Walnut + Mushroom Meatloaf
We jokingly refer to my father-in-law Bob’s meatloaf as an “onion loaf.” The man loves his onions! Now, don’t get me wrong, his onion loaf is pretty tasty and he really is onto something—meatloaf is a great dish for some veggie add-ins. I’ve still got the onions here, but I’m also bringing in mushrooms to enhance the beef flavor, walnuts for a subtle, nutty crunch, and oats to tie it all together. In the end, you can serve this meatloaf with veggies and a grain—or just eat it by itself since it’s become an all-in-one meal.
Ingredients
Serves 6 to 8
1 cup raw walnuts (3 ounces)
8 ounces cremini mushrooms, sliced or whole
¾ cup quick oats
½ cup whole milk
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium yellow onion (8 ounces), finely chopped (1½ cups)
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
2 garlic cloves, minced
¼ cup + ¾ cup ketchup, divided
1 pound ground beef
1 large egg
2 teaspoons kosher salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
Preparation
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F and prepare a 9 × 5-inch loaf pan by spraying it heavily with cooking oil spray. Alternatively, to help lift the meatloaf out of the pan later, line the pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang.
2. Pulse the walnuts in a food processor until they are finely chopped, then transfer them to a small bowl and set aside. Pulse the mushrooms in the food processor until they are also finely chopped and set aside in another small bowl (the food processor makes this really easy, but you can also do the chopping in this step by hand with your knife; just keep going until everything’s as finely chopped as possible).
3. In a large bowl, combine the oats and milk, then set aside. Heat the oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat, add the mushrooms and onions, and cook until the veggies are tender and lightly browned in spots—8 to 10 minutes. Add the thyme and garlic and continue cooking until fragrant—1 to 2 minutes.
4. Remove the pan from the heat and transfer the mixture to the bowl of soaked oats. Add the walnuts and ¼ cup of the ketchup and stir to combine.
5. Add the beef, egg, salt, and pepper. Use your hands to mix the ingredients together until they are well combined, trying not to overmix, then transfer the beef mixture to the prepared loaf pan, lightly pressing the mixture down into an even layer. Spread the remaining ¾ cup ketchup evenly on top.
6. Bake until the ketchup goes from shiny and glossy to matte and brown in spots and the meatloaf reaches an internal temperature of 160°F—1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes. Remove the meatloaf from the oven and allow it to cool for 20 minutes before slicing and serving.
View Recipe 
