Italian Meatloaf
This post may contain affiliate links. Read my full disclosure policy.
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.
You May Also Like
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
Powered by 
- 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.
See more recipes:
Comments
Add a Comment
This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
Terrific meal enjoyed by all of us. Used all ground beef (don’t love pork). We enjoyed leftovers with melted cheese on top and extra sauce. Another winner added to the dinner rotation!!
Amazing meatloaf & so easy! Making this one again soon
I made this meatloaf tonight and it is INCREDIBLE!!!! My roommates all claimed to hate meatloaf….until they tried this one! Followed the recipe exactly and it is truly the best I have ever had. Thank you!!!
This is the best meatloaf I have ever made! It’s like a delicious juicy meatball with sauce. My 3 and 6 year old request this often. I have made it at least a dozen times exactly as written and wouldn’t change a thing!
Easy, healthy and tasty. Thanks for another great recipe. Whenever I make any of your recipes to take to a party, I’m always asked for the recipe. That’s the best compliment I can give you. If making meatballs with this recipe, how long would you leave them in the oven?
So glad you like the recipes, Niki! For meatballs, I have an actual meatball recipe that’s pretty similar to the flavors in this meatloaf – I’d suggest that you use this instead. Hope you enjoy!
Try cooking meatloaf with a strip two of bacon on top…….you can use pieces scattered over the top….TERRIFIC basting!
This recipe will make a very good meatloaf. Unfortunately, I did not have celery and made a couple of other substitutions because I did not have the exact ingredients. It was still good, but I believe that using all of the ingredients listed in the recipe would have resulted in an overall better meatloaf. Next time I will use the correct ingredients, with perhaps the addition of a teaspoon of herbes de provence.
Delicious! Made this meatloaf tonight for dinner & loved it. Very easy to put together & flavourful. Followed the recipe except I couldn’t find Italian breadcrumbs so added plain breadcrumbs with a heaping 1/4 tsp of Italian seasoning & the flavours were awesome! Absolutely added the marinara on top & served with some on the side. Ate with your big Italian salad & smashed potatoes. All around delicious meal. Very comforting!!!
Add 1/4 – 1/2 cup flax seeds – it Will NOT be dry, its a wonderful addition. I followed this recipe added flax seed because I do in a lot of my baking. It was the best meatloaf I’ve had.
Made this last night for dinner. We haven’t had meatloaf in…..forever! Two big thumbs up from everyone all the way around. Thanks for the recipe!
Hi Jenn, I made the Italian meatloaf this evening and it was a huge hit. I have a recipe for an Italian meatloaf that I always considered to be the best. Yours beat mine, hands down. Never would have believed it. I did use Italian sausage and ground beef. Everything else was per your specifications.Still 100% with every one of your recipes being a home run. Thanks again for super recipes.
Hi Jenn,
I’m just wondering what you might suggest as best substitute in place of pork/pork sausage in your recipes, as we do not eat it.
Just thought you might have another tip up your sleeve?? 🙂
Thank you so much for all your beautiful recipes. They all sound so amazing and have given me new inspiration! ❤️
Hi Kathryn, for this recipe, I’d just use all ground beef. It may not be quite as moist as with the pork, but it will still be delicious. Because there’s not really a one-size-fits-all answser in terms of substitutes, let me know if you have questions about any other recipes. Hope you enjoy the meatloaf if you make it! 🙂
Love this meatloaf and so does my husband! I make it with ground turkey, and sometimes add a few extra veggies, like roasted red peppers finely chopped. It’s a lot for 2 of us so I slice the extra and freeze it for sandwiches later. Great with chipotle mayo! Another great Jen recipe!!