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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
Chef John’s Meatball-Style Loaf
  1. 1

    Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.

  2. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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.

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 411.36 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.
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 411.36 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.

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