Balsamic Glazed Roasted Vegetable Meatloaf is full of flavor and a great way to include vegetables in a family-friendly meal. You’re either a meatloaf lover or a meatloaf hater. I happen to like meatloaf, but I know plenty of people who have an adverse reaction at the very mention of it. Several years ago, my sister passed along a healthy meatloaf recipe by Bobby Flay that included lots of finely chopped roasted vegetables in the meatloaf mix, topped with a sweet and tangy balsamic ketchup glaze. I was skeptical at first and was afraid my kids would revolt at the thought of having vegetables in their meatloaf, but I was wrong.
In fact, my kids absolutely love this meatloaf. My oldest son is the only one who refuses to touch meatloaf, but the other boys keep telling him how good “mom’s meatloaf” is. I’ve been tweaking the recipe a bit the last few years, making it gluten-free (using gluten-free rolled oats) and lightening it up by using ground turkey, chicken, or lean ground beef. Because there are so many vegetables in this meatloaf recipe, it’s really moist. I also added mushrooms to the recipe which I whirled around in my food processor until finely chopped. I just love how the vegetables bulk up this meatloaf – sneaky mom I know ;).
I actually think this balsamic glazed roasted vegetable meatloaf is prettier than most meat loaves – it’s hard to take pictures of brown food that look good, so the little bits of red bell pepper actually make this more appetizing. I made this the other night and served it with simply steamed broccoli drizzled with a little garlic infused extra virgin olive oil, and roasted garlic mashed potatoes moistened with chicken broth, non-fat Greek yogurt, a little low-fat milk and a little extra virgin olive oil. The boys welcomed this comfort meal, and I was happy that it was lighter and healthier than your average meatloaf.
5 from 2 votes
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Instead of the balsamic ketchup glaze, you can also use honey mustard.
CourseMain Course
Prep Time20minutes
Cook Time1hour
Total Time1hour20minutes
Servings8
Calories305kcal
Ingredients
1tablespoonolive oil
1large zucchinifinely diced
1red bell pepperfinely diced
1 8-ouncepackage mushroomsfinely minced (I used the food processor and pulsed them)
3clovesgarlicsmashed to a paste with kosher salt
1/2teaspoonred pepper flakes
salt and pepper to taste
2large eggslightly beaten
1teaspoondried thyme
2poundsground turkeychicken, lean ground beef or a mixture
1cupgluten-free oatmealprocessed in a food processor or gluten-free breadcrumbs (use ends of gluten-free bread)
1/2cupgrated Romano cheese
1cupketchupdivided
1/4cupplus 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Heat oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add zucchini, pepper, mushrooms, garlic paste, and 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes. Cook until vegetable are just softened, about 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Set aside to cool.
Put eggs, thyme, ground meat, ground oatmeal or bread crumbs, cheese, 1/2 cup ketchup, 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar, and cooled vegetables in a large bowl and mix until just combined.
Mold meatloaf into a loaf shape on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Whisk together remaining 1/2 cup ketchup, 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar, and 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes. Brush mixture on top and sides of meatloaf. Bake for about 1 hour, depending on how thick the meatloaf is. If meatloaf is browning too quickly, turn oven down to 325. Let meatloaf rest for 10 before slicing.
Follow this tip: Whether you use a classic blend of onion, carrot, and celery, or go for a blend of different veggies, give them a quick sauté with some olive oil first. Not only will the vegetables be more tender and flavorful, but they'll also add a little more moisture to the meat.
Whisk together the eggs and herbs in a large bowl. Add the meat, bread crumbs, cheese, 1/2 cup of the ketchup and 2 tablespoons of the balsamic vinegar, the vegetables and mix until just combined. Mold the meatloaf on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
Another common reason meatloaf is mushy is too much filler, like breadcrumbs, bread, and oatmeal. Too much filler will stop it from baking correctly and becoming a fully formed meatloaf. So, just as you would reduce the amount of liquid you use, reduce the amount of filler you use.
The leaner the meat, the dryer and grainier the meatloaf. For an all-beef meatloaf, always use a higher-fat cut, at least 15 percent. For a meatloaf made with a leaner beef or turkey, consider mixing in some ground pork and/or veal in order to achieve a moist, tender meatloaf.
Milk and other dairy products, like heavy cream and buttermilk, contain both water and fat, adding two types of moisture to our meatloaf. There's a long-held theory that milk can tenderize ground meat, and this is the reason often cited for cooking ground meat in milk to make a Bolognese-style ragù.
Should I cook my meatloaf covered or uncovered? The meatloaf can be cooked uncovered. However, if you are concerned about it burning, you can cover the meatloaf with foil for the first 45 minutes and uncover it for the final 15 minutes to allow the meatloaf to brown on top.
The answer lies in the binding ingredient. Binding ingredients are the items that, quite literally, pull your dish together. In meatloaf, this is most commonly the eggs and breadcrumbs.
Mix ground beef, salt, pepper, onion, bell pepper, egg, tomatoes and oats together well and place in a baking dish. Shape into a loaf. Topping: Mix ketchup, brown sugar and mustard and spread on loaf.
For best results use a moderate oven temperature of 350 degrees and either the Convection Bake or Convection Roast Mode. I cook the meatloaf in the middle of the oven and the vegetables on a lower rack.
Sure, egg yolks add some rich flavor to a meatloaf, but the real reason we need eggs is for structure—to help bind the meatloaf together. This is especially important since we're making a free-form meatloaf, or one that you shape by hand, versus using a loaf pan.
Let the loaf cool for at least 15 minutes before serving. If you baked the meatloaf in a loaf pan, carefully drain off the liquid fat before transferring the meatloaf to a clean cutting board.
Try adding minced garlic, parsley, and thyme for a deeply savory taste. For mouthwateringly bold meatloaf, add Worcestershire sauce, Dijon mustard, and ketchup to the pre-baked mixture. This blend ensures that each bite is deliciously balanced with just a hint of sweetness.
Not only does sheet pan meatloaf bake up faster than its traditional loaf-shaped cousin, it also has more surface area, meaning every bite is laden with that deliciously caramelized topping.
For this reason, it's imperative that you saute any veggies and aromatics before mixing them into the meat to slightly soften them and unlock their flavor. Anything from onions to garlic to carrots to celery to fennel would be a great vegetable addition.
When you're making a stovetop dish with meat and veggies, like one-skillet chicken cacciatore or spicy beef stir fry, it's tempting to want to throw everything in the pan together and let it cook all at once. But for optimal flavors and textures, make sure to sauté your veggies after your meat.
Cook and stir vegetables for 2 minutes. Stir beef into vegetables and season with soy sauce and sesame seeds. Continue to cook and stir until vegetables are tender, about 2 more minutes.
A wide array of vegetables can be used, including onions, carrots, celery, green peppers, red peppers, and summer squash. One tip is to sauté them in butter or olive oil before adding them to the meatloaf. This will ensure they release more of their moisture into the meatloaf.
Introduction: My name is Greg Kuvalis, I am a witty, spotless, beautiful, charming, delightful, thankful, beautiful person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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You’re either a meatloaf lover or a meatloaf hater. I happen to like meatloaf, but I know plenty of people who have an adverse reaction at the very mention of it. Several years ago, my sister passed along a healthy meatloaf recipe by Bobby Flay that included lots of finely chopped roasted vegetables in the meatloaf mix, topped with a sweet and tangy balsamic ketchup glaze. I was skeptical at first and was afraid my kids would revolt at the thought of having vegetables in their meatloaf, but I was wrong.
