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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Made this tonight for dinner. My husband is the type that hates when I change up recipes but this sounded so good I had to try it (without telling him that I changed my original recipe). He absolutely loved it!! My husband is like Mikey – if he loves it, it must be awesome!! Thank you for all your amazing recipes. You are my go to page for dinner!!!
Oh my, the crispy brown edges on this meatloaf are so good. The flavor of the mix is spot on. I also tried your parm smashed potatoes as a side. So easy, delish, and they got eaten very quickly. Thanks for 2 wonderful recipes.
Made this meatloaf last night and it was so delicious! I usually make your glazed turkey meatloaf which is amazing too! I used beef & pork and sautéing the veggies is a game changer! So flavourful and moist! My boys were looking forward to meatloaf sandwiches today! Thanks again Jenn for another wonderful recipe!
I’ve made this meatloaf several times without changes. My two boys inhale this. What is a good substitute for the breadcrumbs to make this gluten free for a friend?
Hi Elaine, Glad this has been a hit. You can replace the bread crumbs with gluten-free bread crumbs.
Didn’t have time to run to the store to get GF breadcrumbs so I pulverized rolled oats and used in place of breadcrumbs. It worked great!
So glad it came out well – thanks for reporting back!
This is now my ‘go to’ recipe for Meatloaf. Four teenage boys devour this every single time I make it (tonight will be the 4th time since finding this recipe). It’s packed with flavor. Thank you for this delicious recipe!
Curious — I have some 73/27 ground beef in the freezer I purchased by accident last month. Would using that fat ratio in this recipe invite a problem that a modification could take care of? (Or would you have a recipe using the 73% you’d suggest?)
Thanks!
Hi Joy, I think it should be fine without any adjustments. Hope you enjoy! 🙂
What a great recipe! I grew up on meatloaf and changed it through the years and I was looking for one that easy and flavorful. This meatloaf is FANTASTIC! Just the right ingredients and perfectly moist. We made it with the parm mashed potatoes and did not make the side salad – we wanted room for the meat and potatoes! My husband just said again, for the fifth time, “Thank you! That was really good!” Another great recipe from Chef Jen!
This is a moist and flavorful meat loaf. I have substituted the Italian sausage I had on hand. for the ground pork with great success.
Pay attention to the sodium level of your purchased Italian breadcrumbs and adjust the salt accordingly.
This is the best meatloaf ever! It dispels any bad reputation about the word “meatloaf”. I impressed my husband so much when I made this for the first time (he’s the cook in our family). I felt so proud of myself putting this delicious home cooked meal on the table! I follow the recipe exactly using the metric measurements. It’s now in our regular rotation of meals. Thanks Jenn!
Currently enjoying a sandwich with the leftovers of this yummy meatloaf. We loved the Italian accents of the recipe, a nice change up from a traditional meatloaf recipe. I did find I had to bake it about 85 minutes to reach the internal temp of 160 (I actually measured my loaf , it was 9 x 5). Thanks for another great recipe!