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My easy and super-delicious Cheese Stuffed Meatloaf Recipe is the weeknight dinner you've been waiting for! Complete with Italian spices and a filling of gooey Mozzarella cheese, fluffy and tender meatloaf is one you'll want to serve again and again! Ready in under 1 hour.
Jump to:
- Meatloaf Stuffed with Cheese
- Stuffed Meatloaf Ingredients
- Stuffed Meatloaf Recipe Instructions
- Cheese Filled Meatloaf Tips
- Meatloaf Stuffed with Meatloaf
- How to Store Cheese Filled Meatloaf with Cheese
- How to Reheat Stuffed Meatloaf Recipes
- Cheese Stuffed Meatloaf FAQ
- What to Serve with Meatloaf
- Cheese Stuffed Meatloaf
- Reviews
Meatloaf Stuffed with Cheese
Meatloaf is a comfort food I always come back to when I need something hearty and filling. It's got everything! It's fast, easy, and family-friendly. Who doesn't love a hearty slice of meatloaf with a side of creamy mashed potatoes to end a busy day?
Better yet, this is a gooey cheese-stuffed meatloaf recipe everyone in your family will adore. Even picky kids! Trust me, no one can resist how flavorful and tender a meatloaf stuffed with cheese is. It's the ultimate comfort food, and it's versatile, too!
Need a good make-ahead meal? This stuffed meatloaf recipe is here to help! Just prepare the meatloaf and then, before baking it, wrap it in plastic wrap and set it in the fridge. Pop it in the oven before dinner, and you've got a prep-free dinner that even the kids will love.
Stuffed Meatloaf Ingredients
- Ground pork sausage
- Ground beef
- White bread
- Milk
- Eggs
- Parmesan cheese
- Garlic powder
- Bread crumbs
- Tomato sauce
- Mozzarella cheese, shredded and block*
- Italian seasoning or my seasoning for meatloaf
- Optional: Salt and black pepper
With this meatloaf's Italian seasonings, I find mozzarella to be the best choice of cheese filling. However, if you vary the seasonings according to your tastes, you can also use other cheeses, like cheddar cheese or gouda.
This meatloaf uses tomato sauce, but if you're in a pinch, you can also use classic ketchup. Just keep in mind there will be a difference in sweetness, as ketchup is sweeter.
Italian Seasoning Ingredients
- Oregano
- Basil
- Rosemary
- Parsley
- Thyme
Stuffed Meatloaf Recipe Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375℉. While it's heating, add the milk to a large bowl, then soak the bread slices in it for 5 minutes.
- While the bread soaks, combine the ground beef, ground sausage, garlic powder, Italian seasonings, Parmesan cheese, eggs, and breadcrumbs in a bowl, and give it a quick mix. Don't mix completely yet.
- Squeeze the milk out of the soaked bread, then shred the bread up and add it to the meat. Mix until fully incorporated, about 35-40 seconds. Don't over-mix! Mix just enough to combine, or your meatloaf will become dense.
- Spray a 9-by-5 loaf pan with cooking oil, then form the meat mixture into a loaf shape and place it in the pan. If you don't want to stuff the meatloaf, you can skip step 5.
- Using your fingers or a spoon, scoop a line into the middle of the meatloaf lengthwise, and add blocks of Mozzarella cheese. Cover the cheese up with the removed meatloaf.
- Top the loaf with tomato sauce and shredded Mozzarella cheese.
- Bake, uncovered, for 40 minutes, or until the cheese is golden and the meat reads above 165℉ with an instant-read thermometer. Remove, slice, and serve!
Cheese Filled Meatloaf Tips
- You can also make this meatloaf recipe without the stuffing as a simple Italian meatloaf, but I recommend trying it cheese-filled at least once. It's delicious!
- Feel free to add in some other mix-ins like half a finely diced onion or diced and sauteed mushrooms.
- The sodium from the cheeses should be enough, but if you want to add extra salt, you can add salt to taste.
- I recommend whole milk for this recipe. The higher fat content makes a difference in the texture and flavor of the loaf.
Meatloaf Stuffed with Meatloaf
- Mozzarella is a classic choice for stuffing in meatloaf, but feel free to get creative! I also like using Colby jack, pepper jack, and muenster cheese. You can even use brie!
- Make personal-sized meatloaves by splitting the meat mixture into several smaller pans! Just keep an eye on them, as smaller loaves will cook faster.
- Substitute BBQ Sauce for tomato sauce.
- You can use panko breadcrumbs if you want it a little crunchier.
- Ground turkey also works well in this recipe.
Want some fun? Don't tell anyone it's stuffed. Let them cut a slice and watch the delight on their faces!
How to Store Cheese Filled Meatloaf with Cheese
- Let the cheesy meatloaf cool down.
- Wrap it tightly with plastic wrap or aluminum foil, or put it in an airtight container.
- Store it in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
- If you want to keep it longer, freeze it. Wrap it tightly and store it for up to 3 months.
- When you're ready to eat, thaw it overnight in the fridge (if frozen).
How to Reheat Stuffed Meatloaf Recipes
Reheat the meatloaf in the oven at 350°F (175°C) until heated through, typically about 20 minutes depending on the size of the meatloaf. You can also microwave individual slices for a quicker option.
Cheese Stuffed Meatloaf FAQ
The secret to moist meatloaf is using whole milk, soaking bread slices in milk beforehand, and eggs! Whole milk has a higher fat content, which not only helps the meatloaf come out moist and delicious, but the proteins will help the meatloaf brown nicely. And the rich egg yolks will do just the same!
You don't need to cover meatloaf while it's cooking unless you find that the top is browning too quickly. Leave it uncovered and check it ten minutes before it's done. If the top is browned enough, then you can cover it with foil for the rest of the cooking time.
Eggs serve multiple important purposes in meatloaf! The first is that of a binder; using eggs helps keep the meatloaf shaped correctly and prevents it from falling to crumbles when cooked. Second, the rich protein and fat in egg yolks adds flavor and texture to the loaf.
It's easy and delicious to make meatloaf not in a pan! If you don't have a loaf pan, form the meatloaf into a loaf shape and place it on a rimmed baking sheet lined with foil. It will cook up great with a delicious crust! Just make sure the baking sheet has rims, or the liquids can make a mess in the oven.
What to Serve with Meatloaf
Try my Slow Cooker Meatloaf next, or whip up meatloaf faster than ever with my Air Fryer meatloaf!
If you enjoyed the recipe, leave a comment and a rating below!
Cheese Stuffed Meatloaf
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 pound Ground beef
- 1 pound Ground pork sausage
- 4 slices White bread
- 1 cup Milk - whole recommended
- 2 large Eggs
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese - grated
- ½ teaspoon Garlic powder
- 1 cup Breadcrumbs - plain
- ½ cup Tomato sauce
- ½ cup Mozzarella cheese - shredded
- ½ block Mozzarella cheese - optional, for stuffing the inside of the meatloaf
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
Italian Seasoning Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon Dried basil
- 1 teaspoon Dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon Dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon Dried parsley
- ½ teaspoon Dried rosemary
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375℉. While it's heating, add the milk to a shallow bowl, then soak the bread slices in it for 5 minutes.4 slices White bread,1 cup Milk
- While the bread soaks, combine the ground beef, ground sausage, garlic powder, Italian seasonings, Parmesan cheese, eggs, and breadcrumbs in a bowl, and give it a quick mix. Don't mix completely yet.1 pound Ground beef,1 pound Ground pork sausage,2 large Eggs,½ cup Parmesan cheese,½ teaspoon Garlic powder,1 cup Breadcrumbs,1 tablespoon Italian seasoning,1 teaspoon Dried basil,1 teaspoon Dried oregano,½ teaspoon Dried thyme,½ teaspoon Dried rosemary,1 teaspoon Dried parsley
- Squeeze the milk out of the soaked bread, then shred the bread up and add it to the meat. Mix until fully incorporated, about 35-40 seconds. Don't over-mix!
- Spray a 9-by-5 loaf pan with cooking oil, then form the meat mixture into a loaf shape and place it in the pan. If you don't want to stuff the meatloaf, you can skip step 5.
- Optional: Using your fingers or a spoon, scoop a line into the middle of the meatloaf lengthwise, and add blocks of Mozzarella cheese. Cover the cheese up with the removed meatloaf.½ block Mozzarella cheese
- Top the loaf with tomato sauce and shredded Mozzarella cheese.½ cup Tomato sauce,½ cup Mozzarella cheese
- Bake, uncovered, for 40 minutes, or until the cheese is golden and the meat reads above 165℉ with an instant-read thermometer. Remove, slice, and serve!
Notes
- You don't need to stuff the meatloaf, but I highly recommend it. The added flavor and moisture is hard to pass up!
- Feel free to add in some other mix-ins like half a finely diced onion or diced and sauteed mushrooms.
- I recommend whole milk for this recipe. The higher fat content makes a difference with the texture and flavor of the loaf.
- Make personal-sized meatloaves by splitting the meat mixture into several smaller pans! Just keep an eye on them as smaller loaves will cook faster.
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