Herbed Lemon Meat Loaf

Herbed Meat Loaf

• nonstick cooking spray
• 1 ½ pounds lean ground beef
• 2 slice white sandwich bread — cut into small cubes
• 1 clove garlic clove — smashed & minced
• ½ cup yellow onion — finely diced
• 1 large egg
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons lemon zest — finely grated
• 1 teaspoon dry mustard
• 1 teaspoon basil leaves — dried
• 2 tablespoons fresh parsley — chopped
• ¾ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper

For Serving

• 1 whole lemon — cut into wedges

1. Prepare the Oven: Preheat oven to 350°F and lightly coat a 9x5-inch loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray.nonstick cooking spray
2. Mix the Meat Loaf: In a large bowl, combine bread cubes, egg, lemon juice, lemon zest, dry mustard, basil, parsley, salt, and black pepper. Toss gently with your fingertips until the bread is evenly moistened, then let stand 5 minutes. Add ground beef, garlic, and onion. Mix gently with your hands just until evenly combined.24 oz ground beef, 2 slices bread, 1 garlic clove, ½ cup onion, 1 egg, 2 tbsp lemon juice, 2 tsp lemon zest, 1 tsp dry mustard, 1 tsp basil, 2 tbsp parsley, ¾ tsp salt, ¼ tsp black pepper
3. Fill the Pan: Gently spread the meat mixture evenly into the prepared loaf pan, smoothing the top without packing the mixture tightly.
4. Bake: Bake 55 to 65 minutes, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center without touching the pan registers 160°F and the top is lightly browned.
5. Rest and Serve: Let meat loaf rest 10 minutes before slicing. Transfer to a serving platter and serve with lemon wedges.1 lemon, cut into wedges