Our 12 Best Meat Loaf Recipes

By Maria Yagoda
Updated October 24, 2019
Though somewhat unphotogenic, meat loaf is an American comfort food classic. Whether you stick to the original ketchup-topped version or need some ideas for repurposing leftovers, these meat loaf recipes are full of flavor and easy to make.
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Turkey Meat Loaf

© Abby Hocking
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Sweet Italian turkey sausage and freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese lend an almost meatball-like flavor to this moist and marinara-topped turkey meat loaf.

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Cherry-Pork Meat Loaf

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Breakfast sausage and cherries mixed into ground pork create an intensely flavorful and juicy meatloaf that is also really quick to prepare.

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Beef, Turkey and Mushroom Meat Loaf

© Fredrika Stjärne
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For a healthier meat loaf, Rocco DiSpirito cuts back the meat and swaps in mushrooms. He uses earthy creminis along with ground beef and turkey for a loaf that's moist and tasty.

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Veal-and-Mushroom Meat Loaf with Bacon

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The original version of this recipe from Dine with Your Friends, published in 1936 by the Women's Faculty Club of Northwestern University Medical School, called for a mixture of boiled ham and ground veal. We substituted bacon for the ham to add a nice touch of smokiness.

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Meat Loaf Stuffed with Prosciutto and Spinach

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This luxurious yet easy take on classic meat loaf gets stuffed with spinach, carrots, prosciutto and cheese. The vegetables can be leftovers, says Mario Batali: "Just make sure they're cooked long enough to be very soft--if they're al dente, the meat loaf will tear when you slice it and wreck your day." Mild and tangy caciocavallo cheese, made in Italy from cow's milk, is excellent in the filling, but provolone is a fine substitute.

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Pork Meat Loaf with Chickpeas

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Instead of meatballs, which require time to form, shape the meat into loaves then cook them in a spicy tomato sauce blended with prepared hummus.

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Meat Loaf with Red Wine Glaze

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Shea Gallante brushes his meat loaf with a red wine glaze, which caramelizes as it bakes. The glaze also makes the meat loaf especially easy to pair with red wine.

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Meat Loaf with Creamy Onion Gravy

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"This is a culmination of all the meat loaves I've ever eaten," says Andrew Curren, chef-partner of 24 Diner in Austin. "My mom always made a good meat loaf--it never had the tomato goo on top of it. Then I tasted a meat loaf that had cheese in it; that was a good idea. In Italy, I was introduced to soffritto and realized the importance of cooking with carrots, onion, celery." Curren serves the meat loaf with creamy gravy, which is also excellent on lunchtime meat loaf sandwiches.

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Pork Meat Loaf with Chickpeas

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Shape the meat into loaves then cook them in a spicy tomato sauce blended with prepared hummus.

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Mom's Meat Loaf

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If you like, serve half of the meat loaf one night and save the rest to make Sloppy Joes later in the week.

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Mini Turkey Meat Loaves with Red Pepper Sauce

© Kana Okada
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Cooking the meat loaves sous-vide is an easy way to cut down on fat.

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Grilled Mini Meat Loaves

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Marcia Kiesel's sister Susie created this recipe one day when she was craving meat loaf but didn't want to turn on the oven. The delicious individual meat loaves—made with just six ingredients and stuffed with cubes of fresh mozzarella that become warm and gooey—cook directly on the grill for less than 10 minutes.

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By Maria Yagoda