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    Home » Dinner Recipes

    Italian Meatloaf

    BY: Ben Rayl PUBLISHED: 6 Aug, '21 UPDATED: 6 Aug, '21 2 Comments

    RecipePrintComments
    5 from 2 votes
    Sliced of italian meatloaf with marinara sauce on top

    This Italian meatloaf recipe is rich in cheese, beef and topped up with my homemade Italian marinara sauce. This meatloaf is easy to make and versatile to pair with any side dish. You can even divide it into slices to make a meatloaf sandwich!

    Sliced of italian meatloaf  with marinara sauce on top

    Take this meatloaf or any Italian recipe to the next level with my homemade Italian marinara sauce. The flavor of this tomato sauce is incredible!

    Contents
    • ⭐ Italian meatloaf recipe
    • 🍽 What you need 
    • 🔪How to make  
    • 💭 Top tips
    • 📋 Variations
    • 🥗 What to serve with
    • 🥫 Storage 
    • 🍳 Related Italian Recipes
    • 👪 Serving size
    • 📋 Recipe
    • 💬 Comments

    ⭐ Italian meatloaf recipe

    I consider myself an avid fan of meatloaf dinner recipes, and this recipe with bread crumbs is my favorite by a mile! Not only does it take minimal effort, but it's also one of the best Italian meatloaf recipes ever. Let me show you why!

    🍽 What you need 

    While this recipe has a lot of ingredients, most of them you likely already have on hand. If you're missing a few spices, try Amazon. Otherwise, your local grocery store typically offers delivery.

    Equipment

    • Heavy Skillet
    • Small Mixing Bowl
    • Large Mixing Bowl
    • Whisk
    • Aluminum Loaf Pan or Baking dish (9 x 5)

    Ingredients

    • Olive oil - 4 tablespoons, separated
    • Onions - one medium, finely chopped
    • Red pepper - 1 medium, diced
    • 4 Garlic cloves, minced or equivalent teaspoon garlic powder
    • Italian herbs - 2 tablespoons
    • Eggs - 3 large
    • One teaspoon salt
    • Pepper - ½ teaspoon
    • Lean ground beef - 2 pounds
    • Worcestershire sauce - 2 tablespoons
    • Balsamic vinegar - 3 tablespoons, separated
    • Tomato marinara sauce - 1 cup
    • Parmesan cheese - ½ cup, grated
    • Mozzarella cheese - 1 cup, shredded
    • Bread crumbs - 1 cup

    🔪How to make  

    1. Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C).
    2. Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a heavy skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and pepper and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, cook another minute or two, stir in the Italian herbs, and remove heat.
    3. In a small mixing bowl, whisk the eggs well - season with salt and pepper, and whisk to combine.
    4. Put the beef in a large mixing bowl, add the egg mixture, add the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil, the Worcestershire, 2 tablespoon of the balsamic, and ½ cup of marinara sauce. Add the parmesan, mozzarella and bread crumbs, and onions, then mix it with your hands until just combined - do not over mix.
    5. Lightly oil a 9 x 5 loaf pan and pack the meat mixture into it. Whisk the remaining balsamic in the remaining ½ cup of marinara, and spread this evenly over the meatloaf.
    6. Bake for about an hour or until cooked. Allow resting for about 5 minutes before serving.

    💭 Top tips

    • Mixing the ground beef and other ingredients by hand is essential, and doing so lightly is even more important for texture and flavor. The more care you take at this stage, the more tender the finished Meatloaf will be.
    • It is essential to use a loaf pan to cook the meatloaf evenly and to stay juicy.

    📋 Variations

    • Ground turkey makes a great alternative to ground beef in this recipe. Another option could be half ground beef and half ground pork. It helps to keep the meatloaf moist and tender.
    • If you don't have Italian marinara sauce, feel free to use ketchup or bbq sauce to cover your meatloaf. Although it won't be Italian anymore, it will add a sweet delicious flavor.
    • Bread crumbs can be replaced by many things and come in many different varieties. I recommend this homemade breadcrumb with pork rinds.
    • You can quickly turn this recipe into meatloaf muffins. Just pour the mix into a muffin pan, and voila.

    If you like meatloaf recipes, don't forget to explore my meatloaf recipe collection. Looking for a healthy version, then try this delicious meatloaf recipe with pork rind bread crumbs.

    Sliced of italian meatloaf with mashed potatoes as side dish

    🥗 What to serve with

    Let's look at some fantastic side-dish options for this homemade meatloaf.

    Mac and Cheese
    My mac and cheese recipe is phenomenal and pairs perfectly with this meatloaf dish. I make this with extra cheese (sharp cheddar and flavorful pecorino) and just enough butter to add an incredible creaminess to it, make it a great meal on its own and a great way to fill up space beside your meatloaf.

    Roasted Potatoes:
    Another excellent option for this Italian dish, a good potato recipe, is excellent for filling you up while still tasting amazing with almost anything! This recipe is a delicious one, with garlic and rosemary for flavor and just a hint of garlic to turn these potato wedges into bonafide comfort food fit for your dinner plate. And it'll go great with your meatloaf!

    Quinoa Salad:
    A healthier option than the other two, a nice salad goes great with almost anything. We have a quinoa salad with black beans, peppers, tomatoes, cucumber, greens, and cheese. Top this salad with a nice olive oil dressing, with lemons thrown in to give it some zesty kick, making it an even better fit for our meatloaf!

    🥫 Storage 

    Fridge

    To store your meatloaf in the fridge, you'll have to wait for it to cool completely. Then, put the entire thing in a shallow, airtight container and seal. Or, if you prefer, you can wrap it up tight in aluminum foil or saran wrap. Then carefully place it in the fridge. Your meatloaf will last for 3 or 4 days. Make sure you eat it up!

    Freezer

    You have two good options here. Once your meatloaf has cooled off, store it in an airtight container for up to 3 months.

    My favorite option involves slicing the meatloaf into 1" thick pieces. Take a sandwich ziplock back and place 2 1" slices into each bag. Freeze for super easy, quick meals.

    Reheat in the microwave, toaster oven, or oven until it is hot throughout. Now you can serve it up and enjoy your leftovers!

    Can I freeze raw meatloaf?

    Yes, you can! My mom always made two meatloaves and baked one and froze the second. Having frozen homemade meals ready to go is super helpful when it comes to feeding a hungry family.

    She'd often use aluminum foil loaf pans, which are easy to find in your local grocery store, or buy them on Amazon along with a few extra spices.

    Cooking wise, we'd always put it directly from the freezer into the oven and start at 250°F (120°C) for 60 minutes (low and slow), then 400°F (205°C) for 30 minutes for a nice meatloaf finish.

    🍳 Related Italian Recipes

    Looking for more italian food? Check my 50 best italian recipes to make at home with fresh ingredients.

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    👪 Serving size

    This fantastic homemade Italian meatloaf recipe serves six people. And with an amazingly versatile Italian marinara sauce to finish it off.

    📋 Recipe

    Sliced of italian meatloaf with marinara sauce on top

    Italian Meatloaf

    This Italian Meatloaf recipe is rich in cheese, beef and topped up with my homemade Italian marinara sauce. This meatloaf is easy to make and versatile to pair with any side dish. You can even divide it into slices to make a meatloaf sandwich!
    5 from 2 votes
    Print Pin Rate Save Saved! Share
    Course: Dinner, Main Dish
    Cuisine: Italian
    Prep Time: 15 minutes
    Cook Time: 1 hour
    Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
    Servings: 6 servings
    Calories: 705kcal
    Author: Ben Rayl

    Ingredients
     

    • 4 tablespoons olive oil - separated
    • 1 medium onion - diced
    • 1 medium red pepper - diced
    • 4 cloves garlic - minced
    • 2 tablespoons italian herbs
    • 3 large eggs
    • 1 teaspoon salt
    • ½ teaspoon pepper
    • 2 pounds ground beef - lean
    • 2 tablespoons worcestershire sauce
    • 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar - separated
    • 1 cup marinara sauce - good quality
    • ½ cup parmesan cheese - grated
    • 1 cup mozzarella cheese - shredded
    • 1 cup breadcrumbs

    Instructions

    • Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C)
    • Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a heavy skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and pepper and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, cook another minute or two, stir in the Italian herbs, and remove heat.
    • In a small bowl, whisk the eggs well - season with salt and pepper, and whisk to combine.
    • Put the beef in a large bowl, add the egg mixture, add the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil, the Worcestershire, 2 tablespoons of balsamic, and ½ cup of marinara sauce. Add the parmesan, mozzarella and bread crumbs, and onions, then mix it with your hands until just combined - do not over mix.
    • Lightly oil a 9 x 5 loaf pan and pack the meat mixture into it. Whisk the remaining tablespoon balsamic in the remaining ½ cup of marinara, and spread this evenly over the meatloaf.
    • Bake for about an hour or until cooked. Allow resting for about 5 minutes before serving.

    Notes

    Take this meatloaf or any Italian recipe to the next level with my homemade Italian marinara sauce. The flavor of this tomato sauce is incredible!
    Top Tips:
    • Mixing the ground beef and other ingredients by hand is essential, and doing so is even more important for texture and flavor.
    • It is essential to use a loaf pan to cook the meatloaf evenly and to stay juicy.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 705kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 40g | Fat: 49g | Saturated Fat: 18g | Trans Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 221mg | Sodium: 1181mg | Potassium: 789mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 1158IU | Vitamin C: 31mg | Calcium: 318mg | Iron: 6mg

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    Reader Interactions

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Marilyn Lumbra

      August 23, 2021 at 10:36 pm

      Just made this and texture is great but Italian seasoning is overwhelming. Did you mean fresh herbs?

      Reply
      • Ben Rayl

        August 24, 2021 at 8:11 pm

        Glad you enjoyed it! I use exactly 2 tablespoons (level not heaping) of Italian seasoning. I understand each Italian seasoning blend may vary depending on brand. In your case just scale it back to 1 tablespoon next time around.

        Also, when working with fresh herbs, the general rule of thumb is to double the dried quantity.

        Reply

    Primary Sidebar

    Chef Ben Rayl

    Hi, I'm Ben!

    I believe comfort food unites us, and I want to inspire you to cook at home with everyday ingredients. It is easier and takes less time than you think, costs less than eating out, and tastes a million times better.Read More

    Feel free to share our recipes on your blog using a photo and link back to the original recipe.

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