This flavorful sausage meatloaf is topped with a balsamic ketchup glaze and is easy to prepare with a blend of county sausage and ground beef.
If you are looking for a new way to craft a delicious meatloaf for a great weeknight dinner, this is it. Country sausage is already heavily seasoned with herbs and spices, so it brings a lot of great flavor to the party. This makes for an easy meatloaf because there aren't a lot of other ingredients required.
What is it?
Sausage meatloaf is not made entirely with sausage. It is actually a blend of ground beef and country pork sausage (check out the link if you need a visual example). Since country sausage is so heavily seasoned, only ½ pound is needed and can be blended with one pound of ground beef.
Every classic meatloaf recipe needs a proper glaze. Yes, you can simply use ketchup, but that is a bit boring. This recipe blends balsamic vinegar and Worcestershire sauce with ketchup and it really makes an exciting glaze.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Lean Ground beef - 80/20 beef is typically recommended for meatloaf, but since pork sausage already has a lot of excess fat, I use 85/15 beef instead. You can substitute plain ground pork.
- Country sausage - Country sausage, or breakfast sausage, is best for this recipe. However, you can make an Italian sausage meatloaf by using hot Italian sausage or mild Italian sausage as a substitution.
- Breadcrumbs - You can make meatloaf without breadcrumbs by using cracker crumbs.
- Egg - A beaten egg serves as a binder to hold the meatloaf together, but you can make an eggless meatloaf in a pinch.
- Milk - Milk soaks into the breadcrumbs to help keep everything moist and tender.
- Sweet onion - Yellow onion can be substituted.
- Garlic - If you are out of fresh garlic, substitute ½ teaspoon of garlic powder.
- Kosher salt - Salt is always needed to wake up the flavors.
- Ground black pepper - Fresh ground is best.
- Ketchup - Ketchup is the backbone of the glaze. Heinz chili sauce could be substituted for a little extra flavor.
- Balsamic vinegar - Adds a bright tangy punch.
- Worcestershire sauce - Deepens the flavor of the glaze.
How to make it
To make this sausage meatloaf recipe, first, get your oven preheated to 350 degrees. While the oven heats up break apart your beef and sausage into small pieces and place them into a large mixing bowl.
Add the plain bread crumbs, egg, milk, onion, garlic, salt, and black pepper to the bowl as well, then mix everything together well.
In a separate small bowl, mix together the ketchup, balsamic vinegar, and Worcestershire sauce to form the tangy glaze.
Line a bread pan with aluminum foil (this helps with cleanup and easy removal of the baked meatloaf), then spread a spoonful of glaze across the bottom. Place the meat mixture into the breadpan and press to form it into an even loaf. Then paint the remaining glaze on top of the meatloaf.
Place the meatloaf in the oven for 60 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees when tested with a meat thermometer. Then let cool slightly and serve with fluffy mashed potatoes.
Storing and Reheating Leftovers
Leftover meatloaf should be stored in the refrigerator and sealed in an airtight container or covered in plastic wrap for up to one week. It is best reheated in individual servings in the microwave, or you can gently warm slices in a small skillet. I highly recommend using these for leftover meatloaf sandwiches.
Sausage Meatloaf
Equipment
- Bread loaf pan
Ingredients
Meatloaf
- 1 pound ground beef
- ½ pound country sausage
- ¾ cups breadcrumbs
- 1 large egg (beaten)
- ¾ cup milk
- ½ medium onion (finely chopped)
- 2 small cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
Glaze
- ½ cup ketchup
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- ½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Gently crumble beef and sausage into a large bowl.
- Add breadcrumbs, beaten egg, milk, onion, garlic, salt, and pepper. Mix together thoroughly with your hands to ensure everything is evenly combined.
- Prepare the glaze by mixing ketchup with balsamic vinegar and Worcestershire sauce.
- Paint the bottom of your bread pan with two tablespoons of glaze.
- Add the meatloaf mixture into the bread pan and press to fill out the pan.
- Add all remaining glaze to the top of the meatloaf and place it in the oven.
- Bake for 60 minutes, or until it reaches 160 degrees.
- Remove from oven, let cool slightly, slice and serve.
Notes
Nutritional Information
This recipe was originally published on May 1, 2020.
Mrs Haigh
I cook for our house and my father in law next door and this is a huge hit all around!
Jen
Very good. I used sweet Italian sausage instead of country sausage and used gluten free bread crumbs. The only other change I made was to use a shallot instead of the onion. So juicy and tasty. Will definitely make again. The leftovers made terrific meatloaf hoagies too!
Teresa Doyle
Each year when one of us gets a deer, my husband gets maple sausage made. I think he would enjoy this made with venison using a lb of maple sausage and a lb of the regular burger. I’ll have to try your recipe. Sounds like one he’d love. TFS!