Easy Meatloaf with Spaghetti and Tomato Sauce Recipe
This easy meatloaf with spaghetti and tomato sauce is a comforting, hearty meal perfect for family dinners. The flavorful pork meatloaf is enhanced with fresh herbs and crumbled feta, baked to juicy perfection and served alongside spaghetti tossed in a rich, slow-simmered passata sauce.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 4 to 6 servings 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian-inspired
Ingredients
Scale
Meatloaf
- 2 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for greasing and drizzling
- 2 onions, finely chopped
- 500g pork mince
- 1 large egg
- 75g fresh breadcrumbs
- 15 sage leaves, roughly chopped
- 100g feta, crumbled
- 3 bay leaves (1 finely chopped, 2 whole for topping)
Tomato Sauce and Pasta
- 680g jar passata
- 70ml water
- 600g spaghetti
Instructions
- Prep and heat the oven: Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan)/Gas mark 4. Grease an ovenproof dish to prevent sticking.
- Sauté onions for meatloaf: Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add finely chopped onions and cook for about 5 minutes until softened. Remove half of the onions and place them in a large mixing bowl.
- Make the meatloaf mixture: To the bowl with onions, add pork mince, large egg, fresh breadcrumbs, roughly chopped sage leaves, crumbled feta, finely chopped bay leaf, and a generous seasoning of salt and pepper. Mix thoroughly until combined.
- Shape and bake the meatloaf: Shape the meat mixture into a long sausage shape and transfer it to the greased ovenproof dish. Place the remaining whole bay leaves on top and drizzle a little extra olive oil over the meatloaf. Bake in the preheated oven for 40-45 minutes or until cooked through.
- Simmer tomato sauce: While the meatloaf is baking, keep the remaining onions in the frying pan on low heat for 2 minutes. Then increase the heat and pour in the passata along with 70ml water. Let it simmer gently for about 30 minutes, stirring often, until it thickens and the meatloaf is nearly done. Season the sauce to taste with salt and pepper.
- Cook spaghetti: Prepare the spaghetti according to the package instructions until al dente. Drain once cooked.
- Combine and serve: Toss the drained spaghetti in the tomato sauce to coat evenly. Slice the cooked meatloaf and serve alongside the sauced spaghetti. Let everyone help themselves to this delicious, hearty meal.
Notes
- Ensure the meatloaf reaches an internal temperature of 75°C (165°F) to guarantee it is fully cooked.
- For a lighter version, substitute pork mince with lean turkey mince.
- If feta is too salty for your taste, rinse it lightly before crumbling into the meat mixture.
- The tomato sauce can be made ahead and refrigerated to deepen the flavor.
- Use gluten-free breadcrumbs and pasta to adapt this recipe for gluten intolerance.
Keywords: meatloaf, spaghetti, tomato sauce, pork mince, easy dinner, Italian dish, baked meatloaf, family meal
