Mongolian Meatloaf

Recipe View Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C). Lightly oil a loaf pan. (5 minutes)

Recipe View Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Sauté diced yellow onions with a pinch of salt until they begin to turn golden, approximately 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in 3 cloves crushed garlic and 2 teaspoons ginger, and cook for 1 minute more. Remove from heat and allow to cool to room temperature, about 15 minutes.

Recipe View In a large bowl, combine the cooled onion mixture with ground beef, cooked rice, beaten egg, 1/2 cup sliced green onions, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, kosher salt, and black pepper. Gently mix until evenly incorporated. Transfer the mixture to the prepared loaf pan, press firmly, and smooth the top. (10 minutes)

Recipe View Bake in the preheated oven until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center registers 145 to 150 degrees F (63 to 65 degrees C), approximately 1 hour. The meatloaf can be served immediately, or you can let it cool, wrap it tightly, and refrigerate until chilled for about 45 minutes.

Recipe View To prepare the sauce, combine 2 teaspoons oil, 1 tablespoon grated ginger, and 4 minced garlic cloves in a cold nonstick skillet. (2 minutes)

Recipe View Turn the heat to medium-high. Once the ginger and garlic start to sizzle, cook, stirring constantly, for about 30 seconds. Then, whisk in brown sugar, 1/2 cup low-sodium soy sauce, 1/4 cup water, ketchup, and red pepper flakes. Bring the mixture to a simmer, then reduce the heat to low.

Recipe View In a small bowl, whisk together 1 teaspoon cornstarch with 2 teaspoons water to create a slurry. Stir the slurry into the sauce. Increase the heat to medium-high and return to a simmer. Cook, whisking occasionally, until the sauce thickens slightly, about 2 minutes. Reduce the heat to low and keep warm until ready to serve. The sauce can be made ahead and reheated over medium-low heat if desired.

Recipe View Remove the chilled meatloaf from the refrigerator and slice it into 8 equal portions. Lightly dust each side with cornstarch. Reheat the slices in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat with a small amount of vegetable oil until browned and heated through. If the surface browns too quickly before the meatloaf is heated through, reduce the heat to medium and cover the skillet until fully heated.

Recipe View Serve the meatloaf slices topped generously with the prepared sauce. Garnish with toasted sesame seeds, sliced green onions, and chopped cilantro, if desired. (2 minutes)