The baked stuffed meatloaf has always been one of those dishes that immediately feels like family, whether it’s for a celebration or a classic Sunday lunch.
With this recipe you’ll get a delicious and flavorful meatloaf, very tender and at the same time one that won’t “fall apart” when sliced.
This meatloaf, moreover, being stuffed (besides spinach and cooked ham) with hard-boiled eggs, is truly perfect also as a main dish for Easter.
Because it’s so beautiful to look at, it might give the impression that it’s complicated to make, but trust me, it’s absolutely not. If you also follow the detailed recipe and the full video I carefully prepared for you, you won’t have any doubts!
If you prefer the classic meatloaf without filling, you can click here: BAKED MEATLOAF.
Here are also a few other ideas for tasty and satisfying mains:
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Budget-friendly
- Preparation time: 15 Minutes
- Cooking time: 40 Minutes
- Portions: 6 People
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Easter, Autumn, Winter and Spring
Ingredients to make BAKED STUFFED MEATLOAF
- 1 lb 9 oz mixed ground meat
- 2 eggs (medium)
- Half pita bread (or two slices of sandwich bread or the soft inner part of a loaf)
- as needed milk (a splash, to soften the bread)
- 2 oz grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (about 1/2 cup grated)
- 1 sprig chopped parsley (fresh or frozen)
- to taste salt
- to taste pepper (ground)
- to taste nutmeg
- to taste garlic powder (or fresh, finely chopped)
- 4 hard-boiled eggs (large)
- 21 oz frozen spinach (cooked in a pan with oil and salt, and well squeezed (about two 10-oz bags))
- 5 slices cooked ham (approximately 4-5 oz (120-150 g))
Tools to prepare BAKED STUFFED MEATLOAF
- 1 Bowl large
- Parchment paper
- Baking pan
Steps to make BAKED STUFFED MEATLOAF
First of all, which can also be done in advance (for example the night before), cook the spinach in a pan with a little salt and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. During cooking, if necessary, add half a cup of water (about half a glass).
Also prepare the hard-boiled eggs and, once cooled, peel them.
Now prepare the meatloaf mixture: in a large bowl, crumble by hand half a pita bread (alternatively two slices of sandwich bread), pour a splash of milk to soften it and mash it with a fork until it has completely absorbed the milk.
Add the ground meat, salt, pepper, parsley, nutmeg and garlic powder, adjusting quantities to taste (watch the VIDEO if you want a rough idea).
Finally add the two fresh eggs and the grated Parmigiano and start mixing all the ingredients well (with your hands or with a fork) until you obtain a homogeneous mixture.
If it seems a little too wet, add a couple of handfuls of breadcrumbs.
Prepare a rectangular sheet of parchment paper on your work surface and turn the meat mixture onto it; begin to spread it with a fork, giving it a rectangular shape with a thickness of about 3/8 inch (approximately 1 cm).
To help you, you can place a second sheet of parchment paper on top and use a rolling pin to flatten. The more precise the rectangle, the more attractive your stuffed meatloaf will look.
Now take care of the filling: spread the spinach evenly over the meat (make sure it’s well squeezed and cold), then distribute the slices of cooked ham evenly and finally place the hard-boiled eggs in a row down the center of the rectangle.
Close the meatloaf using the parchment paper, folding the two long sides together over the central row of eggs. For this step I also recommend watching the VIDEO at the top of the page.
Twist the free ends of the parchment like a candy wrapper and gently place your stuffed meatloaf onto a baking tray, also lined with a sheet of parchment paper.
Bake in a conventional oven at 374°F (190°C) for about 40 minutes, taking care, roughly halfway through cooking, to open the parchment paper so the surface of your meatloaf can brown nicely.
Once removed from the oven, wait about ten minutes before slicing and serving; this will make it much easier to form slices while keeping the meat and its spectacular filling intact.
You will taste the goodness and tenderness of this wonderful BAKED STUFFED MEATLOAF!
Variations and storage
The filling of this soft and flavorful meatloaf can be varied in many ways according to your personal tastes; it can be further enriched, for example, with slices of cheese (sweet or smoked provola, fontina, scamorza). You can use speck instead of cooked ham or, instead of spinach, use chard or other wild greens.
The baked stuffed meatloaf can be safely kept for 1-2 days in the refrigerator in an airtight container or on a plate covered with aluminum foil or plastic wrap.
FAQ (Questions and Answers)
Can I use veal or beef mince instead of mixed mince?
It is certainly possible to use different types of ground meat. I recommend the mixed mince because, being a fattier meat, it makes the meatloaf less dry.
What can I substitute for cooked ham?
Instead of cooked ham, I suggest, for example, speck.
What can I use instead of spinach?
Instead of spinach you can use chard or any other wild greens previously sautéed in a pan with oil or butter.
