Italian Meatloaf is a tender, flavorful meatloaf made from a combination of ground beef and Italian sausage. Cooked in a rich tomato sauce and covered with a thick layer of Fontina cheese. So delicious!

It’s like eating a giant meatball! This is one of my favorite meatloafs. Scroll down for more meatloaf recipes.

The leftovers make a fantastic Meatloaf Sandwich.

The binding agents in this meatloaf are eggs and crushed Saltine crackers and they do a fantastic job of holding it together. It can be cut into nice sturdy slices which is one of the reasons it makes such a great meatloaf sandwich.

Saltines add so much more flavor to meatloaf than breadcrumbs. There’s a full sleeve of Saltine crackers in this Italian Meatloaf which seems like a lot. But trust me, it is just the right amount.

This meatloaf feeds alot of people. A family of 4 should get two meals out of it.

In addition to the thick layer of Fontina cheese on top, there’s Parmesan cheese added to the meatloaf mixture. The meatloaf cooks in a rich tomato sauce that comes most of the way up the meatloaf. Cooking it in tomato sauce really keeps it moist.

There’s a few crushed red pepper flakes added to the sauce and the meatloaf for a little heat. If you want more heat, double the amount in either the sauce or the meatloaf. Doubling both might be overpowering.

What To Serve With Italian Meatloaf:

Try These Other Meatloaf Recipes:

Italian Meatloaf

Course: Main Dish

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: ground beef recipes, meatloaf

Servings:

Calories: 534kcal

Print Recipe

Ingredients

Sauce

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon salt

Meatloaf

35 saltine squares, one full sleeve
3/4 cup whole milk
2 large eggs
1 pound 85% lean ground beef
1 pound sweet Italian sausage
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup finely diced onion
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teapsoon Italian seasoning
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teapsoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 cup shredded fontina cheese or mozzarella cheese
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

Instructions

To make the sauce, heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add remaining ingredients and simmer for 5 to 8 minutes. Set aside.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees and lightly grease a broiler-safe 9x13-inch pan.
Place saltines in a large ziptop bag and crush with a rolling pin.
Stir together the saltines, milk, and eggs in a large bowl. Let sit 5 minutes.
Stir again so that it forms a paste.
Add all remaining ingredients EXCEPT fontina cheese and basil. Mix thoroughly.
Transfer mixture to prepared dish and shape into a 9x5-inch oval. Pour sauce over meatloaf.
Cover with foil and bake for 1 hour.
Uncover and sprinkle with fontina. Place under broiler until cheese is melted. Let rest 10 minutes. Spoon off any grease from tomato sauce. Slice meatloaf and sprinkle with basil.

Nutrition