This Italian-inspired meatloaf combines ground beef and pork with fresh herbs, Parmesan, and a tangy-sweet glaze. The addition of buttermilk-soaked panko breadcrumbs ensures each bite is moist and flavorful. Baked until golden and brushed with a zest glaze, it’s both hearty and satifying! It’s great for a busy weeknight because you can make it ahead, or even a bigger, fancier meal for serving guests. When I saw this featured on The Next Food Network Star years ago, I knew I had to make it…and I wasn’t disappointed! Even the picky eaters at my house love this one.
Sara recently posted an awesome Glazed Bacon-Wrapped Meatloaf and while there are some similarities, this one definitely has kind of an Italian vibe going for it while the other one has, well, bacon.
Ingredients Needed
- ketchup
- barbecue sauce – I love Cattleman’s Kansas City BBQ Sauce
- brown sugar
- Creole (or other favorite) mustard. The original recipe from Mary Beth’s recipe calls for brown sugar, ketchup, and your favorite barbecue sauce, but I felt like it needed a little more tang to offset the spicy sweetness, so I added in a tablespoon of Creole mustard (although I think probably any mustard would work).
- buttermilk – a must in this recipe!
- panko bread crumbs
- extra-virgin olive oil
- onion
- garlic
- parsley
- fresh basil
- tomato paste
- kosher salt
- black pepper
- ground beef In the neighborhood of 85% lean–if it’s too fatty, it’ll be greasy, but if it’s too lean, it will be dry
- ground pork (lean, if you can find it, and even lean ground pork isn’t particularly lean unless you grind a lean cut yourself)
- fresh Parmesan cheese
How to Make Italian-Style Meatloaf
This is a simple overview of the recipe, you’ll find a full printable recipe below!
- Preheat to 425°F and line a rimmed baking sheet with foil.
- Combine ketchup, barbecue sauce, mustard, and brown sugar in a small saucepan; keep warm.
- Sauté onions and garlic, then add tomato paste, herbs, salt, and pepper; set aside to cool.
- Combine panko with buttermilk and let soak briefly.
- Gently combine ground beef and pork with the cooled herb mixture, Parmesan, and panko mixture.
- Form into a loaf on the prepared pan, brush with glaze (reserve some), and bake 50 minutes, brushing every 10 minutes with the glaze.
- Let rest for 5 minutes, slice, and serve with reserved glaze, salad, and potatoes; leftovers are great for sandwiches.
Storage & Other Tips
- To make this as a freezer meal: Prepare meatloaf through shaping it. Place it on a lined baking sheet and freeze, then remove from oven and wrap tightly in plastic wrap and aluminum foil. Freeze the reserved sauce separately. When ready to bake, remove from foil and plastic wrap and place on a lined baking sheet. Thaw reserved sauce. Bake at 425 for 90 minutes or until an internal thermometer reads 165. Baste with the reserved sauce every 10 minutes for the last 45 minutes of baking.
- To freeze leftovers: wrap tightly in plastic wrap, followed by another layer of aluminum foil. Store in the freezer for 5 – 6 months.
- To make ahead: you can make this about 12 – 24 hours (max) in advance. After assembling, cover and refrigerate until ready to bake.
Italian-Style Meatloaf
Ground beef and pork with fresh herbs, Parmesan cheese, and a tangy-sweet glaze, this Italian-style meatloaf is both flavorful and hearty. Perfect for guests or a weeknight meal!
Servings servings
Equipment
Ingredients
Glaze
- 1 cup ketchup
- 1 cup barbecue sauce I love Cattleman’s Kansas City BBQ Sauce
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon Creole or other favorite mustard
Meatloaf
- 1 cup buttermilk
- ⅓ cup panko bread crumbs
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 onion, small minced
- 3-4 cloves garlic minced
- ¼ cup parsley, fresh
- ⅓ cup basil, fresh chopped
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper freshly ground
- 1 ½ pound ground beef in the 80-85% lean ballpark
- ½ pound ground pork lean, if you can find it, and even lean ground pork isn’t particularly lean unless you grind a lean cut yourself
- 1 cup Parmesan cheese, fresh shredded
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425℉. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil and set aside.
- Combine the ketchup, barbecue sauce, mustard, and brown sugar in a small saucepan and heat over low, stirring occasionally.
- Heat 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. When hot, add the onions and garlic and cook until translucent and fragrant. Add the tomato paste, chopped basil, chopped parsley, and salt and pepper. Cook for about 1 minute, stirring constantly, then remove from heat and set aside.
- Combine the panko and buttermilk and set aside for about 5 minutes.
- Gently combine the ground beef and ground pork. Add the cooled herb/tomato paste mixture, Parmesan cheese, and panko/buttermilk mixture and gently combine with your hands.
- Shape the mixture into a free-form loaf on the prepared baking sheet. Reserve ½ cup of the glaze and set it aside. Brush with a coating of the glaze from the pan, then place the baking sheet in the oven and bake for 50 minutes or until an internal thermometer reaches 165℉. While the meatloaf is cooking, generously brush it every 10 minutes with the glaze from the pan (not the reserved glaze).
- When the meatloaf is done, allow it to stand for 5 minutes before slicing. Serve with the reserved sauce, a green salad, and potatoes. Leftovers are amazing, especially between slices of hearty white bread or on a hoagie roll.
Notes
Freezer Instructions:
Prepare meatloaf through shaping it. Place it on a lined baking sheet and freeze, then remove from oven and wrap tightly in plastic wrap and aluminum foil. Freeze the reserved sauce separately.
When ready to bake, remove from foil and plastic wrap and place on a lined baking sheet. Thaw reserved sauce. Bake at 425°F for 90 minutes or until an internal thermometer reads 165°F. Baste with the reserved sauce every 10 minutes for the last 45 minutes of baking.
Nutrition
Calories: 392kcal, Carbohydrates: 43g, Protein: 25g, Fat: 14g, Saturated Fat: 5g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 6g, Trans Fat: 0.3g, Cholesterol: 76mg, Sodium: 1018mg, Potassium: 696mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 34g, Vitamin A: 766IU, Vitamin C: 7mg, Calcium: 89mg, Iron: 3mg
Calories: 392kcal
Cost: $10
Did You Make This Recipe?Snap a picture, and hashtag it #ourbestbites. We love to see your creations on our Instagram @ourbestbites!
Questions & Reviews
Some of us want to know if you can substitute ground turkey for the pork.
You could, it will just be a different flavor.
YES! So glad you tracked it down, can’t wait to try it…it reminds me of a meatball recipe from Tyler Florence that uses thick sliced bread and buttermilk. Best meatballs EVER! I just wanted to punch Penny and smack Mary Beth and if I saw Alisha cry one more time…palleezzeee! I knew Sandwich King would win because they don’t really have a show like that…they already have a Mexican show and Vic just bombed @ the end. Kate…where did you put the Coke bottle opener??
Ha!! The Coke bottle opener has to go in last–I’ll know I’m done with my kitchen when we put it in! I’m taking my time figuring out where it’s going to go, but I promise, I’ll let you know! 🙂
This looks great. Thanks for sharing. 🙂
You seriously just made my day!!!! I was crushed when they didn’t post this recipe. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! By chance did you track down her strawberry cupcakes too?
Oh, if only! 🙂 I’ll keep looking.
I found the Strawberry Cupcake recipe on Mary Beth’s Blog: http://www.marybethalbright.com/recipes/buttermilk-cupcakes-with-strawberry-balsamic-redwine-frosting/
Can’t wait to make these!!
This looks awesome!! :))
Yum! This looks amazing! My husband is sure to love it!
Not about the meatloaf. I love your blog and check it often. I have a problem and maybe you have some ideas or suggestions. My Grandson is very allergic to eggs. What can I do when a recipe calls for eggs or egg whites? So much of what we eat contains eggs. I hope you have some ideas.
Can your grandson have duck eggs? Maybe that sounds gross, but I’ve heard that some people who are allergic to chicken eggs CAN have duck eggs. An egg allergy would be no fun!
Looks delish! I’m definitely going to try this out!
I’m on a ground beef kick these days. I want to make a huge sandwich out of this meatloaf!
Thank you for tracking this recipe down! I was intrigued about the buttermilk meatloaf that had those food experts drooling. And when I make it, and eat it, I’ll just try to forget it came from Mary Beth because she was SO ANNOYING on that show!! SO glad she didn’t win. Every time she came on screen it was like virtual fingernails down a chalkboard. Eek.