Italian Meatloaf
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Think of this Italian meatloaf as one big giant meatball, packed with familiar flavors but on a grander, more satisfying scale.
My family loves this delicious Italian meatloaf that is essentially one big giant meatball, or an Italian version of my classic meatloaf. It’s comforting and satisfying, and the smell of it baking in the oven always lures everyone to the kitchen. I serve it with a big Italian salad and Parmesan smashed potatoes, but it is also delicious with pasta or creamy polenta. If you’re lucky enough to have leftovers, the meatloaf is even better the next day, sliced and topped with melted cheese in a warm sandwich.
To make the recipe quick and easy, I use a food processor to chop the vegetables. I also cheat and use a good-quality store-bought marinara sauce; the recipe only calls for 3/4 cup, so there is no need to make it from scratch. It’s easy to make two meatloaves, so you might as well—one to freeze and the other to bake straight away.
Table of Contents
“So I made this meatloaf on a whim…My husband and my in-laws LOVED it. I was so proud!!”
What You’ll Need To Make Italian Meatloaf
Step-by-Step Instructions
Begin by chopping the vegetables. I use a food processor, which makes it quick and easy. Always rough chop the veggies before putting them in the machine, otherwise they won’t chop evenly.
You want to pulse until the vegetables are finely chopped but not puréed — this makes for a nicely textured meatloaf.
Heat the olive oil in a medium skillet and cook the vegetables until softened, 5 to 7 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine the eggs with the Worcestershire sauce, basil, salt and pepper.
Whisk to combine.
Add the meat, bread crumbs, cheese, and cooked vegetables.
Mix with your hands until well combined.
Shape the meat into a 9×5-inch loaf on a greased, foil-lined baking sheet. I prefer to “free-form” it rather than cook it in a loaf pan — that way, the fat cooks out and there’s always enough well-browned crust to go around.
Top with marinara sauce, letting a bit drip down the sides.
Bake for 65 to 70 minutes, until cooked through, then scrape away any fat that accumulates around the meatloaf.
Slice the meatloaf and serve.
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Italian Meatloaf
Think of this Italian meatloaf as one big giant meatball, packed with familiar flavors but on a grander, more satisfying scale.
Ingredients
- 1 small onion, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 carrot, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 stalk celery, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 3 garlic cloves
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 large eggs
- ¼ cup finely chopped fresh basil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 2 pounds meatloaf mix (or use 1½ pounds 85% lean ground beef plus ½ pound ground pork)
- ⅔ cup Italian-style bread crumbs
- ¾ cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
- ¾ cup marinara sauce, plus more for serving
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and set an oven rack in the middle position. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray with nonstick cooking spray.
- Place the onion, carrot, celery, and garlic in a food processor fitted with the steel blade and pulse until the vegetables are minced. (Alternatively, you can mince all of the vegetables by hand.)
- Heat the oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the minced vegetables and cook, stirring frequently, until softened, 5 to 7 minutes. Do not brown. Let cool until just warm.
- In a bowl large enough to hold all of the ingredients, whisk the eggs with the basil, salt, pepper and Worcestershire sauce.
- Add the meat, bread crumbs, cheese, and cooked vegetables to the egg mixture and mix with your hands until evenly combined.
- Form the meat mixture into a 9x5-inch loaf shape directly on the prepared baking sheet. Spread the marinara sauce evenly over top, letting it drip a bit down the sides.
- Bake for 65 for 70 minutes, or until an instant-read thermometer registers 160°F in the middle of the meatloaf. Let the meatloaf rest for about 10 minutes. Scrape any fat away from the edges of the meatloaf (it will ooze out and brown while baking), then use a wide spatula to transfer the meatloaf to a cutting board or serving platter. Slice and serve with more marinara sauce on the side, if desired.
- Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The cooked meatloaf can be frozen for up to 3 months. When ready to serve, defrost it in the refrigerator for 24 hours and then reheat it in a 300°F oven until hot in the middle. You can also freeze the meatloaf for up to 2 months before baking. Wrap the shaped loaf tightly in plastic wrap, then in foil. Add the marinara sauce after defrosting, when you are ready to bake and serve.
Pair with
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (6 servings)
- Calories: 585
- Fat: 42g
- Saturated fat: 15g
- Carbohydrates: 15g
- Sugar: 4g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 35g
- Sodium: 966mg
- Cholesterol: 180mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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The meatloaf was delicious. We ate the meatloaf with your creamy mashed potatoes and your green beans with shallots. The quality of the final product looked like something you would see in a restaurant. Thank you!
I’m so glad I did tried this! I’ll definitely make again. What other recipes do you have that use marinara sauce? I tried a search in your search bar but it didn’t pull up any recipes.
Glad you liked this! A couple of other recipes that call for marinara sauce: Spaghetti and Meatballs, Chicken Parmesan, and Turkey Meatballs. Hope you enjoy if you make any of them!
I’ll try the chicken marinera next. I’m sure it will not disappoint. Love your recipes!
🙂
This recipe sounds amazing.
Can I use all lean ground beef rather than a mixture of beef and pork? Also, can Arrabiatta Sauce be used in place of marinara
You are my go to culinary “cook book” so, I recommend your site to many friends here on Vancouver Island in British Columbia.
Thanks for the wonderful recipes.
Sharron
So glad you like the recipes! The meatloaf may not be quite as moist as with the pork, but it will still be delicious. And yes, you can use arrabiatta sauce in place of the marinara as long as you’re okay with the added spiciness. Hope you enjoy!
Can I prep the meat and freeze it uncooked?
Hi Jenine, I’ve never done that but I think it should work. 🙂
Great recipe! The sautéed veggies really helped to keep this super soft and melt-in-your-mouth yummy! Not to mention the hint of fresh basil from the garden!
My boyfriend hates meatloaf with a passion (I think it’s because he’s never had a good one). I have made many recipes from Once Upon a Chef and knew this would be a recipe that I could trust to win him over. After a few bites he looked over to me and said “… you can make this again.” Success!!
I made this last night with one substitution….I used vegetarian meat crumbles instead of pork but did mix it in with grass fed beef. The texture was not as firm as a beef/pork mixture but the loaf sure was delicious. My husband said it was the tastiest meatloaf he’d ever eaten. Thank you for another winner Jen!
I’ve never been a fan of meatloaf–it was what I made when I had three teenage boys with hollow legs and was running out of cooking steam. Once the boys were on their own, meatloaf was at the bottom of my recipe go-to’s. Not anymore! This recipe totally changed my mind! It was on the back of the March 2020 page from a little calendar I received from a realtor — and being stuck at home meant I was looking for new recipes. My husband raved about it and I thought it was delicious. I have now made it half a dozen times. We have dinner, save a couple of slices for sandwiches the next day and then I slice and freeze the remainder to pull out for quick sandwiches on busy or lazy days. Now meatloaf IS my go-to recipe! Thanks, Jenn!
Excellent! I made this recipe, following all the steps exactly so, but did leave out the salt. I figured the Parmesan cheese and Worcestershire sauce had plenty. This recipe was delicious and a definite keeper.
I made it with the Parmesan smashed potatoes and it was a wonderful accompaniment.
Hi, Jenn! So excited to make this and because it sounds so delicious (and likely a family crowd-pleaser) would this work as a double batch to cook as two loaves? I would like to eat one fresh and freeze one, but I would like to save time and measure once.
Thank you!
Tiffany
Great idea — yes, you can definitely do that. Hope you enjoy!
Seeing a RAO’s jar in the recipe, It has to be GREAT! (The Only sauce I purchase) I’m going to make this recipe tonight! I looked at quite a few meatloaf recipes till I came across this one-It looks Delicious! Growing up, My mother never used a loaf pan Although, I tried it once, it tasted pretty juicy! Thank you so much!
This is a wonderful recipe. My partner ate way more than usual and didn’t even add any catsup. I used fresh oregano from the garden instead of basil. The smashed parmesan potatoes were super easy and the perfect side dish. Substituting pork for some of the ground beef made for an interesting, and richer, taste.