Martha Stewart meatloaf from marthastewart.com combines ground beef, pork, and veal with food-processed vegetables and fresh breadcrumbs under a ketchup-brown sugar glaze. And the loaf serves 8 at approximately 380 calories per slice in about 1 hour and 20 minutes at 375°F.
Most meatloaf recipes use one type of ground meat, but Martha blends beef, pork, and veal in equal parts for a more complex, tender result. So each slice has the beefy depth from chuck, the juiciness from pork, and the delicate texture from veal, which is a combination no single meat can deliver alone.
Pulsing the garlic, onion, celery, carrot, and parsley in a food processor until finely chopped is the step that distributes the vegetables evenly throughout the meat. And if you dice them by hand too large, the chunks create air pockets that cause the loaf to crack during baking because the moisture escapes unevenly.
Source: Martha Stewart (marthastewart.com)
Martha Stewart Meatloaf Recipe
Course: DinnerCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy8
servings20
minutes1
hour20
minutes380
kcalWhite bread pulses into fresh crumbs before garlic, onion, celery, carrot, and parsley mince in the same food processor. Then three ground meats mix by hand with egg, ketchup, mustard, and Worcestershire before a ketchup-brown sugar glaze brushes on top and the loaf bakes at 375°F.
Ingredients
- For the meatloaf:
3 thick slices white bread, torn into large pieces
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
1 celery stalk, chopped
1 medium carrot, chopped
1/2 cup flat-leaf parsley
12 ounces ground beef chuck (90 percent lean)
12 ounces ground pork
12 ounces ground veal
1 large egg
1/4 cup ketchup (from 3/4 cup total, divided)
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon coarse salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
- For the glaze:
1/2 cup ketchup (remaining)
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
Directions
- Preheat the oven: Heat to 375°F.
- Make the breadcrumbs: Then pulse the torn bread in a food processor until finely ground, about 2 1/2 cups, and transfer to a medium bowl.
- Process the vegetables: Once the crumbs are out, pulse the garlic, onion, celery, carrot, and parsley in the same processor until finely chopped.
- Combine with the crumbs: Then add the chopped vegetables to the bowl with the breadcrumbs.
- Add the meats and seasonings: Once combined, add the ground beef, pork, veal, egg, 1/4 cup ketchup, mustard, Worcestershire, salt, and pepper.
- Mix by hand: Then mix everything together using your hands until just combined without overworking.
- Transfer to the pan: Once mixed, press the mixture gently into a 5×9 inch loaf pan.
- Make the glaze: Then stir the remaining 1/2 cup ketchup with the brown sugar until smooth.
- Brush the top: Once smooth, brush the glaze evenly over the surface of the meat.
- Bake the meatloaf: Then set the pan on a rimmed baking sheet and bake until an instant-read thermometer reads 160°F in the center, about 1 hour and 20 minutes.
- Rest and serve: Once done, let cool slightly for about 10 minutes before slicing.
FAQs
Why does the recipe use three types of meat?
Each meat brings something different to the finished loaf, and the equal 12-ounce portions keep them balanced. Beef chuck adds deep savory flavor, pork contributes fat and juiciness, and veal gives the texture a finer, more delicate grain.
But if veal is unavailable, increase the pork to 18 ounces and keep the beef at 12, because the extra pork fat compensates for the tenderness veal would have provided. Since using all beef makes the loaf denser and drier, at least two types of meat is worth the effort.
Why does the recipe call for fresh breadcrumbs instead of dried?
Fresh crumbs from torn white bread absorb more moisture than dried breadcrumbs, which keeps the loaf tender during the 1 hour and 20 minute bake. And dried crumbs pull moisture out of the meat instead of adding it, so the finished texture is firmer and less juicy.
Martha also uses the same food processor for both the crumbs and the vegetables, so there is no extra equipment to wash. Since the crumbs transfer out first and the vegetables process second, one machine handles both steps.
How do I know when the meatloaf is done?
Martha specifies 160°F on an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center, which matches the USDA recommendation for ground meat. And visual cues like color are unreliable because the ketchup glaze can make the top look done while the center is still raw.
So insert the thermometer through the side of the loaf into the very middle, and check at the 1-hour mark since oven temperatures vary. Since the martha stewart roast chicken also relies on a thermometer over time alone, the same tool-first principle applies to any protein with a critical doneness target.
What should I serve alongside meatloaf?
Martha suggests mashed potatoes as a must alongside, with asparagus, peas, glazed carrots, broccoli, or green beans with lemon as vegetable options. And picking two colorful vegetables rounds out the plate visually without adding more heavy starch.
But skip bread on the side, because the fresh breadcrumbs inside the loaf already cover that element. And for dessert after a comfort food main, the martha stewart blueberry crisp adds a fruity finish that lightens the meal after a rich, meaty plate.
How should I store and freeze leftovers?
Wrap cooled leftover meatloaf tightly in plastic wrap or foil, or store in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. And the glaze helps seal the surface, so slices hold moisture better in storage than ungrazed meatloaf does.
For longer storage, double-wrap in plastic and then foil, place in a freezer bag, and freeze for up to 3 to 4 months. Then thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat slices at 350°F for about 15 minutes, because the oven warms the glaze evenly without drying the edges the way a microwave does.
