Description
Hearty Cheesy Loaded Meatloaf Casserole brings comfort and satisfaction to dinner tables across America. Melted cheese, savory ground beef, and classic comfort ingredients combine for a mouthwatering meal that satisfies deep hunger and warms souls.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat:
- 1 pound (454 grams) ground beef
- 0.5 pound (227 grams) ground pork
Binding and Seasoning Ingredients:
- 1 large egg
- 1 cup (240 milliliters) breadcrumbs
- 0.5 cup (120 milliliters) milk
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
Topping and Garnish:
- 2 cups (480 grams) mashed potatoes
- 1 cup (113 grams) shredded cheddar cheese
- 0.5 cup (57 grams) cooked and crumbled bacon
- 0.25 cup (40 grams) chopped green onions
Instructions
- Warm the oven to 375°F, preparing a conducive environment for a robust casserole creation.
- Combine ground meats with aromatics and binding agents in a spacious mixing vessel. Gently fold ingredients together, ensuring cohesion without compromising texture.
- Transfer the meat mixture into a greased rectangular baking vessel, distributing evenly to promote uniform cooking.
- Carefully layer prepared mashed potatoes across the meat foundation, smoothing the surface for consistent coverage.
- Generously scatter shredded cheddar cheese, crispy bacon fragments, and finely chopped green onions atop the potato layer, creating a vibrant and textural topping.
- Slide the assembled casserole into the preheated oven, allowing it to transform for 35-40 minutes until the cheese melts into a golden, bubbling canopy and the meat reaches optimal doneness.
- Allow the dish to rest momentarily after removing from the oven, enabling ingredients to settle and facilitating cleaner, more precise serving portions.
Notes
- Gently combine ingredients to keep the meatloaf tender and prevent a tough, dense texture.
- Warm cold mashed potatoes slightly for easier spreading and more even distribution across the casserole.
- Replace ground beef and pork with ground turkey or chicken for a lighter, lower-fat version of the dish.
- Use gluten-free breadcrumbs or crushed gluten-free crackers to make the recipe suitable for those with gluten sensitivities.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 850 mg
- Fat: 25 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 28 g
- Cholesterol: 100 mg