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Easy Cheese Stuffed Meatloaf Comfort Food Recipe

It seems most of us are returning to traditional recipe options right now. The dinner ideas handed down to us from previous generations using simple ingredients that are easy to keep on hand are making a comeback.

Recipes like meatloaf can bring back lovely memories and give us the comfort food we all crave lately. However, it’s also a great time to tweak those traditional recipes to make them even more delicious.

Cheese stuffed meatloaf on a plate next to a salad.

Level up classic meatloaf

Cheese stuffed meatloaf is a tasty spin on a traditional recipe. Anything is better stuffed with cheese, am I right?

The wonderful thing about meatloaf is that it uses such simple ingredients. It’s common to have all the ingredients needed to make meatloaf in your home at any given time.

Adding cheesy goodness to meatloaf is a way to please the whole family. Even the picky eaters might give it another chance when they see the ooey-gooey cheese. Yum.

I remember my Gram making meatloaf on occasion while I was growing up. Being the biggest picky eater, I was never a fan. Now I realize cheese was the ticket all along. Shredded cheese may as well be magical fairy dust for me!

This could quite possibly be the way to turn traditional meatloaf into the best meatloaf ever. If you are looking for a good classic meatloaf recipe, try this meatloaf with ground beef and sausage. It includes a sweet and tangy glaze that’s sure to please the family.

Did you know you can make meatloaf in the air fryer? This air fryer meatloaf recipe from Couple in the Kitchen gets you a quick and easy meatloaf that’s perfectly crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside! Drool.

Slices of cheese sliced meatloaf on a plate with fork and next to a salad.

Cheese stuffed meatloaf ingredients

(Scroll down for the exact measurements in the printable recipe card)

  • Ground beef
  • Italian seasoning
  • Italian style bread crumbs
  • Pasta sauce
  • Egg
  • Salt
  • Pepper
  • Shredded cheese

Meatloaf stuffed with cheese directions

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and line a baking sheet with wax paper. Set aside.

Ground beef and seasonings in a bowl.

Add ground beef, 1 teaspoon of Italian seasoning, bread crumbs, 1/2 cup of pasta sauce, and 1 egg to a large bowl.

Adding 1/4 cup of bread crumbs into ground beef.
Adding 1/2 cup of pasta sauce into ground beef mixture.

Mix well.

Meatloaf ingredients in a bowl.

Season with salt and pepper.

Pour beef mixture onto the prepared baking sheet, making a 13×9 rectangle.

Meatloaf on sheet pan topped with cheese.

Sprinkle on 1 1/2 cups of shredded cheese, keeping the cheese about 1/2″ from the edges.

Sprinkle the remaining 1 teaspoon of Italian seasonings on top of the cheese.

Rolling up cheese stuffed meatloaf.

Starting with the short end, roll up the beef into a log shape. Pinch the sides and the end together.

Rolled up meatloaf stuffed with cheese.

Remove the loaf from the waxed paper and place into a loaf pan.

Cheese stuffed meatloaf in a loaf pan ready for the oven.

Bake for 45 minutes.

Remove from the oven and top with remaining pasta sauce and cheese.

Cheese and sauce on baked meatloaf in a pan.

Return to the oven for 15 minutes.

When cooking is complete, let the meatloaf stand for 5 minutes before slicing and serving.

Serves 6-8 people.

Baked meatloaf with cheese in a loaf pan.

Recipe Notes and FAQ

What kind of ground beef should I use for meatloaf?

If you can find lean ground beef, that’s the best option. You can use fattier ground beef, but remove some of the grease with a turkey baster after you bake it for 45 minutes.

What kind of cheese do I use in cheese stuffed meatloaf?

The shredded cheese used here is Colby jack, but you can use what you have on hand. Mozzarella is a tasty choice if you have that option.

What do breadcrumbs do to meatloaf? 

Breadcrumbs are used to keep the meatloaf together. Some people soak them in milk to add moisture and lighten the texture.

Why did my meatloaf turn out tough?

Over mixing will make your meatloaf tough. Mix well, but just well enough to combine. If the meat gets compressed too much it will take longer to cook and dry out.

What can I substitute for breadcrumbs?

If you don’t have breadcrumbs, you can use all kinds of other ingredients in place of them. Oats, crushed chips, pretzels, crackers, and crushed cereal all work well in meatloaf. 

Why did my meatloaf fall apart? 

You didn’t let it rest long enough. Resting your meatloaf is all about letting things settle. If you cut into your meatloaf too soon, all the juice goes onto the plate instead of absorbing back into the meatloaf, and it will crumble apart. 

Yield: 6-8 servings

Cheese Stuffed Meatloaf

Cheese stuffed meatloaf on a plate next to a salad

A spin on traditional meatloaf to make it cheesy and even more of a comfort food.

Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 lbs ground beef
  • 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning, divided
  • 1/4 cup Italian style bread crumbs
  • 26 oz pasta sauce (1 jar), divided
  • 1 egg
  • salt and pepper
  • 2 cups shredded cheese

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 and line a baking sheet with wax paper. Set aside. 
  2. Add beef, 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, bread crumbs, 1/2 cup pasta sauce, and 1 egg to a large bowl. Mix well. Season with salt and pepper. Pour onto prepared baking sheet, making a 13x9 rectangle. Sprinkle with 1 1/2 cups cheese, keeping cheese about 1/2" from edges. Sprinkle remaining 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning on cheese. Starting with the short end, roll up the beef into a log shape. Pinch the sides and end together. 
  3. Place into a loaf pan and bake for 45 minutes. Remove from oven, top with remaining pasta sauce and cheese, and return to the oven for 15 minutes. 
  4. When cooking is complete, let stand for 5 minutes before slicing and serving. 
  5. Serves 6-8

Notes

Lean ground beef is recommended for this recipe, but it will work with whatever you have. If your beef is not lean, after you bake it for 45 minutes, use a turkey baster to remove some of the grease from the pan before adding the pasta sauce and cheese.

A mix of Colby jack cheese is used here, but you can use what you have on hand. Mozzarella cheese is delicious, too.

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Nutrition Information:

Yield:

6

Serving Size:

1

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 563Total Fat: 36gSaturated Fat: 15gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 15gCholesterol: 172mgSodium: 1068mgCarbohydrates: 15gFiber: 3gSugar: 8gProtein: 43g

Nutrition facts are an estimate only.

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Cheese stuffed meatloaf sliced on plate and ingredients in bowl.

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Please let me know in the comments below if you try this cheese stuffed meatloaf recipe.

Alena Sham

Monday 18th of May 2020

Made this for dinner last night… a huge sucess! I tripled the recipe and substituted Half & Half for the milk but reduced the amount to just one cup versus one and a half cups of milk. Also, I only had one and a half cups of bread crumbs so I tore 5 slices of white bread into tiny pieces and soaked in hot milk creating a paste… just as you do with homemade meatballs. The meatloaf was decidedly voted EXCELLENT, EXCELLENT, and EXCELLENT by the family!

Jennifer

Monday 18th of May 2020

NICE!!! So glad to hear it's so easy to modify and that the whole family loved!! Thanks so much for letting me know. :)

Karen

Wednesday 13th of May 2020

I can honestly say that ALL meatloaf should be stuffed with cheese!!

Michelle Garrity

Wednesday 13th of May 2020

This looks really tasty and easy to make too. Thanks for the recipe. Can't wait to try!

Michelle

Monday 11th of May 2020

This sounds delicious!! I have meatloaf on the menu for this week. I'll have to add some cheese to it! Then maybe my daughter will actually eat it. :)

Jennifer

Monday 11th of May 2020

Yay! Let me know how that goes!

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