Italian Meatloaf

This is the basic meatloaf recipe, with a twist. Italian seasonings, marinara sauce, and mozzarella cheese give it an Italian flavor.

• Ready In: 1 hr 10 mins
• Serves: 6
• Yields: 6 muffins

Ingredients

• 1 1⁄2 lbs ground beef
• 24  saltine crackers
• 1 (10 1/2ounce) can  vegetable beef soup, in beef broth
• 1  egg
• 1  teaspoon garlic powder
• 1⁄2 teaspoon seasoning salt
• 1⁄4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 2  tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 2  tablespoons  dried Italian seasoning
• 1⁄2 cup  marinara sauce
• 1⁄2 cup  shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
2. Crush the crackers. I use the food processor to get finer crumbs.
3. Mix the meat, soup, and egg together with the seasonings.
4. Add cracker crumbs until the texture is firm but not dry.
5. Press the meatloaf mixture into a loaf pan.
6. Bake until almost done.
7. Top with marinara sauce and mozzarella cheese.
8. Continue baking until sauce is heated, cheese is melted and meatloaf is done (160°F on the meat thermometer).
9. Muffin variation: Divide meatloaf mixture into 6 even portions.
10. Press into large size muffin tin that has been sprayed with non-stick cooking spray.
11. If adding a sauce, form a well in the top of each muffin.
12. Check baking time carefully, as the smaller size allows the dish to bake more quickly. I have found that baking time is reduced to about 35 minutes in this form.