One of the great things about meatloaf is it tastes just as good reheated (maybe even better!) as the first day you cook it. You can reheat and enjoy leftover meatloaf in its original form, or use it to create a variety of tasty recipes. Try one of these yummy options the next time you have leftovers after preparing one of your favorite meatloaf recipes.
Zucchini Meatloaf Boats
This unusual take on zucchini boats is a great way to use up extra meatloaf. This recipe makes three servings.
Ingredients
- Leftover meatloaf, cut into small cubes (approximately two cups of cubes 1/4" to 1/2" in size)
- 1/2 cup of corn kernels (canned, frozen, or cooked fresh and cut from the cobs)
- 1/2 cup of cooked white rice
- 1 cup of diced tomatoes with juice (canned or fresh)
- 3 medium to large zucchini, washed
- Shredded cheese (parmesan, cheddar, mozzarella, etc.)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
- Place the meatloaf cubes, corn, rice, and tomatoes with juice in a medium mixing bowl.
- Stir gently to combine.
- Remove ends from the zucchini.
- Cut the zucchini in half, lengthwise.
- Scoop out the seeds, carving out a hollow for the stuffing while doing so.
- Spray a baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
- Place the zucchini in the dish, cut side up.
- Scoop the meatloaf mixture into the cut zucchini, dividing it equally between each piece.
- Bake for 40 - 45 minutes.
- Sprinkle shredded cheese on top of cooked zucchini boats immediately upon removing the dish from the oven and allow it to melt slightly before serving.
Variations
There are several ways to vary this recipe, making it a great way to use up all kinds of leftovers that you have on hand.
- Stir in any small pieces of leftover vegetables that you have on hand, such as peas, carrots, diced rutabaga, etc.
- If you have leftover spaghetti sauce, you can use that instead of diced tomatoes.
- Give it a Tex-Mex flair by using Spanish rice, Rotel, Mexi-corn, and cheese flavored with taco seasoning.
- Use the filling mixture to stuff bell peppers or tomatoes instead of zucchini (cut off the tops and scoop out the seeds ahead of time).
Meatloaf Hotpot
While this traditional British dish is usually made with stew meat, it's also delicious and comforting when prepared with leftover meatloaf. This recipe makes four servings.
Ingredients
- Leftover meatloaf, cut small cubes (approximately two cups of cubes 1/2" to 3/4" in size)
- 1 pound of Idaho or russet potatoes
- 2 tablespoons of olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, peeled and cut into chunks
- 1 (12-ounce) bag frozen peas and carrots
- 1 (14.5-ounce) can or box of beef broth
- 1 package of brown gravy mix (sizes vary by manufacturer; choose one approximately one-ounce)
- 3 tablespoons of melted butter
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
- Peel and wash the potatoes.
- Cut the potatoes into slices approximately 1/4 inch thick.
- Heat a skillet on the medium-high setting.
- When the skillet is hot, reduce the temperature to medium.
- Place the olive oil in the hot skillet and allow it to heat (approximately one minute).
- Put the meatloaf into the hot oil and stir gently, allowing it to brown on both sides.
- Transfer the meatloaf to a casserole dish.
- Add the onion to the skillet and cook until crisp tender, then place it in the casserole dish.
- Add the peas and carrots to the casserole dish.
- Sprinkle the brown gravy mix over the items in the casserole dish.
- Add the beef broth.
- Stir well to combine.
- Place the potato slices on top of the mixture.
- Drizzle the melted butter over the potato slices.
- Bake for one hour.
Variations
As with any recipe featuring leftovers as a focal point, you can vary this recipe in a variety of ways.
- Use sweet potatoes instead of white potatoes on the top.
- Stir in cooked parsnips or rutabagas when you add the peas and carrots (or instead of the peas and carrots).
- Stir in a bit of red wine (reducing the beef broth quantity accordingly).
- Use homemade gravy instead of a package of gravy mix with beef broth.
More Dishes to Make With Leftover Meatloaf
Of course, the above recipes represent just a couple of the many options for delicious ways to use leftover meatloaf. A few ideas you may want to try include:
- Use crumbled meatloaf instead of ground beef in shepherd's pie or another suitable freezer casserole or ground beef casserole recipe.
- If you have leftover Italian meatloaf, you can use small cubes of it (1/4" to 1/2") instead of ground meat to create a delicious lasagna.
- Slice up meatloaf and pan fry it just long enough to brown both sides, then saute it in gravy to create a unique take on hamburger steak.
- Mix up a traditional beef stroganoff sauce and stir meatloaf chunks (approximately one-inch) into it. Serve over pasta for a tasty treat.
- Make your favorite tomato, potato, or cheese soup recipe even heartier by stirring in crumbled meatloaf or small cubes (1/4" to 1/2") before serving.
Many Uses for Homemade Meatloaf
While it can take a while for meatloaf to cook, the wonderful flavor of this popular comfort food is well worth the effort. The fact it tastes great paired with the many options for using leftovers makes it easy to see why so many home cooks prepare meatloaf regularly!
