One of my family’s favorite dinners, this Italian meatloaf is essentially one big giant meatball. I serve it with a big Italian salad and Parmesan smashed potatoes, but it is also delicious with pasta. The leftovers are even better the next day, sliced and topped with melted cheese in a warm sandwich. To make the recipe quick and easy, I use a food processor to quickly chop the vegetables. I also cheat and use a good-quality store-bought marinara sauce; the recipe only calls for 3/4 cup, so there is no need to make it from scratch.
What you’ll need to make italian meatloaf
Step-by-Step Instructions
Begin by chopping the vegetables. I use a food processor, which makes it quick and easy. Always rough chop the veggies before putting them in the machine, otherwise they won’t chop evenly.
You want to pulse until the vegetables are finely chopped but not puréed — this makes for a nicely textured meatloaf.
Heat the olive oil in a medium skillet and cook the vegetables until softened, 5 to 7 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine the eggs with the Worcestershire sauce, basil, salt and pepper.
Whisk to combine.
Add the meat, bread crumbs, cheese, and cooked vegetables.
Mix with your hands until well combined.
Shape the meat into a 9×5-inch loaf on a greased, foil-lined baking sheet. I prefer to “free-form” it rather than cook it in a loaf pan — that way, the fat cooks out and there’s always enough well-browned crust to go around.
Top with marinara sauce, letting a bit drip down the sides.
Bake for 65 to 70 minutes, until cooked through, then scrape away any fat that accumulates around the meatloaf.
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