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Mom’s classic meatloaf recipe gets even more cozy once you stuff it with cheese! Double this 7-ingredient comfort food dinner and transform leftovers into meatloaf sandwiches.
Confession: When I was initially testing this homemade meatloaf recipe, I made it several more times than I needed to. Nothing changed in the final few tests, I just needed an excuse to try it again and again. The cheese-stuffed meatloaf is just that good.
Think of this like mom’s classic meatloaf with an irresistible, melty cheese filling. Each bite is the epitome of comfort food.
Table of Contents
Recipe ingredients
At a Glance: Here is a quick snapshot of what ingredients are in this recipe.
Please see the recipe card below for specific quantities.
Ingredient notes
- Ground beef: No need to seek out a special meatloaf mix; regular 80% lean, 20% fat ground beef tastes terrific.
- Eggs: The yolks lend moisture and flavor, while the whites add structure and help the meatloaf maintain its shape.
- Old-fashioned rolled oats: I prefer this no-prep-required ingredient as the binder in meatloaf, but you could certainly substitute crushed crackers or bread crumbs, if desired.
- Shredded havarti cheese: Or any other semi-hard, easy melting cheese such as gouda, cheddar, Swiss, Colby, or Monterey Jack.
Step by step instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil for easy cleanup. In a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a large bowl by hand, combine beef, onion, eggs, oats, ½ cup ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, 1 teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper. Mix on low until combined.
- Rinse a 9-inch by 5-inch loaf pan with water (to help the meatloaf release). Pack the meat mixture tightly in to the pan.
- Leaving a 1/2-inch wall on each side, carve out a well about 5 inches long and 1 inch wide and set the excess meat mixture aside.
- Fill the well with shredded Havarti cheese.
- Using the reserved meat mixture, cover and seal the shredded cheese carefully.
- Flip the pan over the prepared baking sheet and jiggle carefully until the meatloaf slides out. Bake 60 minutes.
- Remove from oven. Increase oven temperature to 400 degrees. Brush remaining ¼ cup ketchup on all sides of the meatloaf. Return to oven and bake 10 minutes longer.
- Remove from oven and cool 15 minutes before serving.
Recipe tips and variations
- Yield: This Cheesy Meatloaf recipe makes six thick slices, ideal as an entree-sized portion. Double the batch to ensure plenty of leftovers for sandwiches!
- Storage: Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Make ahead: The meat mixture can be made, filled with cheese, and packed in to a loaf pan a day in advance. Turn out on to a baking sheet right before baking.
Recipe FAQs
This allows the meat to rest, just like we do for Roast Turkey or Prime Rib, so the juices (and ooey-gooey cheese!) don’t all run out once you slice it. Don’t worry; the Cheesy Meatloaf will stay plenty warm, it just won’t be mouth-burningly hot!
If you cook the sugary sauce for the entire bake time, it may burn. Brushing on the final coat for the last 10 minutes of cook time ensures the topping is caramelized just enough.
Don’t miss my Turkey Meatloaf, Mini Meatloaves with Balsamic Glaze, and Slow Cooker Meatloaf Meatballs.
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Cheesy Meatloaf
Ingredients
- 2 pounds ground beef 80% lean (see note 1)
- 1 small onion minced
- 2 eggs (see note 2)
- 3/4 cup old-fashioned rolled oats (see note 3)
- 3/4 cup ketchup divided
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 6 ounces Havarti cheese shredded (see note 4)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil for easy cleanup.
- In a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a large bowl by hand, combine beef, onion, eggs, oats, ½ cup ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, 1 teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper. Mix on low until combined.
- Rinse a 9-inch by 5-inch loaf pan with water (to help the meatloaf release). Pack the meat mixture tightly in to the pan.
- Leaving a 1/2-inch wall on each side, carve out a well about 5 inches long and 1 inch wide and set the excess meat mixture aside.
- Fill the well with shredded Havarti cheese. Using the reserved meat mixture, cover and seal the shredded cheese carefully.
- Flip the pan over the prepared baking sheet and jiggle carefully until the meatloaf slides out. Bake 60 minutes.
- Remove from oven. Increase oven temperature to 400 degrees. Brush remaining ¼ cup ketchup on all sides of the meatloaf. Return to oven and bake 10 minutes longer.
- Remove from oven and cool 15 minutes before serving.
Recipe Video
Notes
- Ground beef: No need to seek out a special meatloaf mix; regular 80% lean, 20% fat ground beef tastes terrific.
- Eggs: The yolks lend moisture and flavor, while the whites add structure and help the meatloaf maintain its shape.
- Old-fashioned rolled oats: I prefer this no-prep-required ingredient as the binder in meatloaf, but you could certainly substitute crushed crackers or bread crumbs, if desired.
- Shredded havarti cheese: Or any other semi-hard, easy melting cheese such as gouda, cheddar, Swiss, Colby, or Monterey Jack.
- Yield: This Cheesy Meatloaf recipe makes six thick slices, ideal as an entree-sized portion. Double the batch to ensure plenty of leftovers for sandwiches!
- Storage: Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Make ahead: The meat mixture can be made, filled with cheese, and packed in to a loaf pan a day in advance. Turn out on to a baking sheet right before baking.
Nutrition
Meggan Hill is a classically-trained chef and professional writer. Her meticulously-tested recipes and detailed tutorials bring confidence and success to home cooks everywhere. Meggan has been featured on NPR, HuffPost, FoxNews, LA Times, and more.
Great recipe! I had cheese that I needed to use up so I searched for a cheesy meatloaf recipe and this one was perfect. I followed the recipe exactly, I did skip putting it in a loaf pan first and then dumping it out because I don’t have a dishwasher and didn’t want an extra dish to wash. I just formed it into a loaf in a cast iron fry pan, made the well, added the cheese and sealed with the rest of the meat mixture. Thank you so much for a quick, easy and delicious dinner!
Hi Liz, I love it! I’m so glad you enjoyed the cheesy meatloaf! – Meggan
awsome meatloaf recipe! Our new favorite thanks!
Awesome!!!! My wife loves it! And so do I! Very easy quick meal!
What remaining 1/4 ketchup? There is no stipulation in the recipe telling me to divide the 3/4 cup. It says add ketchup. Then at end says use remaining ketchup? Could you please review.
Hi Natalie, thanks for finding this and sorry for the typo. Step 2 should have said “1/2 cup ketchup” and then the remaining 1/4 cup ketchup goes on top of the meatloaf in Step 7. So sorry about that! I’m guessing if you used 3/4 cup ketchup in Step 2 the results would not vary dramatically.. it would probably still work fine and taste awesome. But yes, there wouldn’t be any leftover to brush on the outside. Sorry again. I’m fixing it right now!
Could I use cream cheese instead?
Hi Tami! Yes, sure. I haven’t tested it so I don’t know what will happen, exactly, but it should just work fine. Worst-case scenario it would melt everywhere, but even if that happened it would still taste good, might just look messy. But considering regular cheese stays put (because it’s sealed in the meat) I *think* cream cheese would behave the same way. If you try it, and if you feel like reporting back, I’d love to hear how it goes for you! Thanks for the question. And I’m adding this to my recipe testing list, because the world needs to know!!
This looks really cool! I like to grate my onion into my meatloaf or other things I’m adding raw onions to! Always makes me cry though.
Thank you Patrick! Yes I cry all the time too with the onions. Especially grating them.. that seems to bring out the worst in them! But yeah that would improve the texture of the meatloaf. I’m just too lazy. :)
I don’t eat red meat. Can ground turkey or chicken be a replacement. I make a killer turkey meat loaf but this one sounds interesting.
Yes!!! Turkey would be great, I’m sure chicken would be fine too. What’s nice is neither of those are too greasy; that’s what you want to avoid. I want to make (and post) a turkey meatloaf myself. Sounds yummy! Thanks June. :)