This Stove Top Stuffing Meatloaf with zucchini and pasta sauce is so easy and flavorful. You’ll love it for a hearty dinner!
Meatloaf, meatloaf, meatloaf. It’s one of those dinners I used to eat all the time as a kid. In fact, I ate it so much as a kid, that I swore I would never make it as an adult. Well… I guess I lied to myself. I do in fact make meatloaf, and I really like it.
When I was younger I used to watch my mom throw all these ingredients into a big bowl, mix in the ground beef, then slap it on the pan. Bake for an hour, and that was it. We always had to add ketchup on the side because it would taste just blah.
When I first played around with this meatloaf recipe, I’m not gonna lie, it was yucky. It was just another big slab of ground beef. Who wants to eat that? Not me. Then I went to Google and read all sorts of other recipes and got inspired. I knew I needed to add some oomph to this recipe.
That’s where the stove top stuffing, zucchini, and sauce come in. I swear you guys, just adding a little spaghetti sauce, zucchini and of course cheese, takes this meatloaf to a whole to level. This is by far my favorite meatloaf recipe, plus it’s super easy to whip up on a busy night. Now, it does take about 35-45 minutes to cook, but the prep time is literally no more than 5-10 minutes.
Throw the pan in the oven, grab that glass of wine, and watch something on TV for 30 minutes. It’s foolproof, and I promise you guys will love it. I’ve made this recipe with ground turkey or ground beef. Either way it turns out delicious! When my husband and I are on a healthy kick, we do turkey, but I gotta say that I love the flavor the beef gives this dish too. Whichever way is fine as long as you make it.
In a large bowl, add stuffing mix with half of the spaghetti sauce, garlic, 1/2 teaspoon oregano, parsley, and pepper; mix well. Add meat and mix to incorporate all ingredients. (I usually use my hand to make sure everything is incorporated).
Place meat in a 9 x 13″ baking dish.
Add zucchini, remaining spaghetti sauce, and 1/2 teaspoon oregano to a bowl and mix to combine. Spoon over meat mixture and cover with foil.
Bake for 25-30 minutes. Remove foil and top with cheese. Bake for another 10 minutes uncovered. Meatloaf should be 160 degrees F with cheese bubbly and melted.
Serve immediately and enjoy!
Author:Rosie
Here are two more Italian dinner recipes you might like to try!
ClientAdministrator
4 comments
Betty Menetrey
6 years ago
My husband hates zucchini. Does this taste as good with a different veggie, is it good with spinach?
Rebecca
6 years ago
This sounds so yummy, trying it tonight! Do you use the flavor packet from stuffing mix?
Jesse Polvino
6 years ago
Is this freshnor dried parsley, guessing fresh?
Cyndi
6 years ago
Hi! It’s fresh parsley. :-) Hope you enjoy the recipe.
This super quick and easy sheet pan shrimp recipe is a great option for a busy spring or summer weeknight. The bright flavor from the lemon and tomatoes combined with the creamy avocado and feta really...
I love buffalo everything! I think buffalo sauce is an easy way to add a lot of flavor to a dish and it works well with so many different ingredients. This buffalo salmon bowl is a great way to have...
French onion soup and mac and cheese are two of the best comfort food dishes. Combining the two to make French onion Mac and cheese is the ultimate comfort food. Although this recipe has a few more steps...
4 comments
My husband hates zucchini. Does this taste as good with a different veggie, is it good with spinach?
This sounds so yummy, trying it tonight! Do you use the flavor packet from stuffing mix?
Is this freshnor dried parsley, guessing fresh?
Hi! It’s fresh parsley. :-) Hope you enjoy the recipe.