Want a recipe you can make ahead of time and bake off when needed? Need a recipe that uses leftovers and is fancy enough for guests? Look no further than the best gluten free stuffing stuffed meatloaf recipe.
The best gluten free stuffing stuffed meatloaf recipe can be made dairy-free if you omit the cheese, or you can use a dairy-free or vegan cheese if you like. I have made it with, and without cheese, and it was delicious both ways.
This is a great recipe because you can use leftover stuffing from the holidays. Last week we shared a recipe for using up your leftover chicken or turkey to make the best gluten free à la king recipe, this week we’re using up the stuffing in a meatloaf.
The Best Gluten Free Stuffing Stuffed Meatloaf Recipe
Ingredients
- 2- 185 g packages of PC gluten free homestyle stuffing or any boxed gluten free stuffing mix
Tip: You could use our recipe for homemade gluten-free sage stuffing if you’d like to make it yourself. Better yet, you could use your leftover sage stuffing from Thanksgiving. You need anywhere from 3-6 cups of stuffing depending on how thick you’d like the stuffing layer, of the meatloaf.
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 1 tbsp of oil
- 1 tbsp fresh chop chives
- 3 lbs lean ground beef
- 3/4 cups gluten-free unseasoned breadcrumbs (President’s Choice, Aurora or homemade breadcrumbs)
- 1 tablespoon minced parsley or 1/2 tbs parsley paste
- 1⁄4 cup gluten-free ketchup
- 2 eggs, beaten to blend
- 2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 1⁄2 teaspoon granulated garlic
- 1⁄2 teaspoon granulated onion
- 4 slices of premium cheddar cheese, or 1/2 cup of grated cheddar (optional)
Directions
- Preheat oven to 375°F
- Make stuffing according to the box instructions, or recipe for the best gluten-free sage stuffing.
- If using package stuffing, add 1 tablespoon of chives to the stuffing for additional flavour.
- Allow stuffing to cool.
Tip: If you are using leftover stuffing, remove it from the fridge and allow it to come to room temperature. You may also want to fluff it gently with a fork.
- Dice one medium onion.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a pan, and cook the onion until translucent.
- Remove the onion from the pan and allow it to cool.
- Mix the beef, gluten free breadcrumbs, parsley, gluten-free ketchup, 2 eggs, salt, pepper, granulated garlic, the cooled sautéed onion, and granulated onion, in a bowl until well combined.
- Mix well
Tip: Take a tiny pinch of your meat mixture, form it into a thin patty, and fry it in a frying pan until it is cooked through. This allows you to adjust the seasoning of your meatloaf, to your liking.
- Take out a large loaf pan- I used a 12-inch loaf pan.
- Grease a large loaf pan by either brushing the pan with oil, on all sides, including the bottom or spraying all sides, including the bottom, well with cooking spray.
- Using 3/4 of the meat, pat meat into an even layer covering the bottom and sides of the pan.
Tip: You want the bottom and sides of the pan covered with an even layer of meat- think of it like you are making a rectangular tart shell.
- Be sure to press the seams well so that the meat doesn’t break when you unmold the meatloaf.
- Fill the empty center of the meatloaf with gluten free stuffing.
- Gently pat the stuffing down to compress it slightly. You want the stuffing to be slightly firm when you slice the meatloaf after it’s cooked.
- Over the top of the stuffing, you can add a layer of either shredded cheddar cheese or premium cheddar cheese slices. The cheese step is optional.
Tip: My meatloaf used four slices of cheese. Three were whole, and one was broken into thirds to fill the top into an even layer.
- Take a piece of wax paper, and place it on top of the pan, pressing down on the edges of the pan to make an indent in the wax paper.
- Remove the wax paper from the top of the pan and place it on your work surface.
- Take the remaining 1/4 of the meat, and place it on top of the wax paper.
- Place another piece of wax paper on top of the meat.
- Gently pat the meat into an even layer, that is the size of the top of the pan.
- Remove the top layer of wax paper, and flip the meat, so that it is touching the cheese layer, or the stuffing (if you skipped the cheese.)
Gently pull off the wax paper and discard. - Push the meat down gently. You want to press or crimp all around the edges. This is an important step.
Tip: make sure your edges are pressed together so that the meatloaf will hold its shape when you turn it out.
Tip: Place the pan on a rimmed baking sheet that is larger than the meatloaf pan. The meatloaf should not bubble over, but if it does, this will make cleanup much easier.
- Bake for 40 minutes.
- Take the meatloaf out and turn it around in the oven.
- Cook for an additional 20 minutes.
- With a thermometer (instant-read inserted or Infrared Thermometer) inserted, it should read 150°F, then the meatloaf is cooked.
- Remove the meatloaf from the oven.
- Run a butter knife gently around all four sides of the meatloaf to loosen it from the pan.
- Allowed the meatloaf to sit and cool for at least five minutes before you carefully invert the pan, over a serving platter.
Tip: Depending on how much fat is in your ground beef, there might be some fat in the loaf pan. Pat the grease up, with a paper towel.
- Sprinkle the top with some extra chives for presentation and enjoy!
- Know that you could make this meatloaf the day before, and just cover the top of the loaf tin with plastic wrap, and then (remove the plastic wrap) bake it off when you need it.
- It will hold its shape even better as it will have a chance to firm up in the fridge.
This recipe is especially great if you’re having company over because you can make the best gluten free stuffing stuffed meatloaf recipe the day before, or in the morning. Then take it out and bake it off when needed. Any dish you can prepare ahead of time makes entertaining easier, as there is less you have to do at the last minute.
What I love about the best gluten free stuffing stuffed meatloaf recipe, is that all you have to do is make a vegetable or two and a salad, as your starch is in the meatloaf. It is fancy enough for company, but great for a weeknight dinner. Not to mention that leftover slices can be served cut up in a lunchbox, or can be made into great sandwiches.
Know that you could make this meatloaf the day before, and just cover the top of the loaf tin with plastic wrap, and then (remove the plastic wrap) bake it off when you need it. It will hold its shape even better as it will have a chance to firm up in the fridge.
Ingredients
INSTRUCTIONS/NOTES/TIPS
NOTES/TIPS