Meatloaf isn’t really a dish that is eaten in the UK and it seems pretty bland and uninspiring. Just a lump of meat. However, the key is obviously in what you add to the meatloaf to make it taste good.

I’ve made an Italian inspired meatloaf before that had tomato paste and cheese included, but this one contains hidden vegetables and is super high in protein, so I thought I’d give it a try. It turned out great; the meat was super moist and the pasta & sauce complemented it well. If you wanted to make it even healthier, you could choose chicken mince and I think it would work really well.

If I were to make this again, I would serve with a crunchy green vegetable for freshness and texture like tender stem broccoli. The recipe also calls for fresh basil, which I didn’t have so left out, but I think it would really elevate this.

Recipe from BBC Good Food. Serves 4.

2 tsp rapeseed oil, plus extra for the dish
320g carrots, finely chopped
2 celery sticks (about 135g), finely chopped
1 onion (about 125g), finely chopped
500g lean 5% fat pork mince
1 egg
25g porridge oats
1 tbsp smoked paprika, plus 1 tsp
30g basil, leaves and stems separated
1½ tsp vegetable bouillon powder
3 large garlic cloves, finely grated
500ml passata
40g mature cheddar, grated
350g wholemeal spaghetti

Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Heat the oil in a large non-stick saucepan over a medium heat and cook the carrots, celery and onion, covered, for 10 mins until soft and starting to caramelise. Stir halfway through to prevent burning.

Meanwhile, tip the pork into a bowl with the egg, oats and 1 tbsp smoked paprika. Chop the basil stems and most of the leaves, leaving a few whole. Add the chopped stems and half the chopped leaves to the mixture, along with ½ tsp bouillon. Season with black pepper, then mix with your hands to fully combine. Tip in half the cooked veg, cool for about a minute, then work the veg into the mixture. Shape into a loaf (about 21 x 7cm), then lift into a shallow, lightly oiled baking dish. Brush the top with a little oil as well. Bake for 25 mins until firm.

For the sauce, add the garlic to the remaining veg. Return to a medium heat and cook for 1 min. Stir in the rest of the paprika and bouillon, along with the passata and 100ml water. Cover and simmer for 10 mins. Stir in the remaining chopped basil.

Remove the loaf from the oven and pour over the sauce. Scatter over the cheese, then bake for 10 mins more. Meanwhile, cook the spaghetti following pack instructions. Serve the spaghetti in bowls, topped with the slices of the loaf, a few spoonfuls of sauce and the whole basil leaves.