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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Chef Jenn,
Thank you for the wonderful recipe!
We have had your turkey meatloaf recipe many times. And, it is simply delicious! We do increase oven temperature to 375 degrees for 45 minutes instead of 350 degrees.
Tasteless and bland, with a rather unpleasant texture. A complete fail. The Parmesan smashed potatoes were no better.
This was delicious! I omitted the basil just because I like a more traditional meatloaf and substituted marinara with crushed tomatoes and then sprinkled that with brown sugar to make it sweet. Thanks so much for sharing another home run dinner!
DELICOUS!!! We loved this meatloaf! Leftovers were great too and heated up so nicely. I also froze some in individual slices. Great to defrost just the amount needed for a quick meal. I served it with penne and additional sauce and a tossed salad.
Such a versatile recipe…this time I used 1# ground round, 1/2# ground venison/pork mix and 1/2# sweet italian sausage because that’s what I had on hand. Will definitely be making it again and again. Thank you for sharing this recipe!
This is the second time I’ve made this. I added the pork this time and it made it so much tastier than all beef. I also topped it with leftover sauce from beef braciole I made a couple days before. It was insanely delicious! Thanks Jenn!
Absolutely delicious! The meatloaf mix I purchased was only 1.5lbs. Otherwise, I followed the recipe as written. Moist, lots of good flavor. My family is already looking forward to the next one!
I finally made this recipe last night as I already had my own meatloaf recipe I have been using forever. I have been cooking Jenn’s recipes for about 7/8 years now so I finally decided to try hers. Hubby voted “yay!” As we vote for new recipes. Well, what else is new with Jenn? Her recipes consistently deliver! I had no celery so I omitted without substituting. He said it was very flavorful! Will be adding to my monthly recipe rotation! I love Jenn and am very grateful she is willing to share her knowledge and creativity with us to make us pretty darn good cooks! 💕 her 2 cookbooks are the bomb as well!
Best meatloaf ever! I’ve been making meatloaf for 50 years, this is the best recipe I have encountered. Also, very easy. Lots of flavor. The recipes published on Once Upon a Chef are consistently excellent. Thank you for another winner.
Jenn, your Italian Meatloaf recipe has been my go-to recipe for a couple of years now; it’s just fabulous! Everyone I’ve served it to has raved about the flavor and wanted the recipe. I also love your Meatball recipe. I usually make two batches, freeze them on a baking sheet, and put them into a zip lock bag back into the freezer. That way I can take out the number I need for each meal.
I made this and it was perfect! All of my family loved it. It actually does taste exactly as my meatballs. I also use my own sauce.