This form of meatloaf is rather traditional in Croatian cuisine. It’s most often made during the days families and friends gather around table. It’s festive purpose makes it that more delicious, since we usually don’t enjoy this treat very often throughout the year. Christmas holidays ahead are the perfect time to serve meatloaf.
Sometimes, you can wrap bread dough around the meatloaf and bake it together. However, I kept it simple here. The addition of hard boiled eggs is quite traditional for our cuisine and it makes it decorative. The simplest way to bake this meatloaf is in a bread pan, but you can also simply roll it into a log, place on parchment paper and bake. This, however, will help it keep its shape.
I recommend serving it with a gravy and baked potatoes. 
Meatloaf with eggs
- Total Time: 70 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
Description
This Croatian meatloaf, enriched with hard-boiled eggs and a blend of beef and pork, is a festive dish perfect for holiday gatherings.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lb (700 g) minced meat (beef and pork combined)
- Salt, to taste
- Pepper, to taste
- Smoked paprika, to taste
- 1/2 onion, finely chopped
- Parsley, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 pieces of stale bread
- Milk, for soaking bread
- 3 hard-boiled eggs
- 1 egg, beaten
- 2 tbsp olive oil
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 356°F (180°C).
- Cook the eggs until hard-boiled, then peel and set aside.
- Break the stale bread into pieces and soak in milk until soft, then squeeze out excess milk.
- In a skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat and sauté the finely chopped onion until soft and translucent.
- In a large bowl, combine the minced meat, sautéed onion, minced garlic, soaked bread, chopped parsley, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. Mix until well combined.
- Place the meat mixture on a piece of parchment paper and flatten it into a rectangle.
- Place the hard-boiled eggs in a line along the center of the meat mixture.
- Carefully roll the meat mixture around the eggs, forming a log shape. Seal the edges and ends well.
- Transfer the meatloaf to a bread pan or place it directly on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
- Brush the top with the beaten egg for a glossy finish.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 50 minutes, or until the meatloaf is cooked through and the top is golden brown.
- Let it rest for a few minutes before slicing and serving.
Notes
- For a decorative touch, consider wrapping the meatloaf in bread dough before baking.
- Serve with gravy and baked potatoes for a complete meal.
- You can also roll the meatloaf into a log shape and bake it directly on parchment paper to help it keep its shape.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Croatian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 3
- Sodium: 600
- Fat: 20
- Carbohydrates: 15
- Fiber: 2
- Protein: 25
- Cholesterol: 150
If You Liked This Recipe, You’ll Love These
- Classic Meatloaf with Brown Gravy
- Instant Pot Meatloaf and Mashed Potatoes
- How to Bake a Ham: A Guide to Choosing, Preparing, and Glazing a Holiday Ham
- How to Make Flæskesteg: Danish Pork Roast with Crispy Crackling
Frequently Asked Questions
Why are hard-boiled eggs baked inside the meatloaf?
The article explains that placing whole hard-boiled eggs in a line through the center of the meat mixture is a traditional Croatian technique — when the meatloaf is sliced, each piece reveals a cross-section of egg, making it visually decorative as well as adding richness. The recipe calls for 3 hard-boiled eggs rolled into the flattened meat before baking.
Why does the recipe soak stale bread in milk before adding it to the meat?
Soaking 2 pieces of stale bread in milk until soft, then squeezing out the excess, creates a panade that keeps the meatloaf moist and tender during the 50-minute bake at 356°F (180°C). It also helps bind the 1 1/2 lb of minced beef and pork without making the texture dense or heavy.
What is the best way to keep the meatloaf’s shape during baking?
The article recommends baking in a bread pan, as this is the simplest way to hold the meatloaf’s shape. You can also roll it into a log, place it directly on parchment paper, and bake — the parchment helps it keep its form. The notes also mention wrapping in bread dough as a decorative variation.
