Cheesy Meatloaf with Green Quinoa

  2.5 – 2 reviews  • Quinoa
These cheesy little meatloaves are deceptively low in fat because we waited until the last minute to add the cheese, so it melts all over and is in every bite. Because we used super lean ground beef and turkey, we splurged on satisfying full-fat cheese.
Level: Easy
Total: 55 min
Prep: 15 min
Cook: 40 min
Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

  1. 1 cup quinoa
  2. 3 cups baby spinach
  3. 1 cup loosely packed fresh cilantro leaves
  4. 1 large clove garlic
  5. 12 ounces extra-lean ground beef
  6. 8 ounces 99-percent fat free ground turkey
  7. 1/4 cup 2-percent milk
  8. 3 tablespoons whole wheat breadcrumbs
  9. 4 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
  10. 1 teaspoon chile powder
  11. 1 large egg
  12. Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  13. 4 teaspoons red wine vinegar
  14. 2 small plum tomatoes, cut into 12 slices
  15. 5 tablespoons shredded Cheddar
  16. 12 small slices of watermelon, for serving (8 ounces)

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. Rinse the quinoa a few times in a fine mesh strainer. Bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Add the quinoa and cook until tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Strain the quinoa and rinse under cold water, then set aside to drain and dry out.
  3. Meanwhile, combine the spinach, cilantro and garlic in a food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Transfer one-third of the mixture to a medium bowl along with the ground beef and turkey, milk, breadcrumbs, 2 teaspoons of the Worcestershire, the chile powder, egg, 1/2 teaspoon salt and some black pepper. Combine the mixture well with your hands.
  4. Whisk together the remaining 2 teaspoons Worcestershire with 2 teaspoons of the vinegar. Divide and pat the meat mixture into four even 1-inch-thick football shapes. Arrange on the prepared baking sheet. Top each with 3 slices of tomato and drizzle with some of the Worcestershire-vinegar sauce. Bake until the meatloaf reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F, 18 to 20 minutes. Drizzle with more Worcestershire-vinegar sauce and top each with cheese and continue to bake until melted, about 2 minutes more. Blot the bottom of each meatloaf on a paper towel to remove excess moisture.
  5. Meanwhile, combine the quinoa, the remaining spinach mixture, the remaining 2 teaspoons vinegar and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a medium pot and stir, over medium-low heat, until warmed through, about 3 minutes. Divide the meatloaves, quinoa and watermelon slices among four dinner plates.

Nutrition Facts

Calories 430 calorie
Total Fat 12 grams
Saturated Fat 4 grams
Cholesterol 125 milligrams
Sodium 750 milligrams
Carbohydrates 42 grams
Dietary Fiber 5 grams
Protein 43 grams
Sugar 9 grams

Reviews

Timothy Hernandez
The meatloaf was really tasty.  The recipe would have made a good burger too, which is basically what I felt like what I was eating. The quinoa was a little bland, but I was lazy and didn’t rinse before cooking – I’m not a very frequent cook, so I can’t tell you yet how to improve the quinoa, but I know it needs a little extra flavor .

 

Leave a Comment