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Italian Meatloaf

Italian Meatloaf

Classic Italian Meatloaf with Bacon Crown — Ground Beef and Pork Perfection

This isn't your grandmother's American meatloaf. Built on a foundation of sautéed mirepoix and enriched with passata, this Italian-style version delivers serious flavor depth. The bacon crown isn't just pretty — it bastes the meat as it cooks, creating the kind of golden crust that makes everyone fight over the end pieces.

ItalianDinnerComfort FoodMeal PrepOne PotBakingBeefPork
Prep20 min
Cook1 hr 30 min
Total1 hr 50 min
Servings6
Difficultymedium

Ingredients

  • 2 tbspunsalted butter
  • 1 cupyellow onion, finely chopped
  • 1 ribcelery rib, finely chopped
  • 1 medium carrot, finely chopped
  • 3 clovegarlic cloves, minced
  • 2 tspkosher salt
  • ½ tspfreshly ground black pepper
  • 2 tspWorcestershire sauce
  • ⅓ cuppassata (tomato purée)
  • 1 lbground pork, not too lean
  • 1 lbground beef, 80/20 blend preferred
  • ⅔ cupfresh bread crumbs from day-old bread
  • 1 large egg, beaten
  • 1 packagethick-cut bacon strips
  • 2 tbspmadeira or dry sherry

Instructions

  1. Get your oven heating to 350°F and position a rack in the center. This temperature gives you enough time to cook the loaf through without drying out the exterior.
  2. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Let it foam and settle — you want it hot but not browning.
  3. Toss in the chopped onion, celery, carrot, and garlic. Stir everything around so it gets coated in butter, then let it cook for 5 minutes, stirring once or twice. The vegetables should start softening and smelling fragrant.
    ⏱ 5 min
  4. Cover the skillet and continue cooking for another 5 minutes, giving it a stir every couple minutes. The carrots should be tender enough to pierce easily with a knife — they'll keep cooking in the oven, so don't overdo it here.
    ⏱ 5 min
  5. Season with the salt and pepper, then pour in the madeira. Let it bubble and cook for 1-2 minutes to burn off the alcohol — you'll smell when the sharp edge disappears.
    ⏱ 1 min 30 sec
  6. Stir in the Worcestershire sauce and passata, cooking just long enough to heat through, about 1 minute. Pull the pan off the heat and let this vegetable mixture cool while you prep the meat — hot vegetables will start cooking the meat prematurely.
    ⏱ 1 min
  7. In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooled vegetables with both ground meats, the beaten egg, and bread crumbs. Use your hands to mix gently but thoroughly — you want everything evenly distributed without overworking the meat, which makes it tough.
  8. Either press the mixture into a standard 9x5-inch loaf pan or shape it into a free-form loaf on a rimmed baking sheet. If going free-form, make it compact and even — loose shaping leads to uneven cooking.
  9. Arrange the bacon strips over the top, slightly overlapping them to create full coverage. The bacon will render its fat as it cooks, basting the meatloaf and creating that beautiful golden finish.
  10. Slide into the oven and bake for 1.5 hours, or until an instant-read thermometer pushed into the center reads 155°F. The bacon should be deeply golden and the edges of the loaf slightly pulled away from the pan.
    ⏱ 1 hr 30 min
  11. Let the meatloaf rest for 10 minutes before slicing — this resting time lets the juices redistribute so they don't all run out when you cut into it. Transfer to a serving platter and slice into thick portions.
    ⏱ 10 min