Meatloaf Recipe with the Best Glaze
Amazing homemade Meatloaf Recipe. The meatloaf is so tender and juicy on the inside with a sweet and tangy glaze that adds so much flavor to the meatloaf. Serve the easy meatloaf with mashed potatoes and a side of asparagus.
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Hey, hey! Valentina with Valentina’s Corner sharing our Meatloaf recipe.
Meatloaf Recipe:
Ground beef mixed with onion, Panko breadcrumbs, fresh parsley and seasonings produces an irresistibly tender and juicy meatloaf. The sweet and tangy glaze adds amazing flavor to this classic meatloaf.
Tips on How to Make the BEST Meatloaf:
- DO NOT OVERMIX which can result in a tough/dense meatloaf
- Line your loaf pan with parchment paper with edges hanging over the pan for easier removal of meatloaf.
- Keep the juices from the pan and pour over the sliced meatloaf before serving.
- Chop the onion finely, allowing it to cook through (or sautee onion before adding)
- Gently press meat into the pan so it holds its shape.
- Rest meatloaf for 10 minutes before slicing
What is the Best Meat for Meatloaf?
You want to use ground beef that is 85% or 90% lean meat. Do not worry about using lean meat – the rest of the ingredients will keep your meatloaf moist and juicy. Avoid super lean meats.
Meatloaf Sauce:
This meatloaf sauce is incredible as a glaze for the meatloaf with the perfect balance of sweet and tangy flavors. Ketchup combined with brown sugar, garlic and onion powder, salt, pepper and vinegar creates an irresistible sauce. Once baked, the glaze caramelizes and is SO GOOD!
Can I bake Meatloaf on a baking sheet?
For crispier edges, bake meatloaf on a baking sheet. Out of foil, create a self-made pan with edges to keep the drippings from the meatloaf as it’s baked. Shape meatloaf and place into the foil. Continue with baking instructions. NOTE: Baking time may slightly vary, depending on the shape and thickness of the meatloaf.
How long to cook Meatloaf?
Cook the meatloaf uncovered for 40 minutes at 375°F. Add the sauce, and bake an additional 15-20 minutes, or until internal temperature is 160°F. If using a smaller loaf pan than 9″x5″, increase cooking time.
Leftover Meatloaf?
If you’re lucky enough to have leftovers, here are some leftover meatloaf ideas (and I’d love to hear your ideas in a comment below):
- Leftover Meatloaf Sandwiches
- Make Spaghetti Bolognese (just add meat to the sauce!)
- Beef Tacos – Break up the meat and put it in tacos
- Quick Beef Chili – just stir, simmer and enjoy!
Can you freeze Meatloaf?
Yes, meatloaf may be frozen before cooking. To freeze, prepare meatloaf per instructions. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and foil and freeze.
Defrost the raw meatloaf in the refrigerator covered. Continue with baking instructions.
More Easy Dinner Recipes to try:
- Turkey Chili is on the regular rotation at our house
- Chicken Parmesan – Better than eat out
- Chicken Stuffed Shells – The filling is amazing
- Chicken Fried Rice – A one-pan wonder
Meatloaf Recipe with the Best Glaze
Amazing homemade Meatloaf Recipe. The meatloaf is so tender and juicy on the inside with a sweet and tangy sauce that glazes the meatloaf and adds so much flavor!
Ingredients
Meatloaf Ingredients:
- 2 lbs ground beef, 85% or 90% lean
- 1 med onion, finely chopped
- 2 large eggs
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 3 Tbsp ketchup
- 3 Tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped
- 3/4 cup Panko breadcrumbs
- 1/3 cup milk
- 1 ½ tsp salt, or to taste
- 1 ½ tsp Italian seasoning
- ¼ tsp ground black pepper
- ½ tsp ground paprika
Meatloaf Sauce Ingredients:
- 3/4 cup ketchup
- 1 ½ tsp white vinegar
- 2 ½ Tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp onion powder
- ¼ tsp ground black pepper
- ¼ tsp salt
Instructions
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Line a 9”x5” loaf pan with parchment paper and preheat oven to 375°F.
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In a large bowl, add all of the ingredients for the meatloaf. Mix well to combine.
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Add meat to the loaf pan, gently press meat down and shape evenly and bake meatloaf at 375˚F for 40 minutes.
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In a small bowl, mix all of the ingredients together for the sauce. Spread the sauce over meatloaf then return to oven and bake additional 15-20 minutes. Rest meatloaf 10 minutes before slicing. Drizzle with baking juices from the pan.
If you make this recipe, I’d love to see pics of your creations on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter! Hashtag them #natashaskitchen
Valentina Ablaev
Easy Ground Beef Recipes 
Slow Cooker Chili Recipe 
Swedish Meatballs Recipe 
Salisbury Steak Recipe (Easy, 30-Min Meal) 
Ground Beef Tacos 
Perfect Burger Recipe (VIDEO) 
Hi! I'm Natasha Kravchuk. Here you'll find delicious, trusted recipes with easy step-by-step photos and videos. 
Lovely recipe! Made it as listed, minus parsley with thyme as substitute as it’s what I have to hand, and loved it.
Also works really well with bbq sauce instead of ketchup, for those like me with people who just despise ketchup in the house.
Nice, thanks for the tip! We appreciate it.
I’ve made this so many times it is by far the best meatloaf ever. I didn’t even know meat loaf could taste this good! Super easy too
That’s just awesome! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review!
Re: meatloaf recipe – you say big difference using tomato sauce (not ketchup) yet your recipe calls for KETCHUP !
Weird 🙂
I’m giving the recipe rating a 5 star, even though I haven’t tasted it yet. However, it is in the oven. I’ve never been a big meatloaf lover but I make it occasionally, the same way, for nearly 30 years by following the directions on the back of a can of Hunt’s Meatloaf fixins. It is nearly impossible to find anymore so I have needed a new recipe. I’ve had this one saved for a couple of years, I guess, but am just now trying it. Based on every comment being positive, I’m truly hoping for a fabulous meatloaf. I already have the topping sauce ready and it’s wonderful.
Hello Kathy, thanks for giving this recipe a try. We’d love to know how it goes, please update us!
This was so good! I do have to make a confession. I am a vegetarian, so I substituted Beyond Meat Burger. The glaze was awesome. Next time I make it, I am going to put some in the middle. Thanks for a great recipe.
I’m so happy to hear it worked well with that substitution! Thank you so much for sharing that with me.
Thanks so much! This was the best meatloaf we’ve had in a long time. We have someone at home with diabetes so made the following adjustments, just 1/3 of the bread crumbs (whole wheat) and I used tomato paste instead of ketchup and used only 1/3 of the recommended sugar. It was really, really good! I did also add a red bell pepper for extra vegetables. The spices were perfect! Thanks for the inspiration!
You’re welcome! I’m so happy you enjoyed it, Tamara!
This looks really good! Great reviews. Was wondering if it will work with Italian seasoned breadcrumbs , since I have a lot of those .
Thanks, Angel. I’m honestly not sure how it would turn out unless I try it. If you do an experiment and give it a try, please share with us how it goes!
I will do it and let you know! Thanks for replying, I hope it works.. next time I am getting the right ones and I know that is going to be good.
Absolutely delicious. The glaze is a deal breaker. It perfected the meatloaf. Thank you for sharing
Love it! Thanks for the wonderful feedback, Leah.
FABULOUS with the Glaze.. really amps up the taste of the meatloaf. This is the only recipe I have used for meatloaf since the first time I made it.
Thank you,
That’s wonderful! Good to know that this has become your go-to recipe, thank you for sharing.
Very yummy. It’s a hit every time I make it. When I prepare any kind of seasoned ground meat, I usually mix the eggs, seasonings and breadcrumbs before I add the meat. I’ll usually let the seasonings sit for 5 minutes to let the flavours mingle then add the meat. I find it mixes better with less handling. I also top it with the glaze right away then 2 slices of bacon cut into 3 pieces each. Amazing!!
Thanks for sharing that with us, Laura. Great to know that you enjoyed this meatloaf recipe!
Hi Natasha, this is such a great recipe, made it last week and the cravings for it didn’t last for too long, it was so tempting that I’m making it again today. We loved it! Thanks for sharing your cooking talent with the world!
Thank you, Tanya for your good comments and review! I’m glad you enjoyed this recipe.
Planning on making this meatloaf, what can replace the Milk, so it’ll be dairy free?
Thanks!
Hi Odelia, several of our readers left comments about leaving out the milk altogether and it worked great. I hope that helps.
This is Hands down the best Meatloaf recipe I have ever found and made and needed to alter zero. Thank you so much for sharing such delicious recipe 🤗
Aaaw, that’s really awesome feedback! Thanks a lot for the review, Daniela.
Natasha,
I have made this meatloaf more times than I can count. It is absolutely amazing. Worlds above what I grew up calling meatloaf, more like meat cake!!! I think my mom over did the binding agents, but can’t be too sure. This recipe is so straightforward and easy. Tip: let your meatloaf cool IN the pan you baked in, and it tends to soak some of the fat back up. Also, drizzle some of the cooking juices over after you slice the loaf, perfect. Thanks for another great recipe!
Hello there, thank you for your review and tip! I’ll make sure to do that next time, thanks a lot for sharing that with us.
So good. The glaze is unreal. The only thing I would do different is add more sauce and MAYBE make more sauce to layer in between the meat. I would def make again.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Renee! Thank you for the wonderful review!
Best meatloaf I’ve ever had. I use a lot of your recipes and there spot on. Thank you so much for sharing with us.
I love that this is the best you’ve had! This comment just made my day!
I Agree!! Didn’t have McCormick mix on hand, and needed a meatloaf recipe. This was so awesome!!! Thank You!!
I made this with 1 lb of ground beef. I am not sure how 2 lbs would fit into a 9×5 pan.
Came out so good!!! I didn’t have milk in the fridge, so I put a big scoop of sour cream in there instead. The hubby loved it!
That’s just awesome! Thank you for sharing your excellent review, Stephanie!
Girl, this meatloaf was FANTASTIC! I sautéed the onions (also added some red bell pepper to add more veggies for the kiddos) it turned out perfect. Kids loved it! Thank you so much!
Hi Tepi, that’s awesome! Great to hear that and thanks for sharing that with us.
Best Meatloaf Recipe is literally the best I’ve ever made. Can’t wait to try more recipes!
I can’t wait for you to try them also! Thank you for sharing your excellent review with me, Deb! I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
I make a lot of your recipes and they are always a hit! Thank you
That’s just awesome! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review, Cheryl!
Hi Natasha, we had your chicken and veg pie last night and it was heavenly I am almost eighty years old and I am still learning so, thank you, kind regards May.
You’re welcome! I’m so happy you enjoyed it, May!
We had you meatloaf for dinner tonight .. will definitely be making it again .. 🇦🇺
Hi Tracy, great to hear that you enjoyed it!
Hi Natasha. I hace some beef i need to cook up, but I have a meal plan I like to follow, so I really didn’t want to make this today. Would it be better to mix all raw ingredients and freeze in loaf pan uncooked until I’m ready to cook or freeze a cooked meatloaf and then reheat? I’m worried that the later will result in a dry meatloaf.
Hi Jennifer, while I haven’t tried that, generally, meatloaf is a great make-ahead recipe that you can thoroughly prepare and assemble ahead of time. Once assembled, simply wrap the prepared loaf in foil or plastic wrap and store it overnight in the fridge to bake the next day. You will likely need to add a few minutes of bake time.
I’m not sure what I am doing wrong with this recipe. I have made it twice now and the cooking time is severely under what it should be. I’m using a 9×5 pan and at the hour mark (after adding the glaze) the internal temp isn’t even 90°. Otherwise, once it is cooked it tastes great but it takes wayyyy too long.
Hi Corinne, Was your oven fully preheated? Some ovens don’t preheat properly (like my own) and I highly recommend getting an in-oven thermometer to hang in the center of your oven to track the accuracy of the oven.
I just made this for the first time. It was very moist and the glaze was a delicious addition.
The recipe was very easy to follow and I will definitely make this again
That’s lovely feedback, Julie. Thank you for sharing!
Made it tonight for the North Georgia snow storm……what a hit! My family loved it. I’ve been making meatloaf my grandma’s way for over 20 years and decided to try something different. The glaze is amazing!
Thank you for the wonderful feedback! Thanks for giving this recipe a try!
I’m not a meatloaf person. I made this today. I will definitely make this again! It was moist and tasty. The family enjoyed.
Great to hear that you enjoyed this meatloaf recipe, Kimberly!
My husband and I love this meatloaf recipe. I had tried a different recipe in the past that wasn’t as moist. Your recipe is moist and flavorful and as with all your recipes, very easy to make with your step by step instructions. I don’t know why I haven’t tried one of your mashed potatoes recipes yet, but next time I make this meatloaf, I’m going with a Natasha mashed potatoes recipe as well!
I’m so happy to hear that! Thank you for sharing your great review, Kell!
Pretty easy to make, tastes good. I would double the amount of spices. Took about an hour to cook.
Thank you so much for sharing that with me.
My family really enjoyed this recipe, especially the sauce! I will definitely make it again. I subbed the Panko breadcrumbs for crushed stuffing.
Good to know that the substitution that you used worked well and it turned out to be a success!
This meatloaf is so moist! Not the hard dry meatloaf I remember from my childhood (sorry Mom!) I didn’t have any breadcrumbs or crackers, so I used crushed potato chips 😂 I also added a dash of Worcestershire sauce. Great flavor and I love the glaze. Would definitely make again.
Hi Sally, I’m happy that you enjoyed this recipe! Never thought that could work too!
I have made this meatloaf many times and each time it gets better.
That’s so great, Beth! I’m glad you enjoyed this meatloaf!
I added finely diced sauteed celery…roasted sweet red bell peppers…and pimentos.
I also made the glaze using chili sauce instead of ketchup and seasoned rice wine vinegar instead of white vinegar.
It was DELICIOUS
Thank you so much for sharing that with me, Dean! I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
HI,
I want to make this tomorrow. We don’t mix milk and meat. Can I leave the milk out? I’ve never made meatloaf with milk before. Please LMK and excited to try this out. Especially the glaze on top!
Hi Jill, several of our readers left comments about leaving the milk altogether, and it worked great. I hope that helps.
Thought this recipe was not very flavorful. A big disappointment. Would not recommend.
This is my go-to meatloaf recipe and the first recipe I tried from Natashas Kitchen. It is moist, flavorful, and always a winner! Now my whole family knows Natasha;)
I’m so happy to hear you are enjoying my blog & recipe! Thank you for sharing that with us 🙂 I hope you get to try more recipes soon!
Made this for the first time and it was fabulous. I used a meat blend from our butcher of Ground beef, pork and veal (1.5lbs) and I think that was a big factor. Paired it with some thyme glazed carrots and bang,,,, great meal.
I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us!
I made this last night and everyone loved it. Although I did flip it over when trying to take it out of the pan so I lost some of the sauce on top of the meatloaf. I will have to take picture before serving it next time. Haha
No worries, I’m glad that it was a huge hit! Thank you for the review, Tim.
This is almost exactly how my mom makes her meatloaf since I was a little girl , and how I’ve been making it for years. Except we use a pack of Lipton Dry Onion Soup Mix, instead of the seasoning & onion in your recipe. We also only use ketchup and Brown sugar for the glaze. Anyone I have ever made this for absolutely raves over it, even my friends who say they don’t like meatloaf. I am making it tonight and I’m going to try and add in some of your ingredients for the sauce and see how it goes. I was excited to see your recipe because no one I know makes meatloaf like we do 😍
Great to hear that your family is using a similar recipe, Michele. Please update us on how you liked it if you try our version next time.
To all you cooks out there that make your changes. Why don’t you take the time to write up “your version” so that we can try it and rate it! I grew up cooking/baking. Not a professional however, IF I were to make changes I would keep that to myself or take the time to write my version.
I made your meatloaf w/sauce. It was so GOOD!!! THANK YOU 😊 🥰😋
You’re welcome, Donna. I’m happy to know that you loved this recipe!
I love meatloaf and this is without a doubt the best meatloaf I have ever eaten. I made the recipe without changes and it was perfect. The recipe received rave reviews from the family. Thank you for sharing your recipe.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it! Thank you for the wonderful review, Douglas!
That’s wonderful to hear, thank you so much for sharing that with us. I’m glad you loved the recipe as it is!
This was my first time making meatloaf and omg. This meatloaf was so moist and delicious, but held together nicely. The sauce was perfect, not overly ketchupy at all. I did end up using 1/2 ground pork & 1/2 veal for the meat because I didn’t have any ground beef thawed, but kept everything else the same. Definitely adding to the recipe book! Thank you! (:
You’re welcome! I’m so happy you enjoyed it, Amberly!
I changed two things. I used 1.5 pounds of frozen meatloaf mix, and 1/2 pound frozen ground turkey because that’s all I had. I also made it into a flatter loaf on a sheet pan for more surface area for the sauce and skipped the loaf pan. OMG….. THIS IS AMAZING! I will prob decrease the brown sugar in the sauce next time as a personal preference, but otherwise this is AMAZING and a keeper for sure!
Love it! Thank you for your review, Kim. I’m glad the substitutions that you used worked great for this recipe. Thanks for sharing that with us!
It’s soo good! Thank you for sharing.
Just to mention, I used evaporated milk (Carnation Brand).
Thank you so much for sharing that with me, Evelyn! I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Flavor is good, sauce is good, but omit the milk. Adds way too much moisture and makes it difficult to stay together
Hi Greg, you’re the first to mention the milk – I wonder if you made any other changes or substitutions in the recipe?
I tried the recipe today for dinner. OMG. Could not believe how moist it was. The directions were easy to follow. I was a little skeptical. Not any more. I recommend everyone try this recipe. Thanks for sharing
Isn’t it the best?! I’m so glad you loved it, Anita! This recipe is perfect for these cold winter months! Thank you for your thoughtful review!
Unfortunately, I tried this recipe and was not impressed. I should have kept with my other one. The sauce doesn’t have enough time to cook through and still has a strong ketchupy taste to it. It should be added at or near the beginning of cook time.
Hi Amanda, 15-20 minutes should be ample for the glaze in the oven but you can leave it on longer if you prefer a dryer glaze. Also, it shouldn’t come across as tasting strongly of ketchup. Did you add the remaining ingredients listed?
Amanda,
I find that sometimes it’s just the brand of ketchup that I (or husband) buys. I’ve become very, very picky about brands of ketchup since I saw a story of a processing plant where rotten tomatoes were being tossed into vats to make ketchup, sauces, salsas, soups, paste, etc., etc.
Yes, I’ve grown very picky!!!
Easy to make. Came out great. Really did not need glaze. Tasted great as is.
Thank you so much for sharing that with me.
Love this recipe! So tasty and not too complex.
For the glaze i only put 1 tbsp sugar and a little more vinegar and it was devine.
Thank you so much for sharing that with me.
Great Meatloaf very moist and flavorful. I made this last night and we loved it; it is my new recipe for meatloaf. Can’t wait until cold meatloaf sandwiches later today.
Hi Dale, nice to know that you found your new go-to recipe! Thank you for sharing this review with us.
I made your meatloaf recipe for Christmas Eve. To say it was a huge hit would be an understatement. My family loved it! Thanks for a wonderful meal worthy of Christmas Eve.
Lovely feedback, thanks a lot for sharing that with us. I’m glad it was a huge hit!
My meatloaf is in the oven as I’m typing this! I substituted going beef with our ground venison we made this year. It smells so good in here! Can’t wait to eat it! 😋
I bet your home is starting to smell so good! I hope you love this recipe, Charley!
This seems like an awful lot of sauce for the loaf, but that’s what I made, so we’ll see!
Pat M.
I hope you love this recipe, Pat!
I made this for Sunday dinner. My father loved it and said it was the best meatloaf I’ve made . I agree ! It’s a winner !! Your apple pie and Chicken pot pie soup are also big hits !!
That’s so great! It sounds like you have a new favorite, Linda!
What I love most about a well-written recipe is making it my own. I used Impossible “meat” instead of beef, and added Sriracha to the glaze (and I was a little short on ketchup but added a little bit of honey to balance the added heat). I’m definitely one for adding this, tasting, adding that, tasting…but without the recipe I don’t know where to start. End result…yowza, that’s a keeper!
Thanks for sharing that with us, Ellen. I’m glad to hear that you enjoyed this recipe. Thank you too for sharing some tips with us.
I made this recipe last night with fake meat and gluten-free panko (I have the unfortunate combination of being GF and also vegetarian), and it was delicious! So if anyone was wondering if it works with Impossible/Beyond Beef, it turns out great!
Lovely to hear that, feedback! Thank you so much for sharing that with us, we appreciate the new info!
I made the meatloaf using 1 lb. of ground beef and 1 lb. of ground pork; omitted the ketchup and used beef gravy. It was terrific!
So glad you enjoyed it!
I made my meatloaf using this recipe. I changed the ketchup and panko bread crumbs with tomato sauce and seasoned stuffing bread crumbs respectively. My husband and I agree this was the best. The mealoaf was moist, not dry. I didn’t make the sauce that was included, I made a brown gravy. So glad I decided to stray from my normal recipe. Thanks for sharing.
Thank you so much for sharing that with me. I’m so happy you enjoyed that.
I made your recipe for meatloaf and it was fantastic. My husband loved it. I really liked the sauce as well!
I’m so happy to hear that! Thank you for sharing your great review, Lisa!
Thankyou Natasha,
This is one of my favorite Meatloaf recipes
You’re welcome!
It’s in the oven as we speak. Will let you know how it comes out. If it tastes as good as it looks, we will be very happy
Yum! That sounds like a perfect dinner for a chilly December evening! I hope you love it, Tom!
The best meatloaf I have had in a long time!! Love the sauce very flavorful!
That is a nice comment, Denise. Thank you so much for the good review!
Made it & it was outstanding. Have been making your recipes for a while but just signed up for you emails. Love your blog!
Happy & healthy holidays!
Hello Judy, happy to know that you are enjoying my recipes. Thank you for signing up and enjoy the holidays and good food!
Great meatloaf with the best glaze! This is my first meal I have made since recovering and it was delicious! What a wonderful meal to celebrate good health! Thank you for the recipe!
You’re most welcome, Judy! That is awesome to hear that you have enjoyed this recipe. Stay safe and be well always.
We made this last night, or rather a slightly simpler version based on what we had at home. Even without the fresh parsley and garlic it was a smash hit. Thanks so much for sharing your recipe.
Great to hear that it was a huge hit, Patricia. Thank you for the awesome review!
This was a fantastic recipe!!
I made only a couple of small tweaks. I omitted the Italian herbs (I’m Italian, and I didn’t want it to taste Italian! HaHa!), and cut the glaze in half. It took longer in the oven to reach 160 degrees, but I know everything takes longer in my oven. I broiled the top a few minutes to caramelize the topping. Oh so delicious!! A nice sweet taste as I love in my meatloaf!! Tasted even better at room temperature. I kept eating it as I was trying to put the rest away. Can’t wait for meatloaf sandwiches tonight! So good! Thank you!
Thank you so much for sharing that with me, Natalina! I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Thank you. I have been making this meatloaf of yours for the last 3 years or so. I make it just like your recipe, or else why bother using a recipe. Everyone loves it. I just pulled it out of the oven and thought I would finally give back and say Thank you..
Aww, that’s the best! Thank you so much for sharing that with me, Jamie. I’m all smiles & so glad this was a hit for your family!
I made this meatloaf tonight and loved it! I used ground turkey instead of beef and only used one lb of meat as I’m by myself. The only other changes I made were I added diced red bell pepper and instead of panko breadcrumbs I used Italian style bread crumbs and ground flaxseed meal. The cooking time was less as well. I’ll definitely do a repeat of this recipe. Thanks!
That’s wonderful to hear! Good to know that you loved this meatloaf, did you also make the glaze?
Do you have any gluten free main courses or dessert recipes?
Hi Jo-Anne, feel free to check out some Gluten-Free Recipes here.
I substitute GF breadcrumbs; otherwise follow this recipe to a T (add diced red pepper). Delish! My family loves it! Even my picky 14 year old who swears he doesn’t like meatloaf. 🙄
Thank you so much for sharing that with me, Erin!
Made this meatloaf recipe today, it was pretty good. Thank you for another excellent recipe that anyone can make at home.
You’re very welcome, Gladys. Thank you for the good review!
Can this be made the night before and baked the next day?? Busy weekday schedules that way can just pop it in the oven after work!
Hi Wendy, meatloaf may be frozen before cooking. To freeze, prepare meatloaf per instructions. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and foil and freeze. Defrost the raw meatloaf in the refrigerator covered. Continue with baking instructions.
Does it need to be frozen? Can it be refrigerated for next day baking?
Yes it easily be made the night before. I’d add the onions in just before baking though, they can get weird if mixed in overnight. Just wrap well to keep the oxygen out and put in a nice cold fridge.
Made this for 50 people for a meal at the local VFW
I used 1/4 ground pork 3/4 ground chuck and did not use the Italian seasoning. I then made 5 1/2 loafs.
The glaze was too much in volume for the multiplied amount however, everyone raved that this was a great meatloaf/comfort food!
Thank you!
Thanks for sharing that with us, Jean. Good to know that everyone enjoyed the meatloaf with glaze!
I cut the recipe in half, also sauté my onions for about 5 minutes in some butter then added my fresh garlic for about a minute
Thank you so much for sharing that with me, Connie!
Loved this recipe! I tweaked it a bit and added a tablespoon of Worcheshire Sauce and topped with Sticky Fingers Memphis Original BBQ sauce the last 10 minutes of baking (I was out of some ingredients for topping in original recipe). Turned out FANTASTIC!
Thanks for the awesome review, Robert. Great to hear that you loved this recipe!
This Meatloaf was really good and the topping was amazing! I did add a little hot sauce to it. I also put in half the hamburger mixture…then a thick layer of cheese ( cause Im that cheese freak)! Then the other half of hamburger mixture! So tasty! Served it with salad & cream cheese mashed potatoes!! Thank – so much for this recipe!!
Forgot to mention that instead of Panko…I used crushed bacon puffs as Im going to serve it to my daughter who needs gluten free!!!
Thanks for sharing that with us, Carrie! I’m glad you and your family enjoyed it!
What is a crushed bacon puff? Sounds delish! Making this recipe right now… wish I would have thought about worstershire…
Bacon puffs can usually be found in the chip section at the store. They are easy to crush and add some nice flavor, plus gluten free 🙂
Thanks for sharing that with us, I’m glad you loved this recipe!
I made your meatloaf recipe for my family, it was spectacular! All the flavors blended well together! Awesome!
That is awesome feedback, Alice. Thank you for sharing that with us!
I tried it with chicken mince and it was delightful to say the least. Thank you so much for the recipe.
You’re welcome! I’m so happy you enjoyed it, Anu!
Best meatloaf recipe ever. Could use 10 more minutes cooking and maybe 1 more egg. What do you think? The glaze is to die for.
Hi Daniel, I’m glad you loved it! We believe we found the perfect balance! If you experiment, let me know how you liked the recipe with those adjustments!
Great recipe. Easy. I did enhance mine by adding a little cajun spice and chili powder.
Thank you so much for sharing that with me, Mark! We love a little spice in our recipes!
Made this last night for my boyfriend. I added about a TBSP worchestire sauce and maybe same of soy sauce. Used only 1 LB ground beef and cut the rest of the recipe in half. He said it was the best he has ever had. He actually used the phrase “knocked it out of the park” lmao – he never speaks like that. I do cook a lot and when he praises highly means he really loved it. I said, you want the leftover for lunch tomorrow- “Hell yeah” 🙂
Saved to my pins and will add into the rotation!!
Yum! I’m so glad this was a hit! It sounds like you have a new favorite, Tracy!
I made this tonight and it was the best meatloaf I have ever tasted. The only thing I had to change was that I had bought meatloaf mix of ground beef, veal and pork and it worked just fine.
Don’t you just love it when it all works out in the end! I’m glad you loved it, Lois!
I cut the recipe in half as there are only 2 of us…it’s perfect and we love it!
Thank you!
I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us!
I’m thinking of halving the recipe too as we always have too much left over. Did you reduce the baking time when halving the recipe?
Hi! Happy Holidays! It looks delicious! Can I substitute Ketchup for Barbecue sauce?
Hi Laura, several readers have reported great results using 1/3 to 1/2 bbq sauce instead of ketchup but I don’t recall anyone fully replacing it.
This is a wonderfully delicious recipe! My family loved the glaze and flavor of the loaf.
I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us, Amy!
So I made this last night for my dad’s birthday BUT I made it with impossible meat for a surprise vegetarian meal and it was really good! Only thing I changed was using veggie broth instead of beef and I put a little hot sauce in the glaze.
Happy Birthday, Michelle! I’m so glad you enjoyed this recipe!
Love meatloaf changed to this recipe about 1 yr ago. The glaze is terrific! Thanks much!
You’re welcome! I’m so happy you enjoyed it, Jean!
Hello Natasha
Question about the meatloaf recipe…..is the onion a definite, can’t do without it, or can it be omitted? And if I’m low on Panko can I use regular bread crumbs for the recipe to be a success? I’m taking this to my in-laws, tomorrow. I really don’t want to disappoint
Thank you!
C
Hi Cindy, I think you can use half onion but I won’t recommend skipping it as it adds so much flavor to the recipe. Others shared in the comment section that they used regular bread crumbs and it worked well too.
My family really enjoyed this recipe. The fresh parsley is a game changer, and after using it here, I’ll never skimp on it again if I have the choice. The only thing I changed was to add Worcestershire sauce to the glaze. It was good the way it’s written, but we just love the W sauce. We will definitely have this again!
Thank you so much for sharing that feedback with us, Tanny! I’m glad you enjoyed it.
Made meatloaf for the first time, super easy and delicious- thank u for the recipe- if you have a cookbook would love to buy
You’re welcome! I’m so happy you enjoyed it!
This was amazing! A big hit at our house!!! I’ve always made my meatloaf the same way! This recipe wins as the best ever!♥️
Thank you so much for sharing that with me, Denise! That is the best when the family love what we moms make. That’s so great!
So good. Meatloaf is a favorite dish of mine. I have tried so many different recipes and was never completely happy with any of them. My husband and I knew instantly this was the perfect meatloaf from our first bite.
That’s so great! It sounds like you have a new favorite, Chelsea!
I’m making your meatloaf recipe for the second time tonight. The first time I made it I couldn’t believe how good it was. I’ve tried other meatloaf recipes that are just plain bland. My husband did request to put three or 4 tablespoons of applesauce in it. That’s how they do it at this little diner in Melbourne Florida. It gives it a nice taste and also keeps it real moist. This will be my go to recipe for meatloaf until the end of time! ❤️
I’m making your meatloaf recipe for the second time tonight. The first time I made it I couldn’t believe how good it was. I’ve tried other meatloaf recipes that are just plain bland. My husband did request to put three or 4 tablespoons of applesauce in it. That’s how they do it at this little diner in Melbourne Florida. It gives it a nice taste and also keeps it real moist. This will be my go to recipe for meatloaf until the end of time! ❤️
I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us, Niki!
Hello Niki, thanks for sharing that with us. I’ll try that one next time too!
Not sure why it only showed a four star rating when it is definitely a 5 star!
Bravo girl! It’s an excellent recipe!!!
I would watch your videos on FB when I had it always wanted to try your recipes. Couldn’t figure out dinner tonight. I usually do easy meatloaf ie boxed stuffing. Googled meat loaf recipe this one was at the top of the list, Giving this a try tonight, figured I can’t go wrong. Didn’t have panko tho. So I had to make my own bread crumbs.
Thank you so much for sharing that with me, Jo!
Fantastic review! I did need to adjust the cook time because it wasn’t fully cooked after 40 minutes, but other than that, the recipe was perfect. Meatloaf is simple to make and it’s DELICIOUS when done right.
Thank you for sharing your great review, Shanice! I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
The recipe says to put the sauce on top and cook an additional 15-20 minutes. Maybe that is why it wasn’t cooked after 40 minutes.
sounds good I am going to try that sounds great I will let you know how this turns out looks yum
I hope you love it, Peter! I’m looking forward to your feedback!
My family loved the glaze! I broiled it at the end and it carmelized nicely.
That’s just awesome! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review, Marla!
Great recipe! If my husband liked it then it’s a keeper.. turned out well. I’m a vegetarian and used impossible meat, so I did not need that long of the time to cook it. If anyone was wondering if it works with impossible meat. Again thanks so much for the recipe!
You’re welcome! I’m so happy you both enjoyed it!
Really delicious but in Colorado with our higher altitude I needed to cook this an hour & 1/2 for the meat to fully cook through. I also spread some Worchestire sauce on top in the last 30 minutes to give it a savory taste. Yum!!
Sounds good. If you give this a try, please share with us how it turns out!
Hello… I am making this tonight and was wondering how long I cook it for if I half the recipe.. can’t wait!! Thank you 😊
Hi Jennifer, I’ve always made the full recipe, but you can definitely halve it. I imagine the time will decrease but not by much.
This is the 2nd time I’ve made meatloaf using your recipe and it is such a hit! I grew up in the south but never was a fan of meatloaf. I think because it had tomato sauce thickly slathered on the top. Your recipe is awesome and doesn’t have tomato sauce. Thanks for sharing!!
Hello Dee, thanks for the awesome review! I’m really happy to hear that the recipe is a huge hit, we appreciate your comments and feedback.
Recipes for high protein diet for one due to illness love your program see you on Facebook use your recipe Thanks
I’m so glad you’re enjoying my recipes, Barbara!
LOOKS DELICIOUS I AM GOING TO SERVE TO MY DINNER GUESTS SUNDAY!! THANK YOU FOR SHARING!!
You’re welcome! I hope you all love it, Beth!
I have been very pleased with this meatloaf recipe. It has become a go to recipe one a week for my husband and I. It turns out perfectly each time. I do only use 1 pound of grass fed beef and then adjust the ingredients accordingly. I use a glass loaf pan which I lightly spray with avocado oil. I use the lightly dried herbs along with almond/coconut milk, and organic coconut sugar. It is a very moist meatloaf. Thanks for a great recipe!!!
Thank you so much for sharing that with me, S! I’m happy you enjoyed this meatloaf!
Love your recipes, Natasha,
but this meatloaf seemed a little tough and my husband thought dry. Following your directions to a “T”.
Help!
Hi Nancy, this is normally very moist and tender. You might consider if any of the ingredients were substituted or if possibly you baked on convection settings? If you did that without making convection baking adjustments, it would be overbaked and dry. Also, I highly recommend checking the internal temperature with a thermometer to ensure doneness without overbaking.
I made this for my weekly luncheon with my adult granddaughters. It was delicious, nice texture and they loved the glaze. Thanks.
You’re welcome! I’m so happy you enjoyed it, Deboarh! I’m glad to hear your granddaughters loved it also!
This is the ONLY meatloaf recipe I make now. My husband LOVES it and my kids don’t leave a crumb. Thank you so much! I follow it to a T! 🙂
That’s so great! It sounds like you have a new favorite, Erica!
I Made The Cheeseburger Sliders November3rd. I’m Going To Make The Dinner Rolls And Meat Loaf Dinner For Sunday’s Dinner Next Week. My Husband And I Loved The Sliders.
I’m glad you loved the sliders. They’re our favorite dinner/ party meal! I look forward to your feedback once you try the meatloaf!
I Love Natash’s Recipes Because They Are Made Of Deliciously Clean And Simple But Satisfying Ingredients.
Thank you for that wonderful compliment, Pamela! I’m so happy you enjoyed that!
I wish you had a video for this recipe. I follow along better when I can see you making it step by step.
Thank you for that suggestion, Adriana! We are slowly adding to our video archives. You can find all of my recipes with videos HERE.
I tried the recipe without a video and it was super easy and Super yummy!! I’m not a good cook, so if I was able to make this anymore can. Great recipe! Now I want to cook more.
I’m so glad you gave this a try, Adriana! I hope you try more and more of my recipes!
Perfect as written. Since we repackage our hamburger from family size to smaller not sure of amount used but 1 egg was fine. Few extra minutes and I checked with a thermometer. My husband had 2 servings . Will definitely make again
Thanks for sharing that with us, Randee. Glad you enjoyed this recipe!
I’ve been making meatloaf for years but decided to try a new recipe. This will be my go to meatloaf from now on, excellent!
I’m so glad you found a new favorite on my blog, Katie! Thank you so much for sharing that wonderful review with me!
I love good meatloaf and look forward to a meatloaf sandwich! But this outcome was nothing but mush – too loose to even slice and the sauce was enough for multiple pans of meatloaves. I measured all ingredients and followed directions exactly. So disappointed!
Hi Grace, I haven’t had that experience but I’m always happy to help troubleshoot. Did you change anything in the proportions or make any substitutions?
I found your website today. I was so excited because your recipes made sense. It was like going thru my late mother’s recipes. I have checked out other sites but their recipes do not compare to yours at all.
Thank you for that wonderful compliment!
Hi Natasha! I apologize if you’ve already answered this question, but I can I prepare the meatloaf in my instant pot? If so, what change(s) would I need to makes i.e. cooking time, etc.? Thanks again for all of your amazing inspirations!
Hi Heather, I honestly haven’t tested that to advise of the timing and instructions. If you do an experiment, please share with us how it goes.
I made this for dinner tonight, and needless to say, it is now my go to meatloaf recipe! I did add a few things for our liking, but I have zero doubts that this wouldn’t have been great without my additions. Just for anyone who may be curious…I added half of a finely diced bell pepper and a few splashes of Worcestershire in the meatloaf mix. That’s it! For the glaze, I added a squirt of barbecue sauce and only did 1 Tbs of the brown sugar. Might do less sugar next time. Thank you so much for a great recipe to go off of!
Thanks for your great comments and feedback, Erin. I’m glad you loved the recipe!
I have made this meatloaf probably half a dozen times now. I change it up a bit depending on what I have laying around. Spice it up with taco seasoning mix, guacamole spice mix, Mrs Dash, add some cheese. Recipes are only a guideline. I love it, my grandkids will even eat it! Thank you!
That is the best when kids love what we parents (and grandparents) make. That’s so great!
This is easily one of best meatloaves I have ever eaten! The sauce is a perfect combination of savoy & tangy that compliments this quick and easy comfort food dinner perfectly! No need to change a thing and the leftovers just get better & better!! Thank you for this deliciousness!!
That’s so great! It sounds like you have a new favorite, Libba!
This recipe was delicious! I played around with it a little bit and did half of one onion instead of a full onion. Then, I took about an eighth of a head of green cabbage, chopped it up and sauteed in butter and worchestershire sauce until nicely cooked. I did not do your glaze, just ketchup on top with some bacon on top of that. I look forward to trying your glaze in the near future. Mine took an extra approximately 30 minutes to cook at 375 to get to the proper internal temp, but came out wonderful! Meat was nice and moist, but held together perfectly. Thanks for the recipe.
Thank you so much for sharing that with me.
Hi Natasha,
Made this to night, perfect dinner for a rainy fall night. It was delicious, my husband had two helpings. All your recipes that I have tried really hit the mark.
That’s so great! It sounds like you have a new favorite, Mary Jane!
Hi Natasha! This meatloaf recipe is the best I’ve ever tried. Thank you. 🙂
My questIon is do you bake using a convection oven or standard? My gas oven uses both. I’m wondering which is best for your timeline. Thanks!
Hi Kathy, I use a regular conventional oven (not convection). I’m so glad you love the meatloaf recipe.
Nice, and the only thing I customized was the sauce, sub’n red wine vinegar for the white vinegar/brown sugar, plus adding a tablespoon of Inglehoffer horseradish.
Thank you so much for sharing that with me, Mega! I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
If I cannot use milk would you substitute that with anything else?
Hi Michelle, several of our readers left comments about leaving the milk altogether, and it worked great. I hope that helps.
Hands down the best meatloaf I’ve ever tasted! I used half organic ground beef and half organic ground bison. I just really like the richer flavor of bison. And I have a confession to make. I mixed up the proportions of ketchup for the meatloaf and the glaze. I was able to recover some of the ketchup from the meat before I’d mixed it in but I probably ended up with almost half a cup in the meatloaf itself. I didn’t cheat. I wasn’t trying to “improve” the recipe. I goofed🙂. But, as I said, best ever. That’s going to be my single variation to the recipe from now on. More ketchup in the meat mixture. Well, and the half bison part. I love you Valentina for this remarkable recipe❤️.
That is just awesome feedback, thank you so much for sharing your experience trying out this recipe. I’m happy that you loved it!
I use parchment paper on a cookie sheet, form the meatloaf on it and cook. All sides get crisp. Learned the trick from Chef Michael Smith. Natasha has great recipes!!!
Thanks for sharing that with us, Andy. I hope you’ll love all the recipes that you will try.
Recipe is a keeper. The whole family loved it. I followed recipe exactly. However the meat mix seemed a little mushy so I added an extra half cup of panko bread crumbs. This went into my saved recipes for future. This is my new go to meatloaf recipe.
Great to hear that it turned out great, Donna. Thank you for sharing that with us.
I am going to make this tonight for my husband as he loves meat loaf. I am going to make a separate one as well with ground turkey. My questions are do you think it would cook the same?
and Can I freeze the left overs?
I haven’t really tried using ground turkey yet to advise. I saw someone commented this “I sub it for ground turkey, and I also add bell peppers to It all the time; it’s great” I hope that helps. You may also cover it tightly with plastic wrap and foil and freeze it. You can check the comments section at the bottom of the recipe and my freezing instructions for more tips.
Can’t post Photo- All Gone!
My family loved it! I soaked the panko crumbs in the milk while I prepped the rest of the ingredient. I only used 1 egg and used smoked fresh garlic. I came back on the web site to copy the recipe. It’s a keeper for sure.
That’s so great! It sounds like you have a new favorite!
This was so good! I’ll always make this one. My personal tweaks: I didn’t use parchment paper (the pan was non stick). I drained the juice before adding the glaze and used it to make an awesome gravy (a little flour, stir til brown and add water). I also broiled it at the end for just a couple of minutes. I used a little extra meat, but kept the ingredients the same. My goal was to make 2 meals out of it, which we did, barely, lol.
That’s nice, Shelby. Thank you for sharing some tips with us and for the review. We appreciate it!
Followed directions perfectly. Even cooked longer. Had raw centre.
Hi John, I haven’t had that experience and it’s unusual that it would be raw after that long of a bake time. Make sure your oven is fully preheated and that it is heating correctly. You can check this with an in-oven thermometer.
I used 1.5 lb.hamburger 80% lean 20% fat I used 1/2 oatmeal added 1/2 green pepper and 1/2 red pepper I used Italian seasoning garlic powder like it called for.I used barbecue sauce for topping It is in oven Hope it’s good!
Thank you so much for sharing that with me.
If I want to divide this into 4 parts and freeze them, should I cut the cooking time for each portion I cook by 3/4ths?
Hi Don, I haven’t tested that so I’m not sure about specific baking times for that size. I highly recommend checking for doneness with a meat thermometer to make sure you’ve reached a safe internal temperature.
This was a HUGE hit in our home! This is a keeper and will be our go-to recipe from now on!!! The only things I had to change were increasing the oven temp to 390 and cooking the meatloaf for 50 minutes. I then pulled the meatloaf out and drizzled the glaze, and put it back in for an additional 20 minutes. The meatloaf was at a perfect 165 degrees when it was said and done. Great recipe all around!
That’s so great! I’m so happy this was a hit, Kristi!!
I am baking a meatloaf right now. The recipe sounded so good. I will let you know how it turns out. I have tried several recipes of yours and they have been delicious….
That’s just awesome! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review, Emelene!
It is “slap your Mama” good! I used ground pork and substituted a can of Rotel diced tomatoes and peppers every time it called for ketchup. The tomatoes on top perfectly compliments the loaf, and the first to go.
Love it! I’m glad you loved this recipe, Malcolm. Thanks for your review!
How big is a serving size? It should say that when giving nutritional info but doesn’t. Please include.
Hi Sunni, approximately eight full servings for adults. It really depends, but you can adjust the serving size by clicking on the serving size in the recipe card, you can slide it up or down to scale the recipe ingredient lists. I hope that helps!
Made this recipe four times it is absolutely delicious I will never make meatloaf the way I used to it will always be the recipe I use from here on out and makes the best meatloaf sandwiches the next day
Aaw, that is such nice feedback. Thank you so much for sharing that with us, Toni.
I didn’t care for the Italian seasoning in the meatloaf, it made it taste like Italian meatballs instead. It held together well, just wasn’t the flavor profile I prefer.
I have tried this recipe several times, followed it to a “T” and each time I have to cook it for longer and it is total mush. No structure to it at all. Only sub I have to make is using gluten free Panko and even this time I doubled the Panko to help with the mush-iness of it and it was still a disaster. HELP!!
Hi Laura, it’s hard to say what the culprit is, especially with substitutions. It may likely be the panko since I haven’t had this experience. I’m not sure of the brand you used, but one of my readers mentioned: “Schar Gluten Free Breadcrumbs” saying “it’s delicious!! I’m the only one gluten free in the family and no one else can tell a difference.”
Gluten is a binding agent so it makes sense that it would turn out mushy when using gluten free crumbs. Adding a gluten free binding agent should help.
What about chia seeds? I have used a couple tsp of ground chia seeds to replace the egg in a vegan muffin recipe before. It holds it together beautifully!