Italian Style Meatloaf
Change Up on a Classic Weeknight Meal
Meatloaf is one of my go to recipes. It's easy, prepping isn't time consuming, it's tasty, and comforting. You can dress it up (yes, I once served a fabulous meatloaf at a party!) or down - and kids usually love it, which is a big plus. I even use my simple recipe as a base for Shepherd's Pie. I love meatloaf!
Because it's a family favorite, I try to find different vegetables to add and ways of seasoning it to make it an interesting and not a, 'What? Not meatloaf again!' meal.
We thought this Italian version was a winner. See what you think.
Cook Time
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 1 hour
Ready in: 1 hour 20 min
Yields: 6 to 8 servings
Ingredients
- 1½ - 2 pounds lean ground beef, or you can use a blend of beef, turkey, veal, or sweet Italian sausage
- 2 eggs, lightly beaten
- ¼ cup bread crumbs or crushed croutons, these can be flavored (I like Italian crumbs or Caesar style croutons). It's up to you!
- 1 small onion, grated (grating the onions makes them melt into the meat mix)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup mushrooms, chopped
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese, grated
- ½ cup Italian cheese blend, shredded
- ½ cup favorite marinara or spaghetti sauce
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon dried rosemary
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon dried marjoram
- ½ teaspoon dried parsley, (add to meat mix or use as garnish)
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder, optional (I love garlic!)
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- water
- Preheat oven to 350° (325° if using a glass dish)
- Lightly grease loaf pan.
- In a large bowl beat eggs with a scant teaspoon of water. Add bread crumbs or crushed croutons and let sit for a few minutes until the crumbs have absorbed the egg mixture.
- Add mushrooms, Parmesan cheese, garlic, onion, and herbs to crumbs and mix well. (I add herbs, veg, and cheese to the crumbs so as not to overwork the meat, which makes it tough).
- Add ground beef and mix thoroughly.
- Place meat mixture in loaf or pan of choice and top with marinara sauce.
- Place on cookie sheet and into oven for 45 minutes to an hour.
- Remove from oven and sprinkle Italian cheese on top and back into oven until cheese is melted and bubbly.
- Remove and allow meatloaf to rest for at least 5 minutes.
- Serve with salad or veg and favorite side. Enjoy!
