I grew up with my mom making a classic meatloaf. You know, the kind with the barbecue sauce topping that gets all caramelized. And that is what I used to make for my kids. This one might be the ultimate meatloaf: a mix of Italian sausage and ground beef wrapped around a sharp, salty filling of provolone, prosciutto and fresh spinach.
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That and a crispy garlicky lemon panko topping that makes the whole thing even more grown-up.
Let’s get to it.
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What you’ll need
The pan. My favorite meatloaf pan is made by USA Pan. It has an holed insert in it that pulls the grease away from the bottom of the meatloaf leaving the whole thing browned and slightly crispy.
Meat mix
The base of the meatloaf is a blend of Italian sausage (mild or hot, your choice) and 85% ground meat mixed until thoroughly combined.
The filling
A layer of prosciutto topped with slices of sharp provolone and then a handful or two of baby spinach leaves.
Panko crust
Light in both texture and flavor thanks to the panko crumbs and lemon zest. And then a bit of fresh minced garlic.
Stuffed Italian meatloaf: step by step
Combine all the meatloaf ingredients together until thoroughly combined.
Use the base of the meatloaf pan to determine the width of the roll and pat the meat evenly on piece of parchment paper.
Serving and make ahead suggestions
Same day. I suggest mixing, preparing and shaping the meatloaf and refrigerating it in the pan the morning of the same day you plan to serve it. Don’t top the meatloaf with the crust until right before baking.
Pre-bake.
- Bake it without the topping, let the meatloaf cool completely before freezing wrapped first, in plastic wrap, then foil and freezing in a freezer bag (minus the topping). Freeze up to 3 months.
The day before serving:
- Place in the fridge overnight to thaw completely.
- The next day, bake it in 350° on a pan or sheet pan for about 20 minutes until heated through.
- Top it with the breadcrumb topping and bake until golden and crispy, another 10 minutes.
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Stuffed Italian Meatloaf with Prosciutto, Provolone and Spinach
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Ingredients
- 1 ½ lb beef
- ½ lb Italian sausage
- ½ cup Italian breadcrumbs
- ½ cup grated Parmesan
- 1 egg
- 2 T chopped parsley
- ½ tsp oregano
- pinch of nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- ½ cup water
Filling
- 3 oz sliced prosciutto , about 3 oz
- 6 slices sliced sharp provolone, if available
- 1 cup fresh baby spinach leaves, or a big handful
Lemon garlic panko topping
- garlic powder
- parmesan cheese
- ½ lemon
- ¼ cup panko
- 1-2 tsp lemon juice
- 1 T olive oil
- ½ teaspoon minced garlic powder
- ¼ cup parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Use the length of the pan as a benchmark for the length of the meat “roll” .
- Lay a piece of parchment on a cutting board and spread the meat out to a big square about the width of the parchment about 13″ wide by 9″ long (the length of the meatloaf pan).
- Pat the meat so that it’s of an even thickness throughout.
- Start layering slices of prosciutto across the meat to the edges. Follow with the provolone and evenly spread the spinach across the cheese. Sprinkle over garlic powder and parmesan cheese (amount is up to you) and then squeeze over the lemon.
- Wet hands a bit with some water. Lift up on the short side of the parchment and get your hands under the paper roll. Carefully use the parchment and your hands to “roll” the meat around filling into a pinwheel.
- Once closed, use moistened fingers to close any gaps on the sides, seam and ends to encase the filling and prevent it from leaking out during baking. Use the parchment to lift the meatloaf roll into a meatloaf pan or bread pan..
- Place in a preheated oven 350° and bake for 50 minutes. Raise the heat to 400°. Carefully remove the meatloaf pan from the oven and place on a hot pad or the stove. Press the breadcrumb topping over the whole meatloaf.
- Add the pan back to the oven and bake for an additional 10 minutes until golden or until the internal temperature reaches 165°.
- Carefully pour any grease out of one corner of the pan so as to not moisten the crumb topping. Allow the meatloaf to rest for about 5 minutes or so in the pan before removing the loaf. Use a long slicing knife to slice into the crunchy breadcrumb topped meatloaf.
