This delicious Bulgarian style meatloaf is stuffed with hard boiled eggs, carrots and pickles. It is a very easy to make, flavorful and delicious meal that is high in protein and low in carbs.
There are many stuffed meatloaf recipes around the world. This stuffed meatloaf is a traditional meatloaf that I had all the time growing up in Bulgaria, Eastern Europe. It is known in Bulgaria as Rulo Stefani (Stephany roll).
Most stuffed meatloaf recipes involve ground beef or pork stuffed with various vegetables and eggs. This stuffed meatloaf recipe is a bit more involved, but the effort will be totally worth it! I promise! It’s not your standard meatloaf recipe for sure and not only it looks impressive when you cut through it, it tastes amazing.
If you love meatloaf, give this recipe a try and I promise, you will not regret it! It’s almost as easy to make as a regular meatloaf, but it’s so festive and elegant, and so much fun to eat!
Stuffed meatloaf might be one of the great all-time comfort foods. This cozy and hearty dish has so much flavor thanks to the combination of pork, eggs, cheese, carrots, and pickles. The result is a moist, tender meatloaf that doesn’t fall apart. It is sure to be a conversation starter at the next dinner party you host.
Why you will love making this stuffed meatloaf recipe
- Delicious and comforting – This stuffed meatloaf is a great all-time comfort food. This hearty dish has so much flavor thanks to the combination of the juicy meat and the veggies and eggs cooking together. This meatloaf comes out moist and tender every single time.
- Unique and elegant dish – if you love the traditional American meatloaf, give this one a try. It is so unique and interesting, and everyone gets so intrigued when the meatloaf gets sliced through showing the surprising ingredients on the inside.
- Versatile – you can make this meatloaf with many different vegetables that you like; you can add ham and cheese or even bacon.
- This stuffed meatloaf is a great way of sneaking some veggies and eggs into kid’s diets.
- Looks difficult and time consuming to make but it is actually quick and easy to make, and it is perfect for a small or large gatherings, for casual dinners at home as well as fancy enough to serve at any Holiday table!
Ingredients
- Ground pork – Any ground meat will work for this recipe. However, to get a moist and juicy meatloaf, you need to use fattier meat. I prefer to use ground pork. Most ground beef is too lean and will result in a dry meatloaf. If you can find 80% lean meat or less, go for it. I also add eggs and milk to help make it even more juicy.
- Eggs – eggs serve two purposes in this recipe. I add raw egg into the meatloaf mixture to act as the binding ingredient and keep the meat together and not falling apart. Hard boiled eggs are part of the stuffing in this delicious meatloaf.
- Cheese – Any shredded cheese will work for this recipe. Use your favorite graded cheese or grade it yourself.
- Pickles – the traditional Bulgarian recipe calls for pickles. They are part of the stuffing.
- Carrots – same as the pickles, they are used in the stuffing.
- Any other veggies you would like to use will work here. You can use diced onion, mushrooms, dried fruit, and even nuts. You can also use smoked diced ham or other processed meat and cheese.
- Spices – I do not use a lot of spices when making this meatloaf recipe. It really does not need much. The ground meat and the eggs and vegetables cooking together, make this meatloaf mouthwatering. I like to use salt and pepper, garlic powder, parsley, and of course, it wouldn’t be a Bulgarian recipe without our beloved savory spice. You can find it in most international food stores or here.
How to make this easy stuffed meatloaf with eggs and vegetables
See the recipe card below this post for ingredient quantities and full instructions.
Start by boiling the eggs. Once the water starts boiling, add the carrots to the pot with the boiling water and the eggs. Once the eggs are ready, remove them from the stove and drain the water. Let them cool down. Once cooled, peel and cut the eggs in half, and the do the same for the carrots and the pickles as well.
Mix the ground pork, egg, shredded cheese, a splash of milk, and the spices. Mix until all the ingredients are well combined. Divide the mixture into two. Place a piece of foil on your working surface and spray it with some cooking spray.
Place half of the meat mixture on the foil and using your hands spread the mixture evenly in a rectangular shape. I find it very helpful if I wet my hand a little bit with cold water. Place the eggs (cut side down), pickles, and the carrots in 2 places on the layer of meat mixture. Lift one of the sides of the foil sheet and start rolling the meat as you are pressing firmly to shape it into a roll.
Transfer it into a foil lined baking dish and seal the edges. Add 1-2 inches of water and bake in the oven until the meatloaf is nice and browned.
Serving suggestions
Any of the below sides go so well with this stuffed meatloaf:
- Green salad
- Mashed potatoes
- Tomato salad
- Greek salad
- My amazing potato salad
- Sliced tomato or cucumber
If you like food as much as I do, we should be friends! Be sure to follow me on Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram to never miss a new recipe!
Stuffed Meatloaf with eggs and veggies
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground pork any ground meat can be used but look for a meat with a higher fat content to ensure the meatloaf is moist and juicy
- 5 eggs
- 3/4 cup of shredded cheese – use your favorite shredded cheese
- 6 small pickles
- 6 baby carrots – or you can use regular carrots and cut them into thick strips
- 2 tablespoons milk
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 2 teaspoons parsley fresh or dried flakes
- 2 teaspoons Savory spice find more about it above
- 1 small onion diced (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 F degrees.
- Boil 4 of the eggs for about 8-10 minutes. About halfway through, add the carrots so they boil with the eggs.
- In a medium mixing bowl, combine the ground pork, 1 egg, shredded cheese, milk, and the spices until well combined. If the mixture is too liquid, you can add 1-2 slices of bread. Make sure to soak the bread in water and squeeze out all the water before adding the bread to the meat mixture.
- Divide the mixture into 2 equal parts. This recipe yields for one big meatloaf or two smaller ones. I prefer to make 2 smaller ones.
- Once the eggs have cooled down, peel them and then cut them into halves. Do the same for the pickles and carrots (images shown above)
- Lay a foil sheet on your working surface and spray it with nonstick cooking spray.
- Spread half of the meat mixture and shape it into a rectangle (approximately 8×10 inches).
- Place eggs, pickles, and carrots halves on top of the meat (see pictures above).
- Lift up one of the long sides of the foil sheet and start rolling the meat, holding it firmly and shaping it into a roll. Transfer it into the baking dish and seal the edges.
- Repeat the same steps to make the second meatloaf.
- Add 1-2 inches of water to the baking dish.
- Bake for 60 minutes or until nicely browned. If you would like, after you take out the meatloaf from the oven, stop with either shredded cheese or cheese slices. Turn on your oven’s broiler. Broil the meatloaf until the cheese is melted.
- Enjoy!
