This savory, tender Italian Meatloaf is made with ground beef, Italian herbs and spices, and is topped with marinara and mozzarella cheese!
A MOIST MEATLOAF RECIPE
This Italian Meatloaf is the ultimate comfort food recipe that your family will love. It’s simple to make, flavorful and doesn’t dry out like so many of the other meatloaf recipes out there. I always make my meatloaf with torn up bread slices instead of breadcrumbs or crackers because this helps to keep it from getting dry which we all know meatloaf is known for. This meatloaf is FAR from dry. It has so much flavor and is so moist. The Italian flavors really take it up a notch. Serve it up with a nice little salad and dinner is served!
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:
To keep the meatloaf moist, avoid over mixing the ingredients, which can make the texture dense. It may seem a little wet with the bread and milk but it will hold together.
This main dish is very versatile and pairs well with your favorite pasta with Marinara Sauce, salad, or can be served as a stand-alone meal. Don’t forget your favorite Garlic Bread or Breadsticks. Meatloaf always goes well with Mashed Potatoes or some garlic egg noodles or a simple salad.
I think it would be fun to swap the shredded cheese out for a few cheese sticks. Insert three mozzarella cheese sticks into the center of the meatloaf so when you cut into it, you cna have some melted mozzarella cheese in the center.
I prefer to use torn up bread instead of bread crumbs. I think the bread pieces keep the meatloaf moist. You could use breadcrumbs or crackers but I promise the bread will make this so much more moist. If you insist on using them, I’d use ½ to ¾ cups in the mixture.
Typically, I don’t make my meatloaf in a pan. I think making it my way, a lot of the grease spreads away from the meat rather than the meat cooking in the grease while it’s packed in the loaf pan. If you want to make this in a loaf pan, be sure to make this in 2 pans, or just cut the recipe in half. You could also use half ground beef and half Italian Sausage.
Sure. If you’re making one, why not make an extra and freeze it for later? You can make a second meatloaf, or freeze cooked leftovers in a freezer safe container or bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost in the fridge overnight and then reheat in the oven until warmed in the middle.
Yes, once you’ve assembled it, you can cover it with foil. Then place it in a freezer safe container and freeze for up to 2-3 months. Thaw before baking as usual.
You can keep the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
INGREDIENTS NEEDED: (SEE RECIPE CARD BELOW FOR THE FULL RECIPE)
- marinara sauce– My favorite pasta sauce is Rao’s Roasted Garlic but I will only buy it when I can get it on sale. So, I always say just use your favorite marinara sauce. As you’ll see in the ingredient photo, I used Prego one of the times testing this recipe. Aldi’s has a really good sauce too. I just don’t live real close to one to buy it often but when I am out that way, I try to pick up a few jars of their marinara sauce. It’s a decent price too.
- ground beef– I use 85% lean ground beef. You could use ground chicken or ground turkey instead. If you only want to use one pound of ground beef, you can certainly do that. Just cut the other ingredients in half.
- Italian bread – torn into small pieces (can use 4 slices regular bread)
- whole milk – I think whole milk adds that additional fat that also adds flavor.
- eggs – if you have time, allow the eggs to come to room temperature, this helps them mix into the meat mixture much easier.
- garlic -I always prefer fresh garlic but you can use the jarred stuff if you prefer.
- Italian seasoning
- garlic powder
- onion powder
- salt and pepper – some Italian seasoning has salt in it so double check before adding additional salt.
- shredded mozzarella cheese– above in the FAQ (Frequently Asked Question) section, I shared another cheese option that you could try for a fun change up.
- chopped parsley– curly or flat leaf parsley will work. It’s an optional ingredient but you could use dried parsley flakes if needed.
HOW TO MAKE ITALIAN MEATLOAF:
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet or baking dish with parchment paper and spread 1 cup of marinara sauce on the bottom. Set aside. In a bowl, combine the beef, bread, milk, eggs, minced garlic, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder and 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese. Mix until just combined.
Transfer the meat mixture onto the prepared baking sheet or dish, shaping it into a loaf.
Spread the remaining marinara sauce over the top of the meatloaf.
Bake for 50 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F. I check every 5 minutes until it has reached 165°F. Once baked, sprinkle the remaining mozzarella cheese over the meatloaf.
Switch the oven to broil on high and broil for about 2 minutes, or until the cheese is golden and bubbly. Never leave the oven when it is broiling, it can burn very quickly if you aren’t watching carefully. Remove from the oven and let the meatloaf rest for a few minutes. Then slice and serve with additional marinara sauce if you prefer.
CRAVING MORE RECIPES?
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Preheat the oven to 400°F.
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Line a baking sheet or baking dish with parchment paper and spread 1 cup marinara sauce on the bottom. Set aside.
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In a bowl, combine 2 pounds ground beef, 3 slices Italian bread, torn into small pieces, 1 cup whole milk, 2 eggs, 4 cloves garlic, minced, 1 Tablespoon Italian seasoning, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon onion powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper and 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese. Mix until just combined.
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Transfer the meat mixture onto the prepared baking sheet or dish, shaping it into a loaf.
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Spread the remaining one cup marinara sauce over the top of the meatloaf.
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Bake for 50 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F. Oven times vary so it is best to go by internal temperature .
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Once baked, sprinkle the remaining one cup shredded mozzarella cheese over the meatloaf.
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Switch the oven to broil on high and broil for about 12 minutes, or until the cheese is golden and bubbly. NOTE: Never leave the oven when it is broiling, it can burn very quickly if you aren’t watching carefully. If you are concerned about the broil option, just put the meatloaf back into the 400F degree oven and allow the cheese to melt.
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Remove from the oven and let the meatloaf rest for a few minutes. Top with 2 Tablespoons chopped parsley. Then slice and serve with additional marinara sauce if you prefer.
- Please refer to my FAQ’s (Frequently Asked Questions) and ingredient list above for other substitutions or for the answers to the most common questions.
- You can make this with only one pound of ground beef, just cut the other ingredients in half.
Calories: 469kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 30g | Fat: 34g | Sodium: 744mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 6g
“The Country Cook” is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories and other nutritional values can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.
