Bacon Cheeseburger Meatloaf

Do you guys want to hear a sob story?

My parents never, not once, fed me meatloaf as a child. How dare they! What kind of parents were they, anyway?!

I mean, sure, most kids hate meatloaf and yes, I absolutely would have whined about it had my parents dared to serve me a hunk of loaf shaped meat full of who knows what.

But, still. It’s the principle of the matter.

As an adult, I’m now obsessed with meatloaf and it’s probably no surprise that this cheeseburger meatloaf is my go-to recipe. The kids love burgers and this is a fun mash-up of the two!

We love a good burger, like our animal style burger, but we really to play around with burgers and get creative, like with our cheeseburger soup and cheeseburger casserole!

Our bacon cheeseburger meatloaf has a secret ingredient that keeps it so moist and flavorful, a tangy sweet sauce that makes my dreams come true, and it has bits of bacon in every bite.

This meatloaf goes great with my green bean casserole and mashed cauliflower or crockpot mashed potatoes.

Ingredient Notes:

Ground Beef – We go for a 90/10 beef here. There is plenty of fat from the bacon, cheddar, and mayo, so no need to worry about this drying out.

Bacon – Fry it up and crumble it or dice it before you fry. This easy air fryer bacon is a great way to prepare it ahead of time too.

Cheddar Cheese – It’s a cheeseburger meatloaf recipe so use your favorite cheese! We like cheddar but any shredded cheese or mix is okay. Freshly grated cheese is even better.

Rolled Oats – These will add a bit of chewy texture, help absorb any excess moisture while it bakes, and works as a binder to help hold the meatloaf together.

Stove Top Stuffing – This is our secret ingredient, adding both flavor and moisture to the meatloaf. It works in pretty much any meatloaf recipe, even our turkey meatloaf recipe, and is a must for me! We use the chicken version.

Tangy Sauce – We combine ketchup and mustard for the sauce. These will get mixed into the meatloaf. You’ll also mix some up with brown sugar to prepare a simple topping that’ll get nice and caramelized in the oven!

Other – You’ll also need some mayonnaise and egg. These will also act as binders to hold all the ingredients together, and to keep the meatloaf from drying out. We’re also adding a bit of salt for seasoning.

Step by Step Instructions:

Start by chopping the bacon into bite sized pieces and then fry in a skillet until they are just about crispy. Drain the grease and add the bacon to a large mixing bowl.

Add everything but the ketchup, mustard, and brown sugar to the bowl with the bacon.

Add the ketchup and mustard to a small dish and stir them to combine. Add half of this to the meatloaf mixture and then stir the brown sugar into the rest of the ketchup and mustard combo.

Use your hands to mix the meatloaf together well. Be careful not to overwork the meatloaf or it will be tough. Shape into a loaf and place in a pan.

Spread the remaining sauce over the top of the meatloaf and pop this in the oven. It’ll take around 45 minutes to bake through. We like to check with a meat thermometer to be sure that the meatloaf has reached 160 degrees and is fully cooked.

Storage & Freezing:

Refrigerator: Store your meatloaf tightly covered in the fridge for up to 4 days.

Freezer: Wrap your meatloaf tightly in foil, either as a whole loaf or in individual slices. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating for the best results.

Leftovers: Use your leftover meatloaf in our meatloaf quesadilla or make a classic meatloaf sandwich with white bread, plenty of mayo, and a cold slice of cheeseburger meatloaf.

Recipe FAQs: