Do you like bacon cheeseburgers? Try this healthy meatloaf recipe packed with bacon and Cheddar cheese. It has all the flavor of a bacon cheeseburger with none of the guilt.
Ingredients
1 large yellow onion, cut into 2-inch pieces
8 ounces button mushrooms, halved
2 cloves garlic
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, or canola oil
4 strips center-cut bacon, divided
5 tablespoons ketchup, divided
1/4 cup dill pickle relish
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 large egg, lightly beaten
3/4 cup fresh breadcrumbs, preferably whole-wheat (see Tip)
2 pounds lean (90% or leaner) ground beef
1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Coat a large rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray (or see Loaf Pan Variation).
- Pulse onion, mushrooms and garlic in a food processor until finely chopped. (Or finely chop them with a knife.)
- Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the vegetables and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender and most of the liquid has evaporated, 5 to 10 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl and let cool for 10 minutes.
- Finely chop 2 slices bacon and add to the bowl with the vegetables. Add 3 tablespoons ketchup, relish and Worcestershire; stir to combine. Stir in egg and breadcrumbs. Add ground beef and with clean hands gently knead the vegetable mixture into the meat; do not overmix. Pat the meat mixture into a loaf shape (about 12 by 5 inches) on the prepared baking sheet. Spread the remaining 2 tablespoons ketchup on top. Sprinkle cheese down the middle and place the remaining 2 slices of bacon on each side of the cheese.
- Bake the meatloaf until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the center registers 165°F, about 45 minutes. Let rest for 10 minutes before slicing.
Make Ahead Tip: Prepare through Step 3, cover and refrigerate for up to 1 day. Let stand at room temperature while oven preheats; bake until an instant-read thermometer registers 165°F, about 1 hour.
Tip: To make your own fresh breadcrumbs, trim crusts from whole-wheat bread. Tear bread into pieces and process in a food processor until coarse crumbs form. To make fine breadcrumbs, process until very fine. To make dry breadcrumbs, spread coarse or fine breadcrumbs on a baking sheet and bake at 250°F until dry, about 10 to 15 minutes. One slice of bread makes about 1/2 cup fresh breadcrumbs or about 1/3 cup dry breadcrumbs.
Loaf Pan Variation: If you want a more uniform-shaped “loaf” you can bake your meatloaf in a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan instead of on a baking sheet. Coat the pan with cooking spray, pat the meatloaf mixture into the pan and cover with the topping. Bake for about 1 hour. Let stand for 10 minutes in the pan before slicing.
Makes: 10 servings
Nutritional Information
225 calories
12 g fat
5 g saturated fat
83 mg cholesterol
370 mg sodium
6 g carbohydrates
1 g fiber
3 g sugars
22 g protein
