Bacon Cheeseburger Meatloaf

Everyone has their own special meatloaf recipe and most of us step outside of our meatloaf box every once in a while and try other variations.  Face it, we're pretty picky about our meatloaf; we know exactly what we want.

Be prepared for your eyes to roll to the back of your head!  This rolled meatloaf filled with bacon and cheese, will put a smile on even the pickiest of eaters faces.

This is my most favorite meatloaf - for now..


2 pounds lean ground beef
2 tbsps. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/2 cup Italian bread crumbs
1/2 cup finely chopped onions
1/4 cup finely chopped celery
1/2 of green bell pepper - finely chopped
1 heaping tbsp minced garlic
2 tbsps. chopped flat leaf parsley
2 eggs
1-1/2 tsps. Kosher salt
1-1/2 tsps. black pepper
2 cups shredded Sharp Cheddar cheese
4 slices of hickory smoked bacon, cooked and crumbled


Heat a skillet over medium high heat and add the olive oil.  Once oil begins to ripple add in the onions celery and bell pepper and saute for about 2 minutes.  Add in the garlic and parsely and saute for another 2 to 3 minutes.  Remove skillet from heat and place veggies in a bowl to cool slightly.

Preheat oven to 375°F.

In a large mixing bowl, combine beef, bread crumbs, wilted veggies, eggs, salt and pepper. Mix well.

Place meat mixture on a piece of wax paper about 18 inches long.  Place meet mixture on wax paper and place another piece of wax paper equally as long on top of the meat.  Using a large baking sheet, press the meat out to about 1/2 inch thick with aproximate dimensions of 10" x 15".  Spread cheese over the meat, leaving a 3/4 inch border around the edges. Sprinkle bacon over cheese. Roll the meat in a jellyroll fashion to enclose the filling and form a pinwheel loaf. Press both ends to enclose the cheese.



Place in a large baking dish or pan with high sides and bake for about 45 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 160°F.   Allow to rest for about 5 minutes before slicing.

Not very photogenic, but very tasty!  Sauteing the veggies first makes a world of difference as opposed to mixing raw veggies with the meat.

The second best part of this - leftovers the next day - meatloaf sammies!