If you think a meatloaf can’t be fancy—or a Wellington can’t be approachable—you better think again.
I’ve been working on this Meatloaf Wellington recipe for so long, I honestly can’t remember what inspired it. But every few months since I started, I’ve gone through a cycle of excitement, frustration, and surrender, until I inevitably forgot the pain, and excitement crept back in.
If this sounds toxic, I agree. But I just couldn’t kick the idea of pairing homestyle comfort with puff pastry poise.
The good news is: I finally cracked it. The even better news is: I’m sharing my insights so you can skip the rollercoaster of emotions.
Here’s what you need to know about mastering a meatloaf Wellington:
For one, wrapping the meatloaf in prosciutto is non-negotiable. It provides the perfect barrier to maintain both a moist meatloaf and a flaky crust. Bacon, unfortunately, is overpowering, and crepes are too much effort.
A traditional Wellington has a layer of sautéed mushrooms, but I prefer to include these in the meatloaf itself for maximum juiciness and flavor. And the classic meatloaf ketchup topping is better on the side for this version (but believe me, I tried).
Those fancy lattice toppings you see at restaurants and on Pinterest? They require special tools and skills I simply do not possess. For a dummy-proof alternative, I just cut the leftover dough into strips, arrange those strips on top, and call it rustic charm.
As for the rest of the lessons I learned over this multi-year experiment? Well you’ll just have to check out my recipe for those. And I highly suggest you do, because even though I can’t remember why I started this journey, I know exactly why I never gave up—it’s the perfect blend of comfort and class, that’s just as crowd-pleasing for holiday celebrations as it is anxiety-reducing for Sunday scaries.
Accompaniments and more like this:
I like to serve this meatloaf Wellington with either my buttery garlic mashed potatoes or kale colcannon for supreme comfort. If you want to skip the Wellington and just make a meatloaf, I recommend my mushroom meatloaf which is also juicy and flavorful, but without having to handle any pastry whatsoever. If you like this one, I think you might also enjoy my mushroom sloppy joes for another mushroom-studded take on a classic. And for more holiday meal ideas check out my full collection of holiday recipes.
Meatloaf Wellington
Ingredients
Meatloaf
- 8 oz button or cremini mushrooms
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 small yellow onion chopped
- 6 cloves garlic minced
- 1 lb ground beef 80% lean
- 1 large egg
- ½ cup bread crumbs plain
- 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
- ½ tsp Kosher salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
Wellington
- 3 oz prosciutto
- 1 sheet puff pasty thawed per package directions
- 1 egg
- 1 tbsp heavy cream or milk
- Mashed Potatoes or Colcannon for serving
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Place mushrooms in a food processor and pulse until evenly ground.
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. When hot add onions and mushrooms. Cook, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms have given up moisture and onions are translucent, about 7-10 minutes. Add garlic and cook briefly until fragrant.
- While mushrooms are cooking, place ground beef, egg, bread crumbs, Dijon, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl.
- When mushroom mixture is done cooking, add to the bowl and mix everything together until evenly combined. Place meat mixture on cutting board and shape into a 12-inch log.
- Wrap meatloaf in prosciutto. Try to cover as much of the exterior as possible but don’t worry if some small areas are exposed.
- On a floured surface, roll out puff pastry to a 14×14-inch square. Place meatloaf along one edge of the puff pastry. Hold the edge of the puff pastry against the meatloaf and roll to wrap in pastry. Stop rolling when the meatloaf is covered in pastry, avoiding significant overlap.
- Use a paring knife to cut off the excess pastry (reserve for decorating, if desired). Pinch the seem closed, wetting fingers as need to help seal the pastry together. Trim excess pastry off the ends of the loaf and pinch seems closed.
- Place meatloaf seem-down on a sheet pan. If desired, cut excess pastry into strips or desired shapes and place on top of meatloaf (for a lattice top, cut pastry into 8 roughly 4-inch strips and place strips, overlapping, across the meatloaf, firmly tucking the ends underneath to seal). Poke several holes through the puff pastry with a paring knife.
- In a small bowl beat together egg and heavy cream or milk. Brush the top and sides of the meatloaf Wellington with egg wash.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes until deeply and evenly golden-brown, and at least 160°F internal temperature.
- Allow meatloaf to rest for about 5-10 minutes before slicing. Serve with mashed potatoes or colcannon.
