Peppers & Green Chili Meatloaf

This is meatloaf with a Southwest accent, three different meats, a serious chile kick, and a clever bed of green pepper slivers underneath that catch all the savory drippings.

Using ground beef, ground pork, and crumbled hot Italian sausage gives the loaf layers of flavor that single-meat versions can’t match. The pork keeps it juicy, the sausage brings spice and seasoning, the beef holds the structure.

Cornbread stuffing replaces standard breadcrumbs as the binder, doubling down on the Tex-Mex direction along with green chiles, chili powder, and both fresh and powdered garlic. A pinch of nutmeg in the tomato glaze sounds odd but adds a quiet warmth that ties everything together.

The pepper-slivered baking sheet trick is genius. The peppers shield the loaf from the pan, soften into a sweet vegetable layer, and soak up all the rendered juices.

Pro Tips

• Mix the meats with your hands but don’t overwork, dense overworked meat loaf turns rubbery
• Let the loaf rest a full 15 minutes before slicing, this is when the loaf reabsorbs its juices
• Tuck stray pepper slivers all the way under the loaf so none burn on exposed pan
• Save the chile-spiked tomato drippings, they make a killer drizzle for the slices

Variations

• Swap hot Italian sausage for chorizo for a deeper smoky chile flavor
• Add a cup of shredded pepper Jack to the meat mixture for melty cheese pockets
• Top with a roasted poblano-tomato salsa instead of plain tomato sauce