Paleo & Keto Greek Meatloaf with Feta Cheese and Mint…{with some great tips for making Paleo/Keto meatloaf!}

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Greek Meatloaf hits the spot! With tangy pockets of feta cheese and a jazzy-infused mint flavor, this meatloaf can’t be boring! I give some tips for making great Paleo/Keto meatloaf in the recipe, too; so you’ll have success with this recipe and others.

TIPS

When I was in college I was a vegetarian. I used to really like mezas (μεζές) during this stage. With several different spellings, mezes are found throughout the Near East, the Balkans and even in Central Asia. Every culture as its own variations. But small dishes, plates of variety, comprise a feast.

Now I’m an omnivore. But I still love mezes. I create a main dish– and then surround it with small dishes. This recipe inspires that approach, making it fun for one’s family, or full of possibilities for guests. Meatloaf doesn’t have to be blah “American” food. Liven it up with zesty ingredients and beautiful sides!

This meatloaf recipe is excellent. If you want to find a meatloaf that’s reliable, moist, and one with delicious leftovers, this is it.

One of the magical ingredients in this recipe is cream. There’s just half of a cup, but it helps to achieve the successful outcome. (Dairy-free alternative listed in recipe.) The fresh mint makes the flavor (and scent) fresh! The feta is rich and exciting. The spinach and red peppers pretty and earthy. I use cassava flour to hold it all together, or psyllium husk powder (find it here) for the Keto version, without drying it out. What else? — the essential oil — it so permeates the loaf, lovely! (Find it here.)  And the baking soda. Baking soda lightens the loaf.

When you serve, keep it simple with just a salad.

Or do olives, cucumbers and special lettuces.

To embellish further, look to Greece’s native foods. They don’t need to involve more cooking: kumquats, pomegranates, purple onions, green onions, figs, pistachios, a salad dressed with good extra-virgin olive oil, are tomatoes in season?– heirloom tomatoes sliced or cut in wedges. Place all the beautiful things in small, pretty bowls around the table.

Meatloaf was never so lovely.

Print Recipe

4.67 from 3 votes

Greek Meatloaf with Feta Cheese and Mint

Prep Time25 minutes mins

Total Time25 minutes mins

Servings: 8 servings

Author: Megan

Ingredients

• 2 pounds ground beef grass-fed
• 3 eggs pastured
• 2 whole onions chopped small, or omit for KETO (add greens of green onions, if desired)
• 1 cup frozen spinach
• 1 jar roasted red peppers
• ½ cup cream grass-fed, raw preferred (okay to use coconut cream for non-dairy version)
• ½ cup fresh mint lightly packed
• ½ pound feta cheese preferably sheep's milk Israeli feta which is milder and creamier
• ⅓ cup cassava flour or 2 Tablespoons psyllium husk powder, for KETO version
• 1 Tablespoon butter or lard or avocado oil
• 4 cloves fresh garlic crushed or minced
• 3 teaspoons sea salt divided (see recipe below)
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano or dried rosemary
• ½ teaspoon baking soda, sifted
• 2 shakes spearmint essential oil
• freshly ground black pepper to taste

Instructions

• Heat large skillet over high heat. Add butter or lard. Add chopped onions and 1 teaspoon sea salt. Saute over medium-high heat for 5 minutes. Cover and reduce heat to medium for 5 additional minutes. Stir in oregano (or rosemary) and turn off heat. Allow to cool slightly while you proceed with recipe.
• Line a LARGE loaf pan with parchment paper. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Place large cookie sheet on oven shelf (to catch any drips from meatloaf as it bakes.)
• In small bowl sift together cassava flour and baking soda. Set aside.
• Drain liquid from jarred roasted peppers. Place them on a cutting board and slice them into 1/2" strips. Set aside.
• Into a large food processor fitted with a metal blade add the following in this order: 3 eggs, fresh mint, garlic, essential oil, ground beef (broken into smaller chunks), remaining 2 teaspoons sea salt, and cream. Top with cooling onions. Sprinkle cassava flour (or psyllium) over food processor ingredients. Pulse mixture about 5 times, to mostly distribute. Pulse a bit more if needed. (Don't over mix.) {You can also mince the fresh mint and mix all of this with your hands in a large bowl, which is the old-fashioned way of making meatloaf. That's a great option and will just turn out a slightly different texture than using a food processor.}
• Remove lid. Add frozen spinach and feta, broken into both medium size and small chunks. Pulse again 3-4 times. At this point the food processor is very full. Use a wooden spatula to push some of the feta and spinach down into the meat mixture, but don't over mix. {Or if using your hands and a bowl, mix in spinach and feta manually.}
• Scoop/pour and spread meat mixture into loaf pan, evenly distributing any larger chunks of feta or spinach. Shape the top so it's slightly mounded in the center.
• Lay pepper strips across the top of meatloaf decoratively. Press them in slightly.
  
• Place meatloaf on cookie sheet in preheated oven. Bake 1 hour and 10 minutes, if using large loaf pan. Remove and allow to cool for 15 minutes before slicing.
• Serve with Greek olives, cucumbers and whatever else you love from this region: probiotic sour cream/thick yogurt, fresh lemon wedges, tomatoes if in season, a big green salad with red onions and olive oil, capers, figs, oranges etc.

Notes

Find psyllium husk powder here.

This is the Plant Therapy essential oil that makes this meatloaf SO special and fresh tasting.