Pizza Meatloaf is a flavorful, cheese-stuffed meatloaf recipe that is made with a combination of Italian sausage, ground beef, and pizza sauce to create an insanely delicious pizza-flavored meatloaf.

Say goodbye to boring meatloaf and say hello to the best meatloaf you have EVER had!
This recipe for Cheese-Stuffed Meatloaf is flavored like pizza and was a childhood favorite of mine. My mom made what we as a family referred to as Pizza Meatloaf at least once a month when I was growing up.
And it is easy to see why this pizza meatloaf was on repeat. Made with a combination of ground beef, Italian sausage, pizza sauce, and pizza seasonings, and then stuffed with gooey, melty cheese, this meatloaf is reminiscent of pizza not only in flavor but also in the way even the pickiest eaters devour it and beg for second servings.
And even though it may sound complicated to stuff your meatloaf with cheese, this recipe for Pizza Meatloaf is quite easy to make. Add a side of parsley potatoes and roasted broccoli, and you will have one easy dinner recipe that YOUR family will beg you to make again and again!
Notes on Ingredients

- Ground Beef: I recommend using lean ground beef or ground turkey for this meatloaf.
- Italian Sausage: Use store-bought or homemade turkey, pork, or chicken ground Italian sausage. I recommend using mild, not hot Italian sausage so that the spice level won't overwhelm the meatloaf.
- Pizza Sauce: If you don't have pizza sauce on hand, feel free to use a good quality jarred spaghetti sauce or homemade spaghetti sauce.
- Breadcrumbs: Use unseasoned bread crumbs to help bind the meatloaf together. I prefer the texture of panko breadcrumbs, but traditional breadcrumbs work as well.
- Cheese: Shredded Mozzarella is the best cheese to stuff the meatloaf with as it melts really well and the flavor lends itself perfectly to the seasonings in the meatloaf. If you don't have Mozzarella cheese on hand, use sliced provolone cheese or a blend of shredded Italian cheese.
How to Make Pizza Meatloaf
Step One: Combine Ingredients
The order in which you combine the ingredients is KEY in determining how tender and flavorful the resulting meatloaf will be. It is essential to mix the seasonings and binding ingredients together BEFORE adding the meat, so all the flavors are evenly distributed without having to overmix the meat.
- In a large bowl, mix together the pizza sauce, seasonings, egg, and bread crumbs until well combined.
- Add in the sausage and ground beef and gently mix into the binders to just combine. Do NOT overmix the meat or the meatloaf will be tough and dry after being baked. I often find it is best to use your hands to evenly mix the meatloaf mixture.

Step Two: Stuff the Meatloaf
- On wax or parchment paper, flatten out the meat into a rectangular shape
- Sprinkle the cheese over the center of the meat mixture.
- Roll the meatloaf into the shape of a loaf, with the cheese in the center of the loaf.
- Place the stuffed meatloaf onto a broiler pan. I highly recommend baking your meatloaf on a broiler pan to let the fat drain away as it is rendered while the meatloaf cooks.
- Spread pizza sauce on top of the meatloaf and sprinkle with additional cheese.

Step Three: Bake
- Bake the cheese-stuffed meatloaf until the center reaches 165 degrees F.
- Remove it from the oven and allow the meatloaf to rest for 10 minutes, as this will ensure it stays nice and tender.

- Once the meatloaf has rested, slice and serve.

Serving Suggestions
I love to pair this pizza meatloaf with a side of Parsley Potatoes and Green Beans Almondine because that is how I grew up enjoying this meatloaf. However, it also pairs well with Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes, Roasted Red Potatoes, or Grits.
Storing Leftover Meatloaf
Leftover meatloaf can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Alternatively, you can wrap the meatloaf in foil and then place it into a freezer-safe bag and freeze it for up to 3 months. Defrost in the refrigerator, unwrap the meatloaf, and warm through in a 350-degree F oven or microwave individual slices on a heat-safe plate.
Recipe FAQs
Yes! I have made a gluten-free version with success many times using gluten-free breadcrumbs or rolled oats in place of regular breadcrumbs. Be sure to check that your sausage is gluten-free as well, or use my recipe for Homemade Italian Sausage.
No, but I highly recommend it for the ultimate meatloaf recipe. If you don't want to stuff your meatloaf with cheese, simply shape the meat mixture into a log and bake for 5 minutes LESS than the recipe states.
Using both ground beef (or turkey or chicken) and ground sausage adds the best flavor to your meatloaf. That said, feel free to omit the sausage and use additional ground beef (or turkey or chicken) in its place.
More Family-Favorite Comfort-Food Recipes
- Creamy Parmesan Chicken and Noodles
- Chicken Pot Pie
- Vegetable Beef Soup
- Cheesy Ham and Scalloped Potatoes
Need more inspiration for planning meals that your family will love? Sign up for my FREE Meal Plans and each week you will get a meal plan with a shopping list.
If you tried this Cheese-Stuffed Pizza Meatloaf, I would love for you to leave a comment below. I love hearing how your family enjoys these recipes!

Pizza Meatloaf
Ingredients
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- ½ pound ground Italian sausage
- 1 cup pizza sauce divided
- ½ cup panko bread crumbs
- 2 eggs whisked
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 2 tablespoons dried parsley
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ cup parmesan cheese
- 8 ounces shredded or sliced Mozzarella or Provolone cheese divided
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
- In a large mixing bowl, mix together the eggs, bread crumbs, salt, oregano, parsley, parmesan, and ⅓ cup pizza sauce together until well combined.
- Add in the ground beef and sausage to the breadcrumb mixture and gently combine, being careful to not overmix your meatloaf mixture.
- On wax or parchment paper, flatten the meat mixture into a rectangular shape (about 6 by 10 inches.) In the center of the meat mixture, top with ⅔ cup mozzarella or provolone cheese. Roll the meat around cheese and shape it into a loaf shape.
- Place meat on broiler pan or loaf pan and top with remaining pizza sauce and cheese.
- Bake for 1 hour, or until the center reaches 165 degrees F.
- Allow to cool for 10 minutes and then slice and serve.
james washington
I made this and it was amazing. No complaints.
Kristen Chidsey
Thanks for sharing James! 🙂
Andrea
So how did all of you make this and put the cheese on top and bake it for an hour without the cheese burning?!?!
Kristen Chidsey
Hi Andrea! If your oven holds the correct temperature, the cheese should not burn at all. If you notice it browning, feel free to tent with foil. Hope that helps!
Beth
What an easy and tasty twist on the classic meatloaf! Delicious!
Kristen Chidsey
So glad your family enjoys this recipe Beth!
Lynda Brown
Yummy,, this was super easy and very tasty. Even for picky kiddos. Thank you- this is one for the rotation!
Kristen Chidsey
So glad you enjoyed Lynda!
Nellie Tracy
This is a delicious meatloaf recipe! My family loves it for weeknight dinners
Kristen Chidsey
My family does too! I love hearing you enjoy it as well.
Erika
I made this last night, with a couple of tweaks, and it was fantastic! I added diced onions and doubled the recipe because I have a 17 year old who can eat half his weight in food! It was full of flavor and perfectly seasoned. You're one of my go to food bloggers for good reason!!
Erika
I forgot to add that I spread out half the meat, topped it with cheese and spread the remaining meat on top. Since I made so much, there was going to be no loafing! 🤣
Kristen Chidsey
Thanks so much Erika! I love hearing how much your family enjoys my recipes. And great idea adding diced onions.
Merry
I CAN HARDLY WAIT to make this meatloaf! I am low-carb to control my diabetes so I wanted to share something I’ve learned recently! Another blogger used plain pork skins/rinds for a replacement for bread crumbs as there is still that necessary binding but no carbs or gluten, etc! Just had to share 🤗
Kristen Chidsey
Oh that is a great tip for keto meatloaf! Thanks for sharing!
Chris
Excellent! Easy recipe smells so good baking, rolled meatloaf using parchment paper no seems no leaking of cheese!
Kristen Chidsey
Great tip using parchment paper to roll meatloaf. Glad you enjoyed Chris 🙂