Stovetop Meatloaf with Mushroom Sauce

A tasty Tuscan-inspired meatloaf with mushroom sauce. This recipe has an unusual twist: It's cooked on the stovetop.

By
Elise Bauer
Elise Bauer
Elise Bauer
Elise founded Simply Recipes in 2003 and led the site until 2019. She has an MA in Food Research from Stanford University.
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Updated July 18, 2022
Elise Bauer
Stovetop Meatloaf with Mushroom Sauce

Simply Recipes / Elise Bauer

My father pulled this Tuscan meatloaf recipe by Marcella Hazan from the New York Times magazine a few months ago and we gave it a try the other night. It was excellent, as tasty as a meatloaf can be.

It does however produce twice as much sauce as one can reasonably use with the meatloaf. We had ours the next day with pasta.

One of the things I like about this recipe is that it is made entirely on the stove top. Most meatloaf recipes are made in the oven, but as the warmer months approach it's nice to have a stovetop alternative.

Stovetop Meatloaf with Mushroom Sauce

Prep Time 20 mins
Cook Time 50 mins
Mushroom Soaking 30 mins
Total Time 100 mins
Servings 4 servings

Recipe by Marcella Hazan.

Ingredients

  • 2 ounces dried wild mushrooms

  • 1 pound lean ground beef

  • 1 tablespoon milk

  • 1 (2-inch) square of white bread, crust removed

  • 1 tablespoon finely chopped yellow onion

  • 1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

  • 2 tablespoons chopped prosciutto or unsmoked ham

  • 1/4 teaspoon minced garlic

  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt

  • Freshly ground black pepper

  • 1 lightly beaten large egg yolk

  • 1/2 cup unflavored breadcrumbs

  • 4 tablespoons tomato paste

  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

  • 1 tablespoon butter

  • 1/3 cup dry white wine

Method

  1. Soak the dried mushrooms:

    Soak mushrooms in 2 cups of lukewarm water for half an hour or more.

  2. Make the meatloaf mixture:

    In a bowl, break up the beef with a fork.

    In a small bowl, combine the milk and bread, and mash until creamy.

    Add the milk and bread to the meat along with the onion, Parmesan, prosciutto, garlic, salt, and pepper. Mix thoroughly by hand.

    Mix in the lightly beaten egg yolk.

  3. Form a loaf shape:

    Shape meat into a firm, round ball; then roll this into a salami-like loaf about two and a half inches thick. Tap with your palm to drive out any air bubbles. Roll the loaf in the bread crumbs until evenly coated.

  4. Drain and chop the mushrooms:

    Drain the mushrooms (reserving the soaking water) and rinse them several times in clean, cold water. Chop the mushrooms roughly and set aside.

    Strain the soaking water through a fine sieve lined with paper towels. Whisk the tomato paste into the soaking liquid and set aside.

  5. Brown the meatloaf:

    Heat the butter and oil in a Dutch oven or heavy casserole pan just big enough for the meat. Brown the meatloaf on all sides in the pan over medium heat after the butter foam subsides.

  6. Add the wine and reduce:

    Add the wine. Increase the heat to medium-high. Boil the wine briskly until reduced one half, turning the meatloaf carefully once or twice.

  7. Add the mushrooms and liquid:

    Turn heat to medium low and add chopped mushrooms. Add the tomato paste mushroom water to the meat and mushrooms.

  8. Cover and cook:

    Cook at a simmer for 30 minutes, turning the meat once or twice.

  9. Let rest before slicing:

    Carefully remove meat to a cutting board. Allow it to cool slightly and settle. Cut into slanted slices about 3/8 of an inch thick.

    If the sauce seems thin, concentrate it by boiling rapidly for a few minutes. Pour a little sauce on a warm serving platter, arrange the meat slices, then cover with the remainder of the sauce.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
521 Calories
28g Fat
20g Carbs
42g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 521
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 28g 36%
Saturated Fat 10g 51%
Cholesterol 167mg 56%
Sodium 936mg 41%
Total Carbohydrate 20g 7%
Dietary Fiber 2g 7%
Total Sugars 4g
Protein 42g
Vitamin C 4mg 19%
Calcium 148mg 11%
Iron 5mg 30%
Potassium 823mg 18%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.