Are there people who still don’t love meatloaf? Is that still a thing? It seemed to always be a dish everyone made fun of or acted as if it were a punishment to have it for dinner. Why? I would eat it all the time if I could.
However, it can be quite fattening when made with full fat ground beef , bread crumbs and bacon. Yes, it’s tasty but at about 600 calories a slice, I’ll have to pass. A long time ago I figured out a way to make meatloaf “skinnier” and without sacrificing any flavor. It’s also juicy with the right amount of seasoning. Winning.
Instead of the beef, bacon, crumbs trifecta, I use a meat trifecta of my own; beef, pork and turkey. I also sub out the breadcrumbs and use oatmeal as a binder and add feta cheese for a little fat and mouthfeel. (Feta is a naturally lower-in-calorie cheese, but with lots of flavor.) I also use mushrooms to help stretch the serving size so you have more food for less calories. You’re welcome!
Here is the meatloaf in my 9 x 12 pan before baking. You can see it’s filled with goodness. I made my loaf 12-inches long and 5″ wide. Each 1.5-inch slice falls just under 300 calories (it’s a decent sized piece too).
You can see I used the back of a large spoon to make an indentation across the length of the meatloaf. This allows some of the sauce to pool on top while baking.
Another picture before baking but with sauce poured on top. There will be no fat running out and filling this pan…major bonus.
Maybe meatloaf has a bad rap because it tends to get overcooked. This is why you need to use a meat thermometer when you make this or any other type of meat. Why keep guessing, thermometers are cheap and your meat turns out perfect every time. Worth every penny.
Skinnier Meatloaf with a Tangy-Smokey Glaze
Ingredients
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 1 cup diced onion
- 8 ounces white, buttton mushrooms, finely diced
- 1/4 cup finely diced carrot
- 1/4 cup finely diced celery
- 2 Tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 cloves garlic, pressed
- 1/2 pound extra lean ground beef (93%/7%)
- 1/2 pound ground pork
- 1/2 pound extra lean ground turkey breast
- 1 cup crumbled feta cheese
- 3/4 cup quick-cooking oats
- 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 1 Tablespoon Worcestshire sauce
- 1 teaspoon table salt
- 1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce
- 2 Tablespoons ketchup
- 1 Tablespoon chipotles in adobo (only the sauce)
- 1 teaspoon yellow mustard
- 1 teaspoon unsulphored molasses
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare a 9 x 12 or 9 x 13 pan by spraying the bottom very lightly with cooking spray.
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet. Saute onion and mushrooms until any liquid has evaporated and mushrooms and onions are brown; about 5-7 minutes. Add carrots, celery and tomato paste; saute 2 minutes more. Add pressed garlic and cook another 30 seconds. Remove from heat and cool completely.
- In a large bowl, add beef, pork, turkey, cheese, oats, eggs, Worcestershire, salt and mushroom mixture. Mix with your hands until well combined (but don't overdo it). Transfer mixture to your baking dish and shape into a loaf that is 12" long and 5" wide. With the back of a large spoon, make a slight indentation down the length of the meatloaf where the sauce will be able to pool slightly.
- In a small bowl whisk the tomato sauce, ketchup, chipotle adobo sauce, mustard, molasses and smoked paprika. Pour over meatloaf.
- Place a meat thermometer in the center (thickest) part of the loaf and bake until it reaches 160 degrees F. Remove and let rest 15 minutes before slicing.
- ~Please note, nutritional information is approximate and calculated when put into a database.
- Serving size: 1 slice (5" wide, 1.5 inches thick)
- Calories: 298
- Fat: 16 g
- Saturated fat: 6 g
- Unsaturated fat: 7 g
- Carbohydrates: 13 g
- Sugar: 4 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 26 g
- Cholesterol: 115 mg
Serve this up with lots of veggies and you will not have over-indulged for the evening.
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Angie | Big Bear's Wife says
When I was growing up meatloaf was one of those “ewwww who eats meatloaf” kinda foods. I don’t know why! lol I love it now though and I love your skinny version!
Lisa says
Sounds delicious! I’m going to try the mushrooms next time. I add shredded zucchini to mine – adds veggies and keeps it moist; just squeeze out some juice before adding.
Kate | Food Babbles says
I personally have always adored meatloaf and this lightened up version sounds wonderful, especially that smokey sauce over the top. Yum!! This sounds fantastic.
Hayley @ The Domestic Rebel says
Meatloaf is one of my favorite things ever! I think I used to hate it as a kid because my parents never really seasoned it well, but when I started cooking, I went heavy handed on the seasoning and fell in love with this simple, traditional dinner! I especially love when its slathered with sauce like yours đŸ™‚ so yummy!