There’s meatloaf, and then there’s meatloaf stuffed with cheese! Once you try ricotta meatloaf you’ll never think of meatloaf the same way again…get ready for them to ask for seconds and thirds!
Meat loaf, meat loaf. We don’t have it a lot around our house, because these days it’s just the two of us and the dog.
Don’t get me wrong, the dog would be perfectly happy to do her share of meat loaf eating, but still. So when I do make meat loaf, you know it’s gotta be a great meat loaf.
An out of the ordinary meat loaf.
A meat loaf whose memory will last us until the next time I make meat loaf. And this ricotta meat loaf with tomato butter sauce is exactly the meat loaf to do that.
That was a lot of meat loaf. Let’s see if I can keep it going.
I can’t remember where I first tasted this meatloaf, but when I started looking around for ways to incorporate ricotta cheese into meatloaf they all seemed to be based on one created by the amazing Lidia Bastianich.
In a nutshell, it’s the same meatloaf we all know and love, but there’s a good amount of ricotta swirled into the meat mixture…and you KNOW I am always looking for any excuse to make my own ricotta cheese.
Check out this video that shows how incredibly easy making your own ricotta is…
And if that wasn’t enough, this recipe also features are cubes of mozzarella cheese that melt into wonderfulness as the meat loaf bakes.
And if THAT wasn’t enough, it’s served topped with tomato sauce (I used my favorite sauce, the incredible tomato butter sauce that cooks up in a jif with just three ingredients and will guarantee that you never even LOOK at a jar of pre-made tomato sauce again as long as you live.)
Now, I followed Lidia’s meatloaf approach pretty closely with one major exception, and that was the amount of ingredients and the amount of cooking time – I cut both of them pretty much in half.
There’s a link to the cookbook that has her original recipe right under my slightly adapted version, so if you are cooking for a crowd (8 or more) that one is what you want. And then after you make it, you are going to want to go check out all her cookbooks as soon as humanly possible.
Because you know that this rocking great meatloaf is only the beginning. And if you are cooking for a smaller group, take a look at my modified version.
Not that I wouldn’t be incredibly tempted to single-handedly eat eight servings all by my own self. Here’s a quick look at how it all comes together…
So here you go, the meat loaf to end all meat loafs. Hurray for meat loaf!
Ricotta Meatloaf
Prep Time: 20 minutes- Cook Time: 65 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 25 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
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There’s meatloaf, and then there’s meatloaf stuffed with cheese! Once you try ricotta meatloaf you’ll never think of meatloaf the same way again.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1 1/2 cups day-old bread cubes
- 1 1/2 pounds ground beef
- 2 large eggs, beaten with a pinch of salt
- 1 cup fresh ricotta
- 1/2 cup chopped scallions
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley, plus extra for garnish
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- 1/2 tablespoon kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 1 cup fresh mozzarella, cut into small cubes
- 1/8 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 cups warm tomato sauce (see the “Best Tomato Sauce In The World” recipe on this blog for a great quick homemade version!)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- Pour the milk over the bread cubes and let soak for a few minutes until the bread is saturated. Squeeze the soft bread a handful at a time, pressing out as much milk as you can, crumble bread into crumbs with your fingers and place in a large mixing bowl.
- Add the ground beef to the bowl, breaking it up into small pieces as you add it. Add the eggs, ricotta, scallions, grated cheese, parsley, nutmeg, salt, and pepper and mix everything together (your clean hands are the very best for this!)
- Add the mozzarella cubes and work them through the meat mixture until they are evenly distributed.
- Place a metal cooling rack in a roasting pan and brush it with olive oil. Shape the meat mixture into an oval loaf and lay it on the rack. Brush the loaf with olive oil and cover the roasting pan with foil, tenting it up so it doesn’t touch the meat loaf. Bake for 45 minutes.
- Remove the foil and bake for another 20 minutes. Remove from the oven, cover again with the foil and let the meat loaf rest for 15 minutes.
- Slice thickly and pour the tomato sauce on top. Garnish with more chopped parsley and serve.
Slightly adapted from Lidia’s marvelous recipe
Just finished a meatloaf! Will give this one a try next time… and check out her cook books!
Love leftover meatloaf and a meatloaf sandwich!
I like to crisp up each side just a little in a skillet!
Meatloaf sandwiches – one of the best things in the entire world! :)
Ricotta is such a fun secret meatloaf ingredient. Leave it to Lidia!!
She’s the best!!
I make small meatloafs, too. It makes a nice dinner, but my secret vice is the meatloaf sandwiches. I bet this makes a killer sandwich. :)
Thanks1
Oh yes. And is there anything better than a meatloaf sandwich? (I’ll answer that – there’s not!) :)
This meatloaf is so flavorful it really doesn’t need either sauce or ketchup. Really good the next day for sandwiches. I did use 1/4 pork + 3/4 beef because I think it adds depth to the dish. But, with 3 cheeses, what’s not to like.
Right there with you on the cheese! :)
How many calories per slice if made with ground turkey?
Hi Eileen – I wish I could help but I don’t calculate the calories for my recipe – sorry not to be more helpful!
why doe Lydias 3 lb meatloaf with ricotta cooking time 2 hr and 15 min and yet her 3 lb italian meatloaf call for a much shorter time
Can this recipe be used with turkey meat instead of beef?
Hi Frank! I’ve never made it that way, but I think if you used dark meat turkey it might be okay – I would not use white meat ground turkey as I think it might come out too dry. If you try it, will you come back and tell us how it came out? :)
I have one made with 2.25 lbs. of 85% lean turkey as I write. I have all the confidence that it will be delicious. I poured a little olive oil into the mixture just in case.
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Thanks Jo Ann – and adding the olive oil was a great idea. :)
Could I use bread crumbs instead the bread cubes with milk??? If so how much bread crumbs?
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Hmm, I’ve never tried that. I don’t see any reason why not – I would use a cup of breadcrumbs, since if you made the cubes into crumbs they would probably shrink down to that. Make sure you are using fresh bread crumbs though – the packaged, dried kind won’t absorb the milk as well. Hope this helps!
The best meatloaf I have ever made and the tomato sauce was transcendental. Thank you for this recipe!
★★★★★
Hi Ellie and oh my gosh, what a lovely comment! I’m so glad you liked it – yay meatloaf! :)
I make a ground turkey meatloaf with Feta cheese, adding a 6 oz can of Herdez salsa for extra flavor.
Hi Kathie! I’ve never heard of that salsa – I’m going to have to look it up! And I’m working on a turkey meatloaf recipe as we speak – great minds think alike!
Kate, it may not be as available on the east coat. It is a Mexican brand but available in our stores in Phoenix too.
I’ll have to look it up the next time I travel West! :)
Omg the best meatloaf recipe! My husband is not a big fan of meatloaf but loved this. He said no ketchup needed for a leftover meatloaf sandwich. I made the butter tomato sauce to pour over it. Fantastic!!!
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Sharry! Thank you so so much – this is our family’s favorite meatloaf too. And aren’t leftover meatloaf sandwiches just the best??