Meatloaf with Hard-Boiled Eggs and Bacon

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No matter how you prepare it, meatloaf is one of those cozy dishes that evoke memories and makes you happy. If you stuff it with hard-boiled eggs, you'll get a mouth-watering meatloaf that fits any occasion, whether you serve it hot or cold! 

This delicious dish can easily be a hearty winter comfort food as it can be a simple picnic snack! The bacon makes this minced roast crispy and gives it a deliciously warm note and a rustic look.

Update Notes: This recipe was originally published in July 2015 and updated in August of 2020 with new photos and recipe tips.

Whether flavored in a Mediterranean style, wrapped in dough, stuffed with cheese, or as a classic "mock rabbit with eggs," meatloaf can be special when prepared in various ways and served with side dishes to suit your taste. Try it!

Mock Rabbit

Most European and some South American countries call meatloaf a fake, false, faux, mock rabbit, or mock hare. In German, it's Falscher Hase. 

This dish is traditional to Germany, Scandinavia, and Belgium, but many other countries across the world have their own version of hard-boiled egg-stuffed meatloaf. 

The name comes from the time after the Second World War when many families could not afford a real rabbit for a Sunday roast.

In some regions, you can see this dish on the Easter table. After all, bunnies bring and hide Easter eggs, which would undoubtedly be the right name for this hidden egg meatloaf!

When sliced, this egg meatloaf looks incredible! It's a lot like a British scotch egg in loaf form, although you would make those typically with pork sausage. 

For meatloaf, a mixture of beef and pork is ideal. However, I often make it just with ground beef, like here, and occasionally buffalo. Once I used ground turkey and adjusted the spices - it was just as delicious!

I like to serve this stuffed meatloaf on special occasions since it always gets me credit for spending hours in the kitchen without actually taking hours to make! It's a remarkably simple and easy dish to make.

When I was a kid, I was a super picky eater, and this egg-stuffed meatloaf was one of the only things I'd eat. For me to eat, food always had to be visually appealing, and that description certainly fits this dish - it's a showstopper of the main course! Don't you agree?

What do I need to make this hidden egg meatloaf?

You don't need any unusual ingredients to make this recipe. It is just as simple as taking a regular meatloaf and stuffing it with hard-boiled eggs!

Ingredient tips and recipe notes:

• I believe that a beef/pork mix is best for meatloaf. However, the mixture might be hard to find, or you don't eat pork - ground beef, buffalo, turkey, and chicken (or a combination) work just as good.
• Everything is better with bacon, but it is optional. It also keeps the meat nice and juicy and prevents this minced roast from bursting open in the oven, which can happen. You can substitute it with turkey bacon or leave it out altogether.  
• If you don't like handling raw meat with your bare hands, use disposable gloves, or mix the ingredients with a wooden spoon (it'll take a bit longer). I would not recommend a food processor or a mixer as it will easily overprocess the mixture and make the meatloaf tough. 
• Sprinkle the bottom of the loaf pan with uncooked white rice, then place your formed meatloaf on top of it. While it cooks, rice will soak up all the extra juices. Or use the special pan for meatloaf.
• Cut the ends of each egg a little to ensure every slice has a piece of egg yolk. 
• To boil the eggs, place them into a saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and cook for 5 minutes. Run under cold water to cool and then peel. 
• For a gluten-free version, use ground almond flour or almond meal. 

How do I make this stuffed meatloaf?

The method here is super simple and pretty similar to any other meatloaf recipe. So, if you've ever made meatloaf before, you don't need to worry - so long as you know how to boil an egg, you already know what to do!

Then wrap it around the eggs to form a roll or a scotch egg loaf, if you will.

 *Keep scrolling to get the full (printable) recipe, ingredient amounts, and more tips, or click on the "Skip to Recipe" button at the top of the page.

1. Combine all ingredients except the boiled eggs, bacon, and ketchup. 
2. Transfer the mixture to a sheet of plastic wrap or wax paper and form a rectangle.
3. Align the boiled eggs on the meat mixture, then roll the meat over the eggs. Place into the prepared pan, seam-side down.
4. Top with ketchup and cover with bacon slices if using.
5. Bake until bacon is crisp, and let stand for 10 minutes before slicing.

See? Super simple! It's like a swiss roll meatloaf - a delicious spiral!

What side should I serve with this dish?

The juicy meatloaf, which hides hard-boiled eggs inside, is best served with fluffy mashed potatoes, smashed, or boiled potatoes, red cabbage, or root vegetables.

In German's standard households, in addition to potato puree, peas with carrots as well as green beans are traditional sides with this Falscher Hase.  

What should I try next?

Ground or minced meat offers unlimited dishes that are easy, satisfying, and soul-warming. You should definitely try some, if not all, of these recipes:

• GLUTEN-FREE BEEF AND FETA RISOLLES
• CHILEAN SHEPHERD'S CORN PIE
• ONE-PAN SOUTH AFRICAN BOBOTIE
• SWEDISH CABBAGE CASSEROLE
• SLAVONIAN POLENTA BEEF CASSEROLE
• BEEF-STUFFED ONIONS
• SWEDISH MEATBALLS

Meatloaf with Hard-Boiled Eggs and Bacon

This juicy German meatloaf with hidden eggs is the perfect family dinner, and you'll love it the next day in a fantastic meatloaf sandwich.

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Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Belgian, Bosnian, Croatian, German, Greek, Scandinavian

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 50 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes

Servings: 6

Calories: 316kcal

Author: Jas

Equipment

• Mixing bowl
• Loaf pan
• saucepan
• Plastic wrap or wax paper

Ingredients

• 1 pound lean ground beef
• 1 egg
• 1 small onion finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves minced
• 1 cup breadcrumbs
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tablespoons fresh parsley chopped
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• A pinch of nutmeg
• 3 hard-boiled eggs
• 4 slices bacon optional
• 2 tablespoons ketchup

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

  Grease an 8 or 9-inch loaf pan. Sprinkle the bottom with breadcrumbs, which helps the meatloaf from sticking (*see the recipe notes for an alternative).
• In a medium bowl, combine everything except the boiled eggs, bacon, and ketchup. Dip your hands in it and be careful not to overwork it, or the meatloaf will end up being tough.
• Transfer the mixture to a sheet of plastic wrap or wax paper and pat it to form (about) an 8x12-inch rectangle.
• Align the boiled eggs next to each other in the middle of the meatloaf mixture. Roll the meat over the eggs, starting at the long end, then place the loaf into the pan, seam-side down.
• Spread the top with ketchup and cover with bacon slices (you can form a lattice pattern if you desire).
• Bake uncovered for 50 minutes or until bacon is crisp, then let stand for at least 10 minutes. Cut into 1-inch slices to serve either warm or cold.
  

Notes

• Beef and pork mixture is the best for meatloaf, however, beef, buffalo, turkey, and chicken (or a combination) work just as good.
• Sprinkle the bottom of the loaf pan with uncooked white rice, then place your formed meatloaf on top of it. While it cooks, rice will soak up all the extra juices.
• Cut the ends of each egg a little to ensure everyone gets a piece of egg yolk in their slice, not just egg white.
• Find additional tips in the post above.
• Please keep in mind that nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary significantly based on products used.

Nutrition

Calories: 316kcal | Carbohydrates: 19g | Protein: 26g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 179mg | Sodium: 792mg | Potassium: 475mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 505IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 90mg | Iron: 3mg

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