I am a foodie at heart, so naturally Food is my love language. Which means I love trying new recipes and sharing them with my friends and family. When I saw a recipe for this Sicilian Meatloaf, I couldn’t wait to try it! I immediately changed my grocery list to get everything I needed for this new recipe.
I don’t know if you’ve ever thought about it, but I have wondered where Meatloaf originated. So I did some research, and it is traditionally a German, Scandinavian and Belgian dish. It is considered a cousin of the Dutch Meatball. And it’s been made with a variety of meats, seafood and sometimes a combination of meats. And has a huge variety of variations over the years. So far, this is my favorite version of meatloaf!
Sicilian Meatloaf Made Easy
When I first saw this recipe I thought it was going to be a little difficult, because the picture looked so “fancy” to me. But as I was making it, it was a lot easier than I anticipated. And my family loved it! This recipe is usually made with Spaghetti and Marinara but I love it so much I usually just eat it with a side salad and garlic bread. And of course a Glass of Fine Wine.
Equipment Needed-
- Parchment paper
- Baking sheet
- Frying pan
- Mixing bowl
Ingredients Needed-
- 2 lbs. ground beef, or meat of your choosing
- 1 tbsp. olive oil
- 1 red onion
- 4 cloves Garlic (or to taste)
- 1 Bell Pepper
- About 1/4 lb. of sliced Ham (4-6 slices)
- 12-15 leaves of Basil (I wouldn’t use Thai Basil for this recipe)
- 2 tbsp. tomato paste
- 3/4 cup Italian Bread Crumbs
- 2 Large Eggs
- 1 1/2 cup Mozzarella Cheese, or if you are dairy intolerant you can use Goat or Sheep’s milk cheese. (Personally I use Manchego, it kind of tastes like a mix between Mozzarella and Parmesan)
- 1/2 cup Parmesan
- Marinara Sauce or your favorite Spaghetti Sauce
Getting Started
- Preheat oven or Air Fryer to 350 degress
- Heat olive oil in your frying pan at medium heat
- Add onion, red pepper and garlic
- Sauté for 5 minutes or until the onions become translucent, then set aside to cool.
- In a large mixing bowl, mix together the ground beef, eggs, tomato paste, veggie mix, bread crumbs, salt and pepper and parmesan cheese. (or cheese of choice)
- Once everything is well combined place parchment paper on the counter and add meat mix to the paper.
- Pat the mixer out to about a 8″x15″ rectangle.
- Sprinkle a layer of Mozzarella cheese across the top leaving a 1″ boarder around the edges
- Then layer the ham, then basil and the rest of the cheese.
- Start with the 8″ end and roll it up like a cake roll, using the parchment to help guide you. Make sure to roll it a little tight so it sticks together during baking.
- Press down on the top and sides, making sure to seal the sides.
- Place the roll on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper.
- Once oven is preheated, place in oven for 1 hour.
- Remove from oven and set aside to rest for about 10 minutes before slicing.
- Serve on top of noodles or by itself with Marinara sauce.
This is one of our favorites!
I love this recipe so much that I try to double the recipe when I can and freeze one of the rolls for a night when I don’t feel like cooking. Personally I like this dish best with a side salad, garlic bread and a glass of Fine Wine. I have tried a few different wines with this recipe and the Donna Walker California Cabernet is my favorite so far! (But the Ricord Merlot is a GREAT pairing with this dish as well.) I hope you and your family enjoy this recipe as much as we have! If you’d like to see more of my favorite recipes, check them out HERE. Salute!