be suitable for people with those allergies or dietary restrictions. Whether it fits your goals depends on your complete meal plan and nutritional needs. Remix it in easyChef Pro to adjust the ingredients and generate fresh nutrition and scores.
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The calculation evaluates nutrients, calorie density, processing level, and how well the food supports your selected health goal. Protein, fiber, vitamins, minerals and other beneficial nutrients can strengthen the score. High amounts of sodium, saturated fat, added sugar and other nutrients may lower it.
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