Go Back
Sliced full-blood Wagyu meatloaf with tomato glaze served with roasted asparagus on a navy blue plate

Full-Blood Wagyu Meatloaf (Paula Deen–Inspired)

A richer take on Paula Deen's old-fashioned Southern meatloaf, made with full-blood Wagyu ground beef. Doubled recipe makes two 9x5 loaves — perfect for a family dinner with leftovers for meatloaf sandwiches.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Course Dinner
Cuisine Southern
Servings 10

Ingredients
  

  • 2 lbs full-blood Wagyu ground beef
  • 2 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
  • 1 cup chopped onion processed fine for kids
  • 1 cup chopped bell pepper processed fine for kids
  • 2 eggs lightly beaten
  • 16 oz canned diced tomatoes drained
  • 1 cup quick-cooking oats
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro optional, for the variation

Topping

  • 2/3 cup ketchup
  • 4 tbsp brown sugar
  • 2 tbsp mustard

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 375°F.
    If cooking for kids or picky eaters, pulse the onion and bell pepper in a food processor until finely chopped. This helps them blend into the meat and disappear as it bakes.
    In a large bowl, combine the ground Wagyu, salt, pepper, onion, bell pepper, eggs, drained tomatoes, and oats. Mix well with clean hands until just combined — don't overwork it. If using the cilantro variation, fold it in now.
    Divide the mixture between two 9x5 loaf pans and shape each into a loaf.
    In a small bowl, whisk together the ketchup, brown sugar, and mustard. Spread evenly over the top of each loaf.
    Bake for 1 hour, or until the internal temperature reaches 160°F at the center.
    Let rest 10 minutes before slicing. Serve with mashed potatoes and roasted asparagus.

Notes

Why full-blood Wagyu matters: The flavor is noticeably richer than standard ground beef or even F2 Wagyu. The extra marbling renders into the loaf as it bakes, keeping it moist without needing extra fillers.
F2 Wagyu works too: If you're using F2 Wagyu (Wagyu crossed with another breed), the recipe still works beautifully — the flavor is a touch lighter, but still superior to commodity ground beef.
Make it ahead: Assemble the loaves, cover, and refrigerate up to 24 hours before baking. Add 10 minutes to the bake time if going straight from the fridge.
Leftovers: Slice cold from the fridge onto toasted bread with a little mustard — best meatloaf sandwich you'll make all week.