Zucchini Meatloaf Recipe

Zucchini Meatloaf

2 lbs ground lean beef, turkey, or venison
4 c. shredded zucchini
¾ c. uncooked quick-cooking oats
1 medium onion, chopped
½ c. ketchup
¼ c. milk
2 large eggs, beaten
1 t. salt
½ t. pepper
½ c. ketchup
3 T brown sugar
2 t. mustard (Dijon, yellow, course grain, spicy brown, honey, your choice)
1-2 t. horseradish

Combine first 9 ingredients in a large bowl; shape into 2 loaves. Place on a lightly greased rack in broiler pan; bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes. Combine ½ c. ketchup, brown sugar, mustard, and horseradish; spoon over meatloaf, and bake 15 minutes more or until a meat thermometer registers 160 degrees.

Zucchini meatloaf 5

Your kids will love it at well! My kids are thrilled when I say we are having meatloaf! I get excited because I know there is zucchini in it and they eat it all gone!

Zucchini Meatloaf 6
Easy and delicious zucchini meatloaf recipe

Also try these meatloaf recipes:

Easy Mexican Meatloaf
Easy Crockpot Meatloaf: Apricot Stuffed Crockpot Meatloaf
Not Your Mama’s Meatloaf

 

Zucchini Meatloaf Recipe

zucchinin meatloaf

Thanks to Connie for this Zucchini Meatloaf Recipe. I recently read an article in Cooking Light magazine suggesting a number of tips for using those plentiful zucchini from your summer garden. Zucchini is one of those vegetables that produces more than any family can eat, so we must get creative with how to prepare and store it. The article suggests to add shredded zucchini to a meatloaf. I was skeptical at first, but then I realized that we use zucchini to make breads and cakes, why not try it in a dry, boring meatloaf?? It was delicious! The zucchini added just the right amount of moisture to a classic that tends to be a little dry, especially if using lean meat.

For my Zucchini Meatloaf Recipe, I used ground turkey, but venison is a very lean meat, and can be dry since there isn’t much marbling (fat). Try adding zucchini to your ground beef or venison dishes. The rule of thumb is 2 cups of shredded zucchini to every 1 pound of lean, ground meat. Of course, my meatloaf can be made with ground beef, sans zucchini, and it is tasty, as well. I bake my meatloaf on a rack and broiler pan so that the fat drippings fall through the grate making my meatloaf healthier than if it were baked in a loaf pan.

Zucchinin meatloaf 4

Here’s a time-saving tip…when making meatloaf, double the recipe. Meatloaf freezes wonderfully, cooked or uncooked. Just remember to never re-freeze raw meat once it’s thawed. Don’t forget…leftover meatloaf makes a yummy meatloaf sandwich! Or crumble your leftover meatloaf into your pasta sauce for a unique meaty sauce atop your pasta.

zucchinin meatloaf 3

Zucchini Meatloaf

2 lbs ground lean beef, turkey, or venison
4 c. shredded zucchini
¾ c. uncooked quick-cooking oats
1 medium onion, chopped
½ c. ketchup
¼ c. milk
2 large eggs, beaten
1 t. salt
½ t. pepper
½ c. ketchup
3 T brown sugar
2 t. mustard (Dijon, yellow, course grain, spicy brown, honey, your choice)
1-2 t. horseradish

Combine first 9 ingredients in a large bowl; shape into 2 loaves. Place on a lightly greased rack in broiler pan; bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes. Combine ½ c. ketchup, brown sugar, mustard, and horseradish; spoon over meatloaf, and bake 15 minutes more or until a meat thermometer registers 160 degrees.

Zucchini meatloaf 5

Your kids will love it at well! My kids are thrilled when I say we are having meatloaf! I get excited because I know there is zucchini in it and they eat it all gone!

Zucchini Meatloaf 6
Easy and delicious zucchini meatloaf recipe

Also try these meatloaf recipes:

Easy Mexican Meatloaf
Easy Crockpot Meatloaf: Apricot Stuffed Crockpot Meatloaf
Not Your Mama’s Meatloaf

 

Zucchini Meatloaf Recipe

zucchinin meatloaf

Thanks to Connie for this Zucchini Meatloaf Recipe. I recently read an article in Cooking Light magazine suggesting a number of tips for using those plentiful zucchini from your summer garden. Zucchini is one of those vegetables that produces more than any family can eat, so we must get creative with how to prepare and store it. The article suggests to add shredded zucchini to a meatloaf. I was skeptical at first, but then I realized that we use zucchini to make breads and cakes, why not try it in a dry, boring meatloaf?? It was delicious! The zucchini added just the right amount of moisture to a classic that tends to be a little dry, especially if using lean meat.

For my Zucchini Meatloaf Recipe, I used ground turkey, but venison is a very lean meat, and can be dry since there isn’t much marbling (fat). Try adding zucchini to your ground beef or venison dishes. The rule of thumb is 2 cups of shredded zucchini to every 1 pound of lean, ground meat. Of course, my meatloaf can be made with ground beef, sans zucchini, and it is tasty, as well. I bake my meatloaf on a rack and broiler pan so that the fat drippings fall through the grate making my meatloaf healthier than if it were baked in a loaf pan.

Zucchinin meatloaf 4

Here’s a time-saving tip…when making meatloaf, double the recipe. Meatloaf freezes wonderfully, cooked or uncooked. Just remember to never re-freeze raw meat once it’s thawed. Don’t forget…leftover meatloaf makes a yummy meatloaf sandwich! Or crumble your leftover meatloaf into your pasta sauce for a unique meaty sauce atop your pasta.

zucchinin meatloaf 3

Zucchini Meatloaf

2 lbs ground lean beef, turkey, or venison
4 c. shredded zucchini
¾ c. uncooked quick-cooking oats
1 medium onion, chopped
½ c. ketchup
¼ c. milk
2 large eggs, beaten
1 t. salt
½ t. pepper
½ c. ketchup
3 T brown sugar
2 t. mustard (Dijon, yellow, course grain, spicy brown, honey, your choice)
1-2 t. horseradish

Combine first 9 ingredients in a large bowl; shape into 2 loaves. Place on a lightly greased rack in broiler pan; bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes. Combine ½ c. ketchup, brown sugar, mustard, and horseradish; spoon over meatloaf, and bake 15 minutes more or until a meat thermometer registers 160 degrees.

Zucchini meatloaf 5

Your kids will love it at well! My kids are thrilled when I say we are having meatloaf! I get excited because I know there is zucchini in it and they eat it all gone!

Zucchini Meatloaf 6
Easy and delicious zucchini meatloaf recipe

Also try these meatloaf recipes:

Easy Mexican Meatloaf
Easy Crockpot Meatloaf: Apricot Stuffed Crockpot Meatloaf
Not Your Mama’s Meatloaf