How to Make the Juiciest Italian Meatloaf (Polpettone & Potatoes)
Learn how to make authentic Italian Meatloaf (Polpettone) a simple, moist, and flavorful one-pan meal. Unlike traditional meatloaf, this Italian version uses a mix of beef and sweet sausage, baked with crispy potatoes in a white wine pan sauce. It’s the ultimate Sunday dinner recipe!
Most people struggle with dry meatloaf. In this video, I’m sharing my family’s secret: using milk-soaked bread and a specific beef-to-sausage ratio to ensure it stays tender and juicy every time. Plus, we’re cooking the side dish in the same pan for maximum flavor and zero cleanup.
Ingredients:
1 lb ground beef
1 lb sweet Italian sausage
2 slices of bread (soaked in a little milk and squeezed dry)
2 large eggs
1 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano
3 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 medium onion, diced
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup vegetable broth
Salt & black pepper (to taste)
Fresh thyme
Extra virgin olive oil
Instructions:
1. In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, sweet sausage, soaked bread (squeezed dry), eggs, grated Parmigiano Reggiano, black pepper, and fresh thyme. Mix thoroughly.
2. Lay a sheet of parchment paper on your work surface. Place the meat mixture onto the paper and use your hands to roll and shape it into a tight, uniform loaf.
3. Transfer the meatloaf to a baking tray. Surround the meatloaf with the cubed potatoes and diced onion.
4. Season the potatoes and onion generously with salt, pepper, and fresh thyme. Drizzle everything with olive oil. Pour the white wine and vegetable broth over the vegetables and into the tray.
5. Bake in the oven at 400°F on the center rack for approximately 1 hour and 10 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees.
6. Let the meatloaf rest for 5-10 minutes before slicing and serving with the roasted potatoes and pan juices.
⭐ Instructions:
0:00 Introduction to Italian Polpettone
0:06 Preparing the Meatloaf Base
0:35 Soaking the Bread
1:31 Seasoning and Mixing
2:34 Shaping the Meatloaf on Parchment
3:35 Prepping the Potatoes and Onions
4:10 Assembling the Baking Tray & Pan Sauce
4:44 Baking the Polpettone at 400°F
4:52 The Reveal: Golden and Bubbly
6:03 Juice from the Pan
6:51 Slicing and Serving
8:32 Giovanni
Why You’ll Love This Recipe:
✅ Authentic Italian Meatloaf flavor and style.
✅ One-Pan Dinner: The potatoes and sauce bake right alongside the meat.
✅ The perfect dish for Sunday dinner or holidays
Comment Below:
This Italian Polpettone uses a mix of beef and sausage. When you make meatloaf, do you prefer using just beef, or do you always add sausage, pork, or veal for extra flavor? Let me know in the comments below! And don’t forget to subscribe for more authentic Italian family recipes! 🇮🇹
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#meatloaf #polpettone #familydinner

25 Comments
I'll take two slices please!
That looks so good right now
Nice job ! Looks delicious
My family is from Northern Italy, mostly Lake Como and Milano. I never had this over there but it looks amazing and I will try it.
Looks delish. Can I used chicken broth instead of veg broth? Thank you 😊
Came across this mouthwatering recipe this morning, immediately grabbed the ingredients, and it’s baking in the oven as we speak! So excited to try it—thanks for sharing! 🥰
Great texture .I've never tried the sausage addition so I will follow this recipe this week.
OHH LALAAA! NICE
Where do I buy italian sausage in England?? Its a beautiful recipe!
I'll come back to this recipe when I can find italian sausage. Thankyou!! Great demonstration! 👌👍✔🇬🇧
Love this. It's a lot like my mom's but she adds a few tablespoons of tomato sauce for sweetness and color as well as hard boiled eggs in the center.
FINALLY! A beautiful meatloaf recipe! I always hated boring meatloaf….Until Now!
Thank you ❤. Great recipe plus chef is hot ❤
My BFF in NY sent me one of your recipes – now I'm obsessed! Making your bolognese lasagna today!
You'll get No sausage in Germany.Looking great
ALWAYS LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING A NEW MEATLOAF RECIPE.
Meatloaf and potatoes are my favorite comfort food and this version looks absolutely delicious! I’m making it tomorrow for dinner. Love the simple, authentic ingredients. Just like my Italian grandma made 🥰
That looks delicious!
I’m going r make this tonite but won’t the potatoes taste greasy from the meat fat?
No garlic??
The leftovers—if there are any—are terrific. Imagine a slice of the meatloaf heated up just enough to melt a slice of provolone on top, served on a grilled ciabatta roll. Lunch!
We made it for dinner and it was out of this world. The smell while it cooks 😍 with the potatoes, I added the hard crust of my parmesan. It melted in the sauce and omg!!!
I thought EVERYONE made meatloaf like that. My mom did, and so did dad when mom was in the hospital. I'm a 77 yr old guy and I make the meatballs and the meatloaf (polpette and the polpettone) the same (I like to add garlic, parsley and basil and skip the wine and broth). Sometimes I just put the Italian sausage links around the meatloaf. Yes, lazy, but they impart the sausage/fennel flavor and I can make a a couple of sausage sandwiches later in the week. And we like the potatoes too.
I love ur tips . Sometimes I love watching just for tips to use in other recipes also. Very valuable. Could u do vids on what the best core spices that we all need & food is enhanced with with which spices. Ty so much Giovani.
What brand of vegetable broth do u buy???
Wow just like American meatball 👩🍳🌲👍🏻🥘🍅