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
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Questions & Reviews
I can’t have dairy. What’s a suitable substitute for the buttermilk in this recipe?
I am a little confused. When you want to make it into a freezer meal, do you cook and then freeze? Or freeze it raw? Here were your instructions: 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.
Thank you so much!
I just had to stop in and comment after making this super amazing meatloaf again! I delivered some to a friend and it got rave reviews. Thanks for another keeper.
I made this for Valentines dinner, I shaped it as a heart! It was so, so good! thanks for sharing.
I love your blog and cookbook! My daughter gave this to me for Christmas! I also found your site through the Favorite Family Recipes Blog.
How many servings do you get from this recipe? I want to try it for my Sibling Sunday weekly family dinner after church.
I made this for my family last night. It’s the first time I’ve made meatloaf because neither my husband nor I liked the stuff we had in childhood, but this was delish! One question though. As it cooked, it kind of spread out and lost it’s loaf form. Is that supposed to happen or am I just lucky? It still tasted awesome, but I must admit it looked pretty nasty.
Yeah, I’ve never had that happen. You must be super lucky, hahaha! I’m sorry it wasn’t prettier!
Thank you so much for this and all your other wonderful recipes. I just made this for my family and in-laws and it was a huge hit! I’ve never made meatloaf before and I will not be looking any further for a better recipe…This one’s the best!
My daughter-in-law made for my son and they both loved it! I’m making tonight for my husband. I’ll let you know his thoughts!
Hubby said this was the best meat loaf he’s had……ever. THANKS!!!
Yumm! I made this for dinner tonight and everyone ate it up (including the kiddos!!). I wish my mom would have made meatloaf like this. LOL Who knew all these years I liked meatloaf? I just didn’t like dry, over cooked, smothered in ketchup ground beef in a loaf pan.