This Homemade Meatloaf recipe is the perfect blend of juicy ground beef, savory spices, and a hint of sweetness from the glaze. A succulent loaf that remains moist and flavorful, making it a comforting and satisfying meal for any occasion.
Traditional Meatloaf Recipe
This traditional meatloaf is a favorite in my family and one that I remember loving as a child. I especially enjoyed my family’s homemade meatloaf with a side of mashed potatoes and mac and cheese. What I love about this recipe is how easily it can feed a crowd. I like to double the recipe and serve for large gatherings—it’s always a hit!
What is the secret to a great meatloaf?
My 3 secrets to making perfect meatloaf every time is to hydrate the breadcrumbs, avoid over-mixing, and cook at a low temperature. I soak the breadcrumbs with eggs and milk to give a moist texture. Be careful not to over-mix or you’ll end up with a dry, tough loaf. And finally, I cook meatloaf at 350° first, then 400° to avoid drying out the meat.
Homemade Meatloaf Ingredients
- Grass Fed Ground beef: Add 1/3 ground pork or make a turkey meatloaf with ground turkey if you wish!
- Toasted breadcrumbs: Or use quick-cooking oats or gluten-free bread crumbs as a substitute.
- Eggs: For binding and creating moist texture.
- Milk: Or sub broth. Used to soak the breadcrumbs to create a moist consistency.
- Tomato paste: For rich, savory flavor.
- Dijon mustard: For tanginess.
- Maple syrup: For a hint of sweetness to balance any acidity.
- Worcestershire sauce: For a sweet and sour taste.
- Yellow onion and garlic clove: For savory, pungent flavor.
- Smoked paprika, black pepper, dried oregano, and dried marjoram: Give the loaf a smoky, peppery, herby taste.
- Fresh parsley: For a fresh, herby flavor mixed into the loaf and for garnish.
- Glaze: Use our Jammy Roasted Ketchup or make a quick and easy glaze by mixing 1/2 cup ketchup, 2-3 tablespoons maple syrup, 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar, and sriracha (optional).
Classic Meatloaf Seasoning
Common meatloaf seasonings include paprika, black pepper, dried herbs, dried mustard, and garlic or onion powder. I like to used smoked paprika for extra smoky flavor, and for the dried herbs, I use oregano and marjoram. Instead of dried garlic or onion powder, I use raw grated onion and garlic. And I opt for regular dijon mustard as opposed to dried. In my opinion, it really makes the flavor pop!
How to Make Meatloaf
1. Prep. Preheat the oven to 350F. Take the ground meat out of the fridge to let it sit for 20 minutes. This will make it easier to mix.
2. Soak breadcrumbs. Mix together breadcrumbs, eggs, and milk in a large bowl and let sit for 5 minutes.
3. Add flavor. To the breadcrumb mixture, add kosher salt, tomato paste, Dijon mustard, maple syrup, Worcestershire, onion, garlic, spices, and fresh parsley. Mix.
4. Add ground meat. Use your hands to mix in the ground meat until just combined. Be careful not to over-mix. Mold the mixture into a loaf shape, roughly 8 x 4. Transfer to a pan (pyrex baking dish or rimmed baking sheet), leaving some room around the edges to encourage even browning and caramelized edges. This is much better than packing into a loaf pan!
5. Coat with the glaze. Spread half of the glaze over the top and sides. Bake 40 minutes, remove from the oven, and glaze with what is remaining. Turn the oven to 400F and bake 10-15 minutes. When done, the internal temp should be 155-160F. An instant read internal thermometer comes in handy! Broil for a few minutes if you wish.
6. Let sit. Rest for 10-15 minutes before serving to lock in the juices and prevent crumbling. Serve with fresh parsley and your favorite sides!
How Long to Cook Meatloaf
It is best to cook meatloaf at a lower temp for the bulk of cooking time to prevent it from drying out. Bake for 40 minutes at 350F, then turn up the heat to 400F for the last 10-15 minutes. This requires about 50 minutes to 1 hour of total baking time.
Classic Meatloaf Recipe Tips
- Don’t skip the grated raw onions! They make the meatloaf juicier and have enzymes that help tenderize the meat. They melt when cooked adding savory flavor to the meatloaf.
- Leave room around the edges. Avoid packing in the meatloaf and don’t use a loaf pan. Use a dish where you can leave some space around the edges for caramelization and to ensure the loaf gets tender. You will create a free-form loaf shape.
- Avoid over-mixing. Don’t over-mix or compress the meat. This can result in a dry, tough texture.
- To add a pleasant sheen, spray with spray olive oil 5 minutes before pulling out of the oven.
- Let rest before serving. Let sit for 10-15 minutes to avoid a crumbly meatloaf and to lock in the delicious juices!
What to Serve with This Recipe For Meatloaf
Serve this hearty entrée with vegetable sides like Roasted Broccoli, Green Beans Almondine, or Glazed Carrots. Other delicious sides include Mashed Potatoes or Mac and Cheese. Add a salad, like Caesar Salad or Waldorf Salad.
How to Store the Best Meatloaf Recipe Ever
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
To meal prep, make the meatloaf a day in advance and wrap tightly with plastic wrap and store in the fridge unglazed. Simply remove from the fridge and bake as instructed the following day.
Can you freeze meatloaf?
Yes! I like to make this recipe into two loaves and freeze one. If doing this, the loaves will be smaller and will need to baked for 45 minutes.
Cooked meatloaf can be frozen in a freezer bag for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge for 24 hours before reheating in a 300F oven until warmed through.
How to Reheat Meatloaf
To prevent the meatloaf from drying out, only reheat the slices you plan to eat. Place in a baking dish and tent with aluminum foil or cover with parchment. Bake at 300F until warmed through.
Homemade Meatloaf Recipe FAQs
Use an instant-read internal thermometer to make sure the meatloaf is 155-160°.
Turn it into meatloaf sandwiches, serve with eggs for breakfast, or dice it up and serve with chili, enchiladas, shepherd’s pie, or bolognese!
You could try swapping the eggs for flax eggs, or replace them with olive oil, mayonnaise, applesauce, or steak sauce. We have not tried this, but if you do, let us know how it works!
I hope you enjoy this Homemade Meatloaf recipe! Let us know what you think in the comments!
xo-Tonia
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Description
This Homemade Meatloaf recipe is the perfect blend of juicy ground beef, savory spices, and a hint of sweetness from the glaze. A succulent loaf that remains moist and flavorful, making it a comforting and satisfying meal for any occasion.
- Preheat the oven to 350°.
- In a large bowl, mix the bread crumbs, eggs, and milk (or broth). Let sit for 5 minutes.
- To the bread crumb mixture add salt, tomato paste, Dijon, maple syrup, Worcestershire, onion, garlic, smoked paprika, black pepper, oregano, marjoram, and fresh parsley. Mix until thoroughly combined.
- Add the ground meat mixing gently with your hands until just combined. (It will combine more easily if the meat has been out of the fridge for 20 minutes.) Do not over-mix. Mold into a loaf shape, roughly 8 x 4, and place in a pan with a little room around the edges, like a pyrex baking dish or a rimmed baking sheet. This helps the meatloaf brown evenly and caramelize on the edges, rather than packing it in to a loaf pan.
- Coat the top and sides of the meatloaf with 1/2 of the glaze. Bake for 40 minutes, remove from the oven and reglaze with what is remaining. Turn the oven up to 400° and bake 10-15 minutes more. Test the temperature (an internal instant read thermometer is handy here) it should register 155-160. Broil for a few minutes if desired.
Let meatloaf rest 10-15 minutes before serving. This locks in the juices and keeps it from crumbling.
Notes
Don’t overmix- this can result in a tough, dry texture.
Meatloaf can be made a day ahead- wrap tightly with plastic wrap and store in the fridge unglazed.
You can make this into two loaves and freeze one! Bake for about 45 minutes if shaping into smaller loaves.
You can quick cook oats in place of bread crumbs.
Cooked meatloaf can be frozen up to 3 months. Defrost in the fridge for 24 hours. Reheat in a 300° oven until warmed through.
Storage for leftover meatloaf: Seal it in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 days.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/6 slice
- Calories: 301
- Sugar: 5.8 g
- Sodium: 682.2 mg
- Fat: 7 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Carbohydrates: 16.8 g
- Fiber: 1.5 g
- Protein: 38.7 g
- Cholesterol: 153 mg
