Cheeseburger Meatloaf - Real Life Dinner

Meatloaf has to be one of the best comfort foods there is. I thought it was just me who loves it, but my Classic Meatloaf Recipe has been the most popular recipe on my site for over three years. So, I guess, I’m not alone. I decided to mix things up a little and turned that recipe into this amazing Cheeseburger Meatloaf. It is delicious! The little bites of pickles and melty cheese with the ketchup and mustard glaze on top are a combination any cheeseburger lover will fall in love with! Also, it’s gluten-free.

I debated whether I should put the cheese as more of a layer in the middle of the meatloaf or maybe even roll it up in the meatloaf like the stuffing in this Stuffed Meatloaf recipe. Ultimately, I decided that having it in the middle might make it hard to get the meatloaf out as a complete slice, and rolling it could also cause issues with the meatloaf slice staying together, since the cheese would be melty and “slippery.”

Cutting it into little cubes turned out perfect. Bites of melty cheese scattered throughout the meatloaf are the perfect way to make sure you get a little cheese in every bite. I hope you love this fun and easy spin on a classic favorite!

More Comfort Food Recipes

How to make CheeseBurger Meatloaf

Tips for making Cheeseburger Meatloaf

If you have picky eaters, cut the onions and pickles into tiny pieces. Use a food processor to do this, if you would like. You could also replace the fresh onion with onion flakes or onion powder if you prefer.
I have found that cheddar cheese works best in this recipe for the authentic cheeseburger flavor. I haven’t tried American cheese yet, but I think that would also be a great choice.
If you like a lot of glaze, double the recipe for that part.
Add the glaze halfway through the cooking time. Otherwise, it can kind of slide off the top towards the edges. I like to broil it for a minute at the end to get a little more caramelization on the glaze.
Drain grease out of the pan before serving, or use a meatloaf pan so it will drain itself. Another tip is to put slices of bread under the meatloaf so the bread can soak up the grease as it cooks.

5.0 from 1 reviews

Cheeseburger Meatloaf

Pickles and cubes of cheese take my favorite classic meatloaf recipe to a whole new level. This cheeseburger meatloaf is so fun and will be a hit with the whole family.

Author: Maria

Recipe type: Comfort Food

Serves: 6-8

Ingredients

1½ lbs of ground beef
8 oz of cheddar cheese, cut into small cubes (approx. ½ inch)
¾ cup quick oatmeal
¾ cup milk
1 egg
½ cup onion, finely diced
½ cup dill pickles, finely chopped
1¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp ground pepper
GLAZE
⅓ cup ketchup
2 tbsp brown sugar
1 tbsp mustard

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Combine ground beef, cheese cubes, oatmeal, milk, egg, onion, pickles, salt, and pepper in a medium-sized mixing bowl.
Use your hands to incorporate everything into the meat until it is thoroughly mixed. This should only take about 30 seconds. You don't want to overmix.
Transfer the meat into a large loaf pan or meatloaf pan. Press it down evenly into the pan.
Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour and 30 minutes. Halfway through cooking time add the glaze.
To make the glaze, stir together the ketchup, brown sugar, and mustard in a small bowl. Pour evenly over the meatloaf. (You can add this at the beginning of baking time if you prefer. I just like to do it halfway through.)
When meatloaf is done baking, remove from the oven and drain off the grease. Let meatloaf stand for 5-10 minutes before serving.
Enjoy!