Meatloaf has never looked (or tasted) so good! This Italian Style Meatloaf is made with a combo of ground veal, beef and pork just like your favorite Italian meatballs recipes. With the addition of onions, peppers, garlic and herbs, you have yourself a flavorful meatloaf recipe covered in a ridiculously good garlic tomato sauce! This is a family favorite recipe that even the kids will enjoy!
I know what you may be thinking... 'uggh, meatloaf, my grade school cafeteria nightmares!' I hear ya. I was never really a fan of classic meatloaf but when Mark introduced me to his Italian Meatloaf recipe with this unforgettable Garlic Tomato Sauce, now I can't get enough of this, and I request it often.
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What makes this meatloaf Italian-Style?
You may have had a traditional meatloaf recipe, typically made with ground beef, maybe some veggies are thrown in there, and topped with a bbq sauce or some type of weird ketchup-based sauce. Nothing about that is Italian. Nothing. But this version has all the Italian flavors you love and enjoy and it makes your home smell amazing while it's cooking. Also, the garlic tomato sauce you could literally use as a pasta sauce without thinking twice!
Ingredients - What goes in the meatloaf?
This Italian meatloaf recipe has fairly simple ingredients that are easy to find at the grocery store. Here's what you need to make this delicious Italian meatloaf:
- Ground veal, beef and pork: Our favorite combination, and what we included below in the recipe is a trio of ground meats - beef, pork, and veal - in equal parts. This combination of ground beef, fattier ground pork and tender and lean ground veal gives the meatloaf a much better flavor than just using beef, and it balances out the fat since you are using one very lean meat (veal), one moderately lean meat (lean ground beef), and one fatty meat (pork).
- Onion: We use a sweet yellow onion for this recipe.
- Red bell peppers: Red bell peppers have a nice sweet flavor that is perfect for this recipe. You can also use orange or yellow bell peppers here for similar results.
- Celery: The celery in this recipe adds nice texture to the meat mixture.
- Parsley: The chopped Italian flat leaf parsley adds a bright herb flavor to the ground meats balancing out the flavors.
- Bread Crumbs: Panko or Italian breadcrumbs will work in this recipe. The bread crumbs are in there to help bind the meat better.
- Eggs: The eggs also act as a binder for the meats and vegetables so that you get nice slices of meatloaf for serving.
- Salt and Pepper
- Cayenne Pepper: The cayenne provides more flavor than heat in this recipe since there isn't too much of it added to the meat mixture. This Italian Style Meatloaf isn't really spicy at all, but if you are worried about it, you can always emit the cayenne.
- Parmesan Cheese: Add Parmigiano Reggiano for serving by sprinkling the freshly gated cheese on at the end.
- Fresh basil leaves: These are used for garnish at the end as well.
What about that Garlic Tomato Sauce?
Obviously you can see here that we want the meatloaf to stand alone without the need for a sauce, so this one is anything but bland! But we urge you, DO NOT SKIP THE SAUCE!
This sauce is gold! Literally. I'm very into drenching my food in sauces, especially when they are as tasty as this one. And it is super easy to make, and is mostly done in a food processor. Don't shy on making the entire recipe of sauce, you will want all of it for this Italian Style Meatloaf. Prior to serving, we slice the meatloaf, spread the sauce over the top, then serve.
- Whole Peeled Tomatoes: One 28-ounce can of tomatoes is the base of the sauce.
- Dried Oregano: Oregano always gives sauces a nice herb-y flavor that screams Italian.
- Salt and Black Pepper
- Garlic Cloves: The recipe uses 8 cloves of garlic (yes EIGHT)! It is a garlic tomato sauce after all! Always use fresh garlic here for best results.
- Olive Oil: The garlic is sautéed for a minute in the olive oil and then the oil and garlic is incorporated into the tomato mixture. Any good olive oil used for cooking will be perfect here.
Substitutions
Here are some substitutions we recommend for the ingredients above if needed:
- Ground meats: You can, of course, use a different combination of ground meets in this recipe. We love this combo and it really works well with the different fat contents in the three meats for a tender meatloaf.
- Cayenne: You can leave out the cayenne if you don't like any spice in your food, although this amount of cayenne doesn't really add much heat to the final recipe. Additionally, you can swap out the cayenne with crushed red pepper if you want more heat in the recipe and you prefer crushed red peppers instead.
- Dried Oregano: You can use fresh oregano if desired here.
- Red bell peppers: We prefer the flavor of red bell peppers in this dish, but you can of course substitute them with yellow or orange bell peppers for a similar flavor. Or add green bell pepper for a slightly different flavor profile. A combination of different colored bell peppers would work here too.
How to Make Italian Style Meatloaf
Meatloaf is a pretty simple dish to make and you likely have everything you need in your home kitchen.
Equipment: What is the best way to cook meatloaf?
Since this is technically a loaf shape like a loaf of bread, you will make this meatloaf in a loaf pan (check out our favorite loaf pans HERE). I prefer to line the loaf pan with parchment paper in order to easily remove the entire loaf prior to slicing and serving.
The oven is by far the best way to cook this Italian-Style Meatloaf. We often use our countertop toaster oven if we want to limit the amount of heat in our house that comes from using our oven, especially in the middle of that hot Texas summer!
Step-By-Step Instructions
Step 1: Preheat Oven and Mix Meatloaf Ingredients
The meatloaf cooks in the oven at 350°F, so you will want to preheat your oven while you mix your meatloaf ingredients together in a large mixing bowl. Combine ground beef, pork, veal and other ingredients for the meatloaf until thoroughly combined.
Step 2: Transfer Meatloaf Mixture to a Loaf Pan
Once your meat mixture is thoroughly combined, transfer it to a greased 9x5 inch loaf pan (or parchment lined for easy removal).
Step 3: Bake Meatloaf
Bake the meatloaf in your preheated oven for 1 hour uncovered. After 1 hour, remove the meatloaf from the oven and carefully pour off some of the excess juices from the loaf pan. Return the pan to the oven and cook for another 20-30 minutes until the internal temperature reaches 160°F and the meatloaf is cooked through completely. The cooking time may vary slightly, so we encourage you to use a meat thermometer to check for doneness.
Step 4: Make the Sauce
Add the tomatoes, oregano, salt and pepper to a blender and set aside. Next sauté the garlic cloves in the olive oil in a small fry pan over medium-high heat for one minute. Transfer the olive oil and garlic into the food processor with the tomato mixture and process until smooth.
Next, transfer to the sauce to a large skillet and simmer on low for about 30 minutes while the meatloaf cooks. Once the sauce reaches your desired consistency, you can keep it warm until your meatloaf is ready, or remove from heat then gently reheat on low for serving.
Step 5: Finish the Meatloaf
Once the meatloaf is fully cooked, remove it from the oven and from the loaf pan onto a cutting board. Cut into slices and serve covered with the sauce and garnish with fresh basil leaves and grated Parmesan cheese.
Variations
- Make it spicy! If you love a good spicy Italian dish, incorporate crushed red pepper flakes into the meatloaf mixture, or the sauce!
- Add fresh herbs. We love adding fresh basil or fresh oregano into the meatloaf mixture when fresh herbs are in season! And garnish with fresh herbs to impress your guests.
- Make it cheesy! If you love a cheesy dish, add fresh mozzarella cheese or parmesan to the top of the meatloaf during the final 15 minutes of cooking, then top with the sauce to serve!
- Switch up the ground pork for Italian sausage. Elevate this recipe by using Italian sausage in place of the ground pork.
Storage
How to store leftover meatloaf in the fridge: If you have leftovers, simply store the meatloaf in an airtight container in the fridge covered in the sauce. Enjoy within 5 days.
How to freeze cooked meatloaf: You can freeze cooked meatloaf for up to 5-6 months in a freezer proof bag or container, or by wrapping it in plastic wrap followed by aluminum foil to prevent freezer burn. Make sure the meatloaf has fully cooled at room temperature before placing it in the freezer.
How to reheat leftover meatloaf: Reheat refrigerated meatloaf by placing it in an oven safe dish, covering the dish with aluminum foil, then reheating in a 350°F oven until heated through (approximately 20-30 minutes).
Reheat frozen meatloaf in the same manner straight from frozen until heated through. Frozen meatloaf will take longer to reheat fully.
You can, of course, use the microwave if you wish - just make sure you reheat at 50% power. We prefer the oven method for reheating for a fresher taste.
What to make with Italian meatloaf?
This is a pretty hearty dish on its own, so serving this with a big Italian salad with a homemade Fresh Basil Balsamic Vinaigrette, sautéed spinach or another green vegetable (like asparagus, broccolini, or green beans) are our choices for sides.
Check out our Parmesan Herb Asparagus with Prosciutto and Pine Nuts for a nice side to serve with this meatloaf recipe - it is one of our favorite sides for an Italian meat dish like this meatloaf. This is truly the best meatloaf recipe we have had and we know you will love it too!
What wines pair with Italian Style Meatloaf?
Just like any Italian meatball recipe, a nice dry red wine pairs beautifully with this Italian Style Meatloaf recipe. We love to drink Chianti, Barolo or Montepulciano d'Abruzzo with this Italian Style Meatloaf, but you can opt for your favorite dry red wine from Pinot Noir to Cabernet Sauvignon!
FAQ
A dry meatloaf is never desirable! To prevent meatloaf from getting dry, we use a combination of lean and fatty ground meats. Additionally, using fresh vegetables in your meatloaf mixture will increase the amount of moisture in the meatloaf. Finally, make sure your breadcrumbs are not stale - stale breadcrumbs will make your meatloaf dryer.
The bread crumbs and eggs in the meatloaf mixture act as a binder giving your meatloaf that loaf-like texture and preventing the meat mixture from crumbling.
A 2 lb meatloaf, like the one in this recipe, takes about 1.5 hours at 350°F for the internal temperature to reach 160°F.
If you give this recipe a try, please let us know how you liked it in comments below! Or tag us on Instagram @cooking_with_wine.
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Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
- Spinach Artichoke Risotto with Creamy Mascarpone Cheese
- Spicy Charred Calabrian Chili Broccolini
- Three Cheese Stuffed Shells with Spicy Italian Sausage Sauce
- Balsamic Green Beans with Sliced Almonds
Pairing
These are our favorite cocktails to serve with this dish!
- Spiced Cranberry Old Fashioned Cocktail Recipe
- Shimmy Shimmy Coconut Basil Lime Gin Cocktail
- Spiced Apple Cider Moscow Mule Cocktail Recipe
- Fig Cardamom Gin Old Fashioned Cocktail
📖 Recipe
Italian-Style Meatloaf
Ingredients
Meatloaf Mix
- ⅔ lbs lean ground beef
- ⅔ lbs ground pork
- ⅔ lbs ground veal
- ⅓ cup chopped onion
- ½ cup chopped bell pepper (red or orange)
- ⅓ cup chopped celery
- ⅓ cup bread crumbs
- ½ cup chopped fresh parsley
- 2 eggs
- 1 tablespoon fresh ground pepper
- 2 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Sauce
- 1 (28oz) can whole peeled tomatoes
- 3 tablespoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 8 garlic cloves, minced
- 4 teaspoon olive oil
Garnish
- Parmesan cheese
- Fresh Basil Leaves
- Crushed red pepper flakes
Instructions
MEATLOAF MIX
- Preheat oven to 350°.
- Mix all ingredients in a bowl with your hands until thoroughly combined.
- Grease or line a 9x5in loaf pan with parchment paper (for easy removal). Place meat mixture in loaf pan.
- Bake uncovered for 1 hr. After an hour, pour off juices, then return to oven for an additional 30 min.
- For a darker crust, broil for 1-2 min before serving.
SAUCE
- While meat cooks, make the sauce.
- In a food processor, add tomatoes, oregano, salt and pepper. Set aside. Do not process yet.
- Sauté garlic in a sauce pan for 1 min in oil over medium high heat.
- Add oil and garlic to processor and process until smooth.
- Transfer to a saucepan and simmer on medium low for about 30 min to desired consistency, then keep warm on low heat until meatloaf is done.
- Pour sauce over sliced meatloaf and serve garnished with grated Parmesan cheese, fresh basil and/or crushed red pepper flakes.
Nutrition
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Christy says
This looks delicious!
Angela and Mark says
We love it! Let us know if you try it!
Claudia Tessari says
Love the way you talked about this wonderful recipe.
Making the sauce for a sourdough puzza tomorrow. Thanks.
Angela and Mark says
Let us know how you like it!