Meatloaf Casserole

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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.

Close-up of ladle filled with meatloaf casserole.

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.

Labeled ingredients for meatloaf casserole.

Recipe Ingredients

  • Small shell pasta
  • Mozzarella cheese
  • Ricotta cheese
  • Meatloaf sauce
  • Crumbled leftover meatloaf

How to Make Meatloaf Casserole

Cook pasta according to package directions.

Cook and drain your pasta according to the package directions.

Place cooked pasta in baking dish.

Place in the bottom of a 9×13 baking dish.

Combine both types of cheese in a mixing bowl.

Combine both types of cheese in a large bowl and stir until they’re combined.

Spread half of the cheese over the pasta.

Spread half of your cheese mixture over your pasta in the casserole dish.

Top cheese with half the can of sauce.

Top that with half the can of meatloaf sauce.

Spread sauce.

Spread it a little to make it go over the whole top.

Add crumbled meatloaf next.

Top that with all of your crumbled meatloaf mixture. Yum!

(My meatloaf was straight from the fridge, in case anyone is wondering).

Add remaining cheese.

Top that with the rest of your cheese mixture.

Spread remaining sauce on top.

Spread the remaining tomato sauce over it.

Meatloaf casserole ready for the oven.

Bake, uncovered, at 350 for 30 minutes or until bubbly.

Ladle removing a portion of meatloaf casserole from baking dish.

There you have it. Your meatloaf casserole is ready in no time at all (told ya it was easy peasy).

Portion of meatloaf casserole on plate.

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 tomato sauce from 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 cowboy meatloaf casserole or a loaded potato meatloaf casserole. Your topping would be either homemade mashed potato or instant mashed potato. To go with the loaded potato theme, top your mashed potatoes with bacon bits, shredded cheddar cheese, and fried onions. You could substitute the other cheese mixture and just use the cheddar cheese if you like. Mashed potato meatloaf casserole… it does sound good, right?

You may also like these recipes:

Meatloaf Burgers

Italian Meatloaf

Sloppy Joes Casserole

Slow Cooker Sloppy Joes

Chicken Noodle Casserole

Meatloaf casserole

Meatloaf Casserole

Turn your leftover meatloaf into this quick and easy meatloaf casserole recipe, with delicious layers of pasta, ricotta and mozzarella cheese, and meatloaf sauce.
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: casserole, meatloaf
Servings: 6

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.
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66 Comments

  1. This recipe looks great, as all of your recipes do! 🙂

    As someone who lives alone now, though, and cooks for herself, I’d like to make a little request — can you post how many people each recipe serves? I often take favorite recipes and cut the ingredients in half so I can make them for myself (with leftovers, usually, if the recipe serves 3 or 4 after halving the amounts)…knowing how many servings a recipe will make helps to make that easier.

    Thanks so much!

    Diane in PA

  2. I wish the whole world could read what you wrote today. I’m retired now, but was high up in corporate world. People would look at me so strangely when I would tell them the best job I ever had, or the experience that gave me the most joy, was always my children and being a mom. It was and is my life’s dream. I stayed at home with my guys. I babysat to support us, and it still is my grown children that bring me joy. My kids dragged their friends over, and still do, for some of Mom’s cooking. Which is now includes many of Christy’s recipes..even Lane’s. What better gift is their than making something with love for those you love, who then love it and their love and joy fills you up? I feel blessed that I found your web page. You shine, girl!!! p.s. What the heck is meatloaf sauce…I live in Canada?

  3. Everything about this one is nostalgic. My mom could turn anything into a delicious casserole. It reminds me of my childhood. And toys back in the day, I say AMEN to ya! My Barbies were the best dressed around because my mom handmade all their clothes. She usually made me outfits to match, too. (Why didn’t she think of American Girl??) Thanks for the walk down Memory Lane! ***

  4. Christy your thoughts are wonderful and the recipe looks delicious….but What is meatloaf sauce? I have never seen or heard of it.
    I wonder if it’a a regional thing? Do you find it with the canned tomatoes? What would you use in place of it? TIA for your help.

    1. Hey Barn! Hunts makes it and it is with all of the other tomato sauce products. In its place I’d use tomato sauce (or ketchup) seasoned as you normally do for your personal meatloaf. I go into more depth about this sauce in my original meatloaf post here
      https://www.southernplate.com/2009/01/meatloaf-making-freezing-and-small-batch-options.html

      I hope this helps! Even where I am I sometimes have to look to find it. Grocery chains (Kroger, Publix, Piggy Wiggly, etc) tend to carry it more than the big box folks like Wally World and such.

      If you find it, you are in for a treat! I Love this stuff!!
      Gratefully,
      Christy 🙂

  5. Thank you for that! Just what I’ve been thinking … but you say it so well! I am thankful that we are slowing down and really choosing the things that are important. Thanks for all you do – you are a blessing!

  6. One hundred percent in agreement with everthing you said! We raised our kids that way even though it wasn’t ‘in style’. Our baby is in college now and I wouldn’t trade a single day of being home and eating together every night in our own kitchen.

  7. Ya know, you look up Southern Plate thinking you are just gonna find recipes, but Christy always brings us a wonderful perspective on life, traditions and focus on our family. I “get” Christy, with her love of her family and the treasures that they are in a fast-paced world because we have the same values.
    Christy, I hope life brings you all the real joys and happiness your heart can hold. Thanks for the reminders to appreciate what we have and to feel blessed in so much of our lives. Love ya! Your biggest cheerleader. (Thanks for another great recipe/post)

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