Spinach & Ricotta Turkey Meatloaf | What's Cooking Wednesday

Meatloaf is definitely not the most appetizing word. Meat. Loaf. Meatloaf. It's clunky and doesn't roll off the tongue, which if you're anything like me, is somewhat how I associate the food in my head. I remember having this dish as a kid and it was literally just ground beef mixed with seasonings and topped with ketchup. Without mincing words, the ketchup was pretty much the best part (sorry, Mom!). I pretty much avoided meatloaf for the past... oh, 20 years?

Like all good things, enter Pinterest. Since you can find pretty much anything your heart desires on there, I saw a picture for this meatloaf pop up on my homepage and put it on my "To Cook" list. The recipe sat there for some time, intimidated by my history with it. Well, I was running out of easy dishes and decided to give it a go and it was -- AMAZING. I am a total convert, to say the least!

First, this dish, like most recipes I try to post here, was so easy. I threw it together in under 5 minutes, using only one bowl -- any time you can cut down on dishes, count me in. Second it's healthy and light! It's made with ground turkey, which is less greasy than beef. I try to make this swap as much as possible; I just FEEL better after eating when it's turkey vs. beef. While meatloaf is still a gross word, give this recipe a try to see if it will at least change your mind on the taste :)


Spinach & Ricotta Turkey Meatloaf
Recipe from: In Sock Monkey Slippers 
 
Ingredients
1 pound lean ground turkey
10 ounces frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry to remove excess water
1 cup ricotta cheese, part skim
1 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup bread crumbs, preferably wheat
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon fresh black pepper
heavy pinch fresh grated nutmeg
1 cup marinara
1/3 cup mozzarella cheese

Instructions
Preheat oven to 350°F. In a large bowl combine the turkey, spinach, ricotta cheese, Parmesan cheese, egg, breadcrumbs, salt, pepper, and nutmeg until mixed. It’s best to do this with your clean hands.

In a baking dish lightly greased or lined with parchment paper, form the turkey mixture into roughly a 3 to 4 inch thick loaf. Next, evenly pour the marinara over the loaf and top with mozzarella.

Place in the oven and bake for 50 minutes. Once the meatloaf is finished, remove from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes before serving.