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.
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?
🛒Ingredients and Notes
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!
- 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.
🔪Step by Step Instructions
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.
- Combine all ingredients except the boiled eggs, bacon, and ketchup.
- Transfer the mixture to a sheet of plastic wrap or wax paper and form a rectangle.
- Align the boiled eggs on the meat mixture, then roll the meat over the eggs. Place into the prepared pan, seam-side down.
- Top with ketchup and cover with bacon slices if using.
- 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!
💡Recipe Tips
- 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.
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, and green beans are traditional sides with this Falscher Hase.
💗More Related Recipes to Try
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
- Air Fryer Scotch Eggs
Liked this recipe? Leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating in the recipe card below and/or a review in the comments section. Your feedback is always appreciated! Stay in touch through Pinterest, Instagram, and Facebook! Don't forget to sign up for my email list below too!
Meatloaf with Hard-Boiled Eggs and Bacon
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
- ½ cup milk
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley chopped
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- A pinch of nutmeg
- 3 hard-boiled eggs
- 4 slices bacon optional
- 2 tablespoons ketchup
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.
Expert Tips
- 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
Update Notes: This recipe was originally published in July 2015 and updated in August of 2020 with new photos and recipe tips.
I agree with you about meatloaf being comfort food but when prepared like you did with the eggs and the beautiful woven bacon, it really is a special meal.
Awe, so sweet of you to say that! Thank you so much, Karen! Hope you're staying well and safe. Hugs! 😀
Interesting! I've never heard of baking an egg into a meatloaf. It sounds delicious, and it's visually appealing.
Before I moved here, I didn't know people do it without eggs. 🙂 Hope you'll give it a try. Thanks for stopping in!
I had never eaten a meatloaf with egg inside until a few years ago when a friend made it for me. It was a delicious aha revelation! Yours looks great, especially with the bacon!
Hi, Petra! There's nothing more satisfying than playing with food. And bacon makes everything better 😉
What a pretty loaf Jas!
Thank you! 😀
This is a beautiful meatloaf! Thanks so much for sharing with us at Full Plate Thursday in 2017. Wishing you the very best in 2018 and hope to see you soon.
Happy New Year!
Miz Helen
Thank you, Miz Helen! Wishing you the same. XO
We love meatloaf now and then. This looks so unique and delicious! Thanks for sharing the recipe with SYC.
hugs,
Jann
Meatloaf is my husband's favorite but I don't make it as often as he would've liked, ha! Happy 2018, Jann!
wow! I love this idea! It is so different and looks delicious! pinned and saw your post at the pin junkie party:)
Thanks and thank you for stopping in, Kathleen! 😀
I love hard boiled eggs and meatloaf, so this recipe combines some of my favorite things! I agree that it looks very pretty, great recipe!
Thank you, Heather! Happy New Year!
Perfect, exactly the recipe I was needing, I've seen this in some places but I've never done it because I thought it was difficult but now that I've seen in your article that it's simple to do, that's great thank you.
I'm so glad!
OMG!!!! This is so cruel, you are making me drool all over my keyboard... Egg, bacon? oh yeah!!!! Piiiiiiinning!
XOXO
LOL, I know...sorry... 😀 Thanks for visiting and sharing!
This looks amazing! Thank you so much for linking up at Tasty Tuesday! This post has been pinned on the Tasty Tuesday Pinterest board! I love having you and can't wait to see you next week!
Thank you so much, Stephanie!
Oh my! This looks so fabulous! Pinned and tweeted. Please join us tonight at 7 pm, and party with us. I can’t wait to see your new masterpieces or amazing classics! Lou Lou Girls
Thank you!!!
We made something like this when I was growing up. It was an Italian style meatloaf. Thanks for sharing at Funtastic Friday. Stop by again.
Italy is our neighbor country so there's some similarity in our cuisines. Glad you experienced the yummy meatloaf growing up. Thanks for stopping in! 😀
I love this meatloaf recipe Jas! Love the hidden egg! Pinned and share and is on my list to now do! Thank you!
Thank you, hon! 🙂
This sounds so yummy! Thanks for sharing!!
Thank you, Jenn!
This is a brilliant recipe Jas! My teenagers would love it as it has bacon and according to teenagers, bacon is its own food group. Love this fun dish with hidden eggs. It is so pretty when you slice into it! Sharing, pinning, sending smoke signals... you know the usual...
Lol, smoke signals....don't burn the kitchen down, chief! 😀 And thank you so much!!! XO
It looks amazing. I have heard of this but never tried it. Thanks for sharing the recipe, and I love that you have so many photos to go along with it. 🙂
Have a great weekend!
Your comment means so much to me. Thank you! Hope your weekend is glorious as well! 😀
Ohmigosh, my Mom used to make meatloaf with hardboiled eggs in the center. It was delicious. She didn't wrap it in bacon, though. Sounds yummy!
😀 Glad my recipe evoked some memories!!! Have an amazing day!
This looks amazing and I have never seen that before. Happy to find it at the Thursdays Favorite Things hop!
Thanks a heap! Hope you'll give it a try! Glad you're hopping with us 😀
oh my goodness this is a wonderful recipe! Such wonderful flavors. Oh sigh...how I miss bacon. xo
Thanks, sweetie! Sorry you can't have bacon 🙁 But this could be made without it as well. My husband and my daughter don't like bacon (how wrong, right?), so I often make it without. Hugs
What an interesting recipe, and I know the kids would love to find an egg inside 😉
Thanks, Lisa! Kids love surprises 🙂
This looks interesting, I've never really cooked a meatloaf, with it being summer time here it is not likely to get cooked for a few more months, however I will give it a go sometine this year!
Thanks, Brian, for stopping in! I hope you give it a try. It's not classified as winter meal, but if you don't cook during the summer I understand 🙂 Have a great day!
This looks delicious Jas. I'm allergic to eggs, but I'm definitely going to make a bacon wrapped meatloaf now! Thanks for the inspiration.
Oh no, I'm so sorry for your allergy! But even without the eggs, meatloaf is yummy. You could stuff it with cheese or cooked carrots perhaps 🙂 Thank you for always stopping in, April!!! Hugs
'Meatloaf' izgleda veoma dekorativno i sigurna sam da je bozanstvenog ukusa.
Hvala draga na pruzenom gostoprimstvu - to isto vrijedi za tebe i tvoju porodicu...dobrodosli ste u Australiju (kao moji gosti) u bilo koje doba. Drago mi je da sam te pronasla i zadrzala kao virtuelnog prijatelja .XO
Oh, hvala Jasna na pozivu....mozda jednog dana, bas bi te voljela upoznati. Mozda se nekad susretnemo u domovini (ne znam iz kojeg si mjesta, ja sam iz Banja Luke). A ovaj meatloaf je nas lazni zec, mama ga je cesto pravila bas ovako sa jajima 🙂 Puno pozdrava preko bare!
I love stuffed meatloaf. This one, stuffed with eggs and wrapped in bacon is looks incredible! It's a meatloaf that is company-worthy in my book.
Thank you, Thao! Have an amazing week 🙂
BTW, does your like button take forever to load or is it just me? I never get to click like as it tells me "loading..." all the time. 🙁
I have no idea. I don't usually click like on my own stuff, hahaha 😛 Must be your gremlins again 😀 Hope your week is fantastic!
damn gremlins!!!
😀
Very creative, Jas! The bacon wrap looks really nice - although I'll hv to substitute that with turkey bacon if I make this. Food for a true carnivore!!! With surprise egg inside, too! Oh yummy!
Lol, I am true carnivore! You can omit bacon altogether 😀