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"Nothing brings me more joy than cheese oozing out of what is essentially a very tasty giant meatball," says Queer Eye's Antoni Porowski of this recipe from his new cookbook, Antoni In The Kitchen.

Antoni's Pro Tip: A nice thick slice of cold leftovers with a bit of mayo and some butter lettuce make a fantastic sandwich.  

Adapted from Antoni In The Kitchen by Antoni Porowski. Copyright © 2019 by Antoni Porowski. Used with permission by Rux Martin/Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. All rights reserved.

Ingredients

  • 1 large onion, coarsely chopped
  • 2 large garlic cloves
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • Kosher salt
  • 1 cup finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves and tender stems
  • 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
  • 1 ½ teaspoons ground coriander
  • ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • ⅓ cup ketchup, plus ¼ cup
  • 1 ¼ cups panko breadcrumbs
  • ½ cup whole milk
  • 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
  • 2 pounds ground turkey, 85% or 93% lean (a mix of light and dark meat)
  • One 8-ounce block sharp cheddar cheese, at room temperature
  • 1 tablespoon packed light or dark brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Yield

Serves: 6 to 8

Preparation

Preheat oven to 400°F with a rack in the middle. 

Pulse onion and garlic in a food processor until finely chopped.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion mixture and 1 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is softened, about 7 minutes. Remove from the heat. Stir in the parsley, Worcestershire sauce, lemon zest, coriander, red pepper flakes, and ¼ cup ketchup. Transfer to a large bowl, and let cool. 

In a large bowl, stir together the panko and milk and let soak 5 minutes.

Stir the eggs into the milk mixture, then add to the onion mixture. Add the turkey and ½ teaspoon salt and mix well with your hands.

Lightly oil a 13-x-9-inch baking pan. Shape about half of the meat mixture into a 9-x-5-inch rectangle in the center of the pan. Gently press the cheese into the center, then cover with the remaining meat, building a little wall (about 1 ½ inches thick) along the sides of the cheese block and on top, being sure to seal all the seams. 

Mix together the brown sugar, black pepper, and the remaining ⅓ cup ketchup, then brush on top of the loaf. Bake until the top is deeply golden and the bottom edges are crisp, 50 to 60 minutes. Remove the meatloaf from the oven and let stand for 10 to 15 minutes before serving.