This meatloaf is 50% meat, 50% vegetables rounded out by three umami powerhouses.
Ingredients
1 pound cremini mushrooms
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt, divided, plus more as needed
4 cloves garlic
1 large carrot (about 8 ounces)
1 large white or yellow onion (about 10 ounces)
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 tablespoon doenjang (Korean soybean paste)
3/4 cup panko breadcrumbs
1/2 cup ketchup
1/4 cup seedless raspberry or grape jelly
1 tablespoon sambal oelek
2 large eggs
1/2 medium bunch fresh parsley
1 1/2 pounds 80% lean ground beef
1 tablespoon plus 1 1/2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
Quarter 1 pound cremini mushrooms and place in a food processor fitted with the blade attachment. Pulse until coarsely chopped, 15 to 20 (1-second) pulses. (Alternatively, you can coarsely chop the mushrooms, carrot, and onion by hand.)
Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the mushrooms (reserve the food processor, no need to clean) and stir to coat in the oil. Cook undisturbed until the water starts to evaporate, 5 to 7 minutes. Add 1/2 teaspoon of the kosher salt. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms start to turn light golden brown around the edges, 8 to 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, mince 4 garlic cloves. Peel and coarsely chop 1 large carrot and 1 large white or yellow onion. Place the carrot and onion in the food processor and pulse until finely chopped, 15 to 25 (1-second) pulses.
When the mushrooms are ready, add the carrot and onion and sauté, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables soften, 8 to 10 minutes. Add the garlic, 2 tablespoons tomato paste, and 1 tablespoon doenjang. Cook, stirring frequently, until the tomato paste turns a shade darker, about 2 minutes.
Transfer to a large bowl, add 3/4 cup panko breadcrumbs, and stir to combine. Let cool until just barely warm to the touch, about 15 minutes. Meanwhile, arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and heat the oven to 375°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil.
To make the glaze, place 1/2 cup ketchup, 1/4 cup grape or seedless raspberry jelly, and 1 tablespoon sambal oelek in a small bowl and whisk until smooth.
Place 2 large eggs in a small bowl and light beat with a fork. Pick the leaves from 1/2 medium bunch fresh parsley until you have 1/2 cup, then coarsely chop.
Add the eggs, parsley, 1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef, 1 tablespoon plus 1 1/2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, and the remaining 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt to the cooled vegetable and panko mixture. Using your hands, mix well, being careful not to overmix.
Take a small spoonful of the meatloaf mixture and cook in a small skillet or the microwave. Taste and season the meatloaf mixture with more kosher salt or pepper as needed.
Transfer the meatloaf mixture onto the baking sheet and shape into a rough 4x14-inch loaf. Use your fingers to press a 1/2-inch deep well down the center of the loaf, creating a 1/4-inch raised border. Reserve 1/4 cup of the glaze, then pour the remaining glaze into the well and spread it into an even layer.
Bake until the top and sides start to brown and the meatloaf is almost all the way cooked through, about 40 minutes.
Brush the sides of the meatloaf with half of the reserved glaze. Return to the oven, increase the temperature to 425°F, and bake until the glaze starts to caramelize, about 5 minutes.
Brush the sides of the meatloaf with the remaining glaze. Return to the oven and bake until the outside is browned and the internal temperature registers at least 165°F, 5 to 7 minutes more. Remove from the oven and let the meatloaf rest for 15 minutes. Cut crosswise into slices.