Italian Meatloaf Mozzarella (Print Version)

Juicy Italian meatloaf topped with marinara sauce and melted mozzarella for a delicious main dish.

# What You'll Need:

→ Meatloaf

01 - 2 pounds ground beef (85% lean)
02 - 3 slices Italian bread, torn into small pieces
03 - 1 cup whole milk
04 - 2 eggs
05 - 4 cloves garlic, minced
06 - 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
07 - 1 teaspoon garlic powder
08 - 1 teaspoon onion powder
09 - ½ teaspoon salt
10 - ½ teaspoon black pepper
11 - 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

→ Assembly & Topping

12 - 2 cups marinara sauce, divided
13 - 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
14 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

# How to Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet or baking dish with parchment paper. Spread 1 cup of marinara sauce evenly over the bottom.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, combine ground beef, torn Italian bread, milk, eggs, minced garlic, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper, and 1 cup of shredded mozzarella. Mix gently until just combined.
03 - Shape the meat mixture into a loaf and place it onto the prepared baking sheet over the marinara sauce. Spread the remaining 1 cup marinara sauce evenly over the top of the meatloaf.
04 - Bake in the preheated oven for approximately 50 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F.
05 - Remove from the oven and sprinkle the remaining 1 cup mozzarella cheese on top of the meatloaf. Set the oven to broil on high. Broil for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the cheese is golden and bubbly. Monitor closely to prevent burning.
06 - Let the meatloaf rest for a few minutes. Garnish with chopped parsley, slice, and serve with extra marinara sauce if desired.

# Additional Tips::

01 -
  • The mozzarella melts into every crevice, creating pockets of stretchy, creamy richness that make each bite feel special.
  • It feeds a crowd without requiring you to spend hours in the kitchen, leaving you time to set a proper table.
  • Leftovers taste even better the next day, and the whole thing freezes beautifully for those weeks when cooking feels impossible.
02 -
  • Don't skip the rest period or you'll end up with crumbly slices that fall apart on the plate, even though everything tastes fine.
  • The broiler is your friend but also your enemy, so set a timer for half the suggested time and check, because every oven behaves differently and burned cheese is genuinely difficult to recover from.
03 -
  • Use a meat thermometer religiously because visual cues lie, and 165°F is your target with no exceptions if you're feeding people you care about.
  • If your broiler runs hot, switch it to medium-high instead of high and add a couple minutes to the time, because prevention is always easier than salvage.
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