A hearty winter warmer: Meatloaf with sneaky vegies

Hinterland Homesteading Column by Racheal Pascoe

With the cool change in our weather, now is the time to make hearty meals for the family. 

It is also a terrific opportunity for mums and dads to sneak some extra veggies in meals that the kids won’t notice. 

Here is my tried and tested recipe for meatloaf … it is absolutely delicious and the best part is the exact same recipe can be made into meat balls!

Meatloaf Recipe
• 500g lean beef mince
• 1 packet French onion soup (magic ingredient)
• 1tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tbsp barbecue sauce
• 1 tbsp tomato sauce
• 1 small onion cup finely
• ½ cup grated carrot
• ½ cup grated zucchini
• 1/3 cup red capsicum
• ½ cup grated cheese
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup breadcrumbs

Mix all the ingredients in a large bowl until combined. Put in a lined loaf tin and press down and out to the edges, smear tomato sauce over the top of the meatloaf and bake in the oven for 45 mins at 180 degrees. 

It is cooked when it has shrunk back a little from the edges of the tin. Leave it to cool for a few minutes before slicing, so it doesn’t break up. If you do get leftovers, it is amazing sliced on a sandwich the next day. 

The French onion soup just makes it so flavoursome. French onion soup is so good to add a flavour boost to lots of things, including homemade soup, cottage pie mince etc.

If you have got little people or just fussy eaters in the house, this recipe is a great opportunity to sneak some extra veggies in there without being noticed. 

Have a look in your veggie drawer in the fridge and see what you have on hand. You can swap out some veggies to use what you have. Always have a few packets of French onion soup on hand in the pantry, ready for when you need them.

Top tip: Just when you think it can’t get any better, layer the top of the meatloaf with bacon before it goes in the oven. My family go mad for this as the bacon flavour seeps into the meatloaf! Yum.