Tonight, try our recipe for Easy Italian Meatloaf! Using stuffing mix instead of bread crumbs gives this Italian meatloaf a special depth of flavor. With tomato-basil pasta sauce, Italian breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, and oregano, you can add Italian flavor to a homestyle meat loaf dish. Aluminum foil should be used to line the bottom of the broiler pan.

Tonight, try our recipe for Easy Italian Meatloaf! Using stuffing mix instead of bread crumbs gives this Italian meatloaf a special depth of flavor.

With tomato-basil pasta sauce, Italian breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, and oregano, you can add Italian flavor to a homestyle meat loaf dish. To make cleanup easier, line the bottom of the broiler pan with aluminum foil. It was always My Mom’s Best Meatloaf or nothing when it came to meatloaf! I was certain, and still am, that it is the best meatloaf available, despite the fact that I haven’t tasted many others.

This Italian meatloaf is simply one enormous giant meatball, or so I tell my kids to get them to eat it. But, actually, it’s similar to meatballs, except it’s much more flavorful and easier to make. I like to serve it with my Big Italian Salad and Parmesan Smashed Potatoes, but it’s also excellent with pasta. The next day, cut and topped with melted cheese in a warm sandwich, leftovers are even better.

What you require
1 pound ground beef
1/2 pound mild Italian sausage, ground
1 finely chopped tiny onion
1/2 cup sliced bell pepper (I used orange because that’s all I had in the freezer)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 minced garlic clove
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon basil
1/2 teaspoon parsley
1 beaten egg 3/4 cup Italian bread crumbs
2 slices crumbled white bread
1 T. milk
8 oz. shredded mozzarella cheese, with 3/4 cup set aside for topping
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 cup marinara sauce plus 1/2 to 3/4 cup more for topping
Make it as follows:

Heat the olive oil in a small skillet over medium-high heat and sauté the onion and bell pepper for 3-4 minutes before removing from the heat. Combine the meats, onion, and peppers in a large mixing bowl with the remaining ingredients, saving 3/4 cup mozzarella cheese for topping.

Now, go in with the best tools God provided you, your hands, and thoroughly blend everything. Once everything is combined, place and shape the mixture in a baking dish of your choice. For ours, I used my oval Portuguese stoneware. Distribute 1/2 to 3/4 cup of the marinara sauce on top.

Preheat the oven to 400°F and bake for 50 minutes. Remove from the oven and top with the remaining cheese and a sprinkling of dry basil. Return to the oven for 10 minutes more. Before serving, make sure the meat is not pink; baking time will vary depending on the thickness of the loaf. Mine was roughly 2 inches thick.