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Mozzarella Stuffed Bacon Wrapped Meatloaf

Mozzarella stuffed bacon wrapped meatloaf with a crisp bacon shell and a melted mozzarella center. Oven-baked to 160°F with a sticky ketchup-brown sugar glaze for deep golden caramelization.
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Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 55 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 55 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American
Calories: 450
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

ground beef mixture
  • 2 lb ground beef
  • 1 cup breadcrumbs
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp onion powder
cheese and bacon
  • 8 oz mozzarella, cubed
  • 8 bacon use slices
glaze
  • 0.3333333333 cup ketchup
  • 2 tbsp brown sugar

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Preheat and prep
  1. Preheat oven to 375°F and set a sheet pan aside. Place the pan in the oven as it heats to help the bacon crisp faster.
Make the meat mixture
  1. In a large bowl, mix ground beef, breadcrumbs, eggs, garlic powder, and onion powder until evenly combined. Stop when no dry breadcrumb remains, then keep the mixture loosely packed.
Assemble the stuffed loaf
  1. Press half the mixture into a loaf pan to form an even layer. Pack just enough to hold shape, leaving the center ready for cheese.
  2. Add the mozzarella cubes down the center, then cover with the remaining meat mixture. Use your hands to seal the edges so the cheese stays in the middle.
  3. Wrap bacon slices over the top and sides of the loaf. Overlap strips slightly so you get a continuous crisp layer.
Glaze and bake
  1. Whisk ketchup and brown sugar together and brush it over the bacon. Make sure the glaze reaches the sides so it caramelizes between strips.
  2. Bake 50-55 minutes at 375°F until the bacon is crisp and the internal temperature hits 160°F. Rest briefly before slicing so the cheese sets into clean, stretchy pulls.

Notes

Pro tip: chill the loaf 10 minutes before slicing for cleaner cheese-pull cuts. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container up to 3 days. Freezing is not recommended because the bacon texture softens after thawing; for a lighter option, use reduced-fat mozzarella while keeping the same bake time.