Cheesy Meatloaf Recipe • The Prairie Homestead (2024)

43 Comments | Jill Winger | Last Updated: June 13, 2023

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I just don’t get it.

Every year for my husband’s birthday, I cook upa special supper of his choice. I offer to make anything his heart desires, from steak, to lasagna, to delicate fish filets, he can chose whatever he wants.

So imagine my surprise last year when he requested… meatloaf.

Actually, not just any meat loaf, he specifically requested thischeesy meatloaf. It’s one of his favorite meals, and even though I hated meatloaf growing up, I have to admit that this recipe is pretty darn good!

The Best Cheesy Meatloaf Recipe

1 pound grass-fed ground beef (or I often use deer burger or antelope)
1 beaten egg
1/4 cup whole milk
1/4 cup dry bread crumbs
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon salt (I use this one.)
1/2 teaspoon each: dried oregano, onion powder, ground black pepper, dried parsley
1/4 teaspoon dried sage
1 cup shredded cheese (I usually use sharp cheddar)

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

In a large bowl, thoroughly combine the meat, egg, milk, parmesan, bread crumbs, and seasonings. Toss the spoon and just use your hands to mix everything together. It’s alittle messy, but effective. Then add in the cheese and incorporate.

Shape into a loaf and place in a 9″ x 5″ pan OR shape it into whatever designyou want andplace in an 8″ x 8″ pan. Sprinkle with extra dried parsley and oregano, if you wish.

Bake for 45 minutes to an hour, or until the meat is no longer pink. Take special care not to overcook this if you are using grass fed meat, since it is leaner by nature and will become dry if overdone.

Cheesy Herbed Meatloaf

Ingredients

1 pound grass-fed ground beef (deer burger, antelope…)
1 beaten egg
1/4 cup whole milk
1/4 cup dry bread crumbs
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon sea salt (I use this one)
1/2 teaspoon each: dried oregano, onion powder, ground black pepper, dried parsley
1/4 teaspoon dried sage
1 cup shredded cheese (I like sharp cheddar)

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Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees
In large bowl combine meat, egg, milk, parmesan, bread crumbs, and seasoning
Toss the spoon, it’s easier to use your hands to mix everything together
Add cheese
Shape into a loaf and place in 9″ x 5″ pan (or 8″ x8″)
Optional: Sprinkle with extra dried parsley and oregano
Bake 45 minutes to an hour until meat is no longer pink (Don’t overcook! Grass fed meat will become dry if overdone)

(Supper idea: Try serving this cheesy meatloaf with my steakhouse-style baked potatoes– it’s comfort food at its finest, AND you can save energy by baking both things at the same time!)

After trying this recipe, you’ll never be able to tolerate bland meatloaf again.

(I still think it’s a little crazy that hubby chose this over steak… But to each his own– right?)

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Reader Interactions

43 Comments

Claudia says
March 8, 2011 at 5:06 pm
My husband would agree with yours, and he’d probably like this cheesey version. I’ll have to make it for him.
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- Jill says
  March 8, 2011 at 8:23 pm
  Yes, this recipe is definitely hubby-approved. 😉
  reply to comment
Heather :) :) :) says
March 8, 2011 at 6:12 pm
I do like to eat meat. I enjoy eating meatloaf. This recipe looks really easy. Also, the fact that your using grass-fed beef is a plus. Yummy 🙂 🙂 🙂 Love and hugs from Oregon, Heather 😉
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Christy says
March 9, 2011 at 6:58 pm
This is how I always make meatloaf and my family loves it – the incorporation of the cheese just takes it to the next level. They are always a little disappointed when they eat it somewhere else. Thanks for sharing this with us at the Hearth and Soul Hop!
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- Brenda says
  March 19, 2013 at 5:22 pm
  My family makes meatloaf like this, my husband use to ask me to make it a lot. <3
  I will definately try the tips like grated carrot the next time to see if I will be adding it to my recipe.
  reply to comment
Dr. Laura says
March 14, 2011 at 9:00 pm
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Jill, thanks for sharing this recipe with Dr. Laura’s Tasty Tuesday last week. I can’t wait to make this for my husband – mainly because he LOVES meatloaf and I don’t, so we’ll see if I like this version better! I’ve featured you this week on my recap!
Dr. Laura
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Dana at Cooking at Cafe D says
February 27, 2012 at 10:38 am
Yup – I make a similar meatloaf – but I’ve never tried cheddar!
Must try.
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Jenifer says
June 3, 2012 at 8:06 pm
This was delicious! Even my super-picky son said so!
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Brandi says
July 23, 2012 at 7:39 pm
Ive never been a big fan of meatloaf. But my fiance has been wanting me to make some forever, so i finally gave in. I used this recipe exactly except i added a shredded carrot and half a chopped onion (made me feel better to add a bit of veg lol) and it was soo good!! My fiance said it was the best meatloaf he’d ever had! And thats a HUGE compliment coming from him…
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- Jill says
  July 23, 2012 at 9:47 pm
  Wahoo! I love comments like this one. 🙂 Love your carrot idea, too! I didn’t use to like meatloaf either, but I rather enjoy this recipe. 😉
  reply to comment
Donna says
November 13, 2012 at 10:06 am
I used JennyO turkey burger & this was a big hit with my family.My husband is a very picky eater & he loves this meatloaf.
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- Jill says
  November 13, 2012 at 4:03 pm
  Cool! I never thought of trying it with turkey burger!
  reply to comment
Anne F. says
November 29, 2012 at 12:02 am
I can’t wait to try this on my husband and son in law.
One trick I leaned for substituting lean meats into meatloaf is to add a panade. Use 2 Tbl. milk and 1/2 cup white bread crumbs OR 1/2 cup Panko. Mash it into a paste, then blend into the meat. Proceed with recipe as written.
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Jennifer says
December 28, 2012 at 4:36 pm
I found this recipe last night (after finding your homemade breadcrumbs recipe) and had to try immediately. Finally, FINALLY, a meatloaf recipe that is easy AND delicious!!!!! My (sometimes) picky kids and my husband all love it. Thank you so much!!!!
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- Jill says
  December 28, 2012 at 4:37 pm
  Wahoo Jennifer! SO happy to hear it– you are very welcome. 🙂
  reply to comment
Jon says
January 27, 2013 at 8:02 pm
OMG!! This is the best meat loaf I’ve ever had in my life! My g/f also agrees! I made a few changes to it. We used grass-fed cheddar cheese (Kerry Gold), 1/4 c diced organic onion, 2 cloves diced organic garlic, 1/4 c diced red pepper, and I added a 1/4 tsp of cayenne pepper to it. The cayenne was just enough to give a perfect little hint of spice. Thank you so much for this recipe!!
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Donna Jantzer says
July 15, 2013 at 2:51 pm
Thanks for this great recipe. It never occurred to me to put cheese in meatloaf. I know my husband would LOVE this, too! I would love to get grass-fed beef, too. I will make a point to look for it.
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See Also
22 Simple Recipes That Will Help You Become A Better Cook
- Jill Winger says
  July 16, 2013 at 1:21 pm
  Yes… hubby is a fan of anything with cheese. 😉
  reply to comment
Taylor-Made Ranch says
July 16, 2013 at 10:49 am
We both love meatloaf anyway but this looks absolutely delicious. Yep, gonna try this recipe for sure! Thanks for sharing.
~Taylor-Made Ranch~
Wolfe City, Texas
reply to comment
- Jill Winger says
  July 16, 2013 at 1:20 pm
  Enjoy! 🙂
  reply to comment
jojomatt says
August 16, 2013 at 6:54 am
This recipe is the BEST! My husband hates to try anything new. Well, he loved this one. I made it with venison. I have sent this on to all of my kids. My son is going elk hunting and hopes to be able to try out this recipe. We even sent a large piece over to the neighbor and cannot wait to hear what he thinks. Thank You.
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- Jill Winger says
  August 16, 2013 at 2:31 pm
  Wahoo! SO thrilled that you liked it– It’s an excellent venison recipe. 🙂
  reply to comment
Windsor says
September 7, 2013 at 9:15 pm
I am really excited to make this recipe for dinner tomorrow but am curious how many your recipe feeds? I am making it to feed two women and three grown men. I bought a pound of ground venison today for the recipe but am now thinking that its not going to be enough for everyone. Could I add a pound of ground bison meat or grass fed beef to the venison to double recipe?
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- Jill Winger says
  September 8, 2013 at 2:58 pm
  Hmmm… Yes, I’d probably double it if you are feeding 5 adults. And yes– you can definitely add in some ground beef or bison- yum!
  reply to comment
Jeremey Henries says
December 23, 2013 at 12:17 pm
I’m not one that’s big on meatloaf since there is so many ways to make it. I like mine simple, a lot of folks like to add peppers, onions, ketchup, and a lot of other things. I like this recipe, gonna add it to our dinner calender for next month. We have a local butcher that is cheaper than our grocery stores, sadly we rent an apartment and can’t have livestock. But we try to stay frugal every chance we get!!!
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Paula says
January 17, 2014 at 8:47 pm
I make this meatloaf with a few exceptions. I use buttermilk and mustard. Sometimes I add some Montreal seasoning. Love it!
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nina says
January 18, 2014 at 11:11 am
I put cheese in the middle of my meatloaf.I put half of the meat then a layer of cheese then.
the rest of the meat. .i use ketchup on top of mine. My mom use to put a little bit of ketchup in hers. I cant wait to try yours
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Nicole says
March 2, 2014 at 9:49 pm
I love using homemade feta in my meatloaf. It really adds to it, and feta is easy to make. Cheap too. 🙂 Don’t use salt though in the meat as I find the feta has enough to salt the meat. Love this recipe.
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Kerry says
March 4, 2014 at 7:23 am
Tried this last night and it was a hit! I used a Colby jack mix for the cheese and drizzled some burgundy cooking wine over the top just before I put it in the oven. The kids and husband loved it! Thank you so much, can’t wait to try some more recipes 😉
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Tiffany says
March 11, 2014 at 7:18 pm
Awesome meatloaf! My kiddos loved it, but so did my husband and I. I forgot to add the cheese at the end (my brain if fried from no sleep with a sick 9 month old with croup), but it was great none the less. I love your blog. I found you through Quinn at Reformation Acres. Love her blog too. Thanks for this delicious recipe. It will be my go to meatloaf for dinner.
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- Jill Winger says
  March 18, 2014 at 10:12 pm
  I love Quinn too! 🙂 Glad you enjoyed the meatloaf!
  reply to comment
Kirsty says
October 8, 2017 at 5:14 pm
Made this tonight with ground venison. It was amazing! Not gamey in the least. Cheese and herbs truly complimented the wild game. This is our venison meatloaf for always now.
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Bonnie says
March 6, 2018 at 2:10 pm
I made this following the ingredients as written with exception of the cheddar cheese and I decreased the salt to 3/4 of teaspoon. I had fresh mozzarella which has very little salt in it and one slice of Swiss cheese ( more holes than cheese) so I used it instead. It was so salty we could hardly eat it. I should of went with my gut instinct and cut down the salt to at least 1/2 tsp., for the Parmesan has lots of salt to it. It went into the garbage. What a waste of beautiful expensive grass fed beef.
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Mrs. Duncan says
July 12, 2018 at 2:40 pm
I know the reviews on this post are old, but I just discovered this recipe this year. I don’t know why it only has 3 stars because this recipe is awesome.
The only different thing I do is use a mixed McCormick seasoning because I’m super lazy.
We serve this meatloaf whenever we have guests and I’ve been asked many times what’s my recipe. I print out the recipe from this site to give them! Thanks!
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Brenda says
October 14, 2020 at 10:19 pm
It looks delicious! I had never tried a cheesy meatloaf with herbs but I’m sure my kids will love it. I’ve always made it my mom’s way, now it’s time for a change!
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Kirsten Skinner says
August 3, 2023 at 7:24 pm
My husband used to make an Italian style meatloaf with tomato sauce on top, I made this one night, and he prefers this one, won’t make anything but this one now..
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Cheesy Meatloaf Recipe • The Prairie Homestead (2024)

FAQs

What ingredient keeps meatloaf from falling apart? ›

In meatloaf, this is most commonly the eggs and breadcrumbs. Your binding ingredient is only second to the meat itself in your recipe and the reason why meatloaf crumbles. When this happens, it's because you didn't use enough. Next time, try adding in an extra egg and/or some more breadcrumbs.

Read On ›

Why don t you want to cook the meatloaf in the loaf pan? ›

Loaf pans corral the juices and fat to create a moister, more steamed, texture. The steamed texture can often be more reminiscent of a school cafeteria meatloaf, which some people are averse to, but it will look more like a typical meatloaf when it's cooked this way as meatloaf in a sheet pan tends to be flatter.

Learn More ›

Why do you put milk in meatloaf? ›

Milk and other dairy products, like heavy cream and buttermilk, contain both water and fat, adding two types of moisture to our meatloaf. There's a long-held theory that milk can tenderize ground meat, and this is the reason often cited for cooking ground meat in milk to make a Bolognese-style ragù.

Read On ›

What happens if you put too many eggs in meatloaf? ›

Fewer eggs will create a denser and firmer meatloaf that will be more compact and easier to slice, but more eggs can create a more tender and light texture that allows the meatloaf to melt in your mouth.

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What can I use instead of breadcrumbs in meatloaf? ›

Bread Crumb Substitutes

¼ cup panko. ¼ cup cracker or pretzel crumbs. ¼ cup crushed cornflakes or other unsweetened cereals. ⅔ cup regular rolled oats (Use this only as a substitute for bread crumbs in meat loaf and other meat mixtures, such as burgers.

What can you put under meatloaf to soak up grease? ›

A neat trick to soak up the grease under your meatloaf is to line the bottom of the pan with bread slices. The bread soaks up the grease as the loaf bakes. When the meatloaf is done, you can either throw out the bread or bake it to make some truly indulgent toast.

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Should meatloaf be covered or not? ›

Should I cook my meatloaf covered or uncovered? The meatloaf can be cooked uncovered. However, if you are concerned about it burning, you can cover the meatloaf with foil for the first 45 minutes and uncover it for the final 15 minutes to allow the meatloaf to brown on top.

Is it better to cook meatloaf at 350 or 375? ›

The oven temperature is typically set at 350 degrees F for making meatloaf. That's the temperature you want to be sure to use so the meatloaf cooks and doesn't dry out. Too high, and the outer crust will burn before the interior is cooked all the way, too low and you don't get that delicious crust.

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What is the basic meatloaf formula? ›

The Basic Meatloaf Formula

All recipes for meatloaf start with the same basic formula: 2 pounds of ground meat and a “panade” made of bread or crackers soaked in milk. Along with a few eggs, this panade helps to hold the ground meat together and adds some essential moisture to the mix.

Read On ›

Do you drain the juice from meatloaf? ›

When the meatloaf is done, remove the loaf pan from the oven and let the meatloaf rest for 10-15 minutes. Drain the extra fat and liquid off of the meatloaf and discard. Slice the meatloaf and serve.

Learn More Now ›

Should I saute onions before adding to meatloaf? ›

The answer is: it depends. Onions are a great addition to meatloaf because they add a lot of flavor and moisture. Raw onions have a strong, pungent flavor and will give the meatloaf a sharper taste. However, if the onions are cooked before adding them to the meatloaf, they will become sweeter and milder.

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What is the secret ingredient to tenderize meat? ›

Whether hosting a holiday cookout, serving up some stir-fry or tackling game meats, baking soda is the go-to meat tenderizer to help make your steak, chicken or turkey silkier, juicier and yummier.

Cheesy Meatloaf Recipe • The Prairie Homestead (2024)

I just don’t get it.

The Best Cheesy Meatloaf Recipe

Cheesy Herbed Meatloaf

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Instructions

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FAQs

What ingredient keeps meatloaf from falling apart? ›

Should I saute onions before adding to meatloaf? ›