Think of this Italian meatloaf as a giant meatball, complete with melty Parm and provolone and a slathering of homemade tomato sauce on top. It’s a hearty 2-pound meatloaf made with ground beef and Italian sausage for a family-friendly weeknight dinner that’s perfect for planned leftovers.
Your Favorite Meatloaf, Italian-Style!
Classic meatloaf meets big, juicy meatballs in this easy Italian meatloaf recipe.
We’re meatball lovers in this house and happily eat them in any form, whether covered in bbq sauce, served buffalo-style in sub sandwiches, or infused with Thai-inspired flavors.
But some nights I just can’t be bothered to scoop and roll all those little meatballs, and that’s when I bust out this big, juicy meatloaf that tastes like one massive gourmet meatball.
Italian meatloaf is packed with all the fixings of a good meatball — Italian sausage, two types of melty cheese, fresh basil, and a homemade tomato sauce that I’ve been known to slurp up with a spoon.
Leftovers taste even better the next day, and you can serve the sliced meatloaf cold in a crusty roll for a meatloaf sandwich you won’t soon forget.
Enjoy!
Heidi’s Tips for Recipe Success
Use a mixture of meats for flavor and moisture. I spiked this meatloaf with Italian sausage, which is pre-seasoned with a medley of spices like fennel, garlic, red pepper, and oregano. Pairing the Italian sausage with ground beef keeps the ingredients list fairly minimal and creates the perfect balance of Italian flavors.
Choose lean ground beef to prevent a greasy texture. 85% lean ground beef is my top choice. You need some fat to prevent the meatloaf from drying out, but since we’re also using Italian sausage you don’t want to choose a lower percentage than that.
Skip the loaf pan for crispier edges. My grandma always shaped her meatloafs by hand, so that’s what I do too. In my experience, this cooks the meatloaf more evenly and helps the edges caramelize and develop more flavor. Of course, you can use a 9×5-inch loaf pan if desired, but try it Grandma’s way first — I think you’ll love it!
What’s in This Recipe?
The full recipe, with amounts, can be found in the recipe card below.
For the tomato sauce:
Most Italian meatloaf recipes have you top the meatloaf with jarred marinara sauce, but because quality and flavor varies so much between brands I prefer making my own tomato sauce with a blend of crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, garlic, onion, and a couple shakes of my favorite dried Italian herbs.
The sauce takes maybe 8 minutes extra to prepare, but it’s what makes this meatloaf recipe so good!
For the meatloaf:
Ground beef and sweet Italian sausage form the base of the meatloaf, with airy Panko breadcrumbs, eggs, milk, and a little shredded Parmesan used to bind it all together.
Fresh garlic, dried oregano, and red pepper flakes are all the seasoning you need since the Italian sausage is already boldly flavored. Provolone slices are draped over top in the last few minutes of cooking for an unforgettable cheese pull.
Ingredient Swaps
- Swap the sweet Italian sausage with spicy Italian sausage if you’d like some heat.
- Replace the tomato sauce with your favorite pomodoro sauce or vodka sauce.
- Top with mozzarella slices instead of provolone.
- Garnish with fresh basil or Italian parsley.
- Use ¾ to 1 teaspoon of red pepper flakes for a spicy meatloaf.
Step-By-Step Instructions for Making Italian Meatloaf
- Make the tomato sauce. After sautéing the aromatics in a little oil, add the remaining ingredients to the pan and simmer for just 15 minutes to bring the flavors together.
- Soak the breadcrumbs. Never add dry breadcrumbs straight to your meatloaf mixture! Soaking them first in a mixture of milk and beaten egg hydrates them, which makes for a juicier meatloaf overall.
- Combine the meatloaf mixture. I prefer mixing the meatloaf ingredients together by hand (if you wet them first, the meat mixture won’t stick to your hands). This prevents accidental overmixing.
- Shape into a 9×5 loaf. You want your meatloaf to be roughly 3 ½ inches thick. Do this on a rimmed baking sheet lined with foil for easier cleanup.
- Sauce it up. Pour the homemade tomato sauce over the shaped meatloaf, but don’t add the provolone just yet.
- Bake until the center reaches 160ºF. A meat thermometer is helpful here!
- Brown the cheese before serving. In my recipe testing, I found it best to add the provolone slices at the very end then pop back in the oven to gently melt. Adding the provolone last prevents it from sliding off or getting too crispy.
If you make this recipe, please let me know! Leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating below, leave a comment to tell us what you think, and tag me on Instagram @foodiecrush.
Italian Meatloaf Recipe
Ingredients
For the Sauce
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 small yellow onion , finely diced
- 4 cloves garlic , pressed or minced
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 2 ounces tomato paste
- 1 28 ounce can crushed tomatoes
- 1 ½ tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
For the Meatloaf
- 4 ounces panko breadcrumbs
- ½ cup milk
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 1 pound 85% lean ground beef
- 1 pound sweet Italian sausage
- 1 cup ground Parmesan cheese, (2 ounces)
- 1 ½ teaspoons granulated garlic
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 cup shredded provolone cheese, (4 ounces)
- ¼ cup chopped fresh basil, (or Italian parsley)
Instructions
For the Sauce
- Sauté the aromatics. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in large skillet over medium. Add 1 finely diced yellow onion and cook until soft, about 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add 4 pressed garlic cloves, and ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes, and cook for 1 minute or until fragrant.
- Add the sauce ingredients. Stir in 4 tablespoons tomato paste, coating the onions, and cook for 2 minutes. Add 28-ounces crushed tomatoes, 1 ½ tablespoons granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon dried oregano, and ½ teaspoon Kosher salt.
- Simmer. Bring to a simmer, and cook until flavors have melded, about 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and cover to keep warm.
For the Meatloaf
- Soften the bread crumb binder. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Coat a 13 X 9-inch baking dish with cooking spray or oil. In a gallon freezer bag, lightly crush 4 ounces of panko bread crumbs to make a finer crumb, then add to a large bowl with ½ cup milk and mix well. Let it sit until the panko softens, about 5 minutes, then add 2 beaten eggs and stir until it becomes a paste.
- Combine the meatloaf mixture. Add 1 pound ground beef, 1 pound sweet Italian sausage, 1 cup ground Parmesan cheese, 1 ½ teaspoons granulated garlic, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, 1 teaspoon Kosher salt, and ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes to the panko paste. With wet hands, mix until combined.
- Shape and bake the meatloaf. Pile the beef mixture in the center of the prepared baking dish. Wet hands and shape into a 9 X 5-inch rectangle about 3 ½ inches thick. Pour the tomato sauce over the meatloaf and cover with foil. Bake until the meatloaf registers 160ºF, about 1 hour to 1 ¼ hours.
- Top with cheese and melt before serving. Remove from the oven, discard the foil, and top the meatloaf with shredded provolone. Return back to the oven and bake until the cheese is melted, 2-3 minutes. Rest the meatloaf for 15 minutes before cutting into 1-inch thick slices. Transfer to a serving platter or back to the baking dish, sprinkle with fresh parsley, and serve.
- Rest for 15 minutes before cutting into 1-inch thick slices. Transfer to a serving platter or back to the baking dish, sprinkle with fresh basil, and serve.
Nutrition
FAQs
Yes, but you’d need to season the meatloaf more heavily since ground pork doesn’t contain any herbs or spices. I can’t give you exact seasoning measurements, so use your best judgement.
For sure! You can shape the raw meatloaf and refrigerate it up to 24 hours before topping with the tomato sauce and baking OR you can bake the recipe as instructed and enjoy the leftovers throughout the week. Meatloaf slices are delicious cold or warm and can also be eaten in sandwiches.
If you swap out the regular panko for gluten-free panko, this recipe will be gluten-free. Easy!
What to Serve With Italian Meatloaf
- Appetizers — Arancini, Caprese Salad, Mushroom Crostini
- Salads — BLT Panzanella, Antipasto Salad, Caesar Salad, Burrata Salad with Pear and Prosciutto
- Sides — Parmesan Roasted Cauliflower, Roasted Asparagus, Roasted Carrots with Dill Gremolata, Creamy Polenta, Parmesan Risotto
- Bread — Buttery Garlic Bread or Garlic Knots
Storage and Freezing
Once baked, the meatloaf will last up to 5 days in the fridge or 2 months in the freezer. You can also freeze the unbaked meatloaf and tomato sauce separately, then thaw overnight before baking as instructed.
More Family-Friendly Italian Dinners
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