Description
A gourmet twist on traditional meatloaf featuring smoky heat and creamy flavors, perfect for impressing guests or elevating weeknight meals.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 pounds ground beef (80/20 lean-to-fat ratio)
- 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 4–5 fresh jalapeños, seeds removed and finely diced
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 2 large eggs, beaten
- 1 small onion, finely diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons smoked paprika
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon liquid smoke (optional)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 6–8 bacon slices for wrapping
- ½ cup sour cream (or Greek yogurt)
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons buttermilk
- 1 tablespoon fresh dill, chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon dried chives
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). While your oven heats, finely dice your jalapeños, onions, and garlic.
- Combine ground beef, beaten eggs, panko breadcrumbs, diced onion, minced garlic, Worcestershire sauce, smoked paprika, liquid smoke (if using), salt, and pepper in a large mixing bowl. Mix with your hands until just combined.
- Mix softened cream cheese with cheddar cheese and diced jalapeños until well combined to create the ‘popper’ mixture.
- Form half of the meat mixture into a rectangular base on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Add the jalapeno-cheese mixture in the center and cover with the remaining meat mixture. Wrap the entire loaf with bacon slices.
- Bake for 60-65 minutes until the internal temperature reaches 160°F (71°C). Whisk together all ranch drizzle ingredients and refrigerate. Allow meatloaf to rest for 10 minutes before serving with ranch drizzle.
Notes
Wear gloves when handling jalapeños to prevent skin irritation. Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 65 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 485
- Sugar: 2g
- Sodium: 780mg
- Fat: 35g
- Saturated Fat: 12g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 10g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 32g
- Cholesterol: 85mg
Keywords: meatloaf, jalapeno poppers, comfort food, ranch drizzle