The Best Meatloaf Recipe

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Hearty, filling, and delicious, this simple homemade meatloaf is a classic recipe I stole from grandma. This old-fashioned favorite combines ground beef, breadcrumbs, and spices baked and topped with a from-scratch glaze that everyone will love.

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5 from 35 votes

This classic ground beef meatloaf is the type of recipe you’ll want to make again and again. It’s easy to make, incredibly tender and holds its shape as a loaf. It’s sauce — made with traditional ingredients like ketchup, brown sugar, and Worcestershire sauce — is Ioaded with flavor.

Serve it with a side of garlic mashed potatoes or our popular cheesy potato casserole plus green bean casserole and beer bread, and you’ll have a new favorite meal in your house.

MORE COMFORT FOOD:
Swedish Meatballs | Chicken & Dumplings

Meatloaf INGREDIENTS

You will need:

For the Meatloaf:

• 2 eggs
• 1 cup bread crumbs
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 lbs lean hamburger
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder

For the Sauce:

• 1/2 cup ketchup
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce 

INGREDIENT SUBSTITUTIONS

MEAT: This recipe calls for 2 pounds of lean ground beef. As an alternative, you can also use ground turkey or chicken.

SPICE: You can add crushed red pepper flakes to taste for some heat or a tablespoon of brown sugar for a sweeter flavor.

VEGGIES: You can hide all sorts of vegetable goodness inside meatloaf! You can puree squash or carrots or add chopped green peppers into the mix.

You’ll find the full instructions for this meatloaf in the recipe card at the end of the post. You’ll be able to easily print or pin it as well.

How to Make this Meatloaf recipe

STEP ONE: Place all of the meatloaf ingredients in a large bowl and mix them together using a spoon or your hands.

STEP TWO: Shape the meat mixture into a loaf and place it in a well-greased bread pan.

STEP THREE: Make the sauce by combining the ketchup, brown sugar, and Worcestershire sauce in a small saucepan and bringing it to a boil for 2 – 3 minutes. Pour half of the sauce over the meatloaf.

STEP FOUR: Bake your meatloaf in the oven at 400 degrees for 30 minutes. Remove it from the oven to add the second half of the sauce and then bake it for 45 more minutes. The internal temperature of the loaf should be 160 degrees when it’s fully cooked. Let your meatloaf rest for a few minutes before slicing & serving.

…OR MAKE MINI MEATLOAF INSTEAD

A popular alternative to baking meatloaf in a loaf pan is to make ‘mini meatloaf’ using a muffin tin. This bakes the meatloaf in convenient finger-food portions, topped with a spoonful of glaze. 

You can use this same meatloaf recipe to make about 18 muffins. To make this mini meatloaf, set your oven temperature to 350 degrees and bake them for 25 minutes or until their temperature reaches 160 degrees. When done, top the muffins with 2 teaspoons of sauce. 

PRO TIP: Making mini loaves or muffin tin portions is also a great freezer option.

STORING THIS RECIPE

Meatloaf can be frozen either fully cooked and cooled or raw ready to bake. Wrap it tightly to prevent freezer burn.

BAKED: If you have baked in a loaf pan, allow it to cool first and then and store it in an airtight freezer bag. PRO TIP: If you make one large meatloaf in a loaf pan, you could also slice it prior to freezing so it’s easy to reheat and serve.

RAW: I love using the throwaway pans so that I can thaw and bake right in the tin later, without tying up one of my good baking dishes in the freezer. Just mix all ingredients and push into a loaf pan, then wrap tightly in plastic wrap and store inside a freezer-safe bag for up to three months.

How to Reheat:

BAKED: You can place it in a baking dish with a small amount of water in the bottom (so it doesn’t get too dry) and bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes to heat back through. If your sauce starts to get too brown, cover with a piece of foil while baking.

RAW: If you’ve frozen it previously, you’ll want to be sure to defrost it before baking it in the oven.Then follow the baking instructions in the original recipe.

This meatloaf recipe is a classic for a reason: it’s easy to make and is tasty, traditional comfort food. It’s the perfect recipe for when you can’t decide what to make for dinner — you can’t go wrong with homemade meatloaf.

MORE RECIPES YOU’LL LOVE

CLASSIC: Shepherd’s Pie | Poor Man’s Steaks
SIDES: Mac and Cheese | Corn Casserole
DESSERT: Oatmeal Cake | Chocolate Pudding Cake

Meatloaf Recipe

Hearty, filling, and delicious, this simple homemade meatloaf is a classic recipe I stole from grandma. This old-fashioned favorite combines ground beef, breadcrumbs, and spices baked and topped with a from-scratch glaze that everyone will love.

5 from 35 votes

Print Pin Rate

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour 15 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 25 minutes

Servings: 6

Calories: 369kcal

Ingredients

For the meatloaf:

• 2 eggs
• 1 cup bread crumbs
• 1 onion chopped
• 2 lbs lean hamburger
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder

For the sauce:

• 1/2 cup ketchup
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

Instructions

• Place all of the meatloaf ingredients in a large bowl and mix them together using a spoon or your hands.
• Shape the meat mixture into a loaf and place it in a well-greased bread pan.
• Make the sauce by combining the ketchup, brown sugar, and Worcestershire sauce in a small saucepan and bringing it to a boil for 2 – 3 minutes. Pour half of the sauce over the meatloaf.
• Bake your meatloaf in the oven at 400 degrees for 30 minutes. Remove it from the oven to add the second half of the sauce and then bake it for 45 more minutes. The internal temperature of the loaf should be 160 degrees when it’s fully cooked. Let your meatloaf rest for a few minutes before slicing & serving.

Video

Notes

Making mini loaves or muffin tin portions is also a great freezer option. You can use this same meatloaf recipe to make about 18 muffins. To make this mini meatloaf, set your oven temperature to 350 degrees and bake them for 25 minutes or until their temperature reaches 160 degrees. When done, top the muffins with 2 teaspoons of sauce. 

Nutrition

Calories: 369kcal | Carbohydrates: 28g | Protein: 38g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 150mg | Sodium: 937mg | Potassium: 774mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 255IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 96mg | Iron: 5mg

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