Cheesy Stuffed Meat Loaf

This stuffed meatloaf is essentially a polpettone, the Italian-American classic where ground beef wraps around a savory filling of hard-boiled eggs, cured meats, and cheese, then gets browned and simmered in tomato sauce. When sliced, every piece reveals a striking spiral of yellow egg, pink salami and ham, and white melted mozzarella against the meat.

The rolling technique is the trick that makes this work. Pat the seasoned ground beef into a flat rectangle on waxed paper, layer the fillings, then use the paper to roll it into a log just like a jelly roll. Pinch the ends closed firmly to seal the filling inside.

Browning the loaf in oil before simmering is essential. The Maillard browning develops deep savory flavor on the outside that the gentle tomato simmer won’t deliver. Skip the browning step and the meatloaf tastes flat.

Simmering low and slow in tomato sauce (rather than baking dry in the oven) keeps the meat moist and infuses the loaf with tomato flavor while the cheese inside melts. The sauce becomes a meaty bonus that you serve over pasta or rice alongside slices.

Pro Tips

• Pack the meat mixture firmly when patting it flat. Loose meat tears when rolling and the filling spills out.
• Center the fillings in a strip down the middle, leaving 2 inches clear on each long edge for sealing.
• Brown gently in a Dutch oven or large fry pan to keep the loaf intact. Aggressive flipping breaks the roll.
• Slice with a serrated knife after the loaf has rested 5 minutes. Hot loaf falls apart; rested loaf slices clean.

Variations

• Substitute prosciutto, mortadella, or pepperoni for the salami for different cured-meat flavors.
• Use provolone or fontina in place of (or with) mozzarella for sharper cheese flavor.
• Add a layer of sauteed spinach or roasted red peppers along with the meats for more vegetables and color.