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    Home » Recipes » Course

    Cheeseburger Meatloaf with Pickles

    Published: Mar 17, 2021 · Modified: Sep 23, 2022 by Katie · This post may contain affiliate links · Leave a comment.

    Jump to Recipe·Print Recipe

    Cheeseburger meatloaf is the ultimate comfort food that will fill you up and satisfy your cheeseburger craving. This meatloaf is packed with flavor thanks to the ketchup, mustard, cheddar and bread & butter pickles. Serve cheeseburger meatloaf with a fresh garden salad and my creamy mashed potatoes.

    Cheeseburger meatloaf cut into 8 slices, on the baking sheet lined with parchment, a small bowl of ketchup is in the top left corner, a small bowl of mustard is in the bottom right corner and diced pickles are also in the corner.

    Meatloaf is one of my all-time favorite dinners to make for my family. It's filling, satisfying and makes for great leftovers.

    If you've been following my food blog for any length of time, then you know that I do not like time-consuming recipes! I'm all about the time-SAVING shortcuts. I find that meatloaf is a shortcut!

    Yes, meatloaf takes a while to cook in the oven. However, the actual steps needed to mix and shape your meatloaf are so minimal. In only a few minutes, you can have dinner in the oven and move on to other tasks.

    After you make my cheeseburger meatloaf, you have to make my mouth-watering Turkey Taco Meatloaf!

    My One Pot Cheeseburger Pasta Skillet is another delicious twist on the traditional cheeseburger!

    Jump to:
    • Ingredients
    • Equipment needed
    • How to make Cheeseburger Meatloaf
    • Serving suggestions
    • Expert Tips
    • Variations and substitutions
    • How to store, freeze and reheat
    • 📖 Recipe
    • Follow me
    • 💬 Comments

    Ingredients

    • Ground turkey - I always try to purchase lean ground turkey that is about 85-93% lean. Not fat-free or 98-99% fat free lean ground turkey. Fat adds flavor and moisture to ground turkey. When you remove too much of the fat you risk having dry and bland meat. My grocery store only had 94% lean for this recipe which still worked out well.
    • Shredded cheddar cheese - Many food bloggers will tell you that you MUST shred your cheese yourself. Yes, this can make for more flavorful and fresh cheddar. However, for the sake of saving time and extra dirty dishes, I usually purchase pre-shredded cheese. I am willing to sacrifice a teeny tiny amount of flavor in order to save myself some time. You do what you prefer!
    • Bread & butter pickles - To me, a cheeseburger isn't a cheeseburger unless it has bread and butter pickles! I love the cold crunch paired with the subtle sweetness. I do usually look for a natural/organic brand when purchasing pickles though. I find that the natural and organic brands do not use artificial sweeteners, preservatives or yellow food dye.
    • Ketchup
    • Mustard - Yellow mustard is what is needed for this recipe, not Dijon or honey mustard.
    • Panko bread crumbs - The panko bread crumbs add texture and bulk to the meatloaf.
    • Eggs
    • Onion - This recipe calls for grated onion. Grated white onion is made by grating onion using the large holes on the wide side of a 4-sided box grater.
    • Worcestershire sauce
    • Seasonings - The seasonings needed for this recipe are salt, pepper and garlic powder.

    Equipment needed

    • Box grater - This is used to grate the white onion.
    • Measuring cups & spoons
    • Large mixing bowl
    • Rimmed baking sheet
    • Parchment paper

    How to make Cheeseburger Meatloaf

    Step 1: Add the ground turkey, panko bread crumbs, eggs, onion, Worcestershire sauce, ¼ cup ketchup, garlic powder, salt and pepper to a large mixing bowl.

    Ground turkey, eggs, panko, seasonings, ketchup and onion in a stainless steel bowl.

    Step 2: Mix the meatloaf ingredients together until well combined.

    Ground meat meatloaf mixture, mixed together in a stainless steel bowl.

    Step 3: Transfer the meatloaf mixture to a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Form the meatloaf into a rectangular loaf shape. The loaf should be about 6" x 9" and be 1.5 inches thick.

    Meatloaf formed into a rectangular loaf on a small, rimmed baking sheet, lined with parchment paper.

    Step 4: Make the ketchup and mustard sauce mixture.

    Ketchup and mustard mixed together in a small white bowl.

    Step 5: Bake the meatloaf for 50-55 minutes at 350°F. Bake until the internal temperature reaches at least 165°F. Remove the meatloaf from the oven and top it with the mustard and ketchup mixture. Spread the sauce out evenly on top of the meatloaf.

    Cooked cheeseburger meatloaf topped with the ketchup and mustard spread.

    Step 6: Top the meatloaf with the diced bread and butter pickles.

    Diced pickles added to the top of the cooked meatloaf.
    Meatloaf topped with pickles.

    Step 7: Top the pickles with shredded cheddar cheese.

    Cooked cheeseburger meatloaf topped with shredded cheese.
    Shredded cheddar on top of the meatloaf.

    Step 8: Place the meatloaf back into the oven and cook for an additional 3-5 minutes, until the cheese is melted. Remove from the oven and let sit for 10 minutes before cutting into 8, equally sized slices.

    Cooked meatloaf on a stainless steel tray lined with parchment paper.
    Meatloaf with melted cheese.

    Serving suggestions

    Meatloaf is most commonly served with potatoes. My Mashed potatoes and my Air Fryer Potatoes would both be delicious choices. A baked potato or baked potato wedges would also be a great option! You could really change it up and serve meatloaf with Roasted Sweet Potatoes or Air Fryer Sweet Potato Fries.

    In addition to potatoes, meatloaf goes well with green beans, brussels sprouts, garden salad, steamed broccoli and corn on the cob.

    Expert Tips

    • You can make meatloaf on a rimmed baking sheet, like shown above, or you can use a loaf pan. I have used both methods many times. If you are using a loaf pan, then I recommend lining the loaf pan with parchment paper that is draped over the edges. Cut your parchment paper down to fit your loaf pan. This will allow you to easily lift the cooked meatloaf out of the pan. Personally, I prefer using a baking sheet and shaping the meatloaf into the size and thickness that I want.
    • When mixing your meatloaf ingredients together, do not over mix! Mix until just combined. Overmixing can result in a dense and tough texture.
    • Let your meatloaf cool for at least 10 minutes before slicing. If you slice into it immediately after removing it from the oven, it can fall right apart. Similarly to how baked goods like cookies or brownies need to cool before serving.
    • Don't overcook your meatloaf. A meat thermometer is the best way to determine if your meatloaf has cooked through. Overcooked meatloaf will get hard and crusty on the outside, but you don't want it undercooked either! Invest in a high quality meat thermometer. It will pay you back in perfectly cooked food!

    Variations and substitutions

    • Ground meat - I have never tested this recipe with anything but ground turkey. However, if you do not want to use turkey, then ground beef or ground chicken are common substitutions for ground turkey. Ground beef will have a much higher fat content though so you may find that a lot of fat cooks off while the meatloaf is baking in the oven. The fat will pool around the meatloaf on the baking sheet.
    • Cheese - You could easily swap the cheddar out for provolone, muenster, Colby jack, pepper jack or a shredded cheese blend. You could really increase the flavor by adding in some crumbly blue cheese or crumbly gorgonzola cheese!
    • Toppings - One of the most common toppings for a cheeseburger is BACON. Add in some cooked, crumbled bacon beneath the layer of shredded cheese to make a bacon cheeseburger meatloaf!

    How to store, freeze and reheat

    How to store: Store leftovers in a sealed air-tight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Leftovers are excellent for lunch!

    How to freeze: Meatloaf can also be frozen. If you plan on freezing this meatloaf then I would freeze it BEFORE you add the sauce, pickles and cheese. Fully cook the meatloaf, let it cool, wrap it well with plastic wrap and store it in a freezer bag in the freezer. Meatloaf can be frozen for up to 5-6 months.

    How to reheat: Reheat leftovers in the microwave for a few minutes at time.

    I recommend doubling the recipe so that you have leftovers for the fridge or the freezer!

    Print

    📖 Recipe

    clock clock iconcutlery cutlery iconflag flag iconfolder folder iconinstagram instagram iconpinterest pinterest iconfacebook facebook iconprint print iconsquares squares iconheart heart iconheart solid heart solid icon
    Cheeseburger meatloaf cut into 8 slices, on the baking sheet lined with parchment, a small bowl of ketchup is in the top left corner, a small bowl of mustard is in the bottom right corner and diced pickles are also in the corner.

    Cheeseburger Meatloaf with Pickles

    ★★★★★

    5 from 5 reviews

    Print Recipe
    Pin Recipe

    Cheeseburger meatloaf is the ultimate comfort food that will fill you up and satisfy your cheeseburger craving. This meatloaf is packed with flavor thanks to the ketchup, mustard, cheddar and bread & butter pickles. Serve cheeseburger meatloaf with a fresh garden salad and my creamy mashed potatoes.

    • Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
    • Yield: 8 servings 1x

    Ingredients

    Scale
    • 2 pounds lean ground turkey
    • ½ cup ketchup - divided 
    • 2 eggs
    • ⅓ cup grated white onion
    • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
    • 1 cup panko bread crumbs
    • 1 teaspoon salt
    • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
    • ½ teaspoon ground pepper
    • ¼ cup yellow mustard
    • 1 cup diced bread & butter pickles
    • 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

    Instructions

    1. Preheat your oven to 350°F.  Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
    2. Add the ground turkey, ¼ cup ketchup, eggs, grated onion, Worcestershire sauce, panko bread crumbs, salt, pepper and garlic powder to a large mixing bowl.  Mix until just combined.
    3. In a separate, small bowl, combine the remaining ¼ cup ketchup and yellow mustard.
    4. Transfer the meatloaf mixture to the rimmed baking sheet.  Form the mixture into a rectangular loaf shape.  The loaf should be about 6" x 9" and 1.5 inches thick.  Bake the meatloaf for 50-55 minutes, or until a meat thermometer inserted into the center of the meatloaf reads at least 165°F.  
    5. Remove the meatloaf from the oven and top it with the ketchup & mustard sauce, diced pickles and shredded cheddar cheese.  Spread the sauce, pickles and cheese out evenly over the top of the meatloaf.
    6. Return the meatloaf to the oven and continue cooking the meatloaf for another 3-5 minutes, until the cheese is melted. 
    7. Remove the cheeseburger meatloaf from the oven and let it cool for about 10 minutes before slicing.  Slice the meatloaf into 8 equally sized slices, serve and enjoy! 

    Notes

    • Store leftovers in a sealed air-tight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
    • Author: Katie
    • Prep Time: 15 minutes
    • Cook Time: 55
    • Category: lunch, dinner
    • Method: baking
    • Cuisine: American

    Keywords: cheeseburger, meatloaf, cheeseburger meatloaf, pickles

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Gloria

      March 09, 2022 at 9:19 am

      All the great flavours in a loaf form. I know this would be hit at dinner any night of the week. Not your average meatloaf.

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    2. Maya

      March 09, 2022 at 10:17 am

      This is such an original idea! And so much easier than making burgers for a whole crowd! love it!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    3. Marcellina

      March 09, 2022 at 4:55 pm

      My family loved this! It's the perfect mid week meal - healthy and tasty. Everyone loved the topping! Thanks for sharing!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    4. Tyanne

      March 09, 2022 at 9:41 pm

      I love that this recipe has pickles! It is a nice touch.

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    5. Ciel

      March 12, 2022 at 6:48 pm

      We loved this, extremely flavorful! We will definitely be making this again. Thanks Katie!

      ★★★★★

      Reply

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    I’m Katie, the food blogger, recipe creator and food photographer at Sugar & Snap Peas. I specialize in easy, budget friendly, family recipes. My goal is to help you take the stress out of cooking and provide you with simple, creative recipes.

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