1zucchinifinely shredded and extra moisture squeezed
1red onionfinely chopped
4sundried tomatoesdrained and finely chopped
2clovesgarlicminced
2teaspoonsdried oregano
2tablespoonschopped parsley
4tablespoonsquick oatssoaked in 2 tablespoons milk
½teaspoonsalt
black pepperto taste
2ouncesFeta cheese
For the sauce
2tablespoonstomato paste
1tablespoonhot water
½tablespoonWorcestershire Sauce
1 ½tablespoonsapricot preservesOR use more honey
½tablespoonhoney
Saltto taste
Instructions
Make the meatloaf mixture: Place all ingredients for the meatloaf EXCEPT for the feta cheese in a large bowl. Mix until very well combined.
Prep: At this point, preheat your oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with baking parchment.
Shape the meatloaf: Place ⅔ of the meat mix on the prepared baking sheet and shape into a loaf. Make an indent in the middle and crumble in the feta cheese. Cover with the remaining meat mix. Make sure you push it together into a firm loaf, otherwise it will fall apart.
Brush with sauce: Stir together all ingredients for the sauce. Brush ⅓ of it all over the meatloaf.
Bake the meatloaf: Bake the loaf for 30 minutes. Brush with another ⅓ of the sauce and finish baking for another 20-30 minutes, or until the internal temperature has reached 165°F. Immediately brush with the remaining sauce. Rest for 5-10 minutes before slicing.
Notes
Ingredient notes
Meatloaf Sauce: I always use my homemade meatloaf sauce, but feel free to use ketchup, BBQ sauce or your favorite sauce instead.
Cooking tips
Prepping the vegetables: Squeeze any extra liquid out of the shredded zucchini, or the meatloaf won’t hold together. Finely chop the remaining vegetables so you don’t end up with large chunks of onion in the loaf.
Mixing the meat: Use a hand mixer with the hook attachment to knead the meat with the other ingredients. No messy hands and it is WAY faster!
Cheese stuffing: If you don’t want to bother with the feta stuffing, you can just crumble it into the meat mix and it will be just as delicious without the extra step of stuffing.
Resting the meatloaf: I like letting my meatloaf rest for 5-10 minutes before slicing, as I find it tends to hold together a lot better after a little while.
Freezer instructions
Wrap the unbaked loaves first in clingfilm, then tightly in aluminum foil. Label with the name and use-by date, then freeze for up to three months.
To defrost, place in the fridge overnight. Remove the foil before baking and add another 10-15 minutes baking time of it’s not done after the time specified in the recipe.
You can also freeze it baked (even pre-sliced!). I like to thaw it for a bit and then heat in the oven or microwave until steamy and piping hot all the way through.