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 or until the internal temperature is 160˚F. 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
Hi! I'm Natasha Kravchuk. Here you'll find delicious, trusted recipes with easy step-by-step photos and videos. 
Worst meatloaf recipe ever! Dry & tasteless- like eating squshed mushrooms. Tasted like tough bread
I’m sorry to hear that. This recipe has great reviews. Did you make any substitutions or use lean meat? You want to use ground beef that is 85% or 90% lean meat. Also, overmixing the batter can result in a tough/dense meatloaf.
Tried the meatloaf recipe.
Easy to follow instructions and quick to prepare.
Delicious
My husband loved the meatloaf and so did I.
Thank you
Cindy
So glad to hear that, Cindy! That’s wonderful.
I have been cooking for over 50 years. This is probably the best meatloaf I’ve ever made. Another home run Natasha.
Wow! That’s just awesome! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review, Dorann!
I am trying to eat clean this month so only tasted a small pinch of the meatloaf and it was wonderful! My husband absolutely loved it…he ate three pieces. I served it with mash potatoes, sweet early peas, and garlic toast.
That sounds perfect, I’m glad you also tasted it! Thanks for the good review and feedback, Patrice.
If you bake it the next day do you have to bake longer since it’s still cold when you take it out If the frig?
Hi Kathy, I would bake it until the internal temperature is 160°F.
Help! I accidentally put the glaze on before baking it first. Will it be okay?
Hi Jennifer. I have not tested this to see what the outcome is. The glaze may burn a bit but it may be ok. I hope it turns out.
I have baked my meatloafs pre-glazed. Due to the moisture of the meat and ingredients as well as the non-direct heat of the oven (from above specifically), the sugars will not burn. However, you will lose some of the crisping on the top when fully smothered from the start. If you are ever in doubt you can always wipe off most of the glaze so no harm, no foul. In fact that gives me an idea: an initial very thin glaze later application and see how it reacts to crisping the top…hmm…
Greetings Natasha!
This is the best meatloaf recipe ever. As I prepare this recipe for the 4th time, I realize that I am out of brown sugar. Can I use syrup in place of brown sugar?
Thanks!
I’m so happy you loved this recipe, Penny! We prefer brown sugar for the color and flavor, but I bet you could substitute it with white sugar if you don’t have brown sugar on hand. I haven’t tested that but I think it could work. If you experiment, let me know how you liked the recipe!
I used a mixture of tomatoe sauce and treacle along with the other ingrediabts for the glaze. its in the oven now so we will ned to wait and see
Let us know how it turns out! 🙂
Excellent! Couldn’t even ruin it by using ground turkey! (beef is so expensive!) Meatloaf is super but the sauce over it makes it a grand slam! Thank you.
You’re welcome! I’m so happy you enjoyed it, Dori!
sauce looks like a basic bar-b-que sauce. Can I glaze with bar-b-q- sauce?
eleanor
Hi Eleanor, I have not tested that to advise but feel free to do an experiment.
We have made this meatloaf recipe our family recipe. The sauce on top makes it! We are a family of 2 so it makes plenty for leftovers. My husband loves meatloaf sandwiches.
The next item we are going to make is your Shrimp Alfredo.
That’s wonderful! So glad you both enjoy this recipe. Let us know what you think of the Shrimp Alfredo! 🙂
Absolutely delicious. The best meatloaf I have ever made. The glaze was amazing.
Hello Angie, thanks for the awesome feedback and review! Great to hear that you love this recipe a lot.
This is the tastiest recipe I have ever used for meatloaf. I just made a slight adaptation by sauteing the onions before a mix them in. The sauce is delightful. Thank you.
So wonderful to hear! Thank you for the review.
Excellent as is! Definitely follow the cooking tips. The sweetness of the sauce depends on the sweetness of the ketchup you use.
Easy to modify.
I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us!
Do you have to use fresh parsley or can you use dried parsley flakes?
Hi Megan, we prefer it with fresh parsley!
This is the most amazing meat load recipe with a splendid tangy savory sweet salty tomato sauce.
I add three boil eggs in the meat load and my husband loved it. The meatloaf was juicy moist and flavorful.
This is a winner !
So glad to hear that. Thank you for the review.
I made this tonight, it turned out absolutely fantastic!! We had garlic mashed potatoes and whole green beans. Thank you for sharing, I will make it again!!
So glad you enjoyed it! Thank you for the review.
Awesome meatloaf I use bbq sauce instead of ketchup in the sauce
Sounds good, I’m glad that worked out well too!
Five PLUS Stars! Without a doubt, the best Meatloaf I have ever had. Served it for company yesterday instead of the usual cookout, everyone loved it. Cooked it on our Traeger which added a touch of outdoor flavor. Mildly sauteed the onions with green peppers and fresh garlic and added some small chucks of extra sharp cheddar. Added a generous sprinkle of Cavender’s All Purpose Greek Seasoning in place of Italian. The Glaze just takes this fantastic recipe over the top! Thanks for sharing!!
That’s wonderful! I’m so glad you enjoyed this recipe. Thank you so much for sharing.
We made this tonight and loved it. I can never make things without doing small altercation. I added mushrooms and Worcestershire sauce. I sautéed the onions and mushrooms. Then added extra panko to absorb any extra liquid from the sautéed veggies. For the sauce mixture, I added a few dashes of Worcestershire sauce (love this stuff) and used sugar free ketchup. It was too hot inside so we cooked on the Traeger. We will be making this again.
Hello Alina, that’s totally fine. Feel free to make some minor according to your preference, I’m just glad you love it!
The absolute best meatloaf!! I am so glad I tried a new way of making one of my favorite dishes.
Hi Jai, good to know that you just found your new go-to recipe! Thank you for sharing that with us.
Panko crumbs are heavier/more dense bread crumbs with a little more body to them. You can get a large can for $1 at the Dollar store.
Thank you so much for sharing this very delicious and juicy meatloaf recipe. I have cooked this meatloaf twice so far, and my family loves it.
You’re very welcome! Great to hear that, Bridget, thank you for sharing.
I got very excited when I saw that this blog had a meatloaf recipe. I’ve tried a few recipes from here and they’ve all turned out amazing! It turned out so good and it was so easy to make.
That’s just awesome! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review, Jade!
I substituted A-1 steak sauce instead of white vinegar. Really good glaze.
Thank you for sharing. So glad you enjoyed this recipe.
I love this recipie! It’s super easy to follow. I made a few changes by adding green bell peppers and substituting panko for a slice of real bread. Pairing this with mixed vegetables and homemade mashed potatoes is a super easy weeknight meal for hubby and I.
Thank you for sharing, Nisha! So glad you enjoyed this recipe.
I just made this and it’s the best! I will be making this again!
Thank you for sharing, Roxanne! So glad you enjoyed this recipe.
OMG this is the MOST yummy meatloaf recipe I’ve tried! We just finished dinner and everyone LOVED it! I didn’t change a thing & glad I didn’t! Thank you for sharing – this will become my go-to recipe for meatloaf. The others are going bye-bye!!
So glad to hear that, Carol. Thank you for a wonderful review.
Best and moistest I’ve ever had and meatloaf has been a staple with me for 50+ years. Thanks for the recipe.
You’re welcome! I’m so happy you enjoyed it, Bob!
It was delicious and I doubled the recipe since I had hungry grandchildren coming and my husband was also wanting plenty of leftovers. It was such a hit that the leftovers was very little. I have pictures prepping but not the end results as it was devoured before I could get any.
That is the best when the family loves what we moms make. That’s so great!
Does it truly matter what type of bread crumbs are used? I rarely have panko crumbs in my cupboard.
Hi CaryAnn, Others shared in the comment section that they used regular bread crumbs and it worked well too.
Sorry, I didn’t take a pic but I have to say. This was so good and moist but not falling apart.
My only change was that I added 5 straps of cut up bacon into it. My kiddo loved it..
Thanks so much, I will definitely make again.
No worries but feel free to share some photos of your creations on our Facebook page or group so others can see and will get inspired too!
Delicious recipe – I made some small tweaks based on my family’s taste. They raved about this meatloaf – thank you!
You are so welcome! Happy to hear that the recipe was a hit, thank you for sharing!
Great meatloaf sometimes the simplest recipes are the best, and the glaze is spot on thanks for sharing !!!
You’re welcome! I’m so happy you enjoyed it, David!
Followed the directions exactly. Great recipe. I will use it over and over again. The one thing I would change is, use the glaze in the meatloaf instead of the ketchup. I will also make extra glaze to serve with the meal. As a matter of fact I am making this glaze and replacing the plain old ketchup with it. Finally, my wife likes meatloaf !
That’s wonderful feedback, Walter! Thank you for sharing.
This is absolutely the BEST meatloaf recipe! The only alteration I made was using 3 lbs of ground meat–1 lb each of veal, turkey and pork. That combo is sheer perfection.
Love it! Thanks for the awesome review and feedback, Dex.
Am making this now but I never put my meatloaf in a 9×5 pan. So hard to get out and any grease is just laying there. I use one of my corning ware pots and always comes out great. So I’m onto the meatloaf and can’t wait to eat.
Please update us on how you liked the recipe, we’d love to know your feedback. Thanks!
Getting ready to make this now! I’ll let you know how it is. My granddaughter says she “loves” my meatloaf. She’s 7. But I really don’t have a recipe I go by. I know the general ingredients and just throw them together.
I hope this recipe will become your family’s new favorite!
Regarding leftover meatloaf…my husband’s favorite thing is to cut it real thin and fry it on the griddle until each side is golden and slightly crunchy. Sometimes he puts cheese on top. I love left over meatloaf by itself or on bread with mayo!
Sounds good! Thanks for sharing that with us.
In the process of making this – it smells wonderful – just wondering if anyone else had a problem cramming 2lbs of ground beef in a 9×5 pan? I ended up using a bigger pan
Hi Sheri, I have not had that problem with this recipe but let’s see if others can share their experience here.
I have made this recipe several times and it’s hands down THE BEST recipe I’ve found. We love it.
Thank you!
That’s just awesome! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review, Kasaundra!
I used ground turkey burger. Came out just fine. Also, just mixed bbq sauce and ketchup for the glaze.
This recipe is absolutely the best meatloaf I have ever tasted in my life! I’m 56 years old and I’ve tried many of meatloaf, but this one is absolutely my favorite and my family loves it! Thank you so much for providing this and I hope many others will enjoy it as much as we do! 🥰
So glad to hear that, Shaun. Thank you for the wonderful review!
Amazing recipe!!!! I love the sauce!!!
I used meatloaf mix from the grocery store 2/3 ground beef 1/3 ground pork and added raw green and red peppers finely chopped. Otherwise followed recipe to the letter and it was fantastic!!!! Thank you for such a great recipe!
You’re most welcome and thanks so much for sharing your experience trying out this recipe. Glad you loved it!
Great recipe, but “avoid super lean meats”? Like 85% to 90% lean isn’t “super lean”?
Great recipe!! Stick a block of mozzarella in the middle before baking and you got something.
Thank you so much for sharing that with me!
Great recipe, cooking time off. We bake for 60 minutes, then add glaze and bake for 30 minutes. Rest for 20 minutes and serve. This is a super yummy glaze, We make this meatloaf often for older relatives. When we visit them they often ask for their next delivery of meatloaf before we get close enough for a hug!
Hello Karl and Kathy, thanks for the review and good comments. I’m glad that your family loves this recipe!
I followed the recipe exactly, sauteing the onions adding the garlic the last 2 minutes. I baked it on a sheet, just my preference. It was perfect in all respects. I can’t wait for the leftovers tomorrow. This is worthy of a double header!
Thank you so much, Jon! I appreciate the review.
Moist and flavorful. I used half ground pork with half ground beef.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Nidia!
Moist and flavorful. I used half ground pork with half ground beef. For the side dish I sautéed a mix of bit size zucchini, orange pepper and corn. Very colorful and delicious dinner combination.
Thank you for your great review, Nidia! I’m so glad you enjoyed this meatloaf!
Natasha, I noticed you havn’t made a meatloaf video on your youtube channel yet! you should do this one. It would be amazing. Thanks!
Slava Ukraini 🙂
Thank you so much for that suggestion, Mike!
Definitely takes longer than 40 minutes, we do this great recipe for 65 minutes and then another 30 minutes after the glaze. We rest for 20 minutes, it is fantastic, thanks 5 stars for recipe, it is great, 2 stars for cooking time, not appropriate, thanks!
Thank you for your comments and feedback. I have always followed the recipe and had been getting the same cooking time but I’m really happy to know that you loved the result!
Cooking time is different depending on your location/elevation. Something to consider when writing a review.
Karl and Kathy
Oven temps. do vary. You might want to put an oven thermometer in your oven to make sure your oven temps are accurate.
We cooked this exactly how the recipe stated, step by step. “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.”
I pulled the meatloaf out of the oven and it did not cook the entirety of 2 lbs of beef. The unfortunate part was that it was marbled with undercooked and cooked pieces so it was really difficult to try and pick out the beef that didn’t cook. I put it back in the oven for another 15 mins at 375 and the entire bottom portion of the meatloaf was still pink.
I’m wondering if 2 lbs of ground beef compacted in a 9×5 in. pan at 375 for 40 mins then another 20 mins is too much ground beef to cook in one hour in the oven.
Hi AK, we haven’t had that experience with the meatloaf being undercooked, but make sure the oven is fully preheated and I would recommend an internal oven thermometer to see if your oven temperature is right. You may need to adjust the temperature or baking time. Also, since not all ovens are created equal, make sure to bake the meatloaf until the internal temp reaches 160˚F. I hope this helps.
Our family favorite. Don’t use other recipes anymore. My neighbor asks for it as it’s his favorite meatloaf now too. When meat was frozen and not fully thawed there can be pockets of discolored meat with uneven cooking. That happened to me once when not fully thawed. I follow the recipe exactly and it turns out every single time I make it. Thank you
Thank you for following the recipe exactly as writte, Joan. I’m happy to know that you love it!
Best meatloaf EVER! I didn’t change a thing to this recipe, followed your recipe to a T and it was amazing! The entire family loved it and have already asked me when I’ll make it again.
Question: can I use this same recipe for meatballs? What are your thoughts?
So glad you loved it! I have some meatball recipes here that you can use as I have not tried this same recipe for meatballs.
Thank you for the r the recipe. We didn’t eat a lot of meatloaf growing up so it is not big in my repitoir of meals, but your recipe has changed that. Glaze makes it! I use Pork/Beef mix, Put half into brad pan on parchment and then put 2 hard boiled eggs in and cover them. When serviced the slices are a special treat and make it look festive! Kids like the “sun” in the middle, too!
That is so inspiring for us, thank you so much for sharing!
Made this using Whataburger spicy ketchup with ground sirloin and it came out Yummy
So good to hear that you enjoyed it!
This is the only recipe EVER that my dad actually asks me to make! I make it with half ground turkey and half ground beef, to keep him a little healthier.
It’s also the only meatloaf recipe that my 15 year old likes, and he’s even asked me to make it before, which is a really big deal for him!
We have loved it for at least a year. I wont make meatloaf any other way now!
Hello Laura, that’s really awesome feedback. Love it, thank you so much for sharing that with us!
I’ve always used liquid smoke mixed into ketchup and brown sugar. It’s really delicious and a must try. 1 cup ketchup, 1/4 cup packed brown sugar and 2-3 tsp of liquid smoke. Mix all together and add a little to meat mixture and spread rest atop the meat loaf before baking.
This recipe is delish!! Thank you for the recipe and I will be following along to try more of your recipes.
That’s so great, Laura! Thank you for your awesome review! I can’t wait for you to try more recipes!
Beyond delicious!! We cooked it with bacon on top, removed (and ate) the bacon and then glazed it. Sooooo good! Better than my Nana’s!
Hello Jana, thank you for the wonderful feedback! Happy to hear that you loved this recipe.
I made this recipe in the oven and we loved it. I’m wondering in you have directions to cook it in an air fryer?
Hi Linda, great to hear that you loved it. I haven’t tested cooking this in the air fryer yet to advise. If you try that, please share with us how it goes!
Love this recipe! It was such a hit in my house and everyone loved it. Will definitely be saving this recipe into my recipe book!
Wonderful news, Candace! Thank you for the review. So glad you enjoyed this recipe.
I am curious. Why would I pour all the grease from the meat all over the meatloaf after it is cooked?? That would not be very good, but instead greasy.
Adds great flavor and keeps it moist.
I had to bake this for 20 addi’l minutes after the initial 40/20 glaze and 10 set. 2lbs meat is a lot of meat and to me is not fully cooked in 60 min. I also would leave out Italian seasoning and use Worchestershire instead.
Great recipe! Made this tonight with ground elk and it was a hit with my husband. I unfortunately didn’t have enough ketchup, so I had to add some tomato sauce. I also added just a tad more brown sugar, garlic, onion to off set the tomato sauce. It was great! This is definitely a keeper! Thank you!!
Oh that sounds delicious! Thank you for sharing, so glad you enjoyed this recipe.
I will not use this recipe again. It took twice as long to cook. And it caused a lot of excess grease in the floor of my oven, which I atrributed to the use of parchment paper. The flavor was ok, but nothing special.
You didn’t miss ANYTHING in explaining what to buy, how to make it, bake it, and use leftovers. Also nutritional information!….and it’s wonderful! I’ve been looking for a basic meatloaf recipe for years! Thank you!
Hi Lori! Thank you so much for the great feedback and review. I’m so glad you found this recipe. 🙂
For anyone that doesn’t like meatloaf, you will like this one! I have been making meatloaf for 25 years to punish my husband when he makes me mad.this one he gets when he’s been good! Lol, he loves it!
Thank you for your wonderful feedback, Lou!
This is mine and my family’s favorite meatloaf! We have it at least a few times a month and there are never any leftovers! Thank you for sharing your yummy recipes with us!!
I’m so glad your family enjoys this recipe. Thank you for sharing, Chartlotte. You’re very welcome.
Good recipe. Unfortunately loaf came apart because parchment paper was cooked to crispy and could not be used to remove loaf. Seemed like a great idea at the time. I will make this recipe again but skip the “easy” removal parchment.
This meatloaf recipe was excellent! The tomato-based topping provided a wonderful finishing taste. My 80 year old mother-in-law commented that it was the best meatloaf she’s ever had. I can’t wait to try some of your other recipes.
That’s great, David! I’m so glad this recipe was enjoyed. Thank you for the feedback.
This recipe makes a fantastic meat loaf! It’s taste is very close to the one my mother made for which there is no written recipe. I did add 3 T. of sweet pickle relish because I remember my mother doing it. I also used smoked paprika. Don’t know if those changes helped may it so delicious, but I will continue doing them because this meatloaf was perfection!
Paprika sounds like a great addition. Thank you for the review, sp glad you enjoy this recipe.
Best meatloaf I’ve ever made. My family loved it! Natasha, your recipes are wonderful. I caramelized the onion .
Thank you for the great recipes
Thank you for the review, I’m glad you enjoyed this recipe. My family loves it too!
This is a fabulous recipe and the only one I’ll use from now on. I did use half ground pork (home-grown) and half very lean grass fed beef. It turned out excellent with just the right amount of juices. Thank you for this wonderful recipe!
Thank you so much for sharing that with me!
I have tasted many a meatloaf, all good. However, this one is absolutely delicious! From this day on, quite sure I will make no other. Thank You so very much for sharing! Our supper tonite was awesome, thanks to you. Ps. Much better than a five star🥰👍
Aww, Sue! That is so sweet. I’m so glad you enjoyed this recipe. You’re very welcome. Thank you for the wonderful review.
Best meatloaf I’ve ever had!!!!!!! Thank you for sharing 🙂
You’re welcome! I’m so happy you enjoyed it, Calliope!
This is the absolute best meatloaf recipe I have ever made. Over the years (I am 88 ) I have tried many different ones and have never found the right one. This is the right one—thank you so much.
Love it! I’m so glad you tried and found this recipe, thank you so much for your good comments and feedback!
This recipe is fantastic! The glaze is just yum!!! Thank you for sharing.
You’re welcome, Jen! So glad you enjoyed this recipe.
Unfortunately my family did not care for this meatloaf at all, and I followed the recipe exactly. Too much Italian seasoning or something, but we are going back to a more simple traditional recipe.
Hi, I’m confused about one part of this recipe – the pan juices. I’m cooking in a loaf pan. Do I drain liquid out of the loaf pan after it finishes cooking, then drizzle back on meat??
Thanks for any guidance.
Also…
Why does this recipe need parchment if it’s served out of pan?
Thanks!
Hi Lana, make sure you’re using a good non-stick pan along with parchment paper so the meatloaf doesn’t stick to the pan, but it does make it easier to serve and remove using parchment paper.
…
Also…
Why does this recipe need parchment if it’s served out of pan?
Thanks!
Hi Lana! Yes- keep the juices from the pan and pour over the sliced meatloaf before serving.
Best meatloaf ever. My husband has never liked meatloaf because his mom’s was disgusting (truthfully it is SO bad). I followed your recipe but made a couple changes. I’m not one to typically say “delicious BUT I changed 15 things” However, adding 1lb of mild breakfast sausage and a large handful of brown minute rice is a game changer. My mom always made meatloaf with rice as a filler and it’s an absolute favorite of mine. Otherwise this is the perfect recipe and the seasonings are delicious!!
So glad you both loved this recipe, Sherri. Thank you for sharing!
Natasha, what milk would you recommend if someone is allergic to dairy?
Hi Monica, a few of our readers left comments mentioning they left the milk out altogether, and it worked great. One of our readers said: “This was really fabulous. For those asking about excluding milk, I substituted it for unsweetened almond milk, and it came out perfect!” I hope that helps.
Best meatloaf I have ever eaten or made! Made it in a 8×5 loaf pan which was new to me and it was incredibly juicy. The sauce was fantastic, so much so I will be making a double batch next time. We had two friends over for dinner and they agreed this recipe was the best EVER!
Thank you…
That’s really awesome feedback, thank you for sharing that with us!
My daughter asked me to make meatloaf. My sister’s was always dry. I looked up online and saw this recipe and reviews. I have made a few of your dishes before. I decided to try it. My son kept saying “meatloaf beatloaf I hate meatloaf” I must say he loved it. It was truly the most moist meatloaf I have ever eaten. I cannot wait to have leftover meatloaf sandwich.
Yay, that’s great news! I’m really happy to know that especially since they did not like the other versions before. Thank you for sharing, Lisa.
I made two of these the same day (first time with this recipe) one for my family and one for my elderly parents and the ones staying with them. Everyone loved it from both households. By far one of the best meatloafs I’ve ever eaten. Will be using this recipe from here on. Absolutely delicious!
Hi Kathy, great to know that you found your new go-to recipe. So glad you loved this!
Very good; especially the glaze, to which I added some alleppo pepper for zing! Also, added some pablano to the meatloaf.
Sounds great, Michael! Thanks for sharing that with us.
Best tasting meatloaf/meatball I have made.
I shred the onions.
Mixed the breadcrumbs and liquid to make a penard?
Combined everything (loosely)
Divided ingredients into 2 (9×5) pans/lined with parchment + 10 meatballs.
Thank you for the awesome feedback, Fred!
I have never been a big fan of meatloaf—until now! My husband requested meatloaf, so to the internet I went to look at recipes. I chose this one because I had all the ingredients and it was simple and straightforward. Meatloaf, this one, has moved into my top 10, if not top 5. Thanks Natasha.
I did put it together at least a couple of hours before putting it in the oven and allowed everything to soak in together. So moist and flavorful—and the glaze was perfect.
Hi Robyn, I’m so glad you’ve enjoyed this recipe. You’re very welcome! Thank you for the review.
Yumm!!! I added “Mikes Hot Honey” to both the meat mix and the topping and- wow! I also added a yellow bell pepper and green bell pepper to my ninja when I chopped the garlic. It adds an immense amount of flavor just BEWARE: press the water out of the ninja-d veggies before adding to mixture 🙂
Thank you so much for sharing that with me, Alex!
Wow, I made this with 1lb beef and 3/4 lb ground turkey and it was the moistest meatloaf I have ever had. Only change was a couple dashed Worcesthire. Even picky hubby ate it!!
That’s just awesome! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review, Doreen! 🙂
This was THE best meatloaf I have ever had (sorry Mom)!
Had it for dinner last night Had it for breakfast this morning and will finish it at dinner tonight.
Perfection!
Hi Doreen! So glad you enjoyed this recipe. I love when I make something that I could easily eat for every meal of the day. Thank you for sharing.
This a recipe that easily accommodates different flavor profiles. I like your seasoning balance. Though I will say that using caramelized onions works so well to–but it is an extra step and I don’t typically do it.
I used a meatball mix as my basis. It’s also a great way to use that last bit of bread that you wouldn’t make a sandwich with! I blitz in the food processor. I use a different sauce profile using ketchup, chili powder, maple syrup, apple cider vinegar and some mustard. But sauce, however you make it is wonderful pairing. (I use my same sauce on corned beef too)
Hello Leisa, thank you for sharing that with us. Good to know that some of the changes that you made worked well in this recipe too!
It’s just my boyfriend and I, do you think I could cut this recipe in half? I have 1 lb of ground beef
Hi Laura, that would be fine. If you go to the recipe card above, you can hover your cursor over the servings amount to change this and it will convert the recipe for you.
Very good meatloaf! Nice and moist and the glaze really makes it 🙂 thanks for a recipe the whole family enjoyed!
You’re very welcome! I’m happy to hear that.
My kid loved it! I made it just like the recipe states. He said, “It must be a Natasha’s Kitchen recipe” because he loves your lamb stew recipe too. My family loves anything I make that’s your recipe. Thank you!!
Aaw, that is sweet! Thank you for sharing that with us, we appreciate it.
I don’t care for meatloaf, but my husband does, so I made it for him. I followed the recipe exactly. My husband wasn’t sure about the glaze – until he tasted it. Said it was the best meatloaf he’s ever had. And, big surprise, I liked it as well! Definitely my go to recipe!
That is wonderful! So great to hear.
Great recipe. I did make two changes however. I added a little Worcestershire and liquid smoke to the meat mixture. The glaze is awesome.
Wonderful! Thank you for sharing your expirement, Ariel.
Sounds like a great recipe! Can I use cracker crumbs instead of bread crumbs?
Hi Ginny, I haven’t tested that so I can’t say for sure but that may work well.
Can I use old fashioned oats instead of the Panko breadcrumbs? Just trying to use things we have. 😉
Hi Robin, I haven’t tested that to advise. If you do an experiment, please share with us how that turns out.
The first time I made this i followed recipe exactly. I was concerned that glaze would be too sweet but did it anyway. It was fantastic. Second time I made some minor tweaks. O sautéed the onion and garlic. I used a 50-59 mix of beef and pork. I added a handful of shredded sharp cheddar and put the glaze on at the start. For my family’s taste, this took it from fantastic to absolute masterpiece. Thank you for such a great recipe.
You’re welcome, Kris. Thanks for sharing that with us, great to hear that you loved the result!
I have made meatloaf for years. Tried this recipe and it is outstanding. The meat holds together but is not dense. The flavor of the sauce on top is wonderful. Will make again! Makes wonderful sandwiches.
Thank you so much for sharing that with me, Barbara! I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
This was the best meat loaf I ever made , packed with flavor and so tender . My family loved it . Definitely saving this .
That’s so great! It sounds like you have a new favorite, Kimberly!
I tried this, and I just took it out of the oven after 20 minutes post glazing and it didn’t look very done. Temp’d it, internal temp was 155. It’s also VERY very wet, loads of grease.
I used 85% beef; if I up it to 90 will it be less greasy? I just relined the pan with fresh parchment paper so I could transfer the loaf and leave the wet mess behind. Throwing it back in for another ten minutes. Just curious if maybe the 85% is too fatty?
95 will release less fat but 85 should be ok for this recipe. Make sure your oven is fully preheated. When I bought my in oven thermometer that hangs in my oven, I realized my oven is under 25 degrees when it says it’s preheated. That might make a difference for you.
Like alot of others I have made meatloaf for years as I am in my 70’s,I was NEVER happy with how they turned out,most of the time to dry. I looked today for a good meatloaf recipie and found this one. My husband and I both really liked it. I had about 3/4 beef and 1/2lb of Jimmy Dean sausage, but everything else was what was called for.I will make this from now on.It was very moist and It was cooked the way you said, but the drippings were grease so did not use that lol
Hi Arlene. Thank you for sharing with us. I am happy you found this recipe.
This is best meatloaf ever 👍 I have three kids, have to make it at least ones a week that’s how much they love it … Thank you so much for sharing this with us…
You’re so welcome! It is my pleasure and I’m happy that your kids love this recipe.
This is the only meatloaf recipe that I make after finding it and I’ve been doing meatloaf for years and this is the best I’ve ever tried or had even better than my mom’s old recipe sorry Mom.
That’s just awesome! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review, Toni!
I made this recipe today……so tasty, very easy and its the best meatloaf, especially the sauce. Thanks for posting this, I trust your skills after this scrumptious meal.
Thank you for the trust and for sharing that with us. I hope you’ll love all the recipes that you will try!
This is my go to. My only addition to this is that I add Asian Chili paste to the meat and sauce. I add about 1 to 2 tsp. To the meat and an entire tablespoon to the sauce on to. I also add a bout a 1/4 tsp of white peper to the meat loaf itself. White pepper just adds a layer of flavor. If you’re not use it you want miss it. BUT if you are accustomed to white pepper in dishes It’s a must in this one. Over all It’s delicious when made as it. I just like the little extra heat. So does my family. I’ve been through a lot of meat loaf recipes in KY 54 years but I know I done have to look farther.
I sub. Sauteed onion and garlic for the powder this calls for. I just like the rich flavor it adds. That’s it. I tried it as written but found those additions just right. Kinda like GoldieLocks.
Sounds great, Karen! Thank you for sharing the additions that you made to the recipe and I’m glad it works well!
This is one of the best meatloaf recipes ever. I do add a little Siracha or hot sauce in the glaze to combat the sweetness. Like a few other people have mentioned, mine hasn’t been completely cooked in the time limit. I’ve tried in many ovens to. I usually add an extra 10 min and I’m good.
Hello Rach, thanks for the great feedback. Thank you so much for sharing that with us! Adding 10 minutes sounds good, it sometimes depends on the equipment used as we’ve always followed the recipe as it is and always works great.
I have some website feedback. I tried to leave this reply to a commenter: “I love adding some sausage to my meatloaf too!” And received a “comment is too short”. Not sure why I need to write more when I don’t have more to say. I’ve never seen this delimiter
Hi Leisa, I’ve never encountered that issue before and this is the first time I’ve heard of it. I’ll make sure to look into it. Thank you for the heads up.
This was exceptional; thank you. We found a nice variation by substituting Bulgogi for ketchup on a 1:1 basis. It gave a very nice Korean flair to your perfect recipe.
That’s a nice substitution, thanks for trying that and sharing that with us!
Fantastic made as recipe suggests. Came out moist and delish! I had to cook extra to hit safe, but only about 15 mins. Posted a pc on FB
Thanks a lot for sharing and for posting a pic, Joy. I hope you’ll love all the recipes that you will try!
This meatloaf was a hit with the kids, but a little on the sweet side for the adults
That is the best when kids love what we moms make. That’s so great!
I can’t find plain panko. Is it ok to use Italian seasoned panko?
Hi Becca! While I haven’t tested that myself, that should work! I hope you love this recipe!
You can find plain at Costco that’s where I get mine and nice quantity for price.
I made this. It was awesome. I could have ate the whole loaf. It was so moist and the glaze was perfect.
That’s so great! It sounds like you have a new favorite, Janet!
Can I use half mild Italian pork sausage – it’s what I have on hand
Hi Molly, I have not tried that but feel free to do an experiment!
This is the best meatloaf recipe ever. I hesitate to tell people it’s not mine. I must confess, I use the sauce for more than the meatloaf. My family likes it so well I think they might drink it if we ever had any leftovers. Thank you so much for helping me with my cooking.
Thank you for your awesome feedback, Gina. I’m happy to hear that your family loves this recipe!
I love meatloaf…Made this recipe but I made a lot more took some to my son…
This was delicious absolutely delicious… Thank you for the recipe
You’re welcome! I’m so happy you enjoyed it, Debbie!
So delicious! I’ve made this two times now and I’d say it’s the best meatloaf I’ve ever had! Better than restaurant quality. The tomato glaze is exceptional.
Love the awesome feedback, thank you for sharing!
If I was to make a small suggestion…. Adding concentrated beef bouillon and/or worchestershire sauce brings the flavor from wow to BAM
Thanks for the suggestion, Gavin. Will definitely try that next time!
I made this meatloaf recipe for the family tonight. Delicious!! This is a keeper!! Thank you❤️
Aaw, thanks for the good review, Trish! So glad you love it.
Followed the recipe exactly, including pan size. Was RAW after 40min plus 20min plus 10min rest.
Hi Hillary, it definitely should not be raw after that long. Make sure your oven is fully preheated and also you might check the inside temp with an oven thermometer to make sure your oven is heating correctly.
I am ten years old and I love to cook and bake! This meatloaf recipe is soooo amazing my whole family loves it! I never have leftovers with this recipe because it so good me and my family eat it all up at once!
Great job to you! Keep it up and I hope your family will love all the recipes that you will try for them.
Hi I made this using 3 lbs of meat and added a little more of each ingredient. I baked in a 13×9 glass dish for the same time. It was absolutely amazing! My family loved it! Definitely will be my go to for meat loaf.
That’s so great! It sounds like you have a new favorite, Patty!
Made this tonight. It was delicious. The recipe go into our “keepers” file right next to your recipe for Chicken Gloria.
That’s just awesome! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review, Tom!
I made this and it was delicious! It will be my meatloaf recipe from now on! Fresh green beans snd smashed red potatoes with it! TY!!
That’s great to hear, Ann. Thanks a lot for the review!
Our family really enjoyed this recipe. Best meatloaf ever. I’ve never commented on a recipe before but had to just to say thank you.
You’re welcome! I’m so happy you enjoyed it, Jose!
I have 2 packages meatloaf mix (beef, pork & veal) totaling about 3 lbs. Can I cook this in a 13x9x2 pan and what additional amounts of ingredients do you suggest? Thanks!
Hi Lucy, if you go to the recipe card in the post, you can change the servings to “12” and this will give you the recipe instructions and measurements for 3lbs of meat. Regarding the pan size, I cannot advise, as I have not tested this. My pan was 5” deep but the pan you are asking about is only 2” deep. You will need to adjust the baking time as needed if you are using this pan. Good luck.
I used a pound of grass fed hamburger and a pound of breakfast sausage. Instead of pandora I used gluten free crackers. And red wine vinegar instead of white vinegar and it was delicious!! Husband said through out all other recipes of meatloaf in my recipe box!
Sounds great! Thanks a lot for sharing that with us, Rita. Great to hear that the substitutions you used turned out good.
Oh boy, am I a believer!! This was the best meatloaf I’ve ever made. It was so moist and flavorful – and the sauce for the top was amped up by the seasoning. The only changes I made was to use 1 lb 93/7 ground beef and 1 lb ground pork. I also made them “muffin” style by portioning into a 12 cup muffin tin. I dropped the cook time to 30 minutes and after putting the sauce on top I broiled them to set the glaze. Thank you!! This recipe is going into keeper file for sure!!
That’s so great! It sounds like you have a new favorite, Phay!
This is the best meatloaf recipe I have ever made! It was delious and the whole loaf was gone in just one night! I’m pregnant and looking for great recipes for postpartum freezer meals. This is definatly going on that list.
I’m so happy that was a hit, Angel! Thank you so much for sharing that with me!
Just realized I forgot to buy regular milk! Would almond work as a substitute?
Hi Hannah, a few of our readers left comments mentioning they left the milk out altogether, and it worked great. One of our readers said: “This was really fabulous. For those asking about excluding milk, I substituted it for unsweetened almond milk, and it came out perfect!” I hope that helps.
Can you use apple cider vinegar if you’re out of white?
Since need 50 words in order for this comment to go through, I’m just gonna take up space chatting. I am going to just use the apple cider vinegar, since it’s only 1½ T spoon. I always make large meatloaf that takes about 1½ hours to bake through, I hope I put the glaze on at the right time. Thanks for sharing.
Hi Sandy, I haven’t tested that but one of our readers mentioned great results using apple cider vinegar.
I had been using a different recipe for over 25 years and decided to mix things up. This recipe did not disappoint. My only recommendation would be to use a probe thermometer to wait until the meatloaf reaches 160 in the center. Mine took longer than described here. An alternative is to split the loaf into two. More surface area for the yummy glaze.
Hi Dan, thank you for the suggestions.
My go to meatloaf recipe!!!
I just use original bbq sauce instead of ketchup and add a good squirt of Dijon mustard.
Sounds good, thank you for sharing that with us!
This meatloaf was great! I’m fortunate to have Black Angus ground beef, from Ressler’s Ranch in North Dakota, in my freezer.
The only change I might make next time is to put 1/2 the meat mixture in the loaf pan, then a layer of sliced provolone cheese and then the rest of the of meat. Bake as instructed for meatloaf and topping😋
Yum! I bet it’s so good with Black Angus! Thank you for sharing your great review with me, Linda!
40 minutes was not enough, sauce was way too sweet. We didnt like this recipe and yes, we followed every step.
does anything need to be adjusted if my loaf pan is 8.5×4.5 ?? thanks!
excited to try the recipe!
Hi Oliva, that pan size is fairly close to the 9×5 we used so that should work great! I hope you love this recipe!
This is my favorite meatloaf recipe, but I just dumped the sauce on it without baking it the 40 mins first! 😫
Oh, how did it go?
Not even close to being cooked through after 1 hour. We had to cook for an additional 40 minutes. I felt like Jan in The Office, making our guests wait far too long for dinner.
Hi Matt, I’m sorry to hear that. I have not had this experience myself and it is a much-loved recipe on our blog. Did you make any substitutions? Or using a smaller pan? I used a 9”x5” loaf pan and cooked the meatloaf uncovered for 40 minutes at 375°F, added the sauce, and bake an additional 15-20 minutes (or until the internal temperature is 160°F). Make sure the oven is pre-heated completely and I would also recommend getting an internal oven thermometer to see if you’re oven temperature is off as it may need to be adjusted. I hope that helps and hope you try this recipe again with better results.
If you have a Samsung range there is a defect in how the range / oven heats up.They don’t show the right temp.I had this with a new oven.just saying check you temp in oven with another device then the oven display