This easy Meatloaf recipe is made with simple ingredients including ground beef, eggs, breadcrumbs and spices, with a delicious meatloaf sauce baked on top. It’s so flavorful and moist, you’ll never use another recipe!
What we love about this meatloaf recipe:
- Moist: You don’t have to worry about dry tasteless meatloaf in this recipe. We’ve added eggs, sauce, and spices that give it the perfect taste and texture.
- That meatloaf sauce: this meatloaf sauce is a true treasure from my childhood. My mother developed the recipe and it’s bound to be your new favorite sauce. A touch of nutmeg is the key. I also love to serve this sauce over mini meatloaf muffins which are similar to regular meatloaf but cook faster and are fun for kids.
How to Make Meatloaf:
1. Combine all ingredients: Add all of the meatloaf ingredients to a large bowl and gently mix everything to combine (without over-working the meat).
2. Add to loaf pan: Add the meat mixture to a greased loaf pan and gently pat into an even layer.
3. Bake at 350ºF about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, make the meatloaf sauce by combining all ingredients in a bowl.
4. Top with meatloaf sauce: Remove meatloaf from oven (use a paper towel to soak up grease around the edges of the pan, if there’s a lot of it) and spread sauce on top.
5. Bake. Return to oven for 10-20 minutes or until cooked through (160 degrees F).
5. Serve: Allow to rest for 10 minutes before slicing and serving. Use your leftover meatloaf to make Meatloaf sandwiches!
Serve meatloaf with:
- Potatoes: mashed potatoes, Instant pot potatoes, potato salad, baked potato salad.
- Vegetables: roasted vegetables, French green beans.
- Bread: homemade rolls, breadsticks, no knead artisan bread.
- Salad: classic wedge, macaroni salad, tomato cucumber salad.
Make ahead and Freezing Instructions:
To make ahead: Make meatloaf and shape into loaf pan 1-2 days ahead of time. Cover and store in the refrigerator until ready to bake. Allow it to come to room temperature before baking. You can also make the meatloaf sauce several days ahead of time and store it in the refrigerator.
To freeze unbaked: cover unbaked meatloaf with a layer of plastic wrap and aluminum foil. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw for about 24 hours in the refrigerator. Remove from the fridge and allow to come to room temperature before baking.
To freeze baked: Cut meatloaf into slices and allow to cool completely. Flash freeze slices on a baking sheet for one hour until semi frozen. Then place slices in a freezer safe bag in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge, then reheat in the microwave or oven.
Variations:
- Healthier meatloaf: substitute lean ground beef or half ground turkey/half ground beef.
- Meatloaf sandwich. One of our favorite ways to enjoy the leftovers!
- No loaf pan? No problem, simply form the meatloaf into the shape of a loaf and bake it on a baking sheet.
- Turkey meatloaf: substitute ground turkey in place of ground beef.
- Stuffed Meatloaf: Prepare meatloaf mixture and press half into the bottom of the pan. Add cheese slices (your favorite kind of cheese), then cover with remaining meat mixture. Bake as directed.
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Recipe
Meatloaf
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 lbs ground beef
- 2 large eggs
- 4 Tablespoons ketchup
- 2 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 2 teaspoons dijon mustard
- 4 cloves garlic , minced (or 1 ½ teaspoons garlic powder)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon dried sage
- 1/2 cup sweet onion , diced
- 1/2 cup breadcrumbs , or oats
Meatloaf Sauce:
- 1/2 cup ketchup
- 6 Tablespoons light brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons dijon mustard
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a standard size loaf pan with cooking spray.
- Add all of the meatloaf ingredients to a large bowl and gently mix everything to combine (without over-working the meat). Add the meat mixture to a loaf pan and gently pat into an even layer.
- Bake for about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, make the meatloaf sauce by combining all ingredients in a bowl.
- Remove meatloaf from oven and spread sauce on top. Return to oven for 10-20 minutes or until cooked through (160 degrees F).
- Allow to rest for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.
Notes
- Unbaked meatloaf: cover unbaked meatloaf with a layer of plastic wrap and aluminum foil. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw for about 24 hours in the refrigerator. Remove from the fridge and allow to come to room temperature before baking.
- Baked meatloaf: Cut meatloaf into slices and allow to cool completely. Flash freeze slices on a baking sheet for one hour until semi frozen. Then place slices in a freezer safe bag in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge, then reheat in the microwave or oven.
Nutrition
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HAVE YOU TRIED THIS RECIPE?!
RATE and COMMENT below! I would love to hear your experience.
This meatloaf recipe was/is the best. My husband, who loves meatloaf more than anything said this is a keeper.
Thanks for a great site
Made this for dinner and it was so amazing! My entire family loved it. Only thing I changed is I used a 10 inch cast iron since I don’t have a loaf pan and I used the broiler for a few minutes before adding the sauce to crisp it up some. I will definitely be making it again!!
I love your recipes. They are easy and are a good guide teaching my fiance how to cook. Thanks.
You should never ever let any meat sit on your counter and go to room temperature. It takes it out of the safe zone and risks severe microganism growth that can make you sick. I have a safety food certification occasion and I have worked in this business for almost 40 years.
Hi lauren..I just made 2 of your meat loaf receipe..it is delicious! I’ll be making it often! Tk you also for hints how to freeze it..
Thank you! Rose
My whole family loves this meatloaf! I substitute crushed Ritz crackers for the breadcrumbs and cut the brown sugar a bit to keep it from becoming too sweet, and use 85/15 ground beef. As someone else mentioned, I do find it needs a bit longer in the oven before adding the sauce.
Since my mom passed at the end of 2020, I’ve been adjusting to cooking for one again. This recipe is incredible – so tasty and easy. And it converts so nicely to halving the recipe. It has become one of my absolute favorites! Thank you!
Yummy and easy!! Thank you!
Absolutely in love with this recipe! But I definitely don’t feel like it cooks as quickly as it lists – I feel like we usually have to cook it almost an hour before putting the sauce on and then let the sauce cook on for the full 20 mins. Obviously every oven differs but it seems like a big difference. The sauce is out of this world delicious and this one is always a family favorite.
I was unprepared for how much grease came out of the meatloaf as it baked, which is maybe just how meatloaf is? The nutmeg in this recipe is really the star of the show – gives this dish a holiday feel that I love! The sauce was too sweet for my taste though so I’m going to try halving the brown sugar next time.
Try 85% or 90% lean next time.. if you go 90 you’ll need to add a little fat or water to the bottom of the pan so it doesn’t burn. 🙂
Yes, meatloaf can be a bit greasy. Using leaner ground beef will cut down on the grease.
This recipe will forever be on the rotation. Delicious! Will have to double the recipe next time… no leftovers!
Really liked this recipe.
Two changes…I used Bison instead of beef to make it leaner but still flavorful and I used only two tablespoons of light brown sugar I the sauce. As ketchup is so sweet anyway, I did not feel comfortable with that much more sugar. The sauce still came out tangy and sweet and fabulous.
I’m done looking for the perfect meatloaf recipe (sorry Mom!). I’ve made this twice now and it’s incredible. I love the sauce the meatloaf itself is juicy and full of flavor!
Wow is this meatloaf the best! Meatloaf is usually kind of blah, but this was full of flavor between the add-ins and the sauce. I added about two tablespoons of prepared horse radish to the sauce for some extra kick and added mozzarella to the center. I’ll never use another recipe for meatloaf. Thanks for sharing! Next time I’ll make extra sauce to serve on the side.
This is the best meatloaf I’ve had. I have a family who on the whole dislikes meatloaf but loved this one. The sauce is very good, the nutmeg makes it.
I followed this recipe putting the potatoes in the base of my Instapot and it all turned out SO delicious! The meatloaf cooked thoroughly at 25 minutes and the potatoes mashed perfectly. Is there a secret to making sure the potatoes don’t stick to the bottom of the Instapot?