You know I have a hard time just making a normal meatloaf, right? I mean, I have the hardboiled egg & bacon one, the Swiss/onion/mushroom one, the mushroom & Havarti one, & the Turkey Dinner one. Of course, I have a normal one too.
There’s other stuff I’m surely gonna try. The Wedding Soup Meatball Sub worked, why not make it a meatloaf? Maybe? I thought of a chili meatloaf, whic would maybe have beans in it… and I still may try that someday, but this seemed like more of an easy win. Plus, leftovers right into a warmed tortilla? Yes, please.
Maybe this is “white people tacos” because of the seasonings, but I mean… it was pretty good, and it tasted like the tacos I grew up eating in the 80s. I should have snuck in some salsa and black olives. Wait. Maybe refried beans? Would that even work?
I absolutely do not measure. All measurements are approximate. Measure with your heart, and season according to your ancestors. If your ancestors come from the same place mine do, maybe keep seasoning a bit past that.
Ingredients:
- 2½ lbs. 80/20 ground beef
- 2 Tbsp taco seasoning (from a shaker; about 1-1½ packets if you’re using packets)
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup crushed Doritos (about 2 cups before crushing; roughly 2 big handfuls)
- ¼ cup panko
- ¼ cup taco sauce
- ¼ cup milk, for soaking the panko
- 1 cup Mexican-style shredded cheese
- 2-3 Tbsp. sour cream
- ½ cup slightly crushed French fried onions
- Other seasonings, approximate:
- 1 tsp chili powder
- ½ tsp cumin
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp onion powder
- ½ tsp paprika
- ¼ tsp cayenne
- ½ tsp black pepper
- ½ cup taco sauce, divided (for glaze/topping)
- ½ cup shredded Mexican-style cheese (for topping)
- 3 sacrificial slices of white bread.
Instructions:
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment and lay the bread slices side by side, shaped roughly like the loaf.
- Soak the panko & crushed Doritos. Stir the panko, ¼ cup taco sauce and ¼ cup milk together in a large bowl. Let it sit about 5 minutes until it’s a thick paste. Season this up.
- Beat the eggs lightly and stir them into the soaked panko mixture..
- Add the beef, taco seasoning, cheese, sour cream, French fried onions and all more spices to the bowl. Mix gently with your hands.
- Shape. Form a loaf on top of the bread, about 9-10 inches long and 3-4 inches tall. (The bread catches the drippings and keeps the bottom from burning.)
- Bake for about 50 minutes.
- Take it out and brush the top with about ¼ cup taco sauce. Add a thin layer of shredded cheese, then drizzle with the remaining taco sauce. Bake another 15-20 minutes, until the cheese is browned and bubbly and the internal temperature reads 160°F.
- Rest for about 3 minutes, then slice.
I think it was pretty good. Obviously you could do regular tortilla chips and add more seasoning. I may do that next time. This time I baked it alongside a normal meatloaf just in case nobody liked it. The family looked at me weird when I rolled out my plan.
I served all this along with some Spanish rice & black beans. I probably made that very not traditionally, but it was also pretty good. Also with it I sauteed some zucchini and bell pepper. Would have done onion, but the last one was a little too squishy for my taste.
What unconventional meatloaf ideas are you sitting on? Would you try this? What are you making out there?
