Italian Meatloaf

Here’s a recipe for an Italian meatloaf that is not just easy but delicious too! If you are like I am, I’m sure you’ll fall in love with this recipe. It is perfect for a satisfying weeknight dinner or can be served for a comforting Sunday meal.

Recipe Summary

This meatloaf recipe is made similarly to a regular meatloaf. But for this recipe we add in some Italian herbs and flavors to change things up instead of standard Worcestershire.

Plus, rather than using ketchup as the tomato-based ingredient, we use diced tomatoes (or sauce).

In the end, it’s like eating a big tasty meatball!

Recipe Background

There is family history tied to my recipe. It was inspired by both sides of my family – my Italian side and my husband’s Italian side. As is common with Italian culture, no recipe was ever written down so I ended up crafting my own version and documenting it here for you.

I offer lots of modification ideas further down this post, so make sure to check those out.

Ingredients Needed

Let’s get started, shall we? Here are the ingredients that you’ll need.

• Ground beef or bison. I tend to use lean beef, so it’s very important to use that milk.
• Breadcrumbs. I use my own homemade breadcrumbs, you can use storebought as well.
• Egg. This helps with binding. If you’re adding to this recipe, add more egg.
• Milk. This helps keep the meatloaf moist. I use whole milk.
• salt and pepper
• Romano cheese. If you only have Parmesan, that’s fine too, just double the amount used.
• Italian herbs. I use dried basil and dried parsley, and a small bit of dried oregano.
• Garlic powder
• Onion powder
• Drained diced tomatoes or tomato sauce. I’ve made it both ways, and I like the canned tomatoes personally, but my husband likes the tomato sauce. So either way is fine!

Step by Step Instructions

Here’s what’s involved in making my Italian meatloaf. For specific measurements, or a printable recipe version, use my recipe card below.

Step 1. Preheat oven to 350F.

Step 2. Meanwhile mix all the ingredients in a large bowl until everything is well incorporated.

Step 3. Place the beef mixture into a 1 Quart loaf pan or other oven proof dish.

PRO TIP: It’s best to use a pan that is small enough to cause the meatloaf to not spread out too thin. I recommend getting a pan for meatloaf or loaf in general, if you don’t have one.

Step 4. Cover the dish loosely with foil (or parchment) and bake in the oven at 350F for 1 hour.

Step 5. Remove the foil the last 10 to 15 minutes and top with the tomatoes.

Step 6. When the internal temperature reaches 165F (71.1C), it’s ready to take out of the oven. Let the meatloaf rest for 20 minutes before serving.

Recipe Card

Here’s my recipe with measurements you can use to make this dish.

Easy Italian Meatloaf

This Italian meatloaf is full of Italian flavors. Beef mixed with Italian seasonings and flavors. This is a hearty and delicious dinner.

5 from 2 votes

Print Rate

Course: Main Dish

Cuisine: Italian

Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour hour

Total Time: 1 hour hour 20 minutes minutes

Servings: 4 servings

Calories: 338kcal

Author: Liz

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Ingredients

• ▢ 1 lb ground beef or bison
• ▢ 3/4 cup bread crumbs
• ▢ 1 egg
• ▢ 1/3 cup milk
• ▢ 1/8 tsp salt and pepper each
• ▢ 1/4 cup Romano grated cheese
• ▢ 1 Tbsp dried basil
• ▢ 2 Tbsp dried parsley
• ▢ 1/8 tsp dried oregano optional
• ▢ 1/8 tsp garlic powder
• ▢ 1/8 tsp onion powder
• ▢ 1 14oz canned diced tomatoes or tomato sauce drained

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350F.
• Meanwhile mix all the ingredients except the tomatoes in a large bowl.
  1 lb ground beef or bison, 3/4 cup bread crumbs, 1 egg, 1/3 cup milk, 1/8 tsp salt and pepper each, 1/4 cup Romano grated cheese, 1 Tbsp dried basil, 2 Tbsp dried parsley, 1/8 tsp dried oregano, 1/8 tsp garlic powder, 1/8 tsp onion powder
• Form into a loaf and place into an oven proof dish.
• Cover loosely with foil and bake in oven at 350F for 1 hour.
• Remove the foil the last 10 to 15 minutes and top with the tomatoes or sauce.
  1 14oz canned diced tomatoes or tomato sauce
• Let rest for 20 minutes before serving. (Internal temp. should be 170F.)

Notes

Nutritional data are estimations based on API calculations.

• Try adding in some chopped herbs, onions or thawed and drained spinach, or even a can of drained diced tomatoes to the meat mixture. You can also adjust the quantities such as adding more cheese, or a mix of cheeses.
• Depending on the size of your meatloaf, if it is thick and short or long and thin, the cooking time can vary. So always check to make sure there is no pink in the meatloaf and the juices run clear.
• If using parmesan instead of romano, double the parm qty.
• Serve with roasted potatoes, salad, and fresh artisan bread.
• See post for even more ideas.

Nutrition

Calories: 338kcal | Carbohydrates: 17g | Protein: 30g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 124mg | Sodium: 327mg | Potassium: 511mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 146IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 184mg | Iron: 5mg

Recipe Modifications

Here are some other ways you can change up things with this recipe.

1. Use a combination of meats. Instead of just beef, try adding sausage for example. Just make sure that it is fully cooked for pork.
2. Add in a mixture of cheeses. So instead of just Romano (or Parmesan), add in a mix of both, plus some mozzarella. Another idea is to top the meatloaf with the mozzarella or Parmesan.
3. Mix up the herbs. I like parsley and basil with a dash of oregano. You can use an Italian seasoning mix, or just parsley, or just basil, etc. I find my ratio is a good balance. Too much oregano or other strong herbs will overpower this quickly.
4. Add some vegetables. My Sicilian mother-in-law liked to add peas. My father’s sister would spread out the meat mixture, top with spinach and then roll it up and bake it. You can also mix in some diced tomatoes in the meatloaf mixture.
5. Incorporate quick cooking oatmeal. This adds some bulk and healthy fiber to the meal. We do this frequently in our house. Just don’t add too much otherwise it falls apart.
6. Add cooked rice – brown or white. This can also be a nice filler. Again, don’t add too much or it won’t hold its form. This is not my favorite modification personally, but some people really like it.

This recipe for Italian-stye meatloaf goes well with the following side dishes. You can also check out my full list of Italian side dish recipes.

Roasted red potatoes recipe.

Garlic mashed potatoes is another great Italian side dish.

Italian stuffed zucchini boats are a great way to add veggies to this dinner.

Similar Recipes

If you liked this recipe, you might also enjoy these too! Check out more Italian dinner ideas here.

Stuffed eggplant with beef is a delicious dinner idea.

All-beef Italian meatballs is a classic.

Delicious Italian stuffed cubanelle peppers is another family recipe you’ll love.