Best Meatloaf Recipe - Get the Secret
How can you make your meatloaf truly irresistible and unforgettable? The secret ingredient is sauerkraut! By adding sauerkraut to your traditional meatloaf recipe, you not only enhance the flavor but also boost its nutritional value. This delicious twist on classic comfort food incorporates the health benefits of fermentation, promoting better gut health. If you’re looking for a unique meatloaf recipe that stands out from the rest, try this simple addition of sauerkraut to create a mouthwatering dish that’s both wholesome and satisfying. Upgrade your meatloaf today and experience the difference!
Years ago, I had leftover sauerkraut in the fridge and added it to my meatloaf. It was delicious, but I worried I would not replicate it because I didn’t take notes. I made it several times and achieved the perfect recipe. My favorite way is to make it in a cast-iron skillet, but making it in two loaf pans is a great option. You can eat one and freeze the other. All these methods are in this post and recipe below. Try this delicious sauerkraut meatloaf recipe – it makes an excellent addition to your meal rotation.
Sauerkraut and Gut Health
In addition to the flavor sauerkraut provides to meatloaf, it also improves your gut health. Sauerkraut is a fermented cabbage that contains probiotics. According to Well + Good, eating sauerkraut can improve your microbiome. A healthy gut provides:
- Better energy
- Quality sleep
- Boost immunity
- Improves mood
- Enhances digestion
Note: Cooking sauerkraut can diminish the live cultures, so I recommend serving a side of moderately heated sauerkraut at the dinner table. One tablespoon will provide millions of probiotics. Try blending some room temperature or slightly warmed sauerkraut into Sour Cream Mashed Potatoes.
Ingredient Notes
Meatloaf is forgiving and great for using ingredients in the fridge or pantry. I learned that from my mom. Once, we were on summer vacation at the cottage, and she ground Quaker Quisp Corn Cereal into the loaf because it was handy. We ate every bite. But after creating this sauerkraut meatloaf recipe, I don’t wing it anymore. Why I use these ingredients:
- Sauerkraut – look for packages that say they contain probiotics or live active cultures – usually in the refrigerated section or from the local farmers market.
- Protein: Grass-fed ground beef, ground turkey, or lamb are good choices. The nutrition facts panel below shows that this recipe uses 90% lean ground beef.
- Garlic, onions, and carrots are prebiotics. Web MD notes that a healthy gut also needs prebiotics. Ingredients rich in prebiotics give food to the probiotics to do their work. Don’t skip these crucial ingredients.
- Binding ingredients prevent meatloaf from falling apart. This recipe uses eggs, uncooked quinoa, or almond flour, which makes it paleo and gluten-free. You can use toasted wheat or rye bread if you are not on a paleo or gluten-free diet.
- Ketchup and mustard add flavor to meat. Look for condiment brands that comply with your health goals—low salt, no sugar, gluten-free, Whole 30, etc.
- Meatloaf Toppings—Ketchup, tomato sauce, and barbeque sauce are very common toppings for meatloaf. Look for sugar-free and low-salt products that comply with your nutritional goals.
Make-Ahead
A time saver is to make meatloaf in the morning and cook it later or the next day. Form the meatloaf into the loaf pan (8 ½” X 4 ½”) or a similar size. Cover the meatloaf and refrigerate for up to 24 hours before cooking; remove the wrapping and follow recipe directions. Note: If you make the recipe below using 1 pound of meat, you may have extra room in the pan. Form the mixture toward the middle (making taller slices) rather than covering the bottom.
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Cast-Iron Skillet Meatloaf
Cooking meatloaf in a 10” cast-iron skillet works excellent. It provides more surface area for the barbeque sauce on the top and is easier to serve out of the cast-iron skillet than a loaf pan. I know it’s called a meat “loaf,” but it does not have to be in a loaf shape. Since making a meatloaf requires a fair amount of prep work and an hour of cooking, I recommend doubling the recipe to take advantage of the skillet’s size and save time for another meal or leftovers. And using your cast-iron skillet makes this time-honored dish even more retro!
Freezer Meal – Eat One and Freeze the Other
Another way to use your time is to triple the recipe and form into two loaf pans. Cook both according to the recipe directions and serve one for dinner. After the uneaten loaf cools, place the container in the freezer or remove the cooked meat from the pan and wrap it in foil. Follow one of these versions to reheat and set the directions on a freezer label.
- Defrost the frozen loaf in the fridge overnight and cook in a pan at 350º for 1 hour. If needed, add extra BBQ sauce on top.
- Defrost the frozen loaf in the fridge overnight and heat in the microwave on the reheat setting in 2-minute increments until warm. If needed, add extra BBQ sauce to the top.
- Forgot to defrost? Place frozen meatloaf in a preheated 350º oven for 1.5 hours or until the temperature reads 160º with a meat thermometer.
Recipe Steps
1
Prep ingredients for a triple batch that makes two loaf pans that each serve six.
2
Mix ingredients in a bowl.
3
Smooth the mixture into two loaf pans.
4
Top with the barbeque mixture and cook in the oven.
5
Remove the cooled meatloaf from the pan.
6
Wrap meatloaf in foil and date. Place in freezer.
Equipment Needed
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Recipe History
This recipe is a family favorite and has a bit of history. One of my daughters named it “Keep Your Man Meatloaf” because a boyfriend was very impressed when she served it. All three of my daughters made this recipe while dating to impress their bfs that they could cook comfort foods. Update: all three are married.
Serve With
Try Making Mini Meatloaf in a Muffin Tin
Another way to bake meatloaf is in a cupcake pan or muffin tin. This cooking method creates individual pieces with the BBQ topping on every bite. Mini Meatloaf Muffins cook faster, too. The recipe is an excellent choice for a busy weeknight dinner, and the leftovers are a great option for lunch.
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Keep Your Man Meatloaf with Sauerkraut
Make your meatloaf irresistible by adding sauerkraut. Update this classic comfort food with the nutritious advantage of fermentation and improve your gut health. And cooking meatloaf in a cast-iron skillet makes this time-honored dish even more retro!
- Prep Time: 20
- Cook Time: 60
- Total Time: 80
- Yield: 4 1x
- Category: Beef
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Gluten Free
Ingredients
Meatloaf
- 1 large egg, beaten
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 onion, diced
- 1/2 cup sauerkraut, somewhat drained
- 1 small carrot, peeled and grated
- 2 Tablespoons ketchup*
- 2 Tablespoons Dijon mustard*
- 1/2 teaspoons salt or to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 Tablespoons uncooked quinoa or almond flour or 1 slice of rye bread, toasted, cut into small cubes**
- 1 pound grass-fed ground beef, ground turkey or ground lamb
Sauce
- 1/2 cup BBQ sauce (half used in sauce and another half to serve as a garnish)*
- 1 Tablespoon red curry paste, chili paste, or sambal oelek, optional*
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F with a rack in the middle position.
- Make Meatloaf – Combine the following in a large bowl – beaten egg, minced garlic, chopped onion, sauerkraut, grated carrot, ketchup, mustard, salt, and pepper. Mix ingredients. Add meat and quinoa (or toasted bread) and combine all ingredients. Using hands works best.
- Single Recipe: Shape the meat mixture into an 8 ½” X 4 ½” loaf pan or similar size pan and press down to smooth with a spatula or the back of a wooden spoon. Double Recipe: A 10” cast-iron skillet works well or press the mixture into two loaf pans. You may need to form the meat mixture toward the middle of the pan if there is not enough to fill the pan. See Illustration in post. Triple Recipe: eating one and freezing the other, press into two loaf pans 8 ½” X 4 ½”. It’s three times the recipe, but each loaf uses 1.5 pounds of meat in two pans.
- Make Sauce – Combine sauce items in a bowl and spread sauce over the meat.
- Bake for 45 to 55 minutes. The meat thermometer should read 165º. Remove from the oven and let rest for 10 to 15 minutes.
- Serve with the remaining BBQ sauce.
Notes
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7 responses to “Keep Your Man Meatloaf with Sauerkraut”
This recipe is a cherished family favorite. It never gets old! We also fight over the leftovers.
I had this for dinner tonight after prepping it yesterday. I cooked it in my stoneware loaf pan. It is delicious, and I look forward to enjoying leftovers during the upcoming work week. I have always loved meatloaf! Such a filling “comfort food,” and this recipe is a healthy twist on a favorite. I’ll be making this again!
Sharon, I appreciate the endorsement. It’s great when comfort food is good for the soul and body!
Great recipe. I prefer tomato sauce as opposed to barbecue sauce. Just less sugar.
Thanks for the thumbs up and for suggesting the topping.
Yum! Make YOURSELF happy with this delicious meatloaf. ;-)
Instead of bread or quinoa, I used almond meal leftover from making almond milk. Since my meatloaf wouldn’t fall out of the upside down bowl into my cast iron pan, I simply smoothed it with a wooden spoon.
Next time I’m gonna use homemade sauerkraut instead of canned. Anybody know a good recipe?
Great job on the substitutions! I have a fermenting cookbook but I have never attempted homemade sauerkraut. Good Luck and thanks for the review. I’m glad you liked it.