Name: Cheesy Loaded Meatloaf Casserole
Ingredients: 2 lbs ground beef (I use 80/20 because fat = flavor); 1/2 lb ground pork (trust me on this one, it makes everything juicier); 1 medium onion, diced small (nobody likes biting into huge onion chunks); 3 cloves garlic, minced (or 5 if you’re like me and measure garlic with your heart); 1 cup breadcrumbs (panko works great); 2 eggs (the glue that holds our masterpiece together); 1/4 cup ketchup (plus more for the top); 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce (that magical stuff); 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard (adds depth without tasting mustardy); 1 teaspoon dried thyme (or 1 tablespoon fresh if you’re fancy); 1 teaspoon smoked paprika (regular works too, but smoked is AMAZING); Salt and pepper (be generous!); 2 lbs russet potatoes, thinly sliced (about 1/4 inch thick); 2 tablespoons butter, melted; 2 cloves garlic, minced; 1 teaspoon dried herbs (Italian seasoning or just oregano work great); Salt and pepper; 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese (get the good stuff and shred it yourself); 8 strips bacon, cooked and crumbled (because everything’s better with bacon); 3 green onions, sliced; 1/2 cup sour cream for serving; Optional: sliced jalapeños, if you’re feeling spicy

Description

So I was craving meatloaf one night but was feeling WAY too lazy to form a loaf. Then it hit me – why not just throw all those delicious meatloaf ingredients into a casserole dish, top it with every comfort food addition I could think of, and call it dinner? The result is this ridiculous (in the best way) Cheesy Loaded Meatloaf Casserole. It’s basically all the flavor of a great meatloaf but with extra cheese, potatoes, and toppings that would make a loaded baked potato jealous. Comfort food level: MAXIMUM.

Ingredients

Scale

For the Meat Layer:

2 lbs ground beef (I use 80/20 because fat = flavor)
1/2 lb ground pork (trust me on this one, it makes everything juicier)
1 medium onion, diced small (nobody likes biting into huge onion chunks)
3 cloves garlic, minced (or 5 if you’re like me and measure garlic with your heart)
1 cup breadcrumbs (panko works great)
2 eggs (the glue that holds our masterpiece together)
1/4 cup ketchup (plus more for the top)
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce (that magical stuff)
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard (adds depth without tasting mustardy)
1 teaspoon dried thyme (or 1 tablespoon fresh if you’re fancy)
1 teaspoon smoked paprika (regular works too, but smoked is AMAZING)
Salt and pepper (be generous!)

For the Potato Layer:

2 lbs russet potatoes, thinly sliced (about 1/4 inch thick)
2 tablespoons butter, melted
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon dried herbs (Italian seasoning or just oregano work great)
Salt and pepper

For the Loaded Toppings:

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese (get the good stuff and shred it yourself)
8 strips bacon, cooked and crumbled (because everything’s better with bacon)
3 green onions, sliced
1/2 cup sour cream for serving
Optional: sliced jalapeños, if you’re feeling spicy