Description
This melt-in-your-mouth easy stuffed meatloaf recipe features a flavorful mix of ground beef, savory spices, and a gooey cheese center, topped with a tangy honey BBQ glaze and baked to perfection.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Meatloaf Mixture
- 1 pound Ground Beef (Or ground turkey for a leaner option.)
- 1 teaspoon Garlic Powder (Fresh minced garlic can also be used.)
- 1 teaspoon Salt (Adjust per personal preference.)
- 1 teaspoon Pepper (Freshly cracked black pepper is recommended.)
- 1 tablespoon Italian Seasoning (Substitutable with oregano or thyme if desired.)
- 1 cup Italian Bread Crumbs (Can be replaced with oats or panko breadcrumbs.)
- 1 medium Onion (Use sweet onions for best results.)
- 1 medium Green Pepper (Other bell pepper colors can be used.)
- 1 large Egg (Serves as a binding agent.)
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
- 1/4 cup Honey BBQ Sauce (Regular BBQ sauce can be used as a substitute.)
- 1/4 cup Milk (Vegetable broth can substitute for a dairy-free version.)
Cheese Filling
- 8 ounces Fresh Mozzarella Cheese (Essential for that incredible cheese pull.)
- 1 cup Sharp Shredded Cheese (Can substitute with any favorite melting cheese.)
Glaze
- 1/2 cup Ketchup (No substitute required.)
- 2 tablespoons Brown Sugar (Can be omitted for less sweetness.)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Dish: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease the baking dish.
- Mix Meatloaf Ingredients: In a large bowl, combine ground beef, garlic powder, salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, and bread crumbs. Add chopped onion, green pepper, egg, Worcestershire sauce, honey BBQ sauce, and milk, mixing gently.
- Shape Meatloaf: Shape the mixture into a football form on a parchment-lined baking sheet, creating a 4-inch indent for the cheese.
- Add Cheese Filling: Layer fresh mozzarella slices into the indent and cover with remaining meat mixture, sealing the edges.
- Prepare Glaze: Mix ketchup, brown sugar, salt, pepper, and honey BBQ sauce for the glaze, reserving half for later.
- Apply Initial Glaze and Cover: Spread half of the sauce over the meatloaf and cover loosely with aluminum foil.
- Bake Covered: Bake for 40 minutes, then remove foil and add remaining sauce on top.
- Bake Uncovered: Bake uncovered for an additional 15 minutes until fully cooked and browned.
- Rest and Serve: Let rest for 5 minutes before slicing and serving.
Notes
- Adjust salt per personal preference.
- Fresh minced garlic can be used instead of garlic powder.
- For a leaner option, substitute ground beef with ground turkey.
- Use sweet onions for best results.
- Other bell pepper colors can be used instead of green.
- Vegetable broth can substitute for milk for a dairy-free version.
- Brown sugar in the glaze can be omitted for less sweetness.
- Italian bread crumbs can be replaced with oats or panko breadcrumbs.
- Regular BBQ sauce can be used as a substitute for honey BBQ sauce.
- Sharp shredded cheese can be substituted with any favorite melting cheese.
