The Best Italian Meatloaf
Let me introduce you to The Best Italian Meatloaf recipe you’re ever going to need. Flavorful spices and Parmesan cheese push this meatloaf over the top DELICIOUS!
My mom always made this meatloaf recipe for us growing up. It was my grandma Florence’s recipe and it has been handed down to my mom and my aunts and now to me and my cousins. It is the best Italian meatloaf!
I believe the secret to this recipe is adding a lot of cheese. My mom always said, there’s never too much cheese! And it’s true.
I like to use ground chuck for meatloaf because it has a higher fat percentage than the ground beef from leaner primal cuts. This extra fat makes ground chuck better for meatloaf, meatballs and burgers. It also holds it shape very well and is the most flavorful.
Ingredients
- 2 large eggs
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tbsp dried parsley, or 3 tbsp of fresh parsley
- 1-1 1/2 cups (135g) grated Parmesan or Romano cheese (We prefer Romano.)
- 1 medium yellow onion (150g), chopped
- 1 1/2 lbs (680g) ground chuck (You can also use a leaner cut of meat, but I find the ground chuck to be more flavorful.)
- 5 slices (175g) of stale sandwich bread (If you don’t have stale bread, you can leave it on the counter for a couple of hours to stale.)
Instructions
Step 1: Leave bread out for a couple of hours to stale on both sides if you do not have stale bread.
Step 2: Preheat oven to 350° F.
Step 3: Chop onion and set aside.
Step 4: Add salt, pepper and two eggs to a large mixing bowl and beat until combined.
Step 5: Add garlic powder, parsley and Romano cheese and beat until combined.
Step 6: Add chopped onions and mix until combined.
Step 7: Add the ground chuck and mix with a fork until all of the ingredients are mostly incorporated.
Step 8: Using two pieces of bread at a time, wet all sides of the bread and then squeeze some of the water out of the bread. You want the bread to be mushy.
Step 9: Break the bread up with your fingers and add it to the bowl.
Step 10: Mix the bread and all ingredients together with your hands until completely combined.
Step 11: Shape meat into a loaf and put into a glass or metal baking dish. I used an 8 x 8-inch glass baking dish.
Step 12: Bake meatloaf for 1-1 1/2 hours until done in the middle. The internal temperature should be 160° F.
Step 13: Remove meatloaf from oven and let rest for about 10 minutes before slicing.
Step 14: Slice meatloaf into 8 slices with a sharp knife.
Step 15: Serve with your favorite brown gravy and enjoy!
The Best Italian Meatloaf
- 2 large eggs
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tbsp dried parsley or 3 tbsp of fresh parsley
- 1-1 1/2 cups (135g) grated Parmesan or Romano cheese (We prefer Romano.)
- 1 (150g) medium yellow onion, chopped
- 1 1/2 lbs (680g) ground chuck (You can also use a leaner cut of meat, but I find the ground chuck to be more flavorful.)
- 5 slices (175g) of stale sandwich bread If you don’t have stale bread, you can leave it on the counter for a couple of hours to stale.
- Leave the bread out for a couple of hours to stale on both sides if you do not have stale bread.
- Preheat oven to 350° F.
- Chop onion and set aside.
- Add salt, pepper and two eggs to a large mixing bowl and beat until combined.
- Add garlic powder, parsley and Romano cheese and beat until combined.
- Add chopped onion and mix until combined.
- Add the ground chuck and mix with a fork until all of the ingredients are mostly incorporated.
- Using two pieces of bread at a time, wet all sides of the bread and then squeeze some of the water out of the bread. You want the bread to be mushy.
- Break the bread up with your fingers and add it to the bowl.
- Mix the bread and all ingredients together with your hands until completely combined.
- Shape meat into a loaf and put into a glass or metal baking dish. I used an 8 x 8-inch glass baking dish.
- Bake meatloaf for 1-1 1/2 hours until done in the middle. The internal temperature should be 160° F.
- Remove meatloaf from oven and let rest for about 10 minutes before slicing.
- Slice meatloaf on a cutting board into 8 slices with a sharp knife.
- Serve with your favorite brown gravy and enjoy!
The best Italian meatloaf is a delicious comfort food dinner and is great served with your favorite gravy and mashed potatoes! You might want to add something green along with it as well. I try to be good!
For another tasty comfort food meal, try my Crockpot Mississippi Pot Roast. You won’t be disappointed!
Sweet regards,
Michele
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