Garlic Parmesan Meatloaf is a tender, savory meatloaf made with lean ground beef, fresh garlic, panko and plenty of Parmesan, seasoned with Italian seasoning, dried onion and parsley. Half of the Parmesan goes into the meat, and the other half is sprinkled over the baked loaf and browned under the broiler for a cheesy top. It serves 4 and is ready in 65 minutes, including a short rest.
How to make it: Mix the beef gently with the panko, half the Parmesan, garlic, egg, milk and seasonings, shape it into a loaf and bake it at 350°F until the center reaches 160°F. Scatter the rest of the Parmesan on top, broil it for about a minute until it melts and browns, then let the loaf rest before slicing.
Why You’ll Love It
- Garlic and Parmesan all the way through: fresh garlic and cheese go into the meat, with a browned Parmesan layer on top.
- Pantry seasonings: dried minced onion, dried parsley and Italian seasoning, no chopping beyond the garlic.
- Beef, turkey or chicken: the same mix works with any of the three.
- Easy to change: bake it as mini loaves, finish it with mozzarella, or spoon a garlic Parmesan cream sauce over the slices.
Ingredient Notes
Lean ground beef: One pound. Ground turkey or ground chicken can take its place; see the section on choosing the meat below.
Parmesan cheese: Shredded and divided: half for the mix, half for the broiled top. Parmesan grated fresh off the block works too.
Garlic: Three cloves, freshly minced. Use fresh garlic rather than garlic powder here. Garlic Parmesan chicken meatloaves baked in a muffin pan go as high as 10 cloves for 2 pounds of meat.
Panko breadcrumbs: Half a cup. Italian-style breadcrumbs bring their own seasoning, and plain breadcrumbs work as well.
Egg and milk: One egg and just a tablespoon of milk. Any milk works.
Seasonings: Dried minced onion, dried parsley, Italian seasoning, kosher salt and black pepper. Fresh flat-leaf parsley adds more flavor than dried if you have it.
Ingredients
- 1 pound lean ground beef (16 ounces), or ground turkey or ground chicken
- 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 2/3 cup Parmesan cheese, shredded, divided
- 1 tablespoon dried minced onion
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon milk
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
How to Make Garlic Parmesan Meatloaf
1. Heat the oven. Heat the oven to 350°F.
2. Mix gently. In a mixing bowl, add the beef, panko, half of the Parmesan (1/3 cup), dried onion, garlic, egg, milk, parsley, salt, pepper and Italian seasoning. Mix with your hands just until combined; try not to overmix.
3. Shape the loaf. Form the mixture into a loaf and place it in a loaf pan, or set it on a sheet pan.
4. Bake. Bake for 45 minutes, then check the middle with a thermometer: it should read 160°F for beef (165°F for turkey or chicken). If it isn’t there yet, bake 10 to 15 minutes more and check again.
5. Broil the Parmesan top. Sprinkle the remaining 1/3 cup Parmesan over the top and put the meatloaf under the broiler for about 1 minute, until the cheese melts and browns. Watch it closely.
6. Rest and slice. Let the meatloaf rest for 5 minutes, then slice and serve.
Beef, Turkey or Chicken: Choosing the Meat
Garlic parmesan meatloaf takes lean ground beef, ground turkey or ground chicken, one pound of whichever you pick. The mix and the Parmesan top stay the same; what changes is the temperature that tells you it’s done.
Lean ground beef is safe to eat once the center of the loaf reaches 160°F, the USDA temperature for ground beef, pork, lamb and veal.
Ground turkey and ground chicken need to reach 165°F, the USDA temperature for all ground poultry.
A mix of beef and turkey works too. Because the loaf holds poultry, bake it to 165°F, the higher of the two numbers.
Push an instant-read thermometer into the middle of the loaf after 45 minutes. If it reads low, give it 10 to 15 minutes more and check again before the cheese goes on. Two mini loaves from the same mix take about 30 minutes, so check small loaves early.
Tips for Success
How much should I mix the meatloaf?
Only until it comes together. Mix with your hands just until the panko, cheese and seasonings are combined with the meat, then stop. Try not to overmix, and don’t overhandle it.
Do I need a loaf pan?
No. Grease a loaf pan or coat it with nonstick spray, or line a baking sheet with parchment paper and shape the loaf by hand on it. Both work.
How do I get the Parmesan top golden?
Save half of the cheese for the top and add it only after the loaf is cooked through. About a minute under the broiler melts and browns it. Watch it the whole time.
Variations
- Mini meatloaves: Press the mix into the cups of a greased muffin pan and bake at 350°F for 30 to 35 minutes, until the centers reach 160°F for beef or 165°F for poultry. Then top with the rest of the Parmesan and broil about a minute.
- Garlic Parmesan cream sauce: These amounts are half of a sauce made for 2 pounds of meat, the right size for one loaf. Cook about 1 1/2 minced garlic cloves in 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat for 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in 1/2 tablespoon of flour for 1 minute, whisk in 3/4 cup of heavy cream and cook 3 to 4 minutes, until slightly thickened. Stir in 1 1/2 ounces of grated Parmesan and a pinch of salt, then spoon it over the slices.
- Mozzarella top: Sprinkle shredded mozzarella over the baked loaf and bake 5 to 7 minutes more, until melted and bubbly.
Storage & Reheating
Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours in shallow, covered containers and eat them within 3 to 4 days. To freeze, wrap the loaf or slices tightly in plastic wrap and foil and freeze for 3 to 4 months; thaw overnight in the refrigerator. Reheat covered in the microwave for 1 to 2 minutes or in a 350°F oven for about 15 minutes, until it reaches 165°F. Make any cream sauce fresh rather than freezing it, since cream sauces freeze poorly. Don’t reheat leftovers in a slow cooker.
What to Serve With It
Serve slices with mashed potatoes and a green vegetable such as green beans. For a potato side with the same flavors, try garlic Parmesan mashed potato cups or baked garlic Parmesan potato wedges, and for the vegetable, roasted garlic-Parmesan zucchini, squash and tomatoes. For another meatloaf night, there’s a Parmesan meatloaf with oats, vegetables and a ketchup glaze, old-fashioned Momma’s meatloaf and a French onion meatloaf.
Frequently Asked Questions
What makes a good garlic parmesan meatloaf?
A good one stays simple: lean ground meat, fresh garlic, panko, an egg, a splash of milk, Italian seasoning and plenty of Parmesan, with half the cheese mixed in and half broiled on top. Bake it to 160°F for beef or 165°F for turkey or chicken.
What is the secret to a great meatloaf?
Handle the meat gently and mix only until combined. Check doneness with a thermometer rather than the clock, and let the loaf rest 5 minutes before you slice it.
Can I use ground chicken or turkey instead of beef?
Yes. Use the same amount and bake until the center reaches 165°F. Everything else stays the same.
Can I freeze garlic parmesan meatloaf?
Yes. Wrap the baked loaf tightly in plastic wrap and foil, freeze it for up to 3 to 4 months, thaw it overnight in the refrigerator and reheat it to 165°F. Make any cream sauce fresh.
Final Notes
Mix the meat lightly, save half the Parmesan for the top, and let the thermometer tell you when it’s done: 160°F for beef, 165°F for turkey or chicken. If you make it, tell me how it turned out in the comments.
Garlic Parmesan Meatloaf
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Ingredients
- 1 pound lean ground beef 16 ounces; or ground turkey or ground chicken
- 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 2/3 cup Parmesan cheese shredded, divided
- 1 tablespoon dried minced onion
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon milk
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 350°F.
- In a mixing bowl, add the beef, panko, half of the Parmesan (1/3 cup), dried onion, garlic, egg, milk, parsley, salt, pepper and Italian seasoning. Mix with your hands just until combined; try not to overmix.
- Form the mixture into a loaf and place it in a loaf pan, or set it on a sheet pan.
- Bake for 45 minutes, then check the middle with a thermometer: it should read 160°F for beef (165°F for turkey or chicken). If it isn't there yet, bake 10 to 15 minutes more and check again.
- Sprinkle the remaining 1/3 cup Parmesan over the top and put the meatloaf under the broiler for about 1 minute, until the cheese melts and browns. Watch it closely.
- Let the meatloaf rest for 5 minutes, then slice and serve.
