Slow cooker meatloaf

Ingredients

2 eggs, lightly beaten
½ cup tomato paste
1 tbsp mixed herbs
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1 cup quick cooking oats
salt and pepper
1 carrot, finely grated
1 brown onion, grated
1kg minced beef
6 slices cheddar cheese

Method

Cut four 60cm pieces of foil and fold them over and over to create long strips. Lay these strips in the bottom of the slow cooker. You will use these strips to lift the meatloaf out of the slow cooker.

In a bowl, combine the eggs, tomato paste, herbs, garlic, salt and pepper, carrot and onion.

Place the minced beef on top of the mixture and using clean hands, combine the mixture well.

Tip the mixture onto the foil strips and form a loaf using your hands.

Place the lid on and cook for 3-4 hours on high and 6-8 hours on low.

Lay the cheese over the top of the meatloaf and replace the lid 10 minutes before serving.

Lift out of the pan with the foil strips and slice to serve.

Notes:

You can prepare this the night before and refrigerate it so you can set it in the morning. If you have a ceramic crockpot you will need to bring it to room temperature before you heat it so it doesn’t crack. If you have a metal liner you can skip this step.
I have added lots of herbs and flavourings to this recipe. I like my meatloaf to be tasty and big so there are leftovers. This is perfect sliced on sandwiches the next day.
If you are trying to sneak extra vegetables into your family’s diet, you can grate a zucchini into this recipe as well. Just make sure that you squeeze out the liquid from the zucchini so it doesn’t make your meatloaf soggy.
This recipe was created by Jennifer Cheung for Kidspot, New Zealand’s best recipe finder.