The eggless meatloaf stuffed with zucchini is a succulent recipe that will brighten our table with its deliciousness and inviting aroma. It’s a very easy main course to enrich with many other ingredients such as mozzarella, mushrooms, sausages and pancetta. Perfect for the holiday table, it can also be made for a buffet, because it’s delicious both hot and cold. This meatloaf contains no eggs but, thanks to the zucchini and the bread crumb, it stays moist and tender.
- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Budget-friendly
- Preparation time: 30 Minutes
- Cooking time: 30 Minutes
- Portions: 10
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Autumn, Winter and Spring
Ingredients
- 1 lb 2 oz mixed ground beef and pork
- 2 slices bread (also gluten-free sandwich bread)
- 3 tbsp blend of Pecorino and Parmesan (grated)
- 2 zucchini (about 8.8 oz (about 250 g))
- to taste salt and pepper
- 1 lb 10 oz potatoes
- 4 large carrots
- to taste spices of choice
- to taste extra virgin olive oil
- to taste fine salt
Preparation
Wash the zucchini, remove the ends and slice them very, very thinly (or you can grate them using the larger holes of a grater, if that is more convenient).
Soak the bread crumb and squeeze it thoroughly. Place it in a mixing bowl with the meat, one tablespoon of grated cheese, fine salt and a pinch of pepper. Mix all the ingredients until you obtain a soft mixture and form it into a ball.
Preheat the oven to its highest setting.
Place the meat mixture between two sheets of parchment paper and, using a rolling pin, roll it out to obtain a rectangle about 1/4 inch thick. Remove the top sheet of parchment paper, arrange the zucchini over half of the meat “sheet” (leaving the edges free) and sprinkle the remaining grated cheese. It won’t be necessary to season the zucchini, because they will absorb seasoning from the meat.
Using the parchment paper to help, roll the sheet up gradually and, as you go, brush the meat with a little extra virgin olive oil. In the end you will obtain a cylinder.
Prepare the side dish
Wash the potatoes and carrots. Peel the potatoes, cut them into large cubes or wedges; do the same with the carrots. Transfer them to a mixing bowl and season with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, pepper and spices of choice.
Place the meatloaf in a baking dish lined with parchment paper (with the seam side down) and surround it with the potatoes and carrots. Bake on the middle rack for 10 minutes at the highest temperature; then lower the oven to 392°F and continue cooking for another 20–25 minutes or so.
When the eggless meatloaf stuffed with zucchini is cooked, take it out of the oven immediately, as residual heat could dry it out. Salt the potatoes and carrots at the end of cooking, and let the meatloaf cool slightly before slicing.
