With a mix of county sausage and ground beef, this sausage meatloaf is easy to make and tastes great. It has a balsamic ketchup glaze on top.
If you want to make a tasty meatloaf for dinner during the week, this is the way to do it. The herbs and spices that go into country sausage make it taste great, so it’s a great addition to any party. This makes for an easy meatloaf because there arent a lot of other ingredients required.
Sausage meatloaf is not made entirely with sausage. To see what it looks like, click on the link. It’s a mix of ground beef and country pork sausage. Because country sausage has a lot of seasoning, you only need ½ pound and can mix it 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.
I don’t know about you, but I love a good meatloaf It’s pure comfort food in my book. However, I used to think that classic meatloaf with just ground beef was a little..boring. Don’t get me wrong – I’d still eat it. But I always felt like it was missing something.
After some experimenting in the kitchen I discovered that the secret ingredient to take meatloaf from good to GREAT is Italian sausage! Adding sausage to your meatloaf mix amps up the flavor enormously and also helps keep the meatloaf super moist and tender.
So if you want to make the best meatloaf ever, the answer is yes – you should absolutely add some sausage! I’m going to tell you everything you need to know.
Why Adding Sausage Makes Meatloaf Better
First, let’s talk about why using a mixture of ground beef and sausage instead of just ground beef really takes meatloaf to the next level.
There are two main reasons:
1. More Flavor
Italian sausage, whether hot or sweet, packs a big punch of flavor. All those Italian herbs and spices complement the other ingredients like ketchup and Worcestershire sauce perfectly.
The flavor of sausage gives the meatloaf mixture so much more depth and dimension than just plain beef does on its own.
2. Added Moisture
In addition to flavor, sausage also provides extra fat, which helps keep the meatloaf incredibly moist and tender. No dry meatloaf here!
The meat stays so juicy and delicious, you’ll be going back for seconds and thirds. Using part sausage and part ground beef gives you the best of both worlds.
What Type of Sausage Should I Use?
The most common options for sausage to use in meatloaf are:
- Italian Sausage – Hot or Sweet
- Breakfast Sausage
- Fresh Pork Sausage
I prefer hot Italian sausage because I love the spicy kick, but sweet Italian sausage is great too if you want a more mild flavor.
Breakfast sausage also works well since it usually contains a lot of sage, which complements the classic meatloaf flavor profile.
You can certainly use fresh pork sausage if that’s what you have on hand. Just remove it from the casing first.
No matter what type of sausage you choose, it will add deliciousness! Use what you like best.
How Much Sausage Should I Add to the Meatloaf?
When it comes to the ratios for the ground beef and sausage blend, I recommend using:
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1/2 lb Italian sausage
This gives you plenty of beefy flavor while still allowing the sausage to shine through.
I wouldn’t recommend going above a 1:1 ratio, as too much sausage can make the texture too soft. But feel free to experiment with the proportions to suit your tastes.
How to Make Meatloaf with Sausage
Making meatloaf with sausage mixed in is easy! Just follow these simple steps:
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Remove sausage from casing: If using links of Italian sausage, remove the meat from the casings. Break it up into small pieces with your hands.
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Combine meats: In a large bowl, mix together 1 lb ground beef with 1/2 lb loose Italian sausage until well incorporated.
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Add remaining ingredients: Fold in breadcrumbs, eggs, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, herbs, spices, etc per your recipe. The sausage flavor will permeate everything!
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Shape, top, and bake: Form into a loaf shape, top with ketchup glaze, and bake at 350°F until cooked through.
And that’s it! The sausage meat will blend right in with the rest of the ingredients for maximum flavor in every bite.
Meatloaf Recipe with Sausage
To experience just how delicious meatloaf can be with the addition of sausage, here is my favorite recipe.
Ingredients:
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1/2 lb Italian sausage, removed from casing
- 1 cup breadcrumbs
- 1 egg
- 1/4 cup ketchup, plus more for topping
- 2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 small onion, diced
- 1/4 cup parsley, chopped
- 1 tsp each salt, pepper, garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
Instructions:
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Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a loaf pan with parchment paper.
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In a large bowl, combine beef, sausage, breadcrumbs, egg, ketchup, Worcestershire, onion, parsley, and seasonings until just incorporated.
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Transfer mixture to prepared loaf pan and shape into a loaf. Spread top with additional ketchup.
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Bake for 60-75 minutes until meatloaf reaches 160°F internally. Let rest 10 minutes before slicing.
The sausage gives this classic meatloaf an extra boost of flavor! Serve with mashed potatoes or mac and cheese for a delicious homestyle meal.
FAQs about Adding Sausage to Meatloaf
If you’re new to mixing sausage into your meatloaf, you probably have some questions. Here are answers to some of the most common ones:
What about precooked sausage – can I use that? You can, but I don’t really recommend it. Precooked sausage won’t blend into the meatloaf mix as well. For best results, use raw sausage.
Do I have to use Italian sausage? Nope! As I mentioned earlier, any fresh sausage will work wonderfully, so use whatever you prefer. Breakfast sausage is a great choice too.
Should I use hot or sweet Italian sausage? I love spicy food so I always use hot Italian sausage. But if you don’t like heat, mild sweet sausage is the way to go. Either will be delicious!
Can I use a meatloaf mix instead of plain ground beef? Absolutely! Many grocery stores sell pre-mixed meatloaf blend containing beef, veal and pork. Simply sub that for the ground beef and proceed as directed.
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How to make it
To make this sausage meatloaf recipe, first, get your oven preheated to 350 degrees. Crack your beef and sausage into little pieces and put them in a big bowl while the oven heats up.
Put the egg, milk, onion, garlic, salt, black pepper, and plain bread crumbs in the bowl. Then, mix everything together well.
Put the ketchup, balsamic vinegar, and Worcestershire sauce in a different small bowl. Mix them together to make the tangy glaze.
Place aluminum foil around the edges of a bread pan; this makes it easier to clean up and take the meatloaf out of the oven. Then, spread a spoonful of glaze across the bottom of the pan. 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.
Test the meatloaf with a meat thermometer and bake it for an hour, or until the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees. Then let cool slightly and serve with fluffy mashed potatoes.
Storing and Reheating Leftovers
For up to a week, meatloaf that has been made ahead of time should be kept in the fridge in an airtight container or wrapped in plastic wrap. You can reheat it in the microwave in single servings for the best results, or you can warm slices slowly in a small skillet. I highly recommend using these for leftover meatloaf sandwiches.
- ▢ Digital Thermometer
- ▢ Bread loaf pan
- ▢ 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
- ▢ ½ cup ketchup
- ▢ 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- ▢ ½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 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 everything together well with your hands to make sure it’s all mixed in evenly.
- To make the glaze, mix ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, and balsamic vinegar.
- Two tablespoons of glaze should be used to cover the bottom of your bread pan.
- Put the meatloaf mix into the bread pan and press it down to fill it up.
- Put the meatloaf in the oven and cover it with the rest of the glaze.
- Bake for 60 minutes, or until it reaches 160 degrees.
- Remove from oven, let cool slightly, slice and serve.
This recipe was originally published on May 1, 2020.