Name: Meatloaf Cheese Roll
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 1 h 15 min
Yield: 6
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1.5 pounds ground beef, thawed; 1 cup bread crumbs; 1 tsp. onion powder; 1/3 cup tomato sauce; 1 egg; 1 tsp. salt; 1/2 tsp. pepper; 1.5 cups shredded mozzarella cheese; 1 2/3 cup tomato sauce; 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

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This is a very simple version of classic meatloaf only it gets pressed out, spread with cheese, and rolled up in a log, jelly-roll style, then baked to perfection and topped with tomato sauce and cheese. It’s an easy and delicious way to transform a common, traditional meatloaf!

plate with 2 slices of meatloaf beside a glass pan with meatloaf cheese roll inside

Meatloaf is a common and delicious comfort food, at least in the Mennonite culture. As for us, we almost always have a stash of ground beef in our chest freezer, so it’s very handy to pull out a package, thaw, and create a good old meatloaf for dinner.

This is a special meatloaf recipe, for it gets rolled with freshly shredded mozzarella cheese before baking. And if there’s one food Randall loves, its cheese of all kinds. That one ingredient alone is enough to take this recipe to the next level!

Oven Roasted Parmesan Potatoes is a favorite side of ours that pairs well with this meatloaf cheese roll. Pop both of them in the oven at the same time and just like that, you’ve got two delicious home cooked dishes for lunch or dinner!

2 slices of meatloaf cheese roll on a plate

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Ingredients

Thawed ground beef

Bread crumbs

Onion powder

Tomato sauce

An egg

Your favorite salt

Black Pepper

Shredded mozzarella cheese

For the topping:

More tomato sauce and shredded mozzarella cheese

How to make Meatloaf Cheese Roll

In a mixing bowl, combine the thawed ground beef, bread crumbs, onion powder, tomato sauce, egg, salt and pepper. We use a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment most times, though mixing by hand works ok too!

Tear off a length of wax paper and pat out the ground beef mixture into a flat rectangle, approximately 9 by 13 inches.

ground beef mixture flattened into a rectangle on parchment paper

Now evenly spread the freshly shredded mozzarella cheese on top.

ground beef mixture with shredded cheese on top

Next you’ll start carefully rolling up the ground beef and cheese layers, starting on one of the short sides.

half rolled up raw ground beef and shredded cheese

Roll into a log and place seam side down in a lightly greased baking pan or dish. (You’ll want one with sides, since this will get greasy!)

Bake at 350 degrees until thermometer inserted reads at least 160 degrees, approximately 40 to 45 minutes.

At this point, there will be excess grease in the pan you’ll want to drain off or transfer the meatloaf cheese roll itself carefully to another baking pan if that’s easier for you.

Finally, top with tomato sauce and shredded mozzarella cheese and bake for an additional 5 minutes or until the cheese is melted to your liking.

meatloaf cheese roll with tomato sauce and mozzarella on top

According to this article, it’s always a good idea to allow meatloaf to rest for 5 to 10 minutes or so after removing from the oven.

Transfer the finished meatloaf cheese roll to a platter or serving dish and slice to serve. Enjoy!

If you have leftovers, allow to cool slightly then store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Notes and Variations

Instead of tomato sauce, you can use ketchup or even barbecue sauce for a more unique flavor!

Freshly shredded mozzarella cheese is definitely our favorite cheese to use, though you can swap some or all of the cheese in this recipe with your favorite, whether that is cheddar, colby, pepperjack, etc.

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Here are some of the kitchen products you may need that we used in the process of creating Meatloaf Cheese Roll:

6 - 8 servings

Meatloaf Cheese Roll

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 50 minutes

Additional Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes

This is a very simple version of classic meatloaf only it gets pressed out, spread with cheese, and rolled up in a log, jelly-roll style, then baked to perfection and topped with tomato sauce and cheese. It's an easy and delicious way to transform a common, traditional meatloaf!

Ingredients

1.5 pounds ground beef, thawed
1 cup bread crumbs
1 tsp. onion powder
1/3 cup tomato sauce
1 egg
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1.5 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

Topping

1 2/3 cup tomato sauce
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Instructions

In a mixing bowl, combine thawed ground beef, bread crumbs, onion powder, tomato sauce, egg, salt and pepper and mix.
On a sheet of wax paper, flatten the ground beef mixture into approximately a 9 by 13 inch rectangle.
Layer on the shredded cheese evenly.
Roll up carefully, starting on onte of the short sides.
Place seam side down in a lightly greased baking pan with sides.
Bake until thermometer inserted reads at least 160 degrees, approximately 40 to 45 minutes.
Drain excess grease, then top the meatloaf cheese roll with tomato sauce and shredded mozzarella cheese and return to the oven for 5 more minutes or until cheese is melted.
Let set 5 to 10 minutes before serving. Enjoy!

Notes

Store leftover meatloaf cheese roll in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

You can swap the tomato sauce with ketchup or barbecue sauce for a little different flavor! Or use some of both.

Also you can use your own favorite blend of shredded cheeses in place of or in addition to the mozzarella. (And we'd definitely recommend shredding your own!)

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 500Total Fat: 27gSaturated Fat: 11gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 12gCholesterol: 151mgSodium: 1217mgCarbohydrates: 20gFiber: 2gSugar: 5gProtein: 42g