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5 from 27 votes

Moist Meatloaf with Mushroom Gravy

This meatloaf recipe with mushroom gravy is packed with finely chopped vegetables, making it a moist, nutritious and delicious home-cooked meal. Good old fashioned comfort food.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time45 minutes
Total Time1 hour
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Servings (change as needed): 4

Ingredients

  • 1 small onion, cut in quarters
  • 2 cups fresh baby spinach (or 3-4 ounces frozen spinach - about 1/3 of a 10 ounce frozen package - thawed and squeezed dry)
  • 1 red or green pepper, cored and seeds removed, cut in large chunks
  • 1 egg
  • 1/4 cup oats (or breadcrumbs)
  • 1/4 cup tomato sauce (or ketchup)
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt (or more to taste)
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 pound lean ground beef (or any mixture of beef, veal, turkey, pork)

Mushroom Gravy

  • 2 tablespoon oil
  • 2 cup chopped mushrooms (8 ounces)
  • 2 tablespoon all purpose flour
  • 1/4 cup red wine
  • 1 1/2 cup beef stock or beef broth I use 1 cup/237 ml of canned Campbell's undiluted broth plus 1/2 cup/118ml water
  • 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme

Instructions

  • PREHEAT OVEN to 350F/176.7C. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or foil, sprayed with oil. Instead, you can use a 5-inch loaf pan (13 cm), sprayed with cooking spray or lined with parchment.
  • PREP THE VEGGIES: Put onion, pepper and spinach in a food processor. Pulse until vegetables are finely chopped. Alternatively, you can finely chop the vegetables with a knife.
  • MAKE THE MEAT MIXTURE: In a medium mixing bowl, add all the rest of the meatloaf ingredients except the meat. Stir to combine well. Add the meat and chopped vegetables. Mix until fully combined using a light touch (I use my hands).
  • BAKE THE MEATLOAF: Place the mixture onto the lined baking sheet and shape into a loaf, about 4 inches/10 cm high. Or place in loaf pan. Bake for 45-50 minutes or until an instant-read thermometer reads 155F/68.3C. Let sit for 5 minutes before slicing.
  • MAKE THE GRAVY (Note 1): While the meatloaf is baking, heat oil to medium-high heat in a medium-size saucepan. Add mushrooms and sauté until water is evaporated and mushrooms are tender. Add flour and continue cooking for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add some broth and whisk until smooth. Add the rest of the broth, wine and thyme. Cook for a few more minutes until thickened. Add a bit more broth or water if you prefer a thinner consistency. Serve over sliced meatloaf or pass the gravy on the side.

Notes

  1. Instead of gravy, use the classic ketchup glaze/topping: Combine 1/4 cup ketchup, 2 teaspoons brown sugar and 1 teaspoon Worcestershire in a small bowl. Brush or spoon on glaze over meatloaf, then back. Or, for an even easier option, brush on your favorite bottled BBQ sauce
  2. Variations and Substitutions
    • Meat: Use a mixture of different ground meats such as ground turkey, beef, veal or ground pork.
    • Vegetables: Use other vegetables such as shredded carrots, celery, mushrooms or swiss chard
    • Other fillings: You can add one or two of the following if you like to the meat mixture - chopped sundried tomatoes, olives, crumbled bacon or 1/2-1 cup shredded cheese.
    • Gravy options: Leave out the mushrooms or substitute them with 1 cup sautéed onions for an onion gravy.
    • Topping instead of gravy: Feel free to use the classic ketchup-based topping (see instructions above)
  3. Make Ahead:
    • Make ahead without baking: Make the loaf. Cover it well with plastic wrap or foil and keep it in the fridge for up to two days. Then bake.
    • Freeze without baking: If you are not using the meatloaf within two days, freeze it. Wrap unbaked loaf in plastic wrap then place in an airtight container or ziploc bag. Freeze for up to 6 months. When ready to use, thaw the meatloaf in the fridge overnight. Place on a lined pan and bake. If you forget to thaw the loaf, bake it for about 1.5 hours.
    • Bake loaf to serve the next day: Bake the loaf for about 35-40 minutes. Reheat the next day for 15 minutes at 350F/177C. Or slice and reheat in the microwave for a minute or two.
 
Nutritional information includes the mushroom gravy.
Calories: 329kcal | Carbohydrates: 16g | Protein: 31g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 0.4g | Cholesterol: 111mg | Sodium: 744mg | Potassium: 931mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 2478IU | Vitamin C: 48mg | Calcium: 67mg | Iron: 5mg