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This is seriously the best meatloaf I’ve ever had in my life. Warm spices and tender ground beef and pork come together to make a unique take on meatloaf – Swedish-style meatloaf!
The Inspiration Behind My Swedish-style Meatloaf
My husband has Scandinavian roots, while mine are Irish, Scottish, and English. I enjoy making recipes inspired by these regions and putting my own spin on traditional dishes.
The flavors of Swedish meatballs inspired this meatloaf recipe. I love the warm spices and rich, cozy gravy that make Swedish meatballs so comforting. I get that with this recipe without having to roll meatballs.
A while back, I found a recipe for Italian-style meatballs by Cookerru. I’ve made the recipe many times, with just one adjustment: I use my homemade sourdough bread instead of breadcrumbs to make the panade. The result is an incredibly tender, juicy meatball that’s anything but dry.
Sometimes I’m just too lazy to roll meatballs, and other times I’m craving something a little cozier than Italian-style meatballs. So I decided to create a meatloaf using elements from Cookerru’s recipe, along with the warm spices traditionally used in Swedish meatballs.
The result? The best darn meatloaf I’ve ever had!
Why This Meatloaf Is Perfect for Sunday Meal Prep for Two
My definition of meal prep is making something one day and eating it all week. Since it’s just me and my husband at home (and our pup…but we don’t feed her meatloaf), a full meatloaf can last us for days.
This Swedish-style meatloaf makes about 10–12 servings, which means we can get up to six meals for two out of one recipe! It’s a great option for Sunday meal prep, especially when I know we have a busy week ahead.
We usually enjoy it with mashed potatoes and my Swedish-style meatloaf gravy with beer. But the leftovers are just as good served with different sides, like macaroni and cheese, and you can even use a few slices to make meatloaf grilled cheese sandwiches or meatloaf quesadillas!
I love having leftovers in the fridge that we can turn into another dinner without spending a lot of time in the kitchen. It makes cooking for two during the week a little easier!
How to Meal Prep Meatloaf for Two
If you’re cooking for two, making a larger batch of meatloaf on Sunday is a great way to get a head start on dinners for the week. Here’s how we enjoy ours.
- Sunday Dinner: We usually enjoy the meatloaf fresh from the oven with mashed potatoes and my homemade Swedish-style meatloaf gravy with beer.
- During the Week: I store the leftover meatloaf in an airtight container in the refrigerator. When we’re ready for dinner, I just reheat a few slices and serve them with our favorite sides.
- Switch Things Up: If you don’t want to eat the same dinner several nights in a row, try using the leftover meatloaf to make grilled cheese sandwiches or meatloaf quesadillas!
It’s a nice way to get several dinners for two out of one recipe without having to cook from scratch every night.
Swedish-Style Meatloaf
Equipment
- 1 pastry blender for making the panade
- 1 meatloaf pan I use one from USA Pan
Ingredients
- 4 slices of sourdough bread or any other type of sturdy bread
- 1⅓ cups milk whole milk preferred
- 1 lb ground beef lean or 85%
- 1 lb ground pork
- 1 small medium onion about 150g weight, finely diced or grated
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 2 large eggs beaten
- 2 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- ½ tsp ground allspice
- ½ tsp ground nutmeg
- 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Make the panade: In a large mixing bowl, combine the torn bread and 1⅓ cups milk. Let sit for 5-10 minutes until fully soaked and softened. After the bread has soaked, mash it with a pastry blender. Meanwhile, prep the onion and garlic.
- Mix the meatloaf: Add the beef, pork, onion, garlic, beaten eggs, salt, pepper, allspice, nutmeg, and Worcestershire sauce to the bowl with the panade. Mix gently with your hands or a sturdy spoon until just combined — do not overmix.
- Add to loaf pan and bake: Place the meatloaf mixture into a 10.5×5.5 meatloaf pan. Bake for 60-75 minutes (or until internal temperature reaches 160°F-165°F or 71°C-74°C in the center). Loosely tent the meatloaf with aluminum foil or parchment paper if the top begins to brown too quickly. Start checking the internal temperature of the meatloaf at the 60-minute mark. The meatloaf is done when the center reaches 160°F (71°C). Avoid letting the temperature rise above 165°F (74°C) as overcooking can result in a dry meatloaf.
- Rest before slicing: Allow the meatloaf to rest for 10 minutes before slicing to help retain its juices.
