Bacon-Wrapped Meatloaf with Ham, Cheese and Spinach

Posted by Rowena Dumlao Rowena Dumlao - Giardina 12/13/2014

Bacon-Wrapped Meatloaf with Ham, Cheese and Spinach

Depending on how you look at it, you may cringe at the amount of bacon I used here or you may actually love it. I was 50-50. I don't shy away from using pancetta (Italy's answer to bacon) in my cooking because it never fails to give a kick of added flavor to dishes. But I think that this is the first recipe I ever made with a whole load of pancetta wrapped snuggly around the meatloaf.

It's an understatement if I say that my kids love polpettoni (meatloaves). They love the classic one done by their Nonna, without ham and cheese inside and drowned with tomato sauce. My husband and I love it too but we prefer the one with ham and cheese inside. I experiment at times in making meatloaves to try to meet halfway with my kids on what version we can agree on.

There is still an ongoing search for the perfect meatloaf but as I move on, I would like to share with you another one that made quite a hit with me and my husband. The kids were not agreeable with the ham, cheese and spinach but they did love the outer meat and crispy bacon wrapped around it. Together with this meatloaf, I made the simple version too without any bacon around it nor any stuffing. With both meatloaves on my plate, the difference was so easy to understand. This bacon-wrapped meatloaf came out moist and tender while the other one was a tad drier because there was nothing to trap the moisture inside. And the bacon also made the meatloaf tastier.

Bacon or non-bacon lover, I think this Bacon-Wrapped Meatloaf with Ham, Cheese and Spinach will win a spot among your recipes to keep. I made this recipe for She Knows so you can get the full recipe there. You can also check out my other recipes there at my Profile Page. Thanks and enjoy your weekend!