Old-Fashioned Meatloaf with White Wine-Mushroom Sauce

As the name implies, this meatloaf recipe is all about simple, old-fashioned, downhome goodness—with a silky, savory, so tasty sauce to boot. Skip the ketchup and enjoy a little creamy, gravy-style topping with tender mushrooms. It’s easy to make and comes together in about 15 minutes.

Many cooks have their secrets for making moist meatloaf. I'll tell mine: milk-soaked bread. Simply tear soft, white bread (no crunchy crusts) into small pieces, place in a bowl, and cover with milk. Let it stand about 15 minutes to give the milk time to soak in, then squeeze all the excess liquid out of the bread and add to the meatloaf mixture. The soaked bread acts as a binder for the other ingredients and helps keep the beef and pork moist and tender during baking. 

I don't always take this step, sometimes using panko and an egg as the binder instead. But there's just something about that milk-soaked bread.  

I served a side of pan-browned potatoes with this dish, but mashed potatoes would be good too.

For a not-so-traditional meatloaf recipe, check out Tex-Mex Style Meatloaf with Jalapeno Cheese Sauce.

Serves 4

Ingredients

• olive oil, for oiling baking dish
• 1 cup torn, soft, white bread
• 1/2 cup milk
• 2/3 lb ground chuck
• 2/3 lb ground pork
• 1/3 cup finely chopped onion
• 1/3 cup finely chopped green bell pepper
• 1/4 cup crushed tomatoes or tomato puree
• 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
• 2 tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley
• 1/2 tsp dried red chile flakes
• sea salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tbsp water
• 2 tsp cornstarch
• 1 tbsp unsalted butter
• 6 oz crimini mushrooms, thinly sliced
• 2/3 cup dry white wine
• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• pan-browned potatoes for serving (optional)

Torn Bread Pieces

Sliced Mushrooms

Preparation

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly oil an 11 X 7-inch baking dish.
2. Place the torn bread in a bowl and cover with the milk, pressing down to submerge. Let soak 15 minutes.
3. Place the ground chuck, ground pork, and next 6 ingredients (through chile flakes) in a large bowl. Squeeze the excess milk from the bread cubes and add to the meat mixture. Season with salt and pepper.
4. Use a fork to gently combine the ingredients. (Try not to overwork it—keep it light and airy.) Use your hands to form the mixture into about an 8 X 4-1/2-inch rectangle and place in the oiled dish.
5. Bake uncovered until browned and just cooked through, 45-50 minutes. Remove and let rest 10 minutes before slicing.

Bread Beginning to Soak 

Soaked Bread

Mixture without Soaked Bread

Soaked Bread Added 

Mixed Ingredients 

Ready to Bake

Baked Meatloaf

1. Meanwhile, mix the water and cornstarch in a small bowl until completely dissolved. Set aside.
2. Heat a skillet over medium heat and add the butter, swirling until melted. Add the mushrooms and cook until softened and golden brown and the liquid is absorbed, 6-7 minutes.
3. Add the wine and bring to a simmer. Cook, stirring frequently, 2 minutes. Add the chicken broth and season with salt and pepper.
4. Remix the water and cornstarch and stir slowly into the mushroom mixture. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook until thickened, 3-4 minutes.

Mushrooms Beginning to Cook

Cooked Mushrooms

Wine Added 

Broth Mixture Added

White Wine-Mushroom Sauce

Cut the meatloaf into 8 slices and serve with mushroom sauce spooned on top. Serve pan-browned potatoes alongside, if desired.

Old-Fashioned Meatloaf with White Wine-Mushroom Sauce

Tex-Mex Style Meatloaf with Jalapeno Cheese Sauce

The next time you think meatloaf, think something different from the usual ground beef, onions, bell pepper, and ketchup. Like spicy chiles, smoky chipotle, garlic, and fresh, herbal cilantro—all baked into a juicy mixture of ground beef and pork.

Top it off with creamy, melted cheddar cheese with chopped jalapeno for one flavorful, inviting meatloaf—Tex-Mex style.

You probably won’t have leftovers, but if you do, cold meatloaf sandwiches make a delectable lunch the next day.

For extra info on making cheese sauce, check out Chicken and Black Bean Nachos with Cheddar Sauce.

Serves 4

Ingredients

For the Meatloaf

• olive oil, for oiling dish
• 1 lb ground chuck
• 1/3 lb ground pork
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 2 chipotle chiles in adobo sauce, finely chopped
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 1 habanero chile, finely chopped
• 1 large egg, beaten
• 1/2 medium green bell pepper, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup tomato puree
• 1/3 cup chopped cilantro
• 1/4 cup panko (or other fine, dry breadcrumbs)
• 1 tbsp adobo sauce
• 1 tsp chile powder
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• sea salt

For the Jalapeno Cheese Sauce

• 1 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup finely chopped jalapeno chile
• 1 tbsp flour
• 1 cup milk
• sea salt
• 4 oz shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Preparation

For the Meatloaf

1. Preheat the oven to 350° F. Lightly oil an 11 X 7-inch baking dish.
2. Place the ground beef, ground pork, and remaining ingredients in a large bowl and mix gently to combine. (Don’t overwork the mixture—keep it light and airy.)
3. Form the mixture into about a 7-1/2 X 5-inch rectangle, 2 inches thick. (An even thickness will make slicing it into serving pieces easier.)

Meatloaf Mixture 

Meatloaf Ready to Bake

1. Bake the meatloaf, uncovered, 45-50 minutes, until the meats are juicy and cooked through. Remove and let rest 5 minutes.

Baked Meatloaf

To serve, cut the meatloaf into 8 slices and place 2 on each of 4 plates. Spoon cheese sauce (recipe below) on top and serve right away.

For the Jalapeno Cheese Sauce

1. Heat a saucepan over medium-low heat and melt the butter. Add the jalapeno and cook, stirring frequently, 2 minutes.
2. Whisk in the flour and cook, continuing to stir, 4 minutes.

Jalapeno in Butter 

Flour Stirred In

1. Add 1/3 cup of milk, whisking constantly to prevents lumps. Once the first 1/3 cup is blended in, add another 1/3 cup. Once blended, add the final 1/3 cup. Season with salt.
2. Reduce the heat to low and cook the sauce slowly, stirring a few times, until it is just thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 8 minutes.

Cooked Milk Mixture

1. Remove from the heat a stir in 1/4 of the cheese. Once the cheese is blended, stir in the remaining cheese, 1/4 at a time.

First Part of Cheese Whisked In

Jalapeno-Cheese Sauce

This Tex-Mex meatloaf pairs well with a side of Garlicky Refried Black Beans. 

Tex-Mex Style Meatloaf with Jalapeno Cheese Sauce