So why the cheesy center? Well, if you follow my recipes, you know that I like to hide ingredients in my food. I stuff rolls, meatballs, chicken, chops, dumplings, pasta, and other things with little surprises in the middle. In this case, I nestled a nugget of good-quality parmesan cheese into the center of each individual meatloaf. I chose parmesan because it doesn't melt completely, so you truly see (and feel) the cheesy goodness. I've used mozzarella and it sometimes bubbles through to the top - so it's not a surprise anymore!
My go-to, meatloaf mixture (and best-ever in my humble opinion) is a blend of lean beef, dried herbs, egg, and seasoned breadcrumbs. It's just enough of everything - meaning not too MUCH seasoning, and not to LITTLE either. I'm pretty sure you have everything in your pantry too. If not, improvise with what you have! Meaning, if you don't have onion powder, use minced fresh onion. Same with the garlic powder. If you don't have oregano, use thyme. If you don't have Italian-style bread crumbs, use plain crumbs or panko (Japanese bread crumbs) and add 1/2 teaspoon each of oregano and basil - or whatever savory, dried herbs you have, such as marjoram, thyme and rosemary.
If you want gluten-free crumbs, grind up gluten-free bread (preferably day-old or longer bread), or opt for ground oats. If you use oats, treat them like unseasoned bread crumbs and add more dried herbs.
The top of each loaf is glazed with a blend of ketchup and Dijon mustard. It's just enough sweet-meets-tangy to make the top of the loaf scream FLAVOR. Plus, the sugars in the ketchup caramelize, so there's that awesomeness too...
My meatloaf recipe is pretty standard, but it's perfect every time. EVERY time. And with the cube of parmesan hiding in the middle, it's even better. I guess it's that little hint of salty, tangy cheese that compliments the meatloaf perfectly. Plus, who doesn't love a surprise?
Want to prep ahead? The meatloaves can be prepared in advance and refrigerated (in the muffin pan) up to 24 hours before baking. Cover the pan with plastic wrap and refrigerate until you're ready. Pull the pan from the fridge 30 minutes before baking (so the meatloaves aren't REALLY cold heading into the oven).
Parmesan Stuffed Individual Meatloaves
1 pound lean ground beef
1/2 cup Italian-style seasoned bread crumbs
1 large egg
2 tablespoons ketchup, divided
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
6 1/2-inch pieces parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
In a large bowl, combine the beef, bread crumbs, egg, 1 tablespoon of the ketchup, oregano, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Mix well. Press the mixture into 6 cups of a muffin pan. Insert 1 piece of cheese into each loaf, about halfway down, and press the meat back together to cover the cheese.
In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining ketchup and Dijon mustard. Spread the mixture over the top of each loaf.
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the loaves are cooked through (they will pull away from the sides of the muffin cups). Let rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Makes 6 individual meatloaves, serves 4-6
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