This recipe takes this old fashioned dish to a whole new level! If you love new dinner ideas you’ll love Philly cheesesteak meatloaf. We will go over how it’s made and how long to cook meatloaf (2 Lbs.) so it comes out moist and delicious every time!
We love this classic dish so much that it is fun to tweak it into other classic meals like this one!! First we kinda’ deconstructed the ingredients and made Sloppy Joe Philly Cheesesteak which was such a hit with followers we had to make something else – thus this fun meatloaf recipe was created!
If you’re in my generation, or a bit older, I am sure you had the basic meatloaf recipe that your mom made….that your Grandmother made…..and probably even before that.
If so get ready for your mind to be blown if that is what you continue to make because this will open up a whole new world of meat made in a loaf friends. 😉 Let’s talk about what you need to get this fun meal started.
Ingredient Notes
We are going to start with 2 pounds of ground beef. Now you could change this up a bit. If you wanted to mix 1 lb. spicy ground sausage (I love the Jimmy Dean HOT) with the ground beef you could but know there will be more grease in the pan.
Can you use ground turkey?
Yes, it would become similar to our chicken parmesan meatloaf if you swapped out the meat to this healthier type. With that said, it is possible but know that with less fat = less flavor so it isn’t my favorite swap.
I do like to add organic eggs into the mix for moisture. With that said I have actually used barbecue sauce instead! You can take a peek at our bbq meatloaf to see the outcome of that. Adds a ton of flavor. You’d substitute about 1/4 cup instead of the 2. And a bit of milk makes it more tedner too.
To counter the moisture above you will want to add breadcrumbs. Plain or Italian work just fine for this. I have measurements below but if you substitute anything above you may need a pinch more or less, enough where it forms a loaf nicely.
What can you use other than breadcrumbs?
There are lots of other choices. We have used Old Fashioned oats, crushed crackers and I think our favorite would be our stove top stuffing meatloaf! Yes, that is right you just use that boxed mix that bakes into the meat and adds a ton of flavor to the meat.
Diced onions, bell pepper and minced garlic need to be sauteed on the stovetop first and for the seasonings I add a lot but that is subjective.
To add the flavors you would expect in this classic Philly sandwich you will want some cheese(s). I add some to the middle layer so it is stuffed in a sense as well as melted on the very top with some ketchup.
How Long to Cook Philly Cheesesteak Meatloaf
Ok let’s talk about probably one of the most important aspects of baking ground beef in a loaf, the cook time. You do NOT want to cook this too long. If using just beef remember that it can be a bit pink inside. You want it to be or else it will be dried out and chewy…..no good.
The ideal internal temperature of meatloaf is 160F. With that said as it rests it will rise another 5 degrees. So it is best to remove at 155-160 and NO higher. What I do is wait until it reaches 155F in the thickest center portion. Then I add the ketchup and cheese for another 5 minutes. It is usually right where I want it to be at that time.
How do you know when it is done?
Ideally you will have a meat thermometer on hand to stick in the center and follow the suggestions made above. The biggest thing to look for is clear grease around the edges. The top should be golden brown and cheese should be nicely melted.
Once you have this perfected you can mess around with it and make it even more fun and interesting. Instead of in a loaf pan you can use the mixture to make a batch of Meatloaf Stuffed Onions, or bake in a muffin tin sometime. Those are always a hit with guests who have never thought outside of the box. 😉
Philly Cheesesteak Meatloaf Recipe
Equipment
- 1 9×5 loaf pan
- 1 Bowl
- 1 skillet
Ingredients
- 2 pounds ground beef, could use half spicy ground sausage and half ground beef if you want to add heat
- 1 tbsp olive oil, to soften vegetables
- 1 small onion, diced
- 1 small bell pepper, diced
- 3 tbsp garlic, minced
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp pepper
- 1 tsp worcestershire sauce
- 3/4 tbsp steak seasoning
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup Italian breadcrumbs, or use finely crushed crackers
- 1/2 cup milk
- 2 tbsp ketchup
- 1 cup provolone cheese, shredded or diced
- 1/4 cup ketchup, or bbq sauce for top
- 3/4 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded for top
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F. Line loaf pan with parchment paper.
- In a skillet over medium heat add the olive oil, diced onions and bell peppers and cook for 5 minutes or so until they soften. Then add garlic and saute for another 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat to allow to cool down.
- In a bowl mix together ground beef, cooked and slightly cooled veggies, worcestershire sauce, eggs, breadcrumbs, milk, all seasonings and ketchup. Mix just until combined, no longer.
- Put half ground beef mixture into loaf pan and spread out. Put provolone cheese in the center topped with remaining meat mixture so the cheese is sealed inside.
- Bake in the oven for about 50 minutes or until the center reaches 155F. Then spread ketchup or bbq sauce on the top and sprinkle mozzarella cheese on top of that. Bake for another 5-10 minutes so that melts and internal temp reaches 160F.
- Allow to sit in pan for 5 minutes before slicing and serving.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
How to Save Leftovers
Once it has completely cooled you want to keep it as moist as possible. It is best to wrap in plastic wrap or store in a sealed container, in the fridge for up to 3 days. You can reheat in microwave for 45 seconds or make into one of our leftover meatloaf recipes.
