We’re not what you would call meatloaf people—frankly, the appeal of it is lost on us. Meat? In a loaf? You already know it’s gonna be dry and ketchup-y.
But we finally found a way to see meatloaf for its potential: sandwich it. Sandwiches provide texture; sandwiches provide the chance to customize (i.e., sauce to death). Once you put it between two pieces of bun or toast, the whole thing becomes something greater than a loaf of meat; it becomes, at least in the words of my kiddo, a really good hamburger. Good enough for us.
But somehow more than a burger, too. Our take mostly eschews the ketchup-y forward flavors of traditional meatloaf, turning to the flavors of chicken parmesan instead, we’ve even dropped the meat part of it, using turkey instead. Surprise: there’s even some veggies in there–as much for moisture as anything–not that you’ll notice. It’s moist, thanks to two layers of sauce; it’s texturally, well, more interesting than the usual meatloaf, thanks to plenty of panko in the meat and then layered on top. Smashed between two piece of bread or bun, it feels like anything but meatloaf, which is as good a compliment as a sandwich can get.
Check out our other great burger recipes or ideas for what to do with leftover ground beef!
(Important note: we use a mini loaf pan to cook this; if you have or want to use a standard bread/loaf pan, double the ingredients.)
This Toddler Meatloaf Makes The Best Sandwich
Description
Toddler meatloaf, here made with turkey, gets the -parmesan treatment--and makes a great sandwich!
Ingredients
Instructions
Prep
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Peel and grate your zucchini. Set your oven to 375. Coat pan in cooking spray and line a flat baking pan with parchment paper.
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Make the sauce: add the tomato sauce and soy to a small bowl, followed by a spoonful of minced garlic, a squeeze each of ketchup and mustard, and a couple shakes of basil. Zest the orange peel into the bowl; mix until blended.
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Make the meat mixture: add the turkey, zucchini, egg, 1/2 cup of breadcrumbs, a small spoonful of mayo, and a couple of pinches of salt to a large bowl; use your hands to gently integrate. Shave and/or spread as much cheese as you’d like over top of the meat blend, then mix once more.
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Fill the loaf pan halfway with the meat mixture, using your knuckles to press and spread the meat to cover the base and sides of the pan. Cover the meat with about half of your sauce, then cover the sauce with the rest of the meat. Add the remainder of the sauce to the top of the meat/pan, then sprinkle remaining breadcrumbs all over the top until they cover the sauce
Cook and Assemble
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Place loaf pan on top of baking pan with parchment—and don’t skip this step; otherwise, drippings will land on the floor of your oven—and cook for 50-55 minutes.
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Let the pan rest for a few minutes. With a knife, slice around the edges to separate the meatloaf from the pan; lift out of the pan. Cut the meatloaf into thin long slices.
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Toast your bread or buns til golden brown. Layer both pieces with mayonnaise or butter, then add meatloaf slices.
Serve
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Treat it like a burger or any other sandwich, really: sauce it up with your child’s usual condiments–mustard helps break some of the richness; pickles are especially good on it–and cut in half or quarters.
Adapt
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If your child is allergic to vegetables showing up in their food, don’t add zucchini; instead, add 1/3lb of a ground meat with 15% or more fat–i.e., beef, pork, lamb
Nutrition Facts
Servings 4
Serving Size 1 sandwich
- Amount Per Serving
- Calories 325kcal
- % Daily Value *
- Total Fat 12g19%
- Sodium 300mg13%
- Potassium 350mg10%
- Total Carbohydrate 30g10%
- Dietary Fiber 1g4%
- Protein 20g40%
- Vitamin C 17.5 mg
- Calcium 50 mg
- Iron 2 mg
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
User Reviews
Yowza. This was really good! Going into the rotation
Damn, this was really tasty. Gonna make this again.