Amazing homemade Meatloaf Recipe. Learn how to make a meatloaf that is tender and juicy on the inside with a sweet and tangy glaze that adds so much flavor.
This meatloaf is easy, make-ahead friendly, and versatile. Everyone needs a great meatloaf recipe that they can count on, and this one does not disappoint.
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Meatloaf Recipe
Ground beef mixed with onion, Panko breadcrumbs, milk, fresh parsley, and seasonings produces an irresistibly tender and juicy meatloaf. The sweet and tangy glaze adds amazing flavor to this classic meatloaf recipe.
Meatloaf pairs well with just about any side dish. We love it with it with Creamy Mashed Potatoes and a side of Baked Asparagus, Green Beans Almondine, or Roasted Broccoli. If you’re looking for an all-American dinner, pair it with Coleslaw and Baked Potatoes.
Also, did you know meatloaf is perfect for meal prep? You can use leftover meatloaf for everything from tacos to pasta (see more ideas below).
Tips on How to Make the BEST Meatloaf
- DO NOT OVERMIX – This is the secret to keeping meatloaf moist! Overworking the meat mixture 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 the meat into the pan so it holds its shape.
- Test for Doneness with a meat thermometer (it should reach 160˚F).
- Rest meatloaf for 10-15 minutes before slicing for juices to redistribute and for easier slicing.
What is the Best Meat for Meatloaf?
For this traditional meatloaf recipe, 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 ground beef.
Variations
This meatloaf recipe is versatile and you can use a different ground meat if that is what you have on hand. Over the years our readers have reported great results using the following meat substitutions:
- Ground Turkey – For a Turkey Meatloaf, you can replace half or all of the ground beef with ground turkey and add a teaspoon of Worcestershire sauce for more depth of flavor.
- Ground Pork – For a juicier meatloaf, combine equal parts ground pork with ground turkey or pork with beef. You can also do 1/3 pork and 2/3 turkey/beef—it’s pretty forgiving.
- Italian Sausage – you can combine equal parts Italian sausage with ground turkey for an Italian Meatloaf.
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, you can bake meatloaf on a baking sheet. Using a sheet of aluminum foil, create a self-made pan with raised edges to contain the drippings from the meatloaf as it’s baked. Shape the meatloaf and place it into the prepared foil. Continue with the baking instructions.
NOTE: Baking times may vary, depending on the shape and thickness of the meatloaf, so test for doneness with an instant-read thermometer.
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 the cooking time.
Since not all ovens are created equal and using different types of loaf pans can affect the bake time, check for doneness using an instant-read thermometer and remove it from the oven when it reaches 160˚F in the middle of your meatloaf.
Leftover Meatloaf?
Meatloaf can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days. You can also freeze for longer storage (see below).
If you’re lucky enough to have some 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!
- Meatloaf Shepherd’s Pie – crumble the meatloaf as the base
- Meatloaf Quesadillas – combined crumbled meatloaf and cheese
- Stuffed Peppers – crumble and stuff into peppers, top with cheese and bake
Can you Freeze Meatloaf?
Yes, meatloaf may be frozen before cooking. To freeze, prepare meatloaf per instructions. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and aluminum foil and freeze.
Defrost the raw meatloaf in the refrigerator overnight, keeping it covered. Then, follow the baking instructions in the recipe.
I think you’ll agree this is the best meatloaf ever and I hope it lands on your regular dinner rotation.
More Easy Dinner Recipes to Try
I hope some of these easy dinner ideas become new favorites for you. They are simple, satisfying, and well-loved by everyone.
- Chicken Fajitas
- BLT Sandwich
- Oven-Baked Salmon
- Turkey Chili
- Sheet Pan Chicken Parmesan
- Chicken Stuffed Shells
- Chicken Fried Rice
Meatloaf Recipe with the Best Glaze
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, or gluten-free bread crumbs
- 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
- Line a 9”x5” loaf pan with parchment paper and preheat oven to 375°F.
- In a large bowl, add all of the ingredients for the meatloaf. Mix well to combine.
- Add meat to the loaf pan, gently press meat down and shape evenly and bake meatloaf uncovered at 375˚F for 40 minutes.
- 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 or until the internal temperature is 160˚F on an instant-read thermometer. Rest meatloaf 10-15 minutes before slicing. Drizzle with baking juices from the pan.
Notes
- Variations – You can replace the meat with ground turkey, or use a combination of ground turkey and beef. You can also use a combination of ground pork (or even Italian sausage) and beef or turkey.
- Chop the onion finely – this ensures it will cook through. You could also sauté the onion before adding it to the mixture.
- Do Not Overmix – Mix until the meat mixture is just combined and gently press it into the pan so you don’t end up with a dense meatloaf.
- To Bake on a baking sheet – Shape a sheet of foil into a rough pan shape and set onto a baking sheet. Form the meatloaf, set into the foil to keep the drippings contained, and bake as instructed. The shape of your meatloaf can affect baking times so check with a thermometer for doneness.
- Rest meatloaf – Once the meatloaf comes out of the oven, let it rest to allow the juices to redistribute. This will make the meatloaf juicier and easier to slice.
Nutrition Per Serving
Valentina Ablaev
Hi! I'm Natasha Kravchuk. Here you'll find delicious, trusted recipes with easy step-by-step photos and videos. 
This meatloaf was only OK. My husband said it tasted like hamburger, i.e., nothing special.
Great recipe! We experimented and subbed 1 lb of yak meat with 1 lb of beef, and it was still great! (We also left out the sugar from the glaze, but it was still such a hit!)
Best meatloaf consistently!!
And the sauce is
A M A Z I N G 🙂
the best meatloaf ever and super easy to make
I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us, Thais!
I use this recipe every time I make meatloaf. I make small changes liking adding Worcester sauce and adjusting the seasoning. It’s a home run always.
I have made this recipe 3 times now and its always a big hit! It is moist and flavorful. I do add a teaspoon of Westchester Sauce and I precook my onions, garlic, and add a little green pepper too. But it all comes together deliciously!
Absolutely love this recipe! I substitute 1 pound of the ground beef for ground veal, and I also add shredded mozzarella.
I’ve made this twice now and I can’t get over how amazing this turns out. We do 3lbs instead of 2lbs of lean ground beef because my husband needs a lot of food prep. He is always over the moon about this meatloaf! I am not a big meat eater but this tastes so good that I actually enjoy it too! We love this recipe because it is so simple using ingredients we normally already have on hand. Thank you!!!
Used Ground Turkey instead. Instead of Worcestershire sauce, since I didn’t have any, I used a little Teriyaki marinade. All other ingredients were followed according to recipe. My family loved it, I also dropped some dinner off to my mom. My new GO TO Recipe! Thank you!
Have tried many meatloaf recipes and this one was very dense with little flavor.
Hi Melanee, dense meatloaf is usually a result of several things – it could be either over-baking, over-mixing or substitutions made (if a binder is missing, or there’s not enough moisture added to the meat). I hope that helps for next time.
Can I substitute Italian breadcrumbs instead of Panko?
Hi Jamie, I believe Italian bread crumbs would work fine, but I haven’t tested it myself so you may have to experiment with the seasoning.
Love love it!! So does my family. I make it all the time. It’s our dinner tonight.
That’s so awesome, Linda! Thank you so much for sharing that with me.
It’s just okay. No home run. My search continues.
When I tried printing this recipe, a huge ad covered the ingredients
Hi Jenny! How did you print the recipe? You can click Jump to recipe to go to the ecipe card, click print, save as pdf then print it from your computer. Hope that helps!
Absolutely the best!!! Make it often. Always a winner with dinner guests.
My family calls this my “famous meatloaf”. We LOVE IT!
My go to recipe for meatloaf. Tastes amazing and so easy to put together! Family favourite for sure!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Linda! Thank you so much for sharing that with me.
Thank you very much for the recipe. It is a keeper. Everyone loved it. No leftovers. With mashed potatoes and steamed veggies, it’s a wonderful choice for Sunday dinner( or any other day of the week) with your friends and family.
Wow, absolutely yummy! It was even better warmed up the next day.
I’m glad you loved it!
Meatloaf has always been one of my favorite dinners. I decided to try Natasha recipe and it was the best. The sauce added the right touch, the next time I’ll make a double recipe of the sauce to add to the mash potatoes.
Best meatloaf I’ve had so far!! Amazingly delicious. And the sauce was very good!