Meatloaf with Mozzarella, Basil and Cannellini Beans
Meatloaf can be kind of boring. But everyone male in the entire universe seems to love it. At least in my world. If your world has many vegetarians in it perhaps not so much since meatloaf is well… A loaf of meat. But I digress. At my house meatloaf is very well received. And at my parents house where my father and brother are big fans as well. I generally have to make a three pound meatloaf to make sure everyone gets enough. (I cook for both houses from time to time.)
So to solve that boring problem I’ve started tossing all kinds of things into my meatloaf, beans, all types of cheeses, veggies, you name it. Today I’m sharing with you one of my favorite variations, with mozzarella basil, and cannellini beans. I love LOVE basil (I grow it in my kitchen so I have it fresh all the time!) and the basil really perks up a boring meatloaf. Cheese always tastes good, and mozzarella in particular compliments the basil and beans well. Cannellini are one of my favorite beans, they have a really creamy texture which is great to thicken soups and apparently in meatloaf!
This is really good by itself but I also like to whip up a simple brown gravy to go with it from time to time. It works well with the classic mashed potatoes, but I like to serve it with egg noodles or shells too. Or you can never go wrong with an open faced meatloaf sandwich (extra cheese on top!) Give it a try any of these ways, your men will thank you!
PrintMeatloaf with Mozzarella, Basil and Cannellini Beans
Ingredients
- 3 eggs
- 2 tbsp garlic powder
- 25 fresh basil leaves chopped
- 3 cups breadcrumbs (fine)
- 8 oz shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1 15 oz can cannellini beans
- 3 lb. ground beef
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350*. In a large mixing bowl, add eggs, garlic powder, chopped basil leaves bread crumbs and mozzarella and beans. Stir together well.
- Add ground beef and using hands mix together well. Form into a loaf shape and place in a large baking dish. Add about a 1/2 inch of water to the bottom of the pan to prevent burning.
- Place in the oven uncovered and cook for 1 1/2 hours to 2 hours until meat is cooked through. You may need to cover with tin foil part way through to prevent the top from over cooking.
- Drain any leftover water off before serving.
Notes
- Homemade bread crumbs work really well in this dish. I like to use the ends of all my bread from around the house since no one likes to eat them unless it’s homemade bread. Just toss the bread in a food processor and pulse until fine.