Italian Spinach & Mozzarella Stuffed Meatloaf
Easy Italian spinach & mozzarella stuffed meatloaf takes on a healthy twist while keeping its easy-to-make reputation. Made with Italian-seasoned ground chicken that’s stuffed with spinach, fresh mozzarella and marinara sauce; it’s a low carb and healthy meatloaf recipe for a quick family dinner.
An American classic takes on an Italian persona for a delicious, healthy and easy dinner creation: Italian Meatloaf stuffed with spinach and mozzarella.
All I can say is that this dinner is quick, easy and tasty and gives mom’s good old meatloaf a run for its money. Plus, the addition of spinach in both the meat mixture and hidden inside gives it that extra nutritious boost ;).
You can use lean ground chicken or turkey for the meat. If you have leftover marinara sauce, you could definitely use that or your favorite jarred sauce.
Mix…with your hands!!! Trust me, it’s much quicker and easier ;).
Spread half into loaf pan, then top with sautéed spinach, marinara and mozzarella slices.
*Eat some mozzarella slices because I know you want to*
10 minutes prior to finishing, top with more marinara (about 1/2 cup) and more mozzarella slices. Place bake in oven until cheese is melted.
*Tip: turn broil on for 2-3 minutes to get the cheese slightly golden (drooling)*
For a quick and easy family dinner that’s easy and healthy this Italian stuffed meatloaf is one of the best meatloaf recipes.
Italian Spinach & Mozzarella Stuffed Meatloaf
Ingredients
Marinara Sauce
- 1 TBS Olive oil
- 1/4 cup Onion finely diced
- 2 Garlic Cloves minced
- 1.5 cups Crushed Tomatoes about half of a 28 oz. can
- 1/4 tsp Oregano
- 1 tsp Basil dried
- 1 tsp Parsley dried or fresh
- pinch salt and pepper
Meatloaf
- 3 TBS Olive Oil
- 4 cups Fresh Spinach divided (3 cups cooked, 1 cup raw & chopped)
- 1 lb. Lean Ground Chicken or Turkey
- 1/4 cup Onion finely diced
- 2 Garlic Cloves minced
- 1/4 cup Parmesan Cheese grated
- 1 Egg
- ½ cup Bread Crumbs
- 1/4 tsp Oregano
- 1 tsp Basil dried
- 1 tsp Parsley dried or fresh
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 8 oz ball Fresh Mozzarella sliced thin
- 1-2 tbs Fresh Basil
Instructions
Marinara Sauce
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Add 1 TBS of olive oil to small sauce pan. Add in diced onions and minced garlic. Cook until slightly softened and fragrant, about 5 minutes.
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Add in crushed tomatoes, oregano, dried basil, dried parsley, salt and pepper. Bring to boil, cover and let simmer for at least 20 minutes.
Italian Stuffed Meatloaf
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Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray 9×5″ loaf pan with non stick cooking spray.
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Add 1 TBS olive oil to saute pan. Add in 3 cups fresh spinach and cook until wiled, about 5-7 minutes. Set aside.
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Add ground chicken to large bowl with remaining 1 cup of finely chopped fresh spinach, onion, garlic, grated cheese, egg, bread crumbs, oregano, dried basil, parsley, salt, pepper and 2 TBS olive oil. Mix with your hands until well combined.
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Spread half of the meat mixture evenly into your loaf pan. Layer with cooked spinach, about ½ cup marinara sauce (until meat is evenly covered) and fresh mozzarella slices (about half mozzarella ball).
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Top with remaining half of meat mixture, spread evenly.
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Bake for 1 hour or until internal temperature reaches 160 degrees.
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Remove from oven, and top with another ½ cup of sauce and remaining half of mozzarella slices. Bake for another 10 minutes until mozzarella is melted. (I like to turn my broil on for the last 2 minutes to get my mozzarella lightly golden).
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Remove from oven, top with fresh basil and let sit 10 minutes before serving.
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This is the third time i’ve made this! Delish. It’s such a hit, that the second time I doubled the recipe, still not enough for leftovers. The family asked me to make more, tripled the recipe today! Best meatloaf recipe
So glad you like it! Definitely a family favorite of ours too :).