Don’t waste your leftover meatloaf! Turn it into this quick and easy meatloaf casserole recipe instead, with delicious layers of pasta, ricotta and mozzarella cheese, and meatloaf sauce.
Today’s meatloaf casserole recipe is a delicious use for leftover meatloaf. Most folks I know just recycle it into meatloaf sandwiches but I’m a casserole person myself. This is a casserole my husband and I really enjoy with leftover sloppy joe meat, so I decided to give it a go with meatloaf and meatloaf sauce instead. It was every bit as good as we hoped it would be and then some.
Very much like a meatloaf lasagna, ingredients include pasta, a delicious blend of ricotta cheese and mozzarella cheese (because you can never have too much cheese), crumbled meatloaf, and sauce. An interesting and delicious twist that is sure to please.
Together with those simple ingredients, there are only a few simple steps to follow to make your meatloaf casserole. Once we cook our pasta, all that’s left to do is layer our casserole. We do layers of cheese, meatloaf sauce, and leftover meatloaf. Then it’s time to bake and in 30 minutes your meatloaf casserole is ready. This quick and easy recipe is great for a weeknight supper when you’re craving some good ol’ comfort food.
Recipe Ingredients
- Small shell pasta
- Mozzarella cheese
- Ricotta cheese
- Meatloaf sauce
- Crumbled leftover meatloaf
How to Make Meatloaf Casserole
Cook and drain your pasta according to the package directions.
Place in the bottom of a 9×13 baking dish.
Combine both types of cheese in a large bowl and stir until they’re combined.
Spread half of your cheese mixture over your pasta in the .
Top that with half the can of meatloaf sauce.
Spread it a little to make it go over the whole top.
Top that with all of your crumbled meatloaf mixture. Yum!
(My meatloaf was straight from the fridge, in case anyone is wondering).
Top that with the rest of your cheese mixture.
Spread the remaining tomato sauce over it.
Bake, uncovered, at 350 for 30 minutes or until bubbly.
There you have it. Your meatloaf casserole is ready in no time at all (told ya it was easy peasy).
Hand a good serving of this out and watch your husband’s eyes bug out of his head!
Storage
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days and reheat in the microwave. You can also freeze leftovers for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating in the microwave.
Recipe Notes
- You can make your own meatloaf sauce or use my favorite seasoned Hunt’s. You’ll need about two cups or so either way you go. To make homemade meatloaf sauce, you’ll need ketchup, brown sugar, garlic powder, onion powder, and salt and pepper.
- Another idea is to make what they call a c or a . Your topping would be either homemade or . To go with the loaded theme, top your mashed potatoes with , shredded , and . You could substitute the other mixture and just use the if you like. … it does sound good, right?
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Ingredients
- 2-4 cups crumbled leftover meatloaf
- 1 can meatloaf sauce or 2 cups homemade meatloaf sauce
- 2 cups uncooked small shell pasta
- 2 cups ricotta cheese
- 2 cups mozzarella cheese
Instructions
- Cook pasta according to package directions and drain. Place in the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish.2 cups uncooked small shell pasta
- In a medium bowl, stir together both types of cheese until well combined.2 cups ricotta cheese, 2 cups mozzarella cheese
- Top pasta in the casserole dish with half of the cheese mixture. Spread half the meatloaf sauce over the top. Top with the crumbled meatloaf mixture. Add remaining cheese and top with remaining sauce, spreading to cover the top.1 can meatloaf sauce, 2-4 cups crumbled leftover meatloaf
- Bake, uncovered, at 350 for 30 minutes or until bubbly.
Call it a clan, call it a network, call it a tribe, call it a family:
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Great idea. I have also added leftover meatloaf to a jar of pasta sauce, add a mashed clove of garlic and some red pepper flakes and served over pasta.
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I tried this recipe and it was deicious. I used meatloaf just for this dish because leftover meatloaf doesn’t exist. I also want to try it with sloopy joe meat, which never has leftovers either & then maybe with just cooked ground meat and onions. The only change I may try is to increase the amount of meatloaf sauce and possibly the cheese mixture. I did add a few spices too.
Regarding the content of the dialouge, I too feel that the direction of our country and the lives we may lead is not always positive and way too complicated. Although, I still believe that there is good in most of us. I also believe that the majority of our citizens don’t live the life that is portrayed through the media as commonplace. I can’t stand the Toyota commercial that portrays parents as lame because they don’t drive a Highlander. The media portrays kids as having no respect for others, especially adults. I don’t think that is the way the majority raises their kids but it is what is portrayed to our kids and families. I feel blessed to have a great relationship with my three adult daughters. My youngest, a civil engineering student wants to come home one weekend so we can shop for the business attire she needs for her honors faternity functions. I assumed she would want me to just send her some money but she wants to come home and us shop together. How great is that? Gotta love it!! I will fix this casserole for her too, I know she’ll love it. Thanks for this awesome recipe and story.
Sorry for any typos. The text on this mini laptop is very tiny & the keyboard is somewhat delayed in keeping up with what I type.
Thank you so much Geo!! I hope ya’ll have fun shopping, that is the best compliment!
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Hi Christy,
You know I love you from afar and admire you as a food writer, but what is this “leftover meatloaf” you speak of?
My “babies,” all still living at home, are 21, 19, 16 and 16 and three of them are male — PLUS, my 19-year-old daughter’s boyfriend is often here for dinner, so this phantom “leftover meatloaf” ingredient is indeed something I’ve never experienced.
^.^
Guess I’ll have to start making TWO meatloaves at a time (I know, there’s a Southern Plate post for that)!
Hugs,
— Erika
I love this, and for a different reason. There are only two of us, and what to do with left over meatloaf is a trial. THANK YOU!!!