Spooned-Up Meat Loaf

Forget the oven. This meatloaf cooks entirely in a skillet on the stovetop in under 30 minutes. Ground beef gets browned and mixed with onion soup mix, quick oats, sour cream, and beaten eggs, then covered and simmered until set with a layer of grated Parmesan melting on top.

The onion soup mix does triple duty as seasoning, flavor base, and binder. Combined with quick oats, it holds the meat mixture together while keeping it moist. Sour cream adds tang and richness that you don’t get from a traditional oven-baked loaf.

Brown the beef first and drain the fat thoroughly before adding anything else. This keeps the finished dish from being greasy. Once you stir in the oats and water, simmer it for five minutes so the oats absorb the liquid and thicken.

The eggs bind everything when the mixture simmers covered at the end. You’ll know it’s done when the center is set and the Parmesan on top has melted into a thin, savory crust.

Kitchen Tips

• Use a large skillet so the mixture spreads thin enough to cook through evenly
• Beat the eggs before stirring them in so they distribute evenly and don’t scramble in clumps
• Keep the heat on low during the final covered simmer to set the eggs gently
• Serve with ketchup on the side for a classic meatloaf experience

Variations

• Use ground turkey or a beef-pork blend instead of all beef
• Swap Parmesan for shredded cheddar or mozzarella
• Add a tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce with the sour cream for more savory depth