Grilled Meatloaf Sandwich
A Grilled Meatloaf Sandwich features a thick piece of seared meatloaf, caramelized onions, horseradish, lettuce and cheddar between two toasted pieces of hearty bread. This is a super filling sandwich that always hits the spot. It’s the BEST way to use up any leftover meatloaf in the fridge!
Grilled Meatloaf Sandwich
I don’t know if there’s a sandwich more filling and hearty than this grilled meatloaf sandwich! A thick slice of meatloaf gets pan seared until it’s golden brown and crispy. Then, it gets slapped between two hearty pieces of toasted bread (like sourdough) with caramelized onions, lettuce, bold horseradish and as much sharp cheddar cheese as your heart desires.
We love meatloaf in this house, like this easy CrockPot Meatloaf, so there’s no shortage of leftovers making this sandwich a must on the regular. This supremely savory sandwich may take a little more TLC than your usual ham and cheese, but it’s well worth the effort! There’s really nothing quite like caramelized onions, after all. While they do take a little time to cook, they’re so amazing when combined with the other ingredients here. The sweetness of the onions combined with the bold horseradish is a perfect balance of flavors!
Even though this sandwich does require a little attention, don’t be scared off – it’s still incredibly easy to toss together. It just requires one pan to sear the meatloaf and caramelize the onions. After that, you just have to toast the bread and toss it all together! Whether you make it for lunch or dinner, you’re going to love this easy meatloaf sandwich recipe.
How to Make a Grilled Meatloaf Sandwich
This meatloaf sandwich comes together with just a few easy steps:
- Sear the meatloaf. Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high heat until simmering. Add the meatloaf to the pan and cook on both sides until crispy and golden brown. Transfer to a plate and keep warm while you cook the onions.
- Caramelize the onions. Melt butter in the pan over medium heat. Stir in the onions and cook until softened. Stir in the sugar and thyme. Cook low and slow until caramelized. Once cooked, transfer the onions to a separate bowl and keep warm.
- Toast the bread. Toss the bread in the skillet and toast just on one side. While toasting the bread, preheat the broiler.
- Assemble the sandwiches. Leave the bread in the skillet. Spread half the horseradish over each slice. Divide the caramelized onions between the two slices. Top off the onions with the meatloaf, then add the cheese.
- Melt the cheese. Place the skillet in the oven and broil until the cheese melts. Keep an eye on it!
- Top off the sandwiches and serve. Spread the rest of the horseradish on the top bread slices. Add lettuce and place the bread on top. Serve right away.
Tips for the Best Grilled Meatloaf Sandwich
Check out these quick tips and tricks before making your sandwiches:
- The BEST horseradish sauce! Use my homemade horseradish sauce recipe for the creamiest, boldest sauce.
- Great way to use leftover meatloaf. If you have any meatloaf left in the fridge from your last dinner, this is an excellent way to use it!
- Don’t rush the onion process. Caramelizing onions does take a little bit of time. However, it’s SO worth it to end up with soft, sweet onions. Don’t try to rush this process or you’ll just end up searing them instead.
How to Store Leftovers
Here’s the deal – this sandwich is best enjoyed as soon as it’s assembled. You don’t want that bread getting soggy after it’s been toasted. However, it’s a wonderful way to use up leftover meatloaf that is sitting in your fridge! Meatloaf typically stays goof for about 3-4 days in the fridge.
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Get the Recipe: Grilled Meatloaf Sandwich Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 1- inch thick slices leftover meatloaf
- 1 large onion, sliced
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1/4 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
- 1/4 cup horseradish sauce
- 1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 1/2 cup chopped butter lettuce or romaine
- 4 slices hearty bread, sourdough, Italian bread or multigrain
Equipment
- 1 skillet
Instructions
- Heat a skillet over medium high heat and add the oil. Heat the oil until shimmering.
- Add the meatloaf to the pan cooking until golden brown and crispy, approximately 4-5 minutes. Flip the slices over and cook on the opposite side. Transfer to a plate and keep warm.
- Add the butter to the pan and melt over medium heat.
- Stir in the onions and cook until softened. Add the sugar and thyme, stirring to combine.
- Continue to keep the onions until golden and caramelized, approximately 15-20 minutes.
- Transfer to the onions to a bowl and keep warm.
- Add the bread slices to the pan and toast until golden. (Only cook the bread on one side.)
- Preheat the broiler.
- Leave two slices of bread in the skillet and spread the 1/2 the horseradish sauce over each slice.
- Divide the onions evenly between the two slices and top each slice with the meatloaf.
- Divide the cheese evenly between the two sandwiches and top the meatloaf with the cheese.
- Transfer the skillet to the oven and broil until the cheese melts, approximately 2 minutes.
- Spread the remaining horseradish sauce on the remaining bread slices.
- Top the sandwiches with the lettuce and the remaining bread, horseradish side down.
- Cut in half and serve immediately.