Pesto meat loaf
- Total Time
- 1 hour 30 minutes
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
- 2pounds lean ground pork
- Salt to taste, if desired
- Freshly ground pepper to taste
- 1tablespoon olive oil
- 2tablespoons finely chopped garlic
- 1cup fine bread crumbs
- â…“cup toasted pine nuts
- 1cup finely chopped, loosely packed fresh basil
- ½cup finely chopped, loosely packed parsley
- ½cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 1egg, lightly beaten
- Fresh tomato sauce (see recipe)
Nutritional analysis per serving (8 servings)
294 calories; 14 grams fat; 4 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 5 grams monounsaturated fat; 3 grams polyunsaturated fat; 12 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram dietary fiber; 1 gram sugars; 31 grams protein; 368 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 1
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- Step 2
Put the pork in a mixing bowl. Add salt and pepper.
- Step 3
Heat the oil in a small skillet. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, until it is wilted. Add to the pork.
- Step 4
Add the bread crumbs, pine nuts, basil, parsley, Parmesan cheese and egg. Blend well.
- Step 5
Put the mixture into a standard six-cup loaf pan. Pack it down and smooth over the top. Place in the oven and bake about one hour or until the internal temperature registers 165 degrees. Remove from the oven and let the meat loaf stand about 15 minutes before slicing and serving with the tomato sauce.
Private Notes
Comments
This was a good meat loaf in texture and moistness but underwhelming vs my expectations given the tastiness of the pesto ingredients it contained. The pesto flavors disappeared into the meat and the cooked loaf was much more interesting served with a zesty condiment on the side.
I have been making this meatloaf since the recipe was originally published. I finally found a meatloaf recipe I could love! I use a good quality granulated garlic instead of chopped fresh because I think it distributes throughout the mix better (blame my mom, who used garlic powder for meatballs for that reason). I typically mix beef and pork or buy a meatloaf mix if the grocer has it. I divide the mixture into two loaves and shape them and bake on a parchment-lined sheet pan vs. putting all in a loaf pan. Sometimes I treat it like a slice of meatball and cook a bit of pasta to serve it with.
Clairborne / Franey recipe was published in 1984, 40 years before I cooked it in my home kitchen in 2024. Time flies and food anchors us because I can clearly remember the Times food section in those days and I had recently moved to SF from NYC. We don't eat ground beef but meatloaf was calling my name as comfort food during the week of my father's passing. This pork version worked well. I eliminated pine nuts (allergies) and used panko for bread crumbs. Used the linked tomato sauce too.
@dimmerswitch That's where I first saw it - in the Times Food Section. I was instantly hooked on the idea.
This was a good meat loaf in texture and moistness but underwhelming vs my expectations given the tastiness of the pesto ingredients it contained. The pesto flavors disappeared into the meat and the cooked loaf was much more interesting served with a zesty condiment on the side.
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