Italian Style Meatloaf – Polpettone
My Italian-Style Meatloaf – Polpettone, is classic comfort food at its best. Made with Italian staples like pancetta, basil, and Parmesan, it tastes like a giant, perfectly seasoned meatball bathed in a rich marinara-style tomato sauce.
Table of contents
Ingredients
- Breadcrumbs
- Milk
- Olive oil
- Pancetta
- Onion
- Garlic
- Carrot
- Celery
- Ground beef (mince)
- Basil
- Parmesan cheese
- Oregano
- Egg
- Salt
- Black pepper
Marinara/pomodoro sauce in Italian meatloaf
To keep with the Italian theme, I top the loaf with Homemade Marinara Sauce. Make sure to save extra for drizzling over the sliced meatloaf. It’s just like classic Italian gravy!
You can use any favorite pasta sauce to top the loaf before baking, which creates a flavorful crust as it cooks. When tomatoes are in season, try making your own Roasted Tomato Sauce for an even brighter, fresher flavor.
What is polpettone?
An Italian dish that’s essentially a big meatball, often compared to a meatloaf. Served as a main dish.
- An Italian dish that’s essentially a big meatball, often compared to a meatloaf. Served as a main dish.
- Polpette = small meatballs
- Polpettine = mini meatballs
- Polpettone = one large meatball (meatloaf-style)
Soaking bread or breadcrumbs in milk
Making a panadae, iis a key step that should be done before adding the breadcrumbs to the meat mixture. Soaking them in milk softens the breadcrumbs, allowing them to blend seamlessly into the mixture and helping keep the meatballs tender, moist, and light rather than dense or dry.
This is an all-beef meatloaf made with carrots, celery, onion, and garlic. I’ve found it’s best to partially cook the vegetables before adding them to the raw meat, as they won’t fully cook through during baking.
Herbs in meatloaf
Fresh or dried herbs are an easy way to add flavor to meatloaf. For this recipe, I use fresh basil, but rosemary, thyme, or parsley work just as well—use your favorite.
Hard-boiled eggs
In many classic Italian recipes, especially older or regional ones, polpettone is stuffed with hard-boiled eggs, often placed whole down the center before baking or braising. When sliced, you get that distinctive cross-section with egg in the middle—very traditional and very Italian.
In fact, I have a recipe for a Bacon, Egg, and Cheese Breakfast Loaf—think breakfast meatloaf.
Ground meat
I typically use ground beef for my meatloaf recipe. In other recipes, like my pork, apple, and sage meatloaf, I use ground pork. You can also use ground turkey or chicken, or combine beef and pork—and sometimes veal—for added flavor and tenderness.
Pancetta
Adds great flavor to plain meat. If you can’t find it, mortadella is a good substitute (which I use in my Polpette recipe).
How to keep your meatloaf from drying out
Use a higher fat content of beef. At least 15% fat, because fat is also flavor. Another meatloaf tip – don’t overcook! Use a meat thermometer to check that the internal temperature has reached no less than 165°F/75°C.
Getting the right moisture level in meatloaf is a balancing act. Too much liquid and it will fall apart, not enough and it will be dry, so keep this in mind.
More meatloaf recipes
- Pork, Apple, and Sage Meatloaf – Savory pork meets sweet apple and fragrant sage for a cozy twist on classic meatloaf.
- Meatloaf Wellington – A showstopping meatloaf wrapped in buttery puff pastry, perfect for special occasions.
Tips for success
- Don’t skip the panade
Soak the breadcrumbs in milk before mixing. This keeps the meatloaf tender and prevents it from becoming dense or dry. Use the same mixing bowl, then add the remaining ingredients. - Handle gently
Mix just until combined using a fork. Overmixing compacts the meat and results in a tough texture. - Season well
Meatloaf needs more seasoning than you think. Salt, pepper, aromatics, and cheese all help build flavor. - Let it rest
Rest the meatloaf for 10–15 minutes after baking so it holds together when sliced. - Use a thermometer
Meatloaf is done at 160°F (71°C). This ensures it’s cooked through without drying out. - Drain excess fat
If needed, carefully pour off excess liquid or fat halfway through baking to avoid a greasy loaf.
If you’ve made my Italian Style Meatloaf – Polpettone, please leave a star rating in the recipe. You can also leave me a comment below, or ask a question.
Italian Style Meatloaf – Polpettone
Video
Ingredients
- 1 slice of bread lightly toasted then ground into breadcrumbs in the food processor, to yield ⅔ cup of breadcrumbs
- ½ cup (118 ml) whole milk
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ¾ cup (⅓ pound/170 grams) pancetta or unsmoked pork belly
- ¾ cup (110 grams) onion, chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- ¾ cup (90 grams) carrot, finely chopped
- ¾ cup (90 grams) celery, finely chopped
- 2 pounds (1 kg) ground/minced beef
- 1 ½ tablespoons fresh basil, chopped
- ¼ cup (70 grams) Parmesan cheese
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- 2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped
- 1 large egg, beaten
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 ½ cups (354 grams) marinara/pasta sauce, divided in half
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F/200°C.
- Lightly oil a large rectangle, high sided casserole dish. I use a 9 x 13-inch (23 x 33 cm).
- To a sauté pan add the oil over medium heat. Add the pancetta, onion, garlic, carrot and celery. Cook until the vegetables soften and the pancetta slightly crisp.
- Transfer to a bowl and allow to cool.
- To a mixing bowl add the breadcrumbs and milk, and leave for until all the milk is soaked.
- Once the pancetta mix is cool, add the ground beef, bread and milk mix, Parmesan, oregano, basil, egg, salt and pepper and half of the marinara sauce. Mix until everything is well combined.
- Add to the casserole dish and mold into a meatloaf shape, about 10 x 5-inches (25 x 13 cm).
- Top with the remaining marinara sauce.
- Bake for about 1 hour, or until a thermometer when inserted into the center reaches 165°F/75°C.
- Remove from the oven and allow to rest for 10 minutes before slicing and serving. Serve with extra marinara sauce
How much onion pancetta and carrots do you use
Are the measurements not showing for you? 6 oz pancetta, 1 onion and 2 carrots.
When I make ital>n meatloaf I mix mozzarella cheese into the meat mixture and it melts inside. It’s really good
I love this idea and will give it a try, thank you.
Do you by any chance have a recipe for the marinara sauce you would use for this recipe? I have been looking for a new marinara recipe and all of yours sound so amazing so far, I would imagine your marinara recipe sounds the same!
Hi Janelle, I do have a marinara recipe, here is the link:
https://culinaryginger.com/easy-homemade-marinara-sauce/ This meatloaf is so good and my new go-to at the moment. I hope you enjoy it.
Ahhh meatloaf, my old friend. I was always that “weird” kid who LOVED meatloaf, but today I just consider myself ahead of the times. 🙂 This looks SO dang good!
My mom used to make meatloaf growing up but I never liked it much… this looks juicier and tastier!
Thank you so much Sarah
Yummm! I need a go-to meatloaf recipe…pancetta may have just tipped the scale into a full YES on this one 🙂
The pancetta is a great addition 🙂
I grew up in Italy and polpettone is a sunday must! You just reminded me I should definitely making it soon, this is comfort food at its best!
I had no idea there was an real Italian version. Thank you for the info 🙂
This meatloaf looks so well prepared. And italian flavors are just spot on! yumm!
Oh how yummy! I especially love addition of the pancetta. Comforting, indeed. 🙂