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.
This is one of those recipes that lurked around in the back of my mind for ages. I could see exactly what I wanted it to be…a meatloaf full of classic cheeseburger fixings…relish, mustard, mayo, ketchup…then stuffed with cheese on the inside and drizzled with cheese on the outside.
There it was, in living color in my imagination, and I didn’t make it for the longest time because I was worried that the real life cheeseburger meatloaf wouldn’t hold up to the one in my cheeseburger-loving mind. But then one day I got brave and made it….and it was all I hoped and dreamed it would be. Phew!
I will start by saying that this is a recipe where Velveeta is absolutely called for. I know you might be all tempted to use cheddar, and I completely sympathize with that instinct because I am a cheddar lover too (hello Cabot!), but in this recipe you want the completely reliable creamy melting that you get from Velveeta.
Now that we have that settled, let’s talk about the actual meatloaf. If you can get that combo of beef/pork/veal that some markets have started packaging together that is ideal…if not, plain ground chuck is just fine. Mix it up with some bread crumbs and an egg….AND a bunch of things that you would usually put on top of a cheeseburger. Onions. Mustard. Ketchup. Mayo. Relish. Oh yeah.
Next, you want to make a meatloaf rectangle on a piece of wax paper or plastic wrap. Your rectangle should be about 8 inches by, oh, 12 inches or so. And about 1/2 inch thick. It doesn’t have to be precise – just mush it around until it is roughly that size. Now put a nice handful of Velveeta cubes in the center.
Starting from one of the short ends, roll it up, using the wax paper or plastic wrap to help you guide the meatloaf. Pinch the ends together to seal it up, and put it seam-side down in a loaf pan that you have lined with foil that you have poked a few holes in (the holes will let the fat drain out when the meatloaf is done. Now pop it in a 350 degree oven for an hour.
Once the meatloaf is done, you’ll want to let it sit for about 10 minutes while you make the sauce. The cheesy wonderfulness inside makes this meatloaf not as solid as regular meatloaf, so it needs this time to settle a little. And you need this time to make the sauce!
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. Which is a quick concoction of butter, flour, half and half and yes, you guessed it…Velveeta. It comes together quickly on your stovetop, and by the time you’ve finished it the meatloaf will be ready to slice. Lift it up carefully, using the foil edges as handles, and either slice it right away or for MAXIMUM drama, carefully slide it onto a platter. You can either drizzle the cheese sauce on right then and there, or let folks do their own drizzling.
I served mine with french fries on the side (I figured in for a penny, in for a pound. Or probably more accurately, pounds. But hey.) And let’s just say that it’s going to be very, very, very, very, very hard to go back to plain meatloaf.
Very.
PrintCheeseburger Meatloaf
Cheese up your meatloaf with this cheese stuffed, cheese sauced version of the old family favorite.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 60 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
- Yield: 6–8 servings 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Meatloaf Ingredients
- 1 pound meatloaf mix (ground beef, veal and pork) or ground beef chuck
- 1/2 cup finely chopped onion
- 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
- 1 egg
- 1/8 cup ketchup
- 1/8 cup relish
- 1/8 cup mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1/2 pound Velveeta, cubed
Cheese Sauce Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 tablespoon flour
- 1/2 cup half and half
- 3/4 cup cubed Velveeta
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350. Line a loaf pan with foil, letting the foil extend over the sides and poking a couple of holes in the bottom.
- Mix together all meatloaf ingredients except Velveeta. Lay the mixture on a piece of wax paper or plastic wrap and press it into a rectangle approximately 8 inches by 12 inches and 1/2 inch thick.
- Scatter the cheese cubes on top, leaving about 2 inches on all sides. Starting from the short side, roll up the meatloaf, using the wax paper or plastic wrap to help you. Pinch the ends and the seam together and place it seam side down in the loaf pan.
- Bake for one hour. Take it out and let it settle in the pan while you make the sauce.
- Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in flour until well combined.
- Whisk in half and half and bring the mixture to a boil. Stir in cheese and keep stirring until it is melted and smooth. Pour into a heat-proof measuring cup or pitcher.
- Using the ends of the foil, carefully lift the meatloaf out of the pan, letting the fat drain off through the holes in the foil. Transfer to a platter.
- Cut in slices and serve, either drizzling with cheese sauce first or letting folks add their own cheese sauce.
Spiffed up from a previously published Framed Cooks post!
Charlie says
Kate:
If I left out the mustard and Ketchup (stomach just can’t take them) any suggestions what I would add to get the same texture and juiciness?
I’m a meatloaf hater, and I’m trying to find a recipe that I can like.
Hi Charlie! The mustard and ketchup are in there mainly to get those cheeseburger toppings flavors in there, so leaving them out won’t impact the texture. You could swap in a couple of tablespoons of mayo, but you could also leave the condiments out all together and it will still be fine. And hopefully all the cheesy goodness will turn you into a meatloaf lover! Fingers crossed. :)
Martha in KS says
I’m so making this meatloaf! I buy the ALDI version of Velveeta – about 2/3 the cost! Thanks for another delicious-looking recipe.
Hi Martha and yay!!! Hope you love it! :)
Theresa Murphy says
Hey! You’ve added nutrition info! Nice touch! But can you just black out those calories and fat grams for certain recipes? :) Sometimes ignorance really is bliss. Now, this meatloaf is definitely something I need to make for the family. I’ll have to double it to make sure the teen daughters have enough to eat. Do you think it would work to split the meat mixture in half, sprinkle with cheese cubes, and then top with another slab of meat rather than rolling it? I usually do free-form meat loaves and put them on a rimmed baking sheet lined with foil. (then take that foil off and toss the mess in the trash and put clean pan back in the cupboard) Thanks for making this dream cheeseburger meatloaf a reality!
I am!! And, I hear you – just don’t look because when it comes to cheeseburger meatloaf, sometimes you just gotta. Meantime, I think the two layers of meat with the cheese in the middle would work, but because of all that cheese this meatloaf isn’t as solid as your regular meatloaf. So maybe make some scrunched up foil “walls” around the edges if you are going freeform? If you try it this way, let me know how it comes out! :)
Kelli says
Oh dear, where are the pickles? They make any cheeseburger That Much Better! haha I think dill relish will win out over hubby’s red.
And of course for the required leftover meatloaf sandwiches, I’m envisioning cheeseburgers wrapped in foil and warmed in the oven. Yum.
Kelli! I am loving, loving, loving that leftover idea! And the pickles are in the relish that goes in the meatloaf, although you could TOTALLY serve pickles on the side. :)
Wendy @ Cabot says
Thanks for being a Cabot fan! We can accept that folks use OTHER cheeses now and again, but don’t want you to make a habit of it! Email me your address and we’ll send you some cheese to play with in the kitchen!
Wendy! This Vermont girl is a Cabot lover through and through! I will definitely email you and thank you! :)
Isadora says
I have been dreaming about this recipe ever since you posted it last week and I can’t seem to stop thinking about it. I think that means it is time for me to cook it and let me dreams come true! Thanks for the recipe!
My pleasure and sweet dreams!!
Sara says
You are right! I will try it. I bet it will be good …can’t do the velveeta though. I’ll let you know!
Great! I’m so glad you are giving it a try.
Emma says
Oh my gosh this looks amazing!! Cheeseburgers are my favorite thing and combining it with meatloaf sounds incredible! I cannot wait to make this for friends!!
It’s definitely a great dish for a crowd. Yay cheeseburgers! :)
Elizabeth says
I love cheeseburgers and there are so many different ways to make meatloaf that I can’t wait to try this! Love the fries underneath! :)
Fries make everything better, don’t they? :)
Sara says
I love all of your recipes and site but I’m sorry, this sounds and looks very unappetizing!
Elizabeth says
You never know until you try!
That is definitely my motto – I’ve ended up loving so many things I never expected to love! :)