One-Pan Meatloaf Pasta: A Comfort Food Fusion Made Easy
When it comes to hearty weeknight dinners, nothing beats the convenience of a one-pan meal that combines two comfort food classics — meatloaf and pasta. This One-Pan Meatloaf Pasta delivers all the savory flavors of a traditional meatloaf — juicy ground beef, onions, garlic, and rich tomato sauce — but reimagined into a creamy, saucy pasta dish. The best part? Everything cooks in a single pan, making cleanup a breeze.
Let’s dive into how you can create this delicious one-pan wonder right in your own kitchen.
🧄 Ingredients You’ll Need
For the meat mixture:
- 1 lb (450 g) ground beef (or a mix of beef and pork)
- ½ cup breadcrumbs
- 1 egg
- 1 small onion, finely diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- 2 tbsp ketchup or tomato paste
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
For the pasta and sauce:
- 2 cups uncooked short pasta (penne, rotini, or macaroni)
- 2 ½ cups beef broth (or water with bouillon)
- 1 ½ cups tomato sauce (or crushed tomatoes)
- 1 cup milk or heavy cream
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 tbsp olive oil or butter
- Fresh parsley for garnish (optional)
🍳 Step-by-Step Cooking Instructions
Step 1: Prepare the Meatloaf Base
In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground beef, breadcrumbs, egg, diced onion, garlic, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, and seasonings. Mix until everything is well incorporated — but don’t overmix, or the meat can become tough.
This mixture is essentially your traditional meatloaf blend, just without shaping it into a loaf. Instead, we’ll cook it down into flavorful crumbles that will soak into the pasta later.
Step 2: Brown the Meat
Heat the olive oil or butter in a deep skillet or sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the meat mixture and cook, breaking it apart with a spoon, until it’s browned and crumbly. This should take about 6–8 minutes.
Once browned, drain off any excess fat to keep the sauce from becoming greasy. Leave a bit of the drippings in the pan for flavor.
Step 3: Build the Sauce
Add your tomato sauce (or crushed tomatoes) to the browned meat. Stir in the beef broth and bring it to a gentle simmer. The combination of broth and tomato gives the dish that classic meatloaf-tomato glaze flavor while creating a rich base for the pasta.
If you like a touch of sweetness — similar to meatloaf glaze — you can add 1 tablespoon of brown sugar or ketchup at this stage.
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