I’ve been craving meatloaf for weeks, but I wanted something a little ✨different✨. So, I decided to throw just a little spin on the classic and make this cheese studded Cheddar Cheeseburger Meatloaf. This meatloaf-cheeseburger hybrid is just as comforting as the kind mom used to make, but with a little more personality (hello, melty nuggets of cheddar!). And hey, if you prefer a regular old meatloaf, try my Classic Homemade Meatloaf.
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Pictured with Fluffy Garlic Herb Mashed Potatoes and green beans.
What Kind of Beef Should I Use for Cheeseburger Meatloaf?
I suggest using an 85/15 ground beef because the higher fat content ensures a more tender and moist meatloaf. You can use lower fat ground beef, but your meatloaf will likely be a little more firm and less juicy. Also, try to use ground beef that has been double ground, or that has a finer texture rather than a chunkier single grind. This will help your meatloaf hold together better.
Can I Use a Different Type of Cheese?
As I was eating this meatloaf my mind started wandering to all the different types of cheese that would work well here. Blue cheese, swiss, feta, gouda… OMG, the possibilities! Yeah, so I would definitely encourage experimentation with the cheese in this recipe. I will say though, that during the testing phase I tried both mild cheddar and sharp cheddar, and the sharp cheddar was far better than the mild.
What to Serve with Meatloaf
Meatloaf is such a classic American dish that it only makes sense to make it part of a classic American “meat and potatoes” dinner. Fluffy Mashed Potatoes would be the most obvious, but you could also pair the meatloaf with something like Rosemary Roasted Potatoes, Loaded Smashed Potatoes, or even a simple Baked Potato. And then even if this is a “meat and potatoes” dinner, I like to add a little green to round things out. Add some Steamed Green Beans, Oven Roasted Broccoli, or Roasted Brussels Sprouts to your plate.
Cheeseburger Meatloaf
Servings 4 2 slices eachIngredients
Meatloaf
- 1/4 cup plain breadcrumbs ($0.06)
- 1 tsp smoked paprika ($0.10)
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder ($0.05)
- 3/4 tsp salt ($0.03)
- 1 large egg ($0.27)
- 1/2 cup minced onion ($0.16)
- 4 oz. sharp cheddar ($0.85)
- 1 lb. ground beef (85/15) ($5.29)
Glaze
- 1/2 cup ketchup ($0.41)
- 1 Tbsp brown sugar ($0.04)
- 1 tsp yellow mustard ($0.03)
- 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce ($0.02)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF. In a small bowl stir together the breadcrumbs, smoked paprika, garlic powder, and salt. In a separate small bowl, lightly whisk the egg.
- Finely mince the onion. Roughly chop the cheddar cheese so that it is in pieces about the same size as a small bean.
- Add the ground beef, seasoned breadcrumbs, whisked egg, minced onion, and chopped cheddar to a bowl. Use your hands to mix the ingredients together until incorporated.
- Place the meat mixture in a casserole dish or on a rimmed baking sheet and shape into a rectangle, approximately 7″ long, 4″ wide, and 1.5″ thick.
- To make the glaze, stir together the ketchup, brown sugar, mustard, and Worcestershire sauce. Spread the glaze over the unbaked meatloaf.
- Bake the meatloaf in the preheated oven for 50-55 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 160ºF. Remove the meatloaf from the oven, let it sit for 5-10 minutes, then slice into eight pieces and serve.
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Equipment
Nutrition
Have you tried this recipe?Mention @budgetbytes or tag #budgetbytes on Instagram!How to Make Cheeseburger Meatloaf – Step by Step Photos
Begin by preheating the oven to 350ºF. Stir together 1/4 cup plain breadcrumbs, 1 tsp smoked paprika, 1/2 tsp garlic powder, and 3/4 tsp salt in a small bowl. In a separate bowl, lightly whisk one large egg.
Finely mince about 1/2 cup onion (this was 1/2 of a small onion for me), and roughly chop 4 oz. sharp cheddar, so the pieces are about the size of a small bean. This will create little nuggets of cheddar throughout the meatloaf. I found that if I used shredded cheddar the pieces were so small that they melted in and disappeared into the meat.
Place 1 pound ground beef (85/15) in a bowl and add the seasoned breadcrumbs, whisked egg, minced onion, and chopped cheddar. Mix these ingredients together with your hands until they are evenly combined.
Place the meat mixture in a casserole dish or on a rimmed baking sheet, then shape it into a rectangle about 7″ long, 4″ wide, and 1.5″ deep. I suggest using a casserole dish that has at least a couple inches of room around the meatloaf so they fat and excess juices have room to drain away. The meatloaf still stays moist, but can firm up enough to hold together in slices this way.
In a small bowl, stir together 1/2 cup ketchup, 1 Tbsp brown sugar, 1 tsp yellow mustard, and 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce. Spread the sauce over the cheeseburger meatloaf.
Bake the Cheddar Cheeseburger Meatloaf for 50-55 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 160ºF. I highly suggest getting one of these digital thermometers to take the guessing game out of cooking meat. They’re very inexpensive and worth every penny. (As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.)
Let the Cheddar Cheeseburger Meatloaf rest for 5-10 minutes after you take it out of the oven, then slice into eight pieces, and serve!
I’m doing this meatloaf tonight and I know that we are going to love it! And I love your recipe book, budgeted and I am saving money because of it😊
First time I ever made meatloaf and the family absolutely loved this! I needed to cook it about 75 minutes. I did not have Worcestershire so I subbed a dash of soy sauce. The whole house smelled like a cheeseburger!
Ok WOW. I made this tonight using ground venison that was in our freezer, and it was SO GOOD. My husband and I almost finished the entire recipe by ourselves. Cannot wait to make this again. Thank you so much for a wonderful recipe!
Oh my goodness! My finicky son and skeptical wife were gobsmacked by this delicious recipe! Thanks for making this dad the hero in the story! You have a wonderful site with delicious easy to follow recipes.
Sincerely,
Vince
I always disliked meatloaf growing up and don’t think I had made it since adulthood. I tried it tonight when searching for a recipe to use up some ground beef….this was delicious!!! I had 2…maybe 3 slices myself and my 3 year old kept wanting more! He ate almost 2 slices, definitely a win for this family!! I had seasoned breadcrumbs so I subbed those and some shredded cheese in places of block, everything else remained as called for and it was absolutely delicious! Thanks for a wonderful recipe that will be a staple In our household now!!
This is the best meatloaf recipe that I have ever made! Thank you so much for sharing.
I was hesitant at first, but once I took that first bite I was in meatloaf heaven. I did as worchestire sauce an wow. I have some for the freezer as well. Another slam dunk for you Beth an the budget byte team.
I meant I added the worchestire sauce an I wondered if you experimented with ground turkey?
Wonderful! i had never baked my meatloaf in anything other than a loaf pan and your way was so much quicker! I followed your recipe exactly but was out of bread crumbs, so I used butter crackers (omg). Thank you for a great recipe. We’re having meatloaf sandwiches for lunch!
This is my husband’s all time favorite meatloaf recipe. It’s a huge hit every time I make it. Thanks again, Beth, for another great recipe!
I hated meatloaf growing up, probably because I wasn’t served this. I substituted pepperjack because I had a half brick left over, and used store bought bbq sauce that has been lurking in the fridge instead of making my own sauce. It was perfect! I roasted some whole sweet potatoes to accompany. Had to beg husband not to eat in one sitting.
Great work using what you had on hand! I’m going to have to try it with pepperjack!
Can this be frozen after cooking?
It sure can!
I substituted ground turkey and added 1/2 cup of diced fresh white mushrooms and it was delicious. I’d make again but add a little more chopped mushrooms.
Great swaps Karen!
Simple and amazing recipe!! Thank you!
Thank you Janelle!
Does this really slice well ? , My meatloaf never does ,but want to try this recipe ?
Try using a serrated knife, that should help!
Made this tonight and made a meatloaf hater actually eat two pieces. Love it
WIN!!!
Made this tonight and it was a hit for the entire family and our neighbor !
Love it!