Cheesecake Factory Meatloaf
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This Copycat Cheesecake Factory Meatloaf recipe is spot on – loaded with ground beef & pork, veggies and the perfect blend of seasonings. And no worries – it’s also smothered in a rich brown gravy filled with sauteed onions and mushrooms! Comfort food at its best!
What You Will ❤️ About Cheesecake Factory Meatloaf
- Smothered! The brown gravy on this meatloaf is so delicious! I ate some with a spoon!
- Comfort Food – Meatloaf is such a tasty comfort food and every bite is warm and tasty.
- Copycat Perfection! As I always do, I got the original dish and brought it home so I could taste it before and after I made this recipe! This ensures the dish is perfect!
Meatloaf Ingredients
The Meatloaf at Cheesecake Factory is a hearty portion with two thick slices served with a side of mashed potatoes and fresh corn off the cob. The meatloaf is moist and has a lot of flavor plus little bites of veggies in every bite. Here’s what you’ll need:
- Ground beef & Ground pork – this combination is classic and you get flavor & a little fat. Be sure to use Ground Sirloin (85/15) or Ground Chuck (80/20) instead of a lean ground beef.
- Veggies: Green bell pepper, Red onion, Carrot – love this combination of veggies! You could use white or yellow onion or any color bell pepper.
- Herbs & Seasonings: Minced Garlic, Italian Parsley, Sugar, Salt, Italian Seasoning, Sage, Black Pepper, Paprika
- Binder to hold it all together: Eggs, Bread Crumbs, Half and half – I used panko because that’s what I had – but regular breadcrumbs are fine as well. The half and half (or milk) combines with the crumbs to hold it together while keeping it light.
- Ketchup – just a thin coating on top of the meatloaf before it bakes! Most copycat recipes left this out but on a close taste test of the actual meatloaf – it’s there!
Mushroom Gravy Ingredients
Cheesecake Factory also smothers their meatloaf with a thick brown gravy that has caramelized onions and mushrooms in every bite. This was fun to make and worth eating on its own! Here’s what you’ll need to make it:
- Mushrooms – I’m a mushroom lover and used button mushrooms
- Yellow Onion – for caramelized onions, yellow onions are the best
- Butter – butter helps that gravy get thick, salty and savory!
- All Purpose Flour – a touch of flour will help it thicken – just give it time!
- Seasonings: Garlic, Salt, Black Pepper, Dried Thyme, Ground Sage, Fresh Italian Parsley
- Beef Broth – because we’re using beef & pork, beef broth is great – but you could use chicken or veggie if it’s what you have – it won’t be quite as dark but still good!
Recipe Variations
- Healthier – add ground turkey into the mix as a replacement for either for a healthier version
- Topping – some don’t want a ketchup topping so you could use bbq sauce or just wait for the gravy
- Sausage – you could also use Italian sausage instead of ground pork – equally delicious!
How to make Cheesecake Factory Meatloaf Recipe
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Prepare the meatloaf. In a medium skillet, heat 1 tbsp vegetable oil and sauté the green pepper, red onion, carrot and garlic and cook for 5 minutes until softened.
- In a large bowl, beat the eggs. Add the ground beef and pork and mix them together. Add the parsley, sugar, salt, Italian seasoning, sage, pepper, paprika, cooked vegetables and milk. Once this is combined, add the breadcrumbs a bit at a time so they get evenly distributed.
- Press the meat mixture into a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan and top with ketchup. bake for 75 minutes. Remove the loaf from the oven and let stand for 15 minutes.
How to make Mushroom Gravy for Meatloaf
- Make the mushroom gravy while the meatloaf rests.
- Over medium heat, melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a medium skillet. add mushrooms, onion, salt and pepper.
- Once onions and mushrooms have a little color to them. Drop to low heat and add 1 tbsp olive oil. Caramelize veggies until softened and onions are limp for about 10 min without burning them. Remove mushrooms and onions to a plate and set aside.
- Melt 2 tbsp butter in same skillet. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, then whisk in the flour. Cook until the flour starts to brown, about 2 minutes.
- Whisk in the beef broth and make sure there are no lumps and bring to a simmer and let thicken.
- Whisk in salt, pepper, thyme and sage. Add mushrooms and onions and stir to combine.
- Serve sliced meatloaf topped with mushroom gravy and top with parsley.
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Tips, Tricks & FAQs
How do you store and reheat leftover meatloaf
Store leftovers in an airtight container (I like these glass storage ones) in the refrigerator for up to a week. You can freeze up to three months. Reheat in the microwave for 1-2 minutes. I would recommend slicing before reheating to ensure the middle is hot but not overcooked.
What is the best binder for meatloaf?
I think a combination of eggs with bread/milk – I used breadcrumbs and half and half along with the eggs and it was perfection!
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More Copycat Comfort Food Recipes
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Cheesecake Factory Meatloaf
This Copycat Cheesecake Factory Meatloaf is spot on – loaded with ground beef & pork, veggies and the perfect blend of seasonings. And no worries – it's also smothered in a rich brown gravy filled with sauteed onions and mushrooms! Comfort food at its best!
Equipment
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Ingredients
Meatloaf
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1/2 green bell pepper minced
- ½ cup red onion minced (1/2 small)
- ⅓ cup carrot shredded (1 medium)
- 5 cloves garlic minced
- 3 eggs beaten
- 1 ½ pounds ground beef
- 1 pound ground pork
- 1 tbsp fresh Italian parsley minced
- 1 tbsp granulated sugar
- 2 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp Italian seasoning
- 1 tsp ground sage
- 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
- ½ tsp paprika
- 1/2 cup half and half
- ¾ cup bread crumbs
- 1/4 cup Ketchup
Mushroom Gravy
- 4 tbsp butter divided
- 1 ½ cups mushrooms sliced
- 1 medium onion sliced
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp ground black pepper
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 2 cups beef broth
- ¼ tsp dried thyme
- ¼ tsp ground sage
- 1 tsp minced Italian parsley
Instructions
Meatloaf
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Prepare the meatloaf. In a medium skillet, heat 1 tbsp vegetable oil and sauté the green pepper, red onion, carrot and garlic and cook for 5 minutes until softened.1 tbsp vegetable oil, 1/2 green bell pepper, ½ cup red onion, ⅓ cup carrot, 5 cloves garlic
- In a large bowl, beat the eggs. Add the ground beef and pork and mix them together. Add the parsley, sugar, salt, Italian seasoning, sage, pepper, paprika, cooked vegetables and milk. Once this is combined, add the breadcrumbs a bit at a time so they get evenly distributed.3 eggs, 1 ½ pounds ground beef, 1 pound ground pork, 1 tbsp fresh Italian parsley, 1 tbsp granulated sugar, 2 tsp salt, 1 tbsp Italian seasoning, 1 tsp ground sage, 1/2 tsp ground black pepper, ½ tsp paprika, 1/2 cup half and half, ¾ cup bread crumbs
- Press the meat mixture into a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan and top with ketchup. bake for 75 minutes. Remove the loaf from the oven and let stand for 15 minutes.1/4 cup Ketchup
Mushroom Gravy
- Make the mushroom gravy while the meatloaf rests.
- Over medium heat, melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a medium skillet. add mushrooms and onion.4 tbsp butter, 1 ½ cups mushrooms, 1 medium onion
- Once onions and mushrooms have a little color to them. Drop to low heat and add 1 tbsp olive oil. Caramelize veggies until softened and onions are limp for about 10 min without burning them. Remove mushrooms and onions to a plate and set aside.
- Melt 2 tbsp butter in same skillet. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, then whisk in the flour. Cook until the flour starts to brown, about 2 minutes.4 tbsp butter, 1 clove garlic, 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
- Whisk in the beef broth and make sure there are no lumps and bring to a simmer and let thicken.2 cups beef broth
- Whisk in salt, pepper, thyme and sage. Add mushrooms and onions and stir to combine.¼ tsp salt, ¼ tsp dried thyme, ¼ tsp ground sage, ¼ tsp ground black pepper
- Serve sliced meatloaf topped with mushroom gravy and top with parsley.1 tsp minced Italian parsley
Notes
**We are not dietitians and recommend you seek a nutritionist for exact nutritional information. The information in the nutrition box are calculated through a program and there is room for error. If you need an accurate count, I recommend running the ingredients through your favorite nutrition calculator.**
Nutrition
Serving: 1sliceCalories: 449kcalCarbohydrates: 15gProtein: 24gFat: 32gSaturated Fat: 13gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 13gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 146mgSodium: 954mgPotassium: 528mgFiber: 1gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 1117IUVitamin C: 9mgCalcium: 80mgIron: 3mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
Can this be frozen before baking?
You can freeze the meatloaf before baking but I would make the gravy fresh.
I’m an avid home cook and this is one of the best things I’ve ever made at home! It was fantastic! I added French fried onions on top for some crunch. WOW.
aw love that!
We just got home from eating at Cheesecake Factory and I asked them if they fried each piece before serving. The final step before serving is to broil each piece of meatloaf.