Spinach Ricotta Vegetarian “Meatloaf”

I recently came to the conclusion that it’s almost impossible for me to take a decent picture of a meatloaf.
I’ve tried and miserably failed.
Which is one of the reasons why I only have one other recipe for meatloaf1 on this blog (not pretty, but so very delicious.)
However I feel that even though a meatloaf is not a photogenic dish, one should never judge a dish by the way it appears — no matter how bad the picture is.
In this case, for instance, what this Spinach Ricotta Vegetarian “Meatloaf” lacks in looks, it makes up for in flavor. Trust me.

This comforting, healthy, hearty vegetarian meatloaf is made from a base of ricotta, eggs, and breadcrumbs, stuffed with plenty of spinach and a bit of Provolone cheese, and baked up to perfection.
It’s not quite a classic meatloaf. It’s better.
A flavorful and “beautiful” loaf that would be just perfect as the main dish for Thanksgiving, Christmas or any other holiday.
Just makes sure to follow the directions to the T — otherwise you’ll risk ending up with an inedible mushy mess. You definitely don’t want that.

It might not look yummy but this is in fact so delicious, you’re going to love it. You just have to trust me on this one.

Spinach Ricotta Vegetarian “Meatloaf”                                                                                         Print this recipe!

Ingredients

Serves 8

14 oz / 400 gr fresh spinach
1 tablespoon butter
2 cups ricotta cheese
1 cup grated Romano cheese
1 cup breadcrumbs (I used GF bread crumbs)
5 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
3 eggs
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
6 slices Provolone cheese

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and place a rack in the middle.
Stem and wash well the spinach, but don’t dry them. Place the spinach in your largest pot over medium-high heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until just wilted, about 4 to 6 minutes.
Drain in a colander.
Melt butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the spinach and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, until all of the moisture from the spinach has boiled off and the spinach begins to stick to the pan. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool.
In a large bowl, combine ricotta cheese, Parmesan cheese, and Romano cheese, eggs, breadcrumbs, salt, and pepper.
Place a piece of parchment paper over baking sheet.
Spread ricotta mixture and shape into a rectangle about ½-inch thick. Add spinach mixture in an uniform layer and top with Provolone cheese slices.
Using the parchment paper for support and starting at one of the shortest ends, delicately roll the mixture onto itself, as tightly as you can.
Wrap the roll into the parchment paper and twist the ends of the paper to secure. Cover with a sheet of aluminium foil and bake in the oven for 30 minutes.
Remove from the oven and let cool completely before slicing.
When ready to serve, quickly reheat slices in the oven or in the microwave until the cheese starts to melt.

Nutrition facts

One serving yields 284 calories, 20 grams of fat, 6 grams of carbs, and 18 grams of protein.