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Recipes » Ricotta Meatloaf

Ricotta Meatloaf

By Kate Morgan Jackson

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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…get ready for them to ask for seconds and thirds!

how to make ricotta meatloaf

PIN this recipe now… So you can make it later!

Meatloaf, meatloaf.  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 meatloaf, you know it’s gotta be a great meatloaf.

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.

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. Here’s how my version goes.

ingredients you need to make this cheese-stuffed meatloaf!

  • Milk
  • Bread
  • Ground Beef
  • Eggs
  • Ricotta Cheese
  • Scallions
  • Parmesan Cheese
  • Parsley
  • Nutmeg
  • Salt and Pepper
  • Mozzarella Cheese
  • Olive Oil
  • Your Favorite Tomato Sauce

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…

More tips for making this delectable meatloaf!

Can I use meatloaf mix for this recipe?

You can! It’s now pretty easy to find near the ground beef, and is usually a mixture of beef, pork and veal in one package. It does give an extra boost of flavor!

Can this be made ahead of time?

It can be put together ahead of time, all the way up to the baking…but I would do that right before dinnertime just for optimal cheese meltage. And the leftovers (if there are any) are going to make the world’s best sandwich!

Have a question that I didn’t cover?

Drop your question in the comments and I will answer pronto!

So here you go, the meatloaf to end all meatloafs.  Hurray for meatloaf!

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easy ricotta meatloaf

Ricotta Meatloaf


★★★★★ 5 from 5 reviews
  • Author: Kate Morgan Jackson
  • 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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Description

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

  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
  2. 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.
  3. 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!)
  4. Add the mozzarella cubes and work them through the meat mixture until they are evenly distributed.
  5. 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.
  6. 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.
  7. Slice thickly and pour the tomato sauce on top. Garnish with more chopped parsley and serve.

Notes

Need to add something to your kitchen equipment to make this recipe? Below are some of the items we used in the Framed Cooks kitchen to help cook this up. These are affiliate links to things we use and love, which helps to pay for all that bacon I keep buying (without any extra cost to you)!  Thanks for using them to keep our kitchen cooking…xoxo!

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1 slice7556.2 g1251.4 mg48.5 g20.3 g0.9 g17.3 g2.7 g61.7 g287.8 mg

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Slightly adapted from Lidia’s marvelous recipe

OTHER MEATLOAF RECIPES WE LOVE!

Frosted Meatloaf
This easy recipe for frosted meatloaf casserole covered in mashed potatoes will forever change how you look at traditional meatloaf!
Frosted Meatloaf
This easy recipe for frosted meatloaf casserole covered in mashed potatoes will forever change how you look at traditional meatloaf!
Easy Skillet Meatloaf
This recipe for easy skillet meatloaf lets you make this suppertime favorite faster and more easily by trading the loaf pan for a skillet!
Easy Skillet Meatloaf
This recipe for easy skillet meatloaf lets you make this suppertime favorite faster and more easily by trading the loaf pan for a skillet!
Cheeseburger Meatloaf
Cheese up your meatloaf with this cheese stuffed, cheese sauced version of the old family favorite. Cheeseburger meatloaf for dinner! Get ready to serve up seconds and thirds.
Cheeseburger Meatloaf
Cheese up your meatloaf with this cheese stuffed, cheese sauced version of the old family favorite. Cheeseburger meatloaf for dinner! Get ready to serve up seconds and thirds.
Brown Sugar Meatloaf
Jazz up your meatloaf with a tangy brown sugar topping! This easy recipe for brown sugar meatloaf will have them asking for meatloaf seconds.
Brown Sugar Meatloaf
Jazz up your meatloaf with a tangy brown sugar topping! This easy recipe for brown sugar meatloaf will have them asking for meatloaf seconds.
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Kate Morgan Jackson

Hi there!  I’m Kate, and I’m a recipe writer, food photographer and devoted bacon lover.  I started Framed Cooks in 2009, and my mission is to create and share family-friendly recipes that make cooking both easy and fun…yes, I said FUN!  My kitchen is my happy place, and I want yours to be that place too.  And if you make this recipe, I would love you to tag @FramedCooks on Instagram so I can see the deliciousness!

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Published on December 18, 2012

Good for: Casserole Favorites, Comfort Foods, Southern Husband's Favorites

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  1. Karen Nelson says

    December 18, 2012 at 10:43 am

    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!

    Reply
    • Kate says

      December 21, 2012 at 2:13 pm

      Meatloaf sandwiches – one of the best things in the entire world! :)

      Reply
  2. Joanne says

    December 18, 2012 at 6:59 pm

    Ricotta is such a fun secret meatloaf ingredient. Leave it to Lidia!!

    Reply
    • Kate says

      December 21, 2012 at 2:10 pm

      She’s the best!!

      Reply
  3. ruthie says

    December 21, 2012 at 6:28 am

    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

    Reply
    • Kate says

      December 21, 2012 at 2:07 pm

      Oh yes. And is there anything better than a meatloaf sandwich? (I’ll answer that – there’s not!) :)

      Reply
  4. Elizabeth says

    January 24, 2013 at 12:59 pm

    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.

    Reply
    • Kate says

      January 25, 2013 at 7:26 am

      Right there with you on the cheese! :)

      Reply
  5. Eileen says

    January 13, 2014 at 9:53 am

    How many calories per slice if made with ground turkey?

    Reply
    • Kate says

      January 15, 2014 at 8:12 am

      Hi Eileen – I wish I could help but I don’t calculate the calories for my recipe – sorry not to be more helpful!

      Reply
  6. maggi bell says

    April 5, 2017 at 12:20 pm

    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

    Reply
    • Frank says

      March 4, 2019 at 3:43 pm

      Can this recipe be used with turkey meat instead of beef?

      Reply
      • Kate says

        March 4, 2019 at 4:29 pm

        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? :)

        Reply
        • Jo Ann Prout says

          March 27, 2021 at 5:51 pm

          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.

          ★★★★★

          Reply
          • Kate Morgan Jackson says

            March 29, 2021 at 11:32 am

            Thanks Jo Ann – and adding the olive oil was a great idea. :)

  7. jan says

    September 12, 2017 at 1:20 pm

    Could I use bread crumbs instead the bread cubes with milk??? If so how much bread crumbs?

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Kate says

      September 13, 2017 at 7:32 am

      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!

      Reply
  8. Ellie says

    August 31, 2019 at 10:24 am

    The best meatloaf I have ever made and the tomato sauce was transcendental. Thank you for this recipe!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Kate Morgan Jackson says

      September 1, 2019 at 10:23 am

      Hi Ellie and oh my gosh, what a lovely comment! I’m so glad you liked it – yay meatloaf! :)

      Reply
  9. Kathie Kelling says

    January 10, 2020 at 12:12 pm

    I make a ground turkey meatloaf with Feta cheese, adding a 6 oz can of Herdez salsa for extra flavor.

    Reply
    • Kate Morgan Jackson says

      January 11, 2020 at 10:50 am

      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!

      Reply
      • Kathie Kelling says

        January 11, 2020 at 9:32 pm

        Kate, it may not be as available on the east coat. It is a Mexican brand but available in our stores in Phoenix too.

        Reply
        • Kate Morgan Jackson says

          January 12, 2020 at 9:49 am

          I’ll have to look it up the next time I travel West! :)

          Reply
  10. Sharry says

    June 25, 2021 at 6:21 pm

    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!!!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Kate Morgan Jackson says

      June 28, 2021 at 11:03 am

      Sharry! Thank you so so much – this is our family’s favorite meatloaf too. And aren’t leftover meatloaf sandwiches just the best??

      Reply
  11. Licia says

    January 18, 2022 at 7:31 pm

    Once you make this meatloaf you will never make a different one again. My fiancé begs me to make it just to cut up and freeze for his lunches whenever he wants it. I make it, cut into slices and pour a marinara around the slice in a ziplock and he has 6 lunches ready to go. A great quick cheat, I use RAO’s marinara right out of the jar to pour over the slices and freeze. My marinara is amazing but quite frankly so is theirs and it makes it that much easier. The meatloaf is soooo good the sauce is really just to keep things moist. GREAT recipe….

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Kate Morgan Jackson says

      January 24, 2022 at 2:53 pm

      Licia, thank you so much! (And I love Rao’s sauce too!)

      Reply

Hi, I’m Kate! I’m a recipe writer, food photographer and devoted bacon lover. I’m so glad you’re here!

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