Meatloaf Grilled Cheese (The Absolute Best Thing To Do With Leftovers)
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The Grilled Cheese That Redeems Last Night’s Dinner
This is the sandwich I make when there’s a lonely hunk of meatloaf in the fridge and I want it to feel exciting again.
Instead of reheating a slice and calling it a day, we cut it thick, warm it up, and tuck it between layers of melty cheese with a generous swipe of that sweet-tangy meatloaf glaze. It tastes like diner comfort food met up with a grilled cheese and decided to stay.
Here’s how it all comes together:
- Slice the meatloaf into sturdy 1-inch pieces and warm them so they’re cozy in the middle
- Stack bread, cheese, meatloaf, glaze, more cheese, and the top slice of bread like a little grilled cheese tower
- Melt butter in a skillet and slide the sandwiches in over low heat
- Press gently with a grill press or heavy pan to help everything melt and meld together
- Flip once the bread is deeply golden and crisp, then repeat on the other side
- Serve with extra glaze on the side for dipping, because that’s half the fun
Low heat is your friend here. It gives the cheese enough time to fully melt around the meatloaf while the bread slowly turns crisp and buttery instead of scorching. A sturdy bread like sourdough or Texas toast holds the whole situation together so you can get those big, satisfying bites that don’t fall apart in your hands.
If you’re using homemade meatloaf, all the built-in seasoning, onions, and herbs shine when they meet gooey cheese and toasted bread. If it’s store-bought or leftover from another night, the glaze and cheese still wrap it up in a way that feels intentional and very cozy. It’s the kind of sandwich that makes “cleaning out the fridge” feel like a good plan instead of a chore.
Meatloaf Grilled Cheese
Equipment
- Optional grill press or heavy pan
- Knife
- Microwave or stovetop (to reheat meatloaf)
Ingredients
Meatloaf
- 1 pound ground pork
- 2 pounds ground beef
- 3 eggs
- 1 large onion diced
- 1 bell pepper diced
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
- ¾ cup ketchup
- ½ cup milk
- ½ teaspoon mushroom powder
- ½ teaspoon oregano
- ¼ teaspoon thyme
- ¼ teaspoon basil
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- ¾ teaspoon garlic powder
Glaze
- 1 cup ketchup
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce or liquid aminos
- ⅓ cup brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1½ teaspoons onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
Sandwich
- 4 slices bread sourdough works great
- 4 slices gouda cheese or your favorite cheese
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 slices cooked meatloaf about 1 inch thick
- Meatloaf glaze recipe below
Instructions
Meatloaf
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Spray a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan with nonstick spray.
- Heat olive oil in a sauté pan over medium heat. Add the diced onion and bell pepper and cook until softened and translucent.
- In a large bowl, add all meatloaf ingredients and mix until just combined.
- Transfer the mixture to the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top.
- Bake for 45–55 minutes, until the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees.
- Remove from the oven, spread some of the glaze over the top, and return to the oven for 5 minutes.
- Remove and let rest before slicing.
Glaze
- Add all glaze ingredients to a saucepan.
- Cook over medium heat for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened.
- Serve with meatloaf or use for sandwiches.
Sandwich
- Cut the meatloaf into 1-inch slices and warm in the microwave or on the stovetop until heated through.
- Assemble the sandwiches: place one slice of bread down, add a slice of cheese, a slice of meatloaf, about 1 tablespoon of meatloaf glaze, another slice of cheese, and top with the second slice of bread.
- Heat a large skillet over low heat and add the butter.
- Place the sandwiches in the skillet. If you like, set a grill press or heavy pan on top to help everything melt evenly.
- Cook for 3–4 minutes per side, until golden brown and the cheese is melted.
- Flip carefully and repeat on the other side.
- Serve warm with extra meatloaf glaze on the side.