Gourmet Stuffed Meatloaf with Marinara and Ricotta

Ingredients

- 1 1/2 pounds ground meat (beef, pork, or a mixture)
- 1 cup milk
- 1/2 cup beef or chicken stock
- 1/2 cup red wine
- 1 cup ricotta cheese
- 2 cups marinara sauce
- 1 cup fresh breadcrumbs
- 1/2 cup dried breadcrumbs
- 4 slices white sandwich bread, crusts removed and cubed

Instructions

1. Preheat the Oven
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).

2. Prepare Bread Mixture
In a large bowl, combine 1 cup of milk with the cubed white sandwich bread. Allow the bread to soak until softened, about 5 minutes.

3. Mix Meat
In another bowl, combine 1 1/2 pounds of ground meat, 1 cup of fresh breadcrumbs, and 1/2 cup of dried breadcrumbs. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

4. Combine Ingredients
Lightly squeeze excess milk from the soaked bread, then add the bread to the ground meat mixture. Gently mix to combine until evenly distributed.

5. Layer the Meatloaf
On a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, shape half of the meat mixture into a rectangular loaf about 1 inch thick.

6. Stuff the Meatloaf
Evenly spread 1 cup of ricotta cheese on top of the meat layer. Spoon over 1 cup of marinara sauce.

7. Top Layer
With the remaining meat mixture, carefully cover the ricotta and marinara layer, sealing edges to enclose the filling completely, forming a loaf.

8. Bake
Bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes.

9. Prepare Sauce
While the meatloaf bakes, heat 1/2 cup stock and 1/2 cup red wine in a small saucepan over medium heat. Reduce by half, about 10 minutes, then stir in the remaining 1 cup of marinara sauce. Simmer until slightly thickened.

10. Finish Baking
After the initial 25 minutes, pour sauce over the top of the meatloaf. Bake for an additional 20 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 160°F (71°C).

11. Rest and Serve
Remove the meatloaf from the oven and let it rest for 10 minutes before slicing. Serve topped with additional sauce if desired.

Preparation & Cooking Times

- Preparation: PT15M
15 minutes
- Cooking: PT55M
55 minutes

Total Time

- PT1H10M
1 hour 10 minutes

Type of Dish

- Dinner

Keywords

- Stuffed meatloaf
- Ricotta meatloaf
- Marinara recipes
- Ground meat dinner
- Gourmet meatloaf
- Oven-baked meals
- Family dinner
- Comfort food
- Italian-style loaf
- Cheesy stuffed loaf

Recipe Yield

- Feeds 4 adults

Calories

- 1800 calories (total for entire dish)

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