This post is made in partnership with TINE.

Now that autumn is on our heels, life is getting back into its usual routines following summer holidays and lazy days soaking up the sun’s rays. Part of getting back means simple and hearty meals for the week, and as the days are cooler that means warming dishes as well.

Norwegian kjøttpudding is a simple meatloaf cooked in a water bath in the oven, and usually served with a brown gravy and lingonberry sauce. It’s an uncomplicated dish, quick to pull together, and is filling and warming all at once.

I wanted to add a little more flavor to the traditional meatloaf, so I’ve tossed in a good amount of grated Norwegian brown cheese “brunost“, which adds a lovely richness that leaves the meatloaf juicy and bright, without need of a gravy on its own. It’s a great pairing with lingonberry jam, feeling as though each bite is drawing you to the mountains where the animals graze and the lingonberries cover the forest floor in the autumn.

Feel free to serve this with seasonal vegetables of your choice. I like to use the juices from the meatloaf as a base to make a gravy from. You can also use cranberry jam/sauce in lieu of lingonberry.  

Brown Cheese Meatloaf (kjøttpudding med brunost)

Serves 4

• 1 3/4 lbs (800 g) ground beef
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 2 ½ teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 4 tablespoons potato starch
• 1 ½ cups (360 ml) milk
• 4 ½ ounces (125 g)  Ski Queen®/Gudbrandsdalen, grated  

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Preheat the oven to 350ºF / 180ºC. Butter a 9 x 5 x 3-inch (23 x 13 x 6 cm) loaf tin.

In a large bowl, using your hands, combine all of the ingredients. Transfer the mixture to the prepared loaf tin and gently press on top to form an even shape. Place the loaf tin in a deep baking tray filled 1/3 of the way with hot water. Bake for 60 minutes or until the meat is thoroughly cooked through. Remove the loaf tin from the water bath and serve warm.