I was not a fan of meatloaf until after I was married. We had it fairly regularly growing up and it was really low on my list of meals that I wanted to see on the plate. Ralphie’s little brother Randy (from A Christmas Story) put it best – “Meatloaf…beetloaf…I hate meatloaf!” Why did I dislike it so much? Ketchup.
I could not stand ketchup growing up. I still don’t like it very much but can at least eat it. My mom’s meatloaf recipe (sorry Mom) called for a thick layer of ketchup spread across the top of the loaf. Because of that, meatloaf meant ketchup which further meant yuck! Only after I started cooking on my own, and eating my wife’s cooking, did I realize that meatloaf could be made without ketchup.
Yup. Ketchup. A thick layer on the top. But I knew that I wasn’t going to be eating this loaf as it was food I was dropping off for a sick relative. I’ve made this recipe several times before and typically leave ketchup off of half of it.
Mostly standard ingredients, except for the Worcestershire sauce, beans and carrots.
So colorful.
Confetti Meatloaf
Prep Time: 15 mins | Cook Time: 1 hr 10 mins | Makes: 8 | Difficulty: Easy
Ingredients:
- 3 slices of low carb white bread, toasted or breadcrumbs
- 1 1/2 pounds ground meatloaf blend (veal, pork and beef)
- 1 cup canned diced tomatoes
- 1 cup green beans, cut into 1/4 inch pieces
- 1 large egg
- 1 medium carrot, grated
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 3/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1/4 cup ketchup
Directions:
1) Heat oven to 375° Pulverize toast in a food processor to make fine crumbs; transfer to a large bowl. Add ground meat, tomatoes, beans, egg, carrot, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper; mix gently until just blended.
2) Spoon into 5×9 inch loaf pan, pressing firmly. Spread ketchup over top. Bake 60 to 70 minutes, until cooked through. Transfer to a platter, discarding any fat left in pan. Let stand at least 10 minutes before slicing.
Rantings of an Amateur Chef 
Looks tasty, but I too hate meatloaf. My mom puts our chipotle roasted salsa in her meatloaf, it actually wasnt half bad that way, but still not a fan lol
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I too was not a lover of meatloaf, but I do love ketchup. My mother who was a wonderful cook made meatloaf at least once a week. Funny, as much as I love ketchup, you would think this would be my favorite meal. Thanks for the post. It brings back memories, and indigestion. LOLOL
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man, i wanted to highfive you through the internet as soon as i read this post. i literally just finished my most recent blog post about how much i despise ketchup.
your meatloaf recipe is actually super similar to mine, only i tend to throw a little bit of eggplant, garlic, onion, and (brace yourself) chopped liver. the liver tends to add a really thick, rich texture and makes the meatloaf way less grainy.
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This recipe looks epic. I am going to give it a try right now. Will let you know how it goes. Thanks so much!
Regards,
Cheweyyy
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I love your reference to A Christmas Story, one of my favorite Christmas movies 🙂 I have a meatloaf recipe you might want to check out on my blog, it’s really good! http://ovenandapron.com/2013/01/22/meatloaf-lettes/
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I am the opposite, I had never really eaten meatloaf as a child. Mr.Picky, who was fed this probably weekly and loved it introduced me to meatloaf. I developed a great taste for meatloaf, but love to change it up. Mr.Picky is the one who does not care for it any more but I often find myself craving it. I love a leftover sandwich grilled with cheese!
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