This Meatloaf with Tomato Sauce is the most tender meatloaf I have ever made. The red wine tomato sauce brings such tang to this meatloaf that it not only intensifies the meatloaf but brings moisture to the dish making it the perfect comfort food.
Keeping reading to find out how you can make a version suitable as Whole30 meatloaf.
Jump to:
- Does Tomato Sauce Go in Meatloaf?
- How Do You Make Meatloaf Without Ketchup?
- Ingredients Needed to Make Meatloaf with Tomato Sauce
- How to Make a Whole30 Meatloaf Version
- Instructions on How to Make Meatloaf with Tomato Sauce
- Top Tip
- Substitutions and Variations for Meatloaf
- Equipment Recommended
- Storage
- Food Safety
- Other Main Dish Ideas and Sides
- PIN for later here
- Recipe Details
- Comments
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Made with ground beef, grated cheese, day old bread, spices and herbs, this recipe will be your next favorite go to dinner.
The tomato sauce calls for carrots, celery, onions, and herbs. And, it tastes pretty darn good. In addition, let's not forget the addition of the wine. Now there are times when I would say if you don't like wine, don't add it. But, I would by lying if I said including wine wasn't damn good in this recipe.
Up until now, I had never made a meatloaf. Ok, I made one long time ago, but it was so dry and crusty I couldn't bare the thought of making meatloaf again. As an Italian, I cringe at the thought of using ketchup for anything I'm cooking. Red wine really works for this meatloaf with tomato sauce. My family loves it and I hope you do too!
But, now that I've made this Meatloaf with Tomato Sauce, it's become a regular meal in my family. And most importantly it's a winning meal in my house. Some other family favorites include a Stuffed Pork Recipe and Prime Rib.
Roasted Sweet Potato Fries or Grilled Brussel Sprouts or mashed potatoes make the perfect side dish for Meatloaf with Tomato Sauce.
Does Tomato Sauce Go in Meatloaf?
This is a good question. I do often put tomato sauce in my ground meat recipes because acids, like tomato, often tenderize meat. So it's no surprise that often recipes will call for adding tomato sauce in ground beef.
How Do You Make Meatloaf Without Ketchup?
This tender meatloaf recipe doesn't need ketchup at all and it comes out tender without tomato paste, ketchup or any tablespoons Worcestershire sauce because the wine tenderizes the meat.
Although if you want you can add about one third cup of tomato sauce which would help to tenderize the meat more. But trust me, it's not necessary.
Ingredients Needed to Make Meatloaf with Tomato Sauce
This Italian Meatloaf Recipe is the perfect dinner because you can get it ready ahead of time and put it in the oven an hour before you want to sit down and have dinner.
Here's what you will need to make meat loaf:
- Ground Beef
- Prosciutto
- Stale Bread
- Dried Oregano
- Milk
- Grated Parmesan Cheese
- Parsley
- Salt and Pepper
- Olive oil
- Crushed tomatoes
- Carrots
- Onions
- Celery
- Red Wine
Recipe quantities are listed in the Recipe Card.
This page contains affiliate links, which means I may receive commissions if you choose to purchase through links I provide (at no extra cost to you). Thank you for supporting the work I put into this site! As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
How to Make a Whole30 Meatloaf Version
If you are on Whole30 then you know wine, milk and breadcrumbs and cheese are off limits. But, you can make this Meatloaf Whole30 compatible by substituting as follows:
- Breadcrumbs - substitute the breadcrumbs with potato flakes (instant potato)
- Milk - substitute milk with almond milk or you favorite non dairy milk
- Cheese - omit or substitute it with nutritional yeast
- Wine - substitute the wine with red wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar
Instructions on How to Make Meatloaf with Tomato Sauce
Tomato Sauce:
Heat olive oil and sauté vegetables. Add red wine and let the alcohol from the wine evaporate for a minute while stirring. Add tomato puree. Let simmer on stove top for about 20 minutes.
Meatloaf:
In a large bowl, soak bread in milk for about 10 minutes. Add remaining ingredients.
Mold bowl contents into the shape of a large log.
Turn out onto wax paper to make it easier to roll. In medium frypan, brown sides of meatloaf carefully turning with 2 spatulas (so meatloaf doesn't break apart). Transfer meatloaf into large baking dish and pour sauce over it.
Bake covered in pre-heated 400°F degree oven for 25 to 35 minutes. Remove cover and bake for another 15 to 20 minutes. Let meatloaf rest for about 10 minutes. Serve with sauce drippings and parmesan cheese.
Top Tip
Frying Pan Vs. Saucepan
Really, you could use either a frying pan or a saucepan to make your the sauce. Me, personally, I love using a frying pan to cook my sauce. I find that the sauce cooks way quicker in a frying pan and tastes a little bit better. Cook your tomato sauce covered for about 20 to 30 minutes.
Substitutions and Variations for Meatloaf
Here are a few suggestions on how you can make this meatloaf fit certain diets:
- Chili Flakes - add a bit of chili for some spice
- Bacon - if you don't have prosciutto on hand use bacon, ham or pancetta
- Beef/Veal - Substitute turkey or chicken for the beef or plant based meat
- Tomato Puree - if you are not able to eat tomato sauce due to the acidity, omit it.
Feel free to add you own twist to this recipe. If you didn't add the wine, let me know how it turned out by leaving me a comment.
Equipment Recommended
Different size mixing bowls will come in handy when making this meatloaf in tomato sauce.
This Meatloaf, once assembled will need to go in either a baking dish large enough to accommodate it's size or a roasting pan. Either one will work fairly well. However, I do prefer to use a roasting pan that has a lid. This isn't necessary, but, when you are cooking a meatloaf, it's helpful to be able to quickly cover and uncover the meatloaf as necessary either in the oven or when you take it out.
This page contains affiliate links, which means I may receive commissions if you choose to purchase through links I provide (at no extra cost to you). Thank you for supporting the work I put into this site! As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Storage
This meatloaf will store fairly well as leftovers. In fact, this is one of those dishes that tastes better the longer it sits in the fridge. Store leftovers for this Tender Meatloaf with Red Wine Tomato Sauce refrigerated in an airtight container for a maximum of 4 days. You can also freeze for later.
Just a suggestion, that if you plan to take out single servings to pre-slice before you place the meatloaf in the freezer. When you want to eat it, thaw it out in the fridge for 24 hours and then warm it up.
Food Safety
Note that the storage guidelines provided on this page and site are estimates from personal experiences. We are all adults and as an adult you are responsible to ensure that the food you eat is safe to eat. Since, I'm not a food safety expert, you are responsible to review your local guidelines on food storage prior to storing any food left-overs.
Remember to:
- Not use the same utensils on cooked food, that previously touched raw meat
- Wash hands after touching raw meat
- Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
- Never leave cooking food unattended
- Use oils with high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds
- Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove
For Canadian Guidelines check Government of Canada's Food and Safety Guidelines, see more guidelines at USDA.gov.
Drop a comment below if you made this Meatloaf with Red Wine Tomato Sauce. I’d love to see your pictures. So don’t forget to post them on your Instagram account. Tag me at #girl_with_a_spatula and follow me @girl_with_a_spatula
Other Main Dish Ideas and Sides
PIN for later here
Recipe Details
Meatloaf in Tomato Sauce
Ingredients
For Sauce
- 2 ½ cups crushed tomatoes
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 onion
- 2 carrots
- 2 sticks celery
- ½ cups red wine
Instructions
- Heat olive oil and sauté vegetables. Add red wine and let the alcohol from the wine evaporate for a minute while stirring. Add tomato puree. Let simmer on stove top for about 20 minutes.
- In a large bowl, soak bread in milk for about 10 minutes. Add remaining ingredients.
- Mold bowl contents into the shape of a large log.
- Turn out onto wax paper to make it easier to roll. In medium frypan, brown sides of meatloaf carefully turning with 2 spatulas (so meatloaf doesn't break apart). Transfer meatloaf into large baking dish and pour sauce over it.
- Bake covered in pre-heated 400°F degree oven for 25 to 35 minutes. Remove cover and bake for another 15 to 20 minutes. Let meatloaf rest for about 10 minutes. Serve with sauce drippings and parmesan cheese.
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