Spruce Up Boring Meatloaf With One Savory Cheese

As much as it is beloved as a classic American comfort food, meatloaf is sometimes grouped into those dishes that might be described as boring or lackluster. All you really need to turn ground beef into a hearty loaf is the meat, some breadcrumbs, and eggs. But if you combine these three ingredients and nothing else, you'll surely turn out a plate full of blah. A tasty meatloaf needs additional ingredients to give it flavor, whether those are spices, vegetables, or herbs. Or, if you have a bit of blue cheese to spare, try using this to instantly boost the appeal of the dish.

Blue cheese in meatloaf isn't all that unusual if you think about it. After all, it's not uncommon to put the blue-veined cheese on burgers or steaks. With its sharp, salty, umami-rich flavors, even a small amount of blue combined into your meatloaf mix can make a big difference in taste. Use whichever blue you prefer: Gorgonzola, Roquefort, or Stilton all work well depending on whether you like a milder flavor or something more intense and pungent. 

As for the method, it's best to crumble the blue cheese into the other ingredients, and then gently fold it in without totally crushing it. This means that bits of cheese will be evenly dispersed through the meatloaf. When choosing the other ingredients, consider what tastes great with the blue cheese. For example, a delicious addition would be caramelized onions, which you can make in your Instant Pot. And instead of plain ketchup, upgrade your meatloaf with an unexpected sauce or glaze such as fruit chutney or garlic butter sauce.

Like cheeseburgers, you don't have to limit the kind of cheese in your meatloaf to just one. While blue cheese is fantastic, giving the dish a delicious depth of flavor, other types also work well. Cheddar, mozzarella, Gouda, Colby, Swiss, and provolone all melt very easily, which will give your meatloaf a wonderful gooey factor. Instead of dispersing it throughout your meatloaf mix, like you would with blue, try placing the shredded cheese in the middle of the loaf. This means when it's baked, you'll get a super-stringy layer of cheese running throughout.

Firmer cheese that's not known for its meltability can be a good choice, too. Take feta, for example, which will add a salty, briny flavor to your meatloaf but won't totally melt. Try a better feta than the usual grocery store crumbles, such as a Bulgarian or barrel-aged Greek variety. Cut it into cubes or crumble it with your hands, and you'll get bites of the tangy cheese all throughout the dish. This also goes for halloumi, paneer, and salty Cotija. To really amp up the taste, you could also consider flavored cheeses such as dill Havarti, pepper jack, or cheddar with garlic and herbs.