Zucchini meatloaf, easy to make yet really tasty… a great alternative to the classic meatloaf, especially if you have some zucchini to use up in the fridge. In this recipe, I decided not to add boiled potatoes but to enrich the mixture with provolone and cooked ham (which you can omit if you want a vegetarian dish). The preparation is very easy, and after cooking, your meatloaf will be soft inside but with a nice crust on the outside… give it a try!
Here are some other tasty ideas:
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Cheap
- Preparation time: 20 Minutes
- Portions: 4 People
- Cooking methods: Oven, Stove
- Seasonality: Spring, Summer
- Energy 177.01 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 19.46 (g) of which sugars 0.70 (g)
- Proteins 11.93 (g)
- Fat 6.60 (g) of which saturated 3.29 (g)of which unsaturated 2.40 (g)
- Fibers 2.19 (g)
- Sodium 396.89 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 125 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients
- 1.1 lbs zucchini
- 1 egg (large)
- 3.5 oz white sandwich bread
- 1.75 oz cooked ham
- 1.75 oz provolone
- 1 tbsp Grana Padano cheese, grated
- as needed breadcrumbs
- 1 clove garlic
- parsley
- 2 leaves mint
- extra virgin olive oil
- salt
Tools
- Baking tray
- Parchment paper
- Bowl
- Grater
- Pan
- Blender
Preparation
Wash the zucchini, remove the ends, and grate them with a coarse grater.
Place them in a pan, add a drizzle of oil and a pinch of salt, and cook them for a few minutes until they dry out from their water (1). Then transfer them to a bowl and let them cool.
Meanwhile, chop the bread in the blender along with the garlic, parsley, and mint.
Add the chopped mixture to the zucchini, then add the egg, the Grana, and mix (2).
Add the ham and provolone cut into small cubes (3).
Mix with a spoon to distribute the ingredients. Add 2-3 tablespoons of breadcrumbs, until you get a soft but well-compacted mixture.
Transfer everything onto a sheet of parchment paper and, with your hands, shape it into a meatloaf. Wrap it with the paper and then seal it with a sheet of foil. Place the meatloaf in the fridge for 30-40 minutes so it will firm up and hold its shape during cooking.
After the time has passed, open the wrapper and sprinkle the surface with a little breadcrumbs. Place the meatloaf in a baking tray and drizzle with a bit of oil (4).
Place the tray in a preheated oven at 355-365°F and bake the meatloaf for about 40 minutes, or until it is nicely golden on top.
The zucchini meatloaf is ready, let it cool for a few minutes before cutting it, otherwise it might break. Serve it warm or at room temperature… enjoy!
Tips and Notes
You can omit the ham or replace it with speck cut into thin strips.
Adjust the amount of breadcrumbs based on the consistency of the mixture, which depends on the moisture contained in the zucchini.
You can use sandwich bread, sliced bread, or stale bread, even whole grain.
You can also use raw zucchini: grate them, salt them, and place them in a colander. After they have released their water, squeeze them and dry them with paper towels.
If you want to keep following me
You can find me on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest!
To receive the recipe of the day for free, you can subscribe to my Telegram channel.
If you like the recipes and want to support my work, you can buy me a coffee on Ko-fi.
