Using a rich red Sofrito to make meatloaf, not only adds unique flavor, but keeps the meatloaf tender and moist with texture. If you’re looking for a jazzy meatloaf recipe, this Spicy Meatloaf is a fun twist on America’s classic comfort food.
Why Sofrito Is Your Meatloaf’s New Best Friend
What Is Sofrito?
This meatloaf starts with a beautifully flavored Sofrito. Sofrito simply means “sauce”. The Spanish use Sofrito as an important flavor base for Paella. Common ingredients to make red Sofrito consists of tomato, onion, garlic, peppers and herbs. And Puerto Rican Green Sofrito omits the tomatoes and is used in bean, rice and stew recipes. If you’d like to learn more, I like this article from Spruce Eats, All About Sofritos, History and Variations.
I’m using red Sofrito in my Spicy Meatloaf recipe to elevate the flavor, add a creamy moist texture and to add deep complex savory notes. And I’m adding Hatch Green Chile Peppers to bring a Southwestern flair.
My sofrito version is earthy and complex, adds wonderful flavor and creates a meatloaf recipe that fits perfectly into my Colorado Rustic Comfort Food recipe lineup.
Table of contents
- Why Sofrito Is Your Meatloaf’s New Best Friend
- Let’s Start With How To Make Sofrito
- Ingredients To Make Spicy Meatloaf
- How to Make the Ultimate Sofrito For Meatloaf
- Step by Step: How to Make Spicy Sofrito Meatloaf
- Tips for Success
- How Do You Tell If Meat To Bread Crumb Ratio is Just Right?
- What To Serve It With
- Make Ahead, Storage, Freezing and Reheating
- Variations
- Questions You May Have
- The Spicy Sofrito Meatloaf Recipe
Let’s Start With How To Make Sofrito
Ingredients You’ll Need For The Sofrito
- Tomatoes: You most certainly can use fresh tomatoes, but if they’re out of season, canned tomatoes work very well here.
- Onions: Sweet or yellow onion will bring a much milder flavor than sharp red onions.
- Red bell pepper: To keep with the rich red color theme.
- Garlic
- Hatch Chile Peppers: Use fresh roasted or canned. Spicy meatloaf with Hatch Chiles makes this a Southwestern treat.
- Seasonings: Chili powder (with an “i”) is a blend of seasonings commonly used for Tex-Mex style Chile Soup Recipes. Like my recipe for Cowboy Chili. We’ll also use Mexican Oregano and Cumin.
- Vinegar: We’ll use apple cider vinegar to balance and brighten the flavors.
Mexican Oregano is preferred for this recipe. It's peppery, grassy, earthy flavor is a good compliment for Mexican Food. If you don't have Mexican Oregano, substitute Marjoram. Known for its aroma and delicate flavor, its related to Mexican oregano and will bring a sweet undertone to any recipe.
Ingredients To Make Spicy Meatloaf
- Lean Ground Beef: A blend of good quality 90/10 Ground Sirloin is recommended. A ground beef mix of 93/7 also works well here. Many recipes recommend an 80/20 blend for the “juicy” factor, however, I feel it leaves too much grease at the bottom of the pan. So I’m adding a bit of sausage for extra flavor and texture.
- Sausage: I use Jimmy Dean original sausage, however, have fun, make it your own. Chorizo sausage is a good choice, and ground pork works well.
- Panko Bread Crumbs and Eggs: Are used for the binder.
- Creamed Corn: Adds another layer of flavor and compliments the smooth texture of the meatloaf.
- Catsup and Hot Sauce: Is used for the spicy meatloaf glaze. Use your favorite Hot Sauce. Ours is Cholula. Disclaimer: I am an Amazon Affiliate, if you purchase Cholula using the link provided, I earn a small commission at no extra charge to you.
How to Make the Ultimate Sofrito For Meatloaf
- Step 1: In a large hot skillet heat olive oil over medium high heat. Add chopped onions, chopped bell pepper and cook until onions start to turn translucent, about five minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. In the meantime drain the tomatoes in the sink using a colander.
- Step 2: Add chile peppers, chili powder, salt, oregano and cumin. Turn down heat to low and cook, stirring occasionally until flavors blend, about 5 minutes.
- Step 3: Add tomatoes and cook stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes.
- Step 4: Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature while you make the meatloaf.
Step by Step: How to Make Spicy Sofrito Meatloaf
- Step 1: In a large bowl, combine beef and sausage. Add cooked sofrito, Panko crumbs, eggs, creamed corn and gently mix until well combined.
- Step 2: Roll a small amount of the meat to form a meatball. If it’s solid in texture, meat mix is ready to form into loaves.
- Step 3: Divide mixture into two 9 x 5 loaf pans. Use a butter knife to run around the edges to push the meatloaf slightly away from the sides of the pan.
- Step 4: The Perfect Glaze To Finish Your Spicy Meatloaf is an easy one. In a small bowl, combine Catsup and Hot Sauce. Use a silicone brush to slather the meatloaf with the glaze. Bake the meatloaf 45 minutes.
How Do You Tell When Meatloaf Is Done?
Tip: Use a meat thermometer. Insert the thermometer into the center of the loaf, without touching the bottom of the pan. When the thermometer reaches 160 degrees, your meatloaf is ready. As with any meat, tent the meatloaf with foil and let it rest for 10 minutes before slicing. It will slice much cleaner this way.
Tips for Success
- Use your hands to mix the meatloaf ingredients together before forming into a loaf. Your hands are gentler tools. A large spoon will simply mash the ingredients together, risking a tight dry loaf.
- Cut the vegetables as small as you can. Large uneven cuts of veggies can cause the meatloaf to fall apart.
- Let the meatloaf cool for at least 10 minutes before slicing. This will insure the loaf will not fall apart when you slice it. I actually like to let it sit for somewhere between 20 to 30 minutes.
How Do You Tell If Meat To Bread Crumb Ratio is Just Right?
Getting the consistency of meat to bread crumbs to binder (eggs) is really quite simple. And it’s very important to get it just right. And unfortunately each meatloaf recipe version will differ in moisture and crumb due to ingredients. In other words, there’s no one size fits all. Example, meatloaf made with saltine crackers will behave much differently than meatloaf made with oats. You need to get the consistency just right or the meatloaf will be too dry or so moist it will fall apart when sliced.
Just treat it like a meatball recipe.
For this recipe, the moisture level of the canned corn and the Sofrito mix may vary. You may need to add more Panko bread crumbs to get the consistency right. Once the meat mixture is blended, use the meatball test method to insure a well balanced consistency. Take a small amount of the meat and roll it into a meatball. After a few rolls with your palm, and once a meatball is formed without being mushy, the meatloaf mixture is ready.
If the consistency is too loose, add more breadcrumbs, a little at a time. If you feel it’s too dry, just add a drizzle of milk.
What To Serve It With
Classic Meatloaf is routinely served with Mashed Potatoes and a green vegetable, like Green Beans. However, this spicy meatloaf version deserves a bit of a side dish adjustment.
- Try a spicier version of mashed potatoes using my recipe for Poblano Mashed Potatoes. Or try my recipe for Green Chile Mac and Cheese.
- Toasted Mexican Rice is also a good choice here.
- For a vegetable side, take a look at this recipe for Coyote Corn. With Jalapenos and Su-dried Tomatoes, this is a popular choice for any Southwestern Main Course.
Make Ahead, Storage, Freezing and Reheating
This is a meatloaf recipe that will feed a crowd. It makes two 9′ x 5′ loafs. Which makes it perfect for make ahead or meal prep. And if you’re empty nesters like us, the freezer is your best friend.
- Make Ahead: Prepare these meatloaves a day in advance. Once the meat is in the loaf pan, cover and refrigerate until ready to cook. This works well if you’re entertaining.
- Storage: Store any leftovers in the refrigerator. Simply cover the loaf pans with aluminum foil. Cooked meatloaf will keep in the refrigerator up to 4 – 5 days.
- Reheat: I like to use the microwave to reheat leftovers. The 50% power feature is your best friend. Just place individual portions on a plate, then reheat in 30 second increments until warm enough to eat. Remember, you’re not trying to cook the meatloaf, just get it warm enough to eat.
- Freezer – Meal Prep: I like to make this two loaf pans, so I can freeze one for future meals. You can either freeze a loaf raw wrapped in plastic wrap, then wrapped in foil. Or you can freeze meatloaf after it’s baked. Well sealed, it will keep in the refrigerator for up to 2 – 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight then bake according to instructions.
Variations
- For a fun twist, switch from a loaf to making mini-meatloaves. Just place a small sheet of parchment paper on a kitchen scale and measure out portions of of the meat mixture to weigh somewhere around 10 ½ ounces. It doesn’t have to be exact. Place shaped mini-meatloaves on a sheet pan and adjust cooking time to 30 minutes. Then start checking the internal temperature for the 160 degree mark.
- Once the meatloaf is cooked, add a good handful of grated cheddar cheese to the top. Return to the oven for just a minute or two or until cheese has melted.
- Ground Turkey: Ground turkey may be substituted for the ground beef with no changes to the recipe. Avoid packages labeled ground turkey breast, as it will be too lean and will compromise the texture.
- Heat Level: The beauty of working with chile peppers is that you can control the heat level of this recipe. Chile peppers are labeled mild, medium or hot. Choose the level for your heat tolerance. If you’re looking for heat builders, add a teaspoon of red chile flakes, or a few shakes of hot sauce. Adding chopped jalapeno peppers are another way ramp up that heat level.
Questions You May Have
Once the meatloaf is cooled, use a knife and run around the edges of the loaf, just like you would with a quick bread. Slide two spatulas, one on each end of the loaf and gently and carefully lift the meatloaf to a serving platter. You can also slice the meatloaf while in the loaf pan and serve directly from the pan.
I love this question, because I’m evangelical about using Mirepoix … thanks to my tenure in Culinary School. Both are aromatic vegetable bases, but sofrito is typically cooked longer and uses ingredients common in Spanish/Latin American cuisines. Mirepoix is a French creation using onion, celery and carrot. It’s a flavor base that is commonly used for soups and sauces.
Skip the chile peppers and use a combination of bell peppers. Select a combo of red, yellow or orange. Avoid green bell peppers due to their grassy strong flavor. And simply skip the hot sauce in the glaze. Pure catsup will work just fine.
The Spicy Sofrito Meatloaf Recipe
Rich with chili powder, sassy with cumin, sweet with creamed corn, this is a dinner suitable for our Southwestern lovin' palates. And, of course, left overs make wonderful cold sandwiches.
And don’t miss my category for Beef Recipes. Colorado is king of beef and you’ll find lots of great recipes including the most popular on my site for Sloppy Joes For A Crowd. It’s a perfect sloppy joe recipe and one that feeds 50 people.
If you liked this recipe, please leave a star ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating in the recipe card below and leave a comment. I always appreciate your feedback and hearing how everything went.
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Spicy Sofrito Meatloaf
Ingredients
- To Make The Sofrito
- 2 tablespoons Neutral oil canola or vegetable oil work well here
- 1 large onion peeled, medium diced, about ½ inch.
- 1 red bell pepper cored, seeded, medium diced, about ½ inch
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 4 green chiles roasted, skin removed, seeded and rough chopped. Hatch, Pueblo or Anaheim peppers.
- 2 tablespoons chili powder
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoons Mexican oregano
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 28 ounces canned small diced tomatoes Drained. Red Gold Is a good brand for petite diced tomatoes.
- 1 tablespoon cider vinegar
- To Make The Meatloaf
- 1 ½ pounds lean ground beef
- ½ pound ground sausage
- 3 ½ cups Panko bread crumbs
- 2 eggs lightly beaten
- 1-15 ounce can creamed corn Drained
- To Make The Spicy Meatloaf Glaze
- 1 Cup Catsup
- 8 good shakes Hot Sauce Your favorite. I'm using Cholulu
Instructions
- To Make The Sofrito
- In a large hot skillet heat olive oil over medium high heat.
- Add chopped onions, chopped bell pepper and cook until onions start to turn translucent, about five minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. In the meantime drain the tomatoes in the sink using a colander.
- Add chile peppers, chili powder, salt, oregano and cumin. Turn down heat to low and cook, stirring occasionally until flavors blend, about 5 minutes. Add tomatoes and cook stirring occasionally 10 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in vinegar and let cool to room temperature.
- To Make The Spicy Meatloaf:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, combine beef and sausage. Add cooked sofrito, Panko crumbs, eggs, corn and gently mix until well combined. To test the consistency, use the meatball test. Take a small amount of the meat mixture and roll into a meatball. If a meatball forms well, the meatloaf is a good consistency. If the mixture seems loose, add a bit more Panko at a time until a solid meatball forms.
- Divide mixture into two 9 x 5 loaf pans. Use a butter knife to run around the edges to push the meatloaf slightly away from the sides of the pan.
- In a small bowl, combine Catsup and Hot Sauce. Use a silicone brush to slather the meatloaf with the glaze.
- Bake 45 minutes or until meat thermometer into center registers an internal temperature of 160 degrees.
- Tent the meatloaf with foil and let rest for 10 minutes. Serve.
Notes
- Use your hands to mix the meatloaf ingredients together before forming into a loaf. Your hands are gentler tools. A large spoon will simply mash the ingredients together, risking a tight dry loaf.
- Cut the vegetables as small as you can. Large uneven cuts of veggies can cause the meatloaf to fall apart.
- Let the meatloaf cool for at least 10 minutes before slicing. This will insure the loaf will not fall apart when you slice it. I actually like to let it sit for somewhere between 20 to 30 minutes.
Nutrition
Spicy Meatloaf Recipe … It’s Whats for dinner.
Why Trust My Recipes? I am a Culinary School Graduate and a lifelong student of home cooking. I hope to inspire you try to cook as often as you can. I’ve been cooking for 50 years, and my recipes are tried and true tested and tested and then tested again before published. To read more take a look at my About Page.
I haven’t made it yet. But I will this week. I sense it going to be a keeper.
In one word. Excellent!
Only thing I added was green chiles. And I used chipotle chili powdered. It’s a great it was great! I gotta have my chilies.
I wanted to do this and also add some jalapeños. Unfortunately I was out of them, but ultimately decided that two out of three aint bad.
I love the SW flavors of this recipe. I never thought of adding creamed corn to a meatloaf mixture and will try this next time.
Hi LeaAnn! Love catching up with you again. Thanks for the great recipes. Can’t wait to try some!? Lyn
Hi Lyn. Thanks so much for stopping and saying “hey” 🙂 Always good to hear from you my friend.