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Italian Meatloaf

Italian meatloaf baked until sliceable and juicy, then topped with marinara and bubbly mozzarella for a lasagna-in-loaf form. This Italian style meatloaf blends beef and pork with parmesan, herbs, and garlic.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Rest 10 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Italian-American
Calories: 520
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Meatloaf base
  • 1.5 lb ground beef
  • 0.5 lb ground pork or Italian sausage
  • 0.5 cup parmesan cheese, grated
  • 1 cup Italian breadcrumbs
  • 2 eggs
  • 0.33 cup whole milk
  • 4 garlic, minced
  • 0.25 cup fresh parsley, chopped
  • 1.5 tsp Italian seasoning
  • 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
  • Salt and pepper to taste
Topping
  • 1 cup marinara sauce
  • 1 cup mozzarella cheese shredded
  • 0.1 cup fresh basil

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan
  • 1 9x5 loaf pan
  • 1 oven

Method
 

Prep and mix
  1. Preheat oven to 350°F and grease a 9x5 loaf pan.
  2. Combine ground beef, ground pork or Italian sausage, parmesan cheese, Italian breadcrumbs, eggs, whole milk, garlic, fresh parsley, Italian seasoning, and Worcestershire sauce until just mixed.
  3. Season with salt and pepper to taste, then press the mixture into the greased loaf pan.
Bake and finish
  1. Bake at 350°F for 50 minutes, until the loaf looks set around the edges.
  2. Spread marinara sauce over the top and scatter shredded mozzarella over the sauce.
  3. Bake 15–20 more minutes at 350°F until the cheese is bubbly and golden and the internal temperature reaches 160°F.
  4. Rest the meatloaf for 10 minutes, then garnish with fresh basil and slice.

Notes

For the juiciest slices, mix just until the ingredients come together—overmixing can make the loaf dense. Refrigerate leftovers in a sealed container for up to 3–4 days; reheat in a 300°F oven until warmed through. Freezing is yes—wrap tightly and freeze up to 2 months; thaw overnight in the fridge. For a lighter option, use part-skim mozzarella and swap part of the pork with lean ground turkey sausage while keeping the same binder (breadcrumbs + eggs).