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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Hi Jenn,
I made your Italian Meatloaf last night. It was absolutely delicious. My husband is NOT a fan of meatloaf and wasn’t looking forward to dinner.. Well, he loved it! The texture was firm, the melding of ingredients was so flavorful, and it was like eating an Italian meatball. Thank you!!!!
Hoping to make tonight but only have ground turkey and no cheese. Should I adapt the recipe at all? (Especially concerned that it doesn’t turn out too dry.) Have made your delicious BBQ turkey meatloaf many times but the family doesn’t want BBQ tonight.
Hi P, Sorry I’m weighing in too late to be helpful! Did you end up making this?
I did. Increased bread crumbs to 3/4 cup and increased veggies (as noted in another review) but it did turn out a little dry. Still quite good but would like to try again with ground turkey and cheese. Thoughts?
Hi P, This one really is best with ground beef. If you only have ground turkey on hand, I’d recommend this meatloaf instead. It’s delicious!
This is the BEST meatloaf I have ever tasted! The cooking process was straight forward. We had this as a family dinner and kids and adults enjoyed it. The portion is very generous so we’ll have delicious leftovers.
This is the best meatloaf I’ve ever made. I’ve made it several times and everyone thinks it’s the most delicious meatloaf they have ever tasted. Can’t wait to try your other recipes!
So glad you enjoyed it! 🙂
I made this meatloaf and it is so delicious! It’s different than any other I’ve tried and my Mom plans to make it next. I brought two big pieces to my pregnant boss and she and her husband loved it! There’s plenty to feed a family. I also made cheesecake from the same cookbook and it’s chilling in the fridge but I’m so excited to serve it at an event on Sunday! It smells amazing.
Excellent
Hey Jen! I’m excited to try this recipe! I was wondering, could I sub the 1/2 lb pork for venison? Would cook time differ at all? Thanks!
Hi Rebecca, It will work but I’d probably stick with the pork. Venison is quite lean and won’t add as much flavor. But if you want to give it a try, the cooking time would be the same. Hope that helps!
Delicious meatloaf! Want to make two small ones instead of one large to give to new mom to freeze. Can you estimate the cooking time? Thank you for all your great work! Love everything you make.
Hi Vivian, glad you like the meatloaf! If you want to divide this into two loaves, I would guesstimate they would take about 45 minutes in the oven. You could also check them with a meat thermometer to make sure the centers have reached 165 degrees F before taking them out of the oven. Hope the recipient enjoys!
Prepared the recipe and shared with a needy family…um, good!
Anxious to try a sandwich. Thanks for the recipe.
How nice that you prepared it for a needy family — hope they enjoyed it! 💗
Fantastic recipe. My family is not crazy about meatloaf but they loved the flavor on this one. The only problem I encountered was that after greasing the aluminum foil and cooking it for 60 minutes as directed, the bottom was overcooked and stuck to the aluminum foil. I wonder why and if I’m the only one who had this happened. Other than that, excellent recipe. Thank you!