This easy meatloaf recipe is made with ground beef and smothered with a sweet and tangy glaze topping. Tender, juicy, and bursting with classic beef flavor, learn how to make the best meatloaf and enjoy with creamy mashed potatoes and a side of roasted asparagus.
This classic American meatloaf recipe is hearty, humble, and one of the most familiar ground beef recipes of my childhood. It has just the right amount of seasoning and spices, it’s not too fatty but has just enough fat to be juicy and flavorful, and it’s finished with the perfect sweet and tangy ketchup glaze baked right on top.
Molded into the shape of a loaf, meatloaf is made with ground meat mixed with various other ingredients like onions, breadcrumbs, milk, and herbs, and topped with a sweet and tangy ketchup sauce that, when baked, forms a caramelized crust.
Let’s learn how to make this easy and delicious classic meatloaf recipe or hop over and check out this equally delicious Turkey Meatloaf Recipe.
Meatloaf Glaze
This meatloaf sauce is the perfect balance of sweet, savory, and tangy and it’s SUPER easy to prepare. Made with ketchup, Dijon mustard, brown sugar, and red wine vinegar, it’s easy to adjust the glaze to suit your own personal taste and preference. For example, if you prefer a sweeter glaze, add additional brown sugar or maybe a little honey. If you like your sauce tangier, add more red wine vinegar.
Meatloaf Glaze Variations:
- Add a little cayenne powder for heat.
- Prefer your glaze to taste a bit smokier? Add a tablespoon or two of liquid smoke.
How Long Should I Cook Meatloaf?
This recipe takes approximately 60 minutes to cook completely. The internal temperature of your meatloaf should register 160°F as read with a digital meat thermometer.
Tips on How to Make the Best Meatloaf
- Make mini beef meatloaves. Scoop your beef mixture into a 12 cup muffin tin using a large ice cream scoop. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees.
- Always rest your meatloaf before slicing. Waiting just 5-10 minutes locks in moisture and helps keep your loaf from falling apart.
- To make Paleo or Whole30: Replace the breadcrumbs with equal parts almond flour and replace the Worcestershire sauce with Coconut Aminos. Finally, use a Paleo/Whole30 approved ketchup for the glaze.
- Do not overmix your meatloaf mixture.
- Reserve half of the glaze and add it in the last 5-10 minutes of cooking.
Egg alternatives in meatloaf
- Mayonnaise. For every pound of meat, you’ll need approximately 1/3 cup of mayonnaise.
- Frozen cheese. Stick with any type of cheese that melts quickly like mozzarella or cheddar. For best results, shred your own cheese straight from the block. Spread it over a plate and freeze for 10-15 minutes before mixing with your meatloaf. This will prevent clumping.
- Egg whites. If you’re skipping eggs due to their high cholesterol, egg whites are a fantastic low calorie, and low cholesterol, alternative. For every 1 egg, add 2 egg whites.
- Flaxseed. Simply mix 1 tablespoon of flaxseeds with 1/4 of a cup of water, let it sit for approximately 10 minutes, and add to your meatloaf mixture.
How to Make Meatloaf
1. Prepare the meatloaf mixture and glaze:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil.
Combine the meatloaf ingredients – ground beef, diced onion (see tips and tricks), breadcrumbs, milk, eggs, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, Dijon mustard, parsley, oregano, garlic powder, thyme, salt, and pepper – in a large mixing bowl.
In a separate mixing bowl whisk together the ketchup, Dijon mustard, brown sugar, and red wine vinegar to make the glaze. Set aside.
2. Mold your meatloaf and bake:
Transfer your meat mixture to your prepared baking sheet. Use your hands to shape the meat mixture into a large loaf-shape (see picture). Use a pastry brush to brush the surface of your entire meatloaf with half of the pre-made glaze, reserving the rest.
Tent with foil and transfer to the oven. Bake for 45 minutes at 350 degrees F then increase the oven temperature to 400 F and remove the foil. Brush the surface with the remaining glaze and continue to bake for 15-20 minutes, or until internal temperature registers 160 degrees F with an instant-read thermometer.
Baking sheet vs. Loaf pan
One benefit of baking meatloaf on a baking sheet, or free-form, rather than in a loaf pan is that it allows any additional fat to drain away as it cooks. When cooked inside a loaf pan, the extra fat has nowhere to go, resulting in a greasier, fattier meatloaf.
3. Rest and serve:
Rest for at least 5-10 minutes before slicing and serving. Yes, let your meatloaf rest before slicing otherwise you run the risk of it completely falling apart on you.
To serve, pair your meatloaf recipe with classic mashed potatoes or super creamy mashed cauliflower potatoes. Mashed or baked sweet potatoes are a personal favorite. I often pair roasted cauliflower or Brussels sprouts on the side.
How to Make-Ahead and Freeze Meatloaf
This meatloaf recipe is totally easy to make ahead…and freeze! Here’s how:
Prepare the mixture a day in advance. The easiest way to do this is to follow the recipe instructions as instructed, but stop before forming and baking. Instead, cover and transfer the raw loaf mixture to the refrigerator and bake in the oven the next day.
Follow the instructions as outlined. Form your loaf on top of several sheets of foil on top of a baking sheet – don’t add the ketchup glaze. Transfer the loaf to the freezer and freeze until it is hard (approx. 1-2 hours). Once your loaf is at least partially frozen, wrap in foil and carefully transfer to a freezer-safe ziplock bag. Freeze for up to 1-2 months. For best results, thaw overnight, prepare the ketchup glaze and bake as instructed.
Allow your meatloaf to come to room temperature before wrapping it in foil. Carefully transfer to a freezer-safe ziplock bag. Freeze for up to 1-2 months. For best results, thaw overnight before baking. Optional – slice your meatloaf and freeze individually.
You can reheat leftover meatloaf in the microwave or, for fully cooked and thawed loaves cook in a preheated 250-degree oven in a baking dish filled with 1-2 tablespoons of water or broth to prevent it from drying out.
How to Use Leftover Meatloaf
Chances are that unless you’re feeding a very large and very hungry family, you’ll probably have some leftovers. For best results, transfer leftovers to a container and cover with a tight-fitting lid. To reheat, simply heat in the microwave at 30-second intervals until heated through.
I find that it helps to cloak my plate or container with a damp paper towel to help lock in moisture.
Serve leftovers in,
- Sandwiches! Yes, meatloaf sandwiches are extremely delicious and popular. I highly recommend adding a couple of slices of tomatoes. Enjoy warm or cold.
- Tacos. Along the same lines as a sandwich but wrapped in a tortilla instead.
- Cook some pasta and serve with your favorite tomato sauce. Kids will love this- guaranteed!
FAQ
Cover and tent with aluminum foil while baking meatloaf to keep it moist, but remove the foil in the last 15-20 minutes of cooking, or until the internal temperature registers 160 degrees Fahrenheit.
Breadcrumbs, in addition to the eggs, act as binders for your meatloaf and help prevent it from falling apart.
In this particular recipe, I did not sauté the onions before mixing them with the ground beef, breadcrumbs, and eggs. If you prefer onions that are super soft with NO bite or crunch, I recommend either cooking them in a little olive oil over medium heat for 5-7 minutes to start the softening process or grate them using a cheese grater so that they are minced super small.
Crackers, panko, or rolled oats.
I firmly disagree that ground beef with a higher fat ratio produces a better-tasting meatloaf. Why? It ends up too heavy and greasy. I recommend using 90% lean ground beef. You could also do a mixture of different meats including ground beef, ground pork, and ground veal.
There are a few reasons including not using enough binder (breadcrumbs and egg), overcooking, and not allowing your meatloaf to rest for at least 5-10 minutes before slicing.
Have you tried making this Meatloaf Recipe?
Tell me about it in the comments below! I always love to hear your thoughts. And tag me #theforkedspoon on Instagram if you’ve made any of my recipes, I always love to see what you’re cooking in the kitchen.
Meatloaf Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 pounds ground beef - 90-85% lean
- 1 large yellow onion - minced or grated
- 2 cups breadcrumbs
- 1 cup milk
- 2 large eggs
- 5 tablespoon ketchup
- 2 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 2 teaspoon dried parsley
- 2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1.5 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
For the Ketchup Glaze
- ⅓ cup ketchup
- 2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. and line a large rimming baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
- Add the ground beef, diced onion, bread crumbs, milk, eggs, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, Dijon mustard, parsley, oregano, garlic powder, thyme, salt, and pepper to a large bowl. Use your hands to thoroughly mix and mash the ingredients together until completely combined.
- Next, add the ketchup, Dijon mustard, brown sugar, and red wine vinegar to a small bowl. Whisk well to combine. Set aside.
- Transfer your meat mixture to the prepared baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Use your hands to shape the meat into a large loaf-shape (you may also add your meat mixture to two greased loaf pans if preferred).
- Use a pastry brush to brush the surface of your loaf with half of your pre-made glaze. Reserve remaining glaze.
- Bake, tented with foil, for 45 minutes. After 45 minutes, increase the oven temperature to 400 F and remove the foil. Brush the surface with the remaining glaze and continue to bake for 15-20 minutes, or until internal temperature registers 160 degrees F.
- Remove from the oven and allow to rest for 5-10 minutes before slicing and serving. Enjoy!
Jessica’s Notes
- To make it low-carb or grain-free? trade the breadcrumbs for equal amounts of almond meal. You can also trade the breadcrumbs for rolled oats, if desired.
- To make Paleo or Whole30? Replace the breadcrumbs with equal parts almond flour and replace the Worcestershire sauce with Coconut Aminos. Finally, use a Paleo/Whole30 approved ketchup for the glaze.
- Make mini beef meatloaves. Scoop your beef mixture into a 12 cup muffin tin using a large ice cream scoop. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees.
- If you prefer onions that are super soft with NO bite or crunch, I recommend either cooking them in a little olive oil over medium heat for 5-7 minutes to start the softening process or grate them using a cheese grater so that they are minced super small.
- I recommend using 85-90% lean ground beef. You may also mix ground beef, ground pork, and ground veal if desired.
- How long should I cook my meatloaf? This recipe takes approximately 60 minutes to cook completely. The internal temperature of your meatloaf should register 160°F as read with a digital meat thermometer.
Nutritional Information
(Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and specific brands of ingredients used.)
Arrggh! I’m making this recipe for the first time and it’s taken an extra hour to bake to get the internal temperature of the loaf to barely 90 degrees. I’ve had to crank the oven up to 450 degrees to try to finish baking before bedtime. I think all meatloaf recipes suffer from recommended temperatures that are entirely too low, especially ones that call for two pounds of meat. After the first hour of baking at 350 degrees, the temperature was barely 60 degrees. I think the heat needs to be set to 400 degrees to start; otherwise, you’ll end up like me waiting for 2.5 to 3 hours for dinner to be served. I hope it’s at least delicious when ready as I searched a lot of recipes and was really excited to make this one.
Mine was at 140 after an hour. You’re probably right about the temperature needing to be a bit higher at the first 45 minutes.
Finally, a truly good meatloaf recipe. This is from someone who, until now, has not been a big meatloaf fan. Most meatloafs are lacking in flavor, are too dry. or both. This one is juicy and flavorful. Furthermore, it is very tender, unlike some grainy and rubbery versions I’ve made. Since there are only two of us, I halved the recipe. There’s still enough left over for two meals. I love leftovers that I can just pull out of the freezer at a later date.
Thank you for the very good feedback and rating Bernadette 🙂
This is the first meatloaf recipe I made and everyone is crazy about it. I’ve done it for many different people, even from different countries, and I always hear it’s the best meatloaf they’ve ever eaten. Thank you, Jessica! 🙂
My toddler and I really enjoyed this recipe.