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. 
I have made this several times now and it’s amazing!!!!! Tonight I made with 1/2 pound hamburger and 1-1/2 ground Turkey and it was even better!! Thank you for a wonderful recipe!
That’s great, Stephanie! So glad you enjoyed this recipe.
This was delicious! Only tweak I made was to add a little bit of A1 Sauce to the meatloaf and the glaze. My wife and I both loved it – so moist and flavorful!
That’s just awesome! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review, Mike! It sounds like you found a new favorite!
Recipe was perfect! Just what I was looking for. the glaze was spot on and my family loved it. This will be my go to recipe from
now on
Yay great to hear that and thank you for sharing your experience trying this recipe!
Awesome recipe! I sub ranch seasoning pack for italian seasoning, came out amazing! Bomb dot com! thanks, Valentina! You are a damned good cook, your family is blessed! xoxoxo
Nice to know that the substitutions that you used worked out! Thanks a lot for sharing that with us.
I just made this tonight and it was wonderful! My hubby told me it was awesome 3 times! He loved the topping. I have an old cheap oven that does not heat up evenly and I hope to replace it someday. Using a thermometer is key to making sure everything is cooked through. Thank you for another wonderful recipe!
You’re welcome! I’m so happy you enjoyed it, Gena!
In my opinion, every meatloaf recipe that that includes a huge glob of ketchup on the top totally ruins the end product. Ketchup is such a childish substitute fir a real sauce.
Natasha seems like such a kind, positive, upbeat person. I just love her recipes that I have made. My meatloaf is in the oven cooking as I type this message. Thank you Natasha for sharing your yummy recipes with all of us. I will let you know how it turns out. We like ketchup in our home! 😉
Thank you for that wonderful compliment, Gena! I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
JWR, that’s kind of how I generally feel about cooking with ketchup. I rarely cook with it either, but I was tired of my family’s well loved meatloaf, and was looking for a new recipe. When I found Natasha’s and there were SO many stars and rave reviews, I decided to give it a try; my husband and I loved it!!
To each their own. We love this recipe (along with many others)
If you break down the ingredients of Ketchup you have all the things you may have already have in the recipe or other recipes you use. I don’t think the childish part lies in the recipe. I think that term lies somewhere else.
Natasha- if I do the first 40 minutes while my kids are in school, refrigerate, and the last 20 minutes/10 minutes of rest right before dinner- do you think it will be successful? 1.5 hours of cooktime is hard to find these days! 🙂
Hi Carrie, I think that’s okay. Let us know how it goes if you try that!
Followed the instructions. Pulled it out. Let it rest. Cut into it. What I have is a meat soup in a loaf pan. Cut out a tiny piece. Soaked up a lot of juice with a paper towel. Threw it back in the oven for another 20 mins. Hoping we’re not having cereal for dinner tonight.
How did it go? We’d love to know how you liked the recipe.
I was looking for my mom’s meatloaf recipe. Thanks so much!!!! It’s perfect!! She used tomato soup but we had 8 in the family, so yours is better. And she used this in halved stuffed peppers, which is what I was trying to do. Thanks for a great recipe and the memories!!
Thank you so much for sharing that with me! I’m so glad you found something similar to hers!
The best meatloaf recipe out there. My family loves it ❤️
That’s just awesome! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review, Emily!
After trying this recipe tonight I am not at all surprised with all the positive reviews! I have made meatloaf quite often but your recipe is amazing and will be the only way to make meatloaf now – so very tasty, moist and delicious! Just the best so Cheers from Saskatoon Saskatchewan!
Love it, this comment made me smile and feel happy! THank you for sharing that with us, we appreciate it.
When my grandma passed away, her amazing meatloaf recipe was lost. Natasha’s is the closest I’ve found to it – and I’ve tried so many. I LOVE this! We like it w/ only half the vinegar, but otherwise AMAZING!!! Thank you Natasha for giving me a taste of home.
I’m so glad this recipe brings back memories of your grandma’s amazing meatloaf. Thank you for the wonderful review.
Best meatloaf recepie I have ever made. My family loves it! Gone within hours.
Thank you for your good comments and feedback, Natalia!
The glaze on this meatloaf was amazing! I am thinking about making it in a baking dish instead of a meatloaf pan so that there’s a bigger surface area to glaze. Anyone ever tried anything like this?
I do mine on a lipped baking sheet and shape it like a football, makes a nice big meatloaf!
Hi! That’s how I’ve always done mine! I flatten mine out to go in the Pampered Chef round deep dish stone..i put it all the way to edges so its like 2 inches thick and like 12-13 inches in diameter..I just shorten my time by a few minuteson each part! …love this recipe! ITS DELICIOUS!
What a great idea! Haven’t used my Pampered Chef dish in so long. Remind me do you grease the pan first?
Excellent recipe! Happy husband! I followed recipe exactly as written. The only thing I would change next time is possibly cook a few minutes more. Middle section was slightly rare/medium. The taste was perfect. Everything you hope for in a meatloaf. A keeper!
Thank you so much for sharing that with me, Amber! I’m so happy you enjoyed that!
Ovens all cook so differently. I have a very cheap electric Frigidaire oven that I have had for 14 years now. I have to be careful because it does not cook evenly. Someday I dream of getting a dual fuel oven… like a Bosch. I enjoyed reading your review.
My husband requested meatloaf for his birthday dinner. I followed the recipe closely with exception to:
1. I used 3 eggs instead of 2 because I had small eggs.
2. I did not use parsley because I did not have any.
3. I sautéed the onions and garlic together before adding them into the mix.
My husband loved it as well as my family! The meatloaf was moist and delicious! The tangy sauce mix was an extra special addition. I made the mashed potatoes and the asparagus, too. This will be a favorite go to meal, for sure!
Hi Lisa! That sounds wonderful. I’m so glad this recipe was enjoyed. Thank you for the review and excellent feedback.
My husband and sons LOVED this recipe! They all went back for seconds.
Followed it exactly to see what we thought and it was DELICIOUS! The sauce/glaze was great! Beats every other meatloaf!
We’re glad you all enjoyed this meatloaf recipe!
I have this saved to my pins, and it’s my go-to meatloaf: We Love It! *Don’t over-mix (note to self!!!) Since I make it fairly often, I don’t read the blog. Well, I miss that tidbit until after its baked and then am disappointed, as its not at its best. 🙁
*I used a third sausage last time…we prefer all beef
*we Love the topping/glaze!
*I make this to stuff bell peppers from our garden, and freeze them uncooked. When I have a hankerin’ for a good Ole stuffed pepper: out of the freezer and baked up in no time!
Hi Mary Lou, thank you for taking the time to share your comments and feedback. We hope you’ll love all the recipes that you will try!
I used 5 stars…. not sure why that shows 3 above my comment.
No worries, thank you!
This meatloaf was just delicious! What a yummy dish for a chilly fall day. I forgot the ketchup butit wasn’t really missed.I didn’t have time to make the glaze, so I lightly brushed LaGrille bbq sauce on it. Thanks!
Hello Judy, good to hear that you enjoyed this recipe and I hope you can try with the glaze too next time!
I’ve started cooking for the fam and these recipes are a blessing I never even liked cooking before
Thank you for sharing, that blesses me and makes me happy. 🙂
This is my go to meatloaf. The next day, I made grilled meatloaf and cheese sandwiches….let me tell yo, so so good both times!
Great to hear! I hope you’ll love all the recipes that you will try.
Sounds yummy! Can the recipe be halved? I’m only cooking for two.
Hi Kathy, I saw one of our readers shared this comment “Best meatloaf! I halved the recipe and sauteed the onions, everything kept the same. Try this I promise you will love it too.” I hope that helps
Dad here: This is now my 9 year olds favorite dish. He asks for it weekly.
That’s great to hear and thanks a lot for sharing that with us.
This is a great guide for Meatloaf. For those of you a little more adventurous and who like to grill…
I adjusted this recipe a little by using 1 lb each of ground beef, pork and lamb. I also added 1/4 cup of lightly sautéed mirepoix and diced raw baby portobello or crimini mushrooms.
In a disposable aluminum or pan or loaf pans, I prepare my charcoal kettle grill for an offset cook (all the coals on one side half moon). When the coals are ready i add soaked applewood or pecan wood chips and get my grill to 375 and the smoke blue. When I say blue smoke it means you can see it coming out the vent but NOT smokey white.
You can baste with throughout cooking and it will naturally create a glaze and capture the smoky flavor. Make sure your grill vent is above your meat to draw the smoke across you meat.
Being from the midwest and having a long cooking time you can throw on a pan of homemade sweet cream corn or grill the corn in the husk 😉
Sounds a little involved but its actually pretty easy
THanks for sharing!
Best meatloaf! I halfed the recipe and sauteed the onions, everything kept the same. Try this I promise you will love it too.
That’s just awesome! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review, Sarah!
Well, once again another amazing recipe that everyone in the family loved. I really love all these recipes on your website. Keep posting them 🙂
Thank you for that wonderful compliment!
Followed recipe to the letter with the minor addition of adding a squeeze of sriracha to the sauce (we like a little heat). Turned out great! Even I couldn’t mess it up. 😁
That’s wonderful feedback, thanks for sharing!
I made this recipe with ground turkey instead of ground beef. I would highly recommend decreasing the amount of salt called for in the recipe. It’s way too much salt in the meatloaf. The sauce was good. Reduce the salt and the recipe would be delicious.
Thanks for your feedback, Tom. Feel free to adjust the seasoning according to your preference.
Just made this last night and followed the recipe exactly as written and this meatloaf came out beautifully! Moist and did not fall apart. Great flavor too. Fantastic recipe. I’m keeping this one and making it again!
We’re so glad you enjoyed this recipe, Kimberly!
Can I substitute the white sugar for brown sugar in the glaze recipe???
I have not tested this with regular white sugar but it should work. It may affect the taste and texture slightly. The brown sugar provides a richer flavor.
You can make brown sugar by adding about 1 tbsp of molasses per one cup of granulated sugar. Massage molasses into sugar with clean fingers.
Excellent meatloaf my family loved it! I made a couple of small modifications… doubled the chili and the vinegar.. from NC so we lean to more of a vinegar kick lol
So glad your family loved this recipe. Thank you for sharing! 🙂
I cook for my neighbors all the time. When I give them an option it’s always meatloaf! I use 1 pound ground beef and one pound ground pork and also add diced green peppers. They rave over this every time! Thank you!
So glad they love this recipe, Lori! Thank you for sharing.
Do you have to bake longer if using 1 lb. of pork in recipe?
Hi Kathleen. I don’t believe so. But cook it until the internal temperature is 160°F.
Great meatloaf recipe. My 7 yr old loves it as well as the rest of my family. I’ve already made it a few times & have decided this will be my go-to meatloaf recipe. It makes great leftovers too. I probably add a little extra on the seasonings although it tastes just as good if I follow the recipe to a t. Love the idea of sauteing the onions before hand, I think it helps to hide the fact there’s onions in it from the kids(my kids can be turned off by a meal that has onions), they have no idea it’s there. The glaze really brings it all together, it’s delicious. There hasn’t been a recipe yet that we didn’t like from Natasha’s kitchen! I know we’re talking about meatloaf here but I love your Chinese recipes too!
Thank you, Liz! I’m so glad you enjoy me recipes.
This is the second time I make this meatloaf recipe for my grandson, he absolutely loved it.
That’s wonderful, Laura! I’m so glad he loves it.
This was a huge hit with family and friends. I felt bad because my wife felt like I was trying to show her up with the kids. I honestly wasn’t but it happened. I just googled meatloaf recipes and than God yours was near the top. My kids hate my wife’s meatloaf. I never minded it. The kids each had seconds with this recipe.
We used this recipe again with our ground venison. Out of this world. Delicious.
That’s great, Andrew! I’m so glad it was a hit. The venison sounds amazing! Thank you for your feedback.
I love this recipe! It is my go to every time. I like switching up my sauce for variety. A maple bacon glaze or adding other finely chopped veggies. Any leftover meat I use for burgers or meatballs and freeze them. Thank you Natasha!!
You’re welcome. So glad you enjoy this recipe.
Made this recipe twice now and it turns out great. I omitted the chopped onions because kids not a fan. I also 1/2 the topping glaze for it. I have never been able to cook a good meatloaf but this one is perfect every single time!!!
So glad to hear that, Ray! 🙂
Chicken Tetrazzini might be my mother’s favorite recipe, but I claim this is my favorite, albeit with just a couple changes that are of no reflection of the recipe.
I only use a loaf pan to shape the loaf and use an oiled baking sheet as opposed to cooking it in a loaf pan. I find a loaf pan retains too much moisture in the loaf as it is cooking. I also precook the onions in a tablespoon of butter or olive oil until soft and add them to the beef mixture after they have cooled. Cooking the onions prior to adding them to the mixture seemed to provide a nice enhancement of the onion flavor.
My final twist to this entire process is the awesome glaze. I will add 1/2 cup Ketchup and 1/2 cup Chili sauce to the mixture. The chili sauce provides a nice tangy edge and bold flavor to the glaze as opposed to any additional spice. A run-of-the-mill chili sauce shouldn’t have any “heat” to it. As such, I omit the vinegar in this step as it provides too much tanginess to the mixture. The glaze stays very much the same except for the addition of chili sauce and leaving the vinegar for another day.
I have made this recipe countless times as-is without any changes to great acclaim of my family. I just turned 40, but my family nearly demand I apply to culinary school in Chicago. They don’t realize I already attend Natasha’s Kitchen University. Keep the recipes coming, Natasha! I’m receiving straight A’s across the board with my family.
Thank you so much for sharing that with us! It makes me feel happy reading your comments, we appreciate it!
Can’t wait to make this! What temp should the meatloaf be, before you add the glaze?
Hi Jen! I hope you love this recipe. To be honest, I didn’t check the temperature of the meatloaf when I added the glaze. I baked it at 375℉ for 40mins then spread the glaze over the meatloaf and baked for an additional 15-20 minutes or until the internal temperature is 160˚F (whichever comes first).
I made this recipe. It was delicious. The only downside of this recipe is the glaze. It didn’t glaze or caramelized at all. It was runny. I was expecting it to caramelized and gives a little char look and tastes to it. I didn’t cook it anymore longer than the desired cooking time cuz I was worried about overcooking the meat. Any tip on how to get the glazed caramelized? Maybe broil it for 3-5 mins?
Hi Jeannie, I think broiling could work but maybe for 1-3 minutes depending on how close to the broiler your meatloaf is.
I actually did the broil and man it came out good! I had never tried making meatloaf because stories I read said it would come out dry. No this one! Delicious!
Happy to hear that you loved this meatloaf, Gabby!
You can always add a little cornstarch to thicken it up, but I also add sriracha and a little Worcestershire sauce. Using the broiler will also help but dont over do it. I would recommend keeping the oven door open.
It was delicious. I really enjoy the glaze and the meat was very moist. I will definitely make it again.
I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us, Clarice!
My family absolutely loves this recipe.. very tasty.. no heartburn.. This is better then my grandmothers.. great job!!! ❤️ Thank you for sharing it!!
Thank you, Linda! I’m so glad to hear that.
I made this for supper tonight.
I substituted Sweet Thai Chili instead of ketchup for the glaze and acv, instead of white vinegar, added to the other ingredients. To say it was “flavorful” would be an understatement!!!
It was absolutely fantastic!!!!
Thanks for sharing the recipe!
Sounds wonderful, thank you for sharing with us, Barb!
I made the recipe , but I used some fresh ground wild pork and a lil beef . Also prepared the night before . Was wonderful loved the recipe. Was a 5 lb meat loaf plenty of left overs . Wonderful recipe .
Wow! That’s a big meatloaf. 🙂 I’m so glad it was enjoyed, Jonathon. The pork and beef combo sounds delicious!
I love this recipe and I make it in the larger cupcake pan. It makes such a nice individual serving rolled into a big ball. The sauce is icing on the cake. I had many compliments! Thanks for the recipe!
What a great idea, Mary! Thank you for sharing that with us. I’m so glad you enjoy this recipe.
Would adding mozzarella change anything? My kids like to have cheese stuffed meatloaf.
Hi Jackie! I haven’t tested it to advise. I think it could work just fine. Let us know if you experiment with it. 🙂
Recipe was a huge success. I’ve made meatloaf for over 50 years and this was one of the best. I did not change anything but the solid recipe is a good base to experiment. Sauce was tasty and easy to make. I used extra lean ground beef. Definitely a keeper.
That’s so great, Connie! Thank you so much for sharing. I’m glad you loved this recipe.
Making this tonight! If I’m only making 4 servings, so 1 lb of beef, do I reduce the cooking time?
Hi Lainey. I have not cut this recipe in half to advise on the baking time for that but most likely you will need to decrease it a bit and it will depend on the size pan you use. The internal temperature should be 160°F.
To freeze this recipe , should I freeze sauce separately or freeze with sauce on? Thanks
Hi Jay, 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. We have freezer instructions in the post. You can freeze it with the glaze.
Topping was too thick and did not form a glaze. Did not cook past the allotted time as meatloaf would have overcooked. Sorry not a fan.
My family loved this recipe! Followed it exactly with one exception: kicked it up a notch with Pitzman’s mustard. Absolutely beautiful.
Sounds delicious, Kandice! Thank you for sharing that with us. 🙂
Made this last night for my husband ( who is a meatloaf aficionado ! ) and my brother. We all declared it to be the best meatloaf ever! Delicious! Will definitely be a favourite!
That makes me smile. Thank you, Jennifer! I’m so glad you found a new favorite! 🙂
I just have to say using chilli sauce is much better than ketchup! It gives it a bit of zing and is delish! You don’t need the brown sugar….. just an idea….
Thanks for the suggestion, Linda! 🙂
I followed the recipe exactly except I used gluten free bread and almond milk. It came to so mushy that you could scoop it with a spoon. Thoughts anyone?
Hi Sue, it’s hard to say what the culprit is, especially with substitutions. It may likely be gluten-free bread 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.”
Quick cook oats are a great gluten free bread crumb substitute!
I struggle making a decent meatloaf….my 12 yo tells me that this is the best one ever! He even eats it as a snack so this recipe is a keeper…I will not be concerned about leftovers.
Love it! Thanks for sharing the great feedback with us, we appreciate it.
Thank you for your wonderful recipe! I made this for friends and added Morrel mushrooms and substituted Venison for beef. Great flavors. Nice glaze. Guests were happy.
I’m so happy to hear that, Sean! Thank you so much for sharing that with me!
Way, way, way to much garlic!
I put in two cloves. And all I tasted was garlic. What ashame.
They called for 3 cloves.
What awaste of time and food!.
Unedible because of the overwhelming garlic taste
Hi Dana, I haven’t heard feedback about this being overly garlicky. I wonder if maybe you used very large cloves? Also, fresh garden-grown garlic is significantly stronger so I would probably cut it in half if using very fresh garlic.
Did you use 2 BULBS instead of 2 cloves? There is NO way 2 CLOVES of garlic has the ability to make anything “too garlicky” lol
Made this recipe exactly as listed and it was amazing. Finally found the go to recipe for meatloaf. My husband ate it 3 nights in a row. Thank you for sharing!
So glad to hear that, Shelly! Thank you for the review. 🙂
This meatloaf recipe has become my go-to recipe. Thank You. I make it often and sometimes change it up a bit by adding grated carrots or grated zucchini (1/3 cup with water squeezed out). Can’t get enough of the amazing sauce! Love!
Hi David! That’s wonderful. I’m so glad you enjoy this recipe. Thank you for the review.
Really tasty meatloaf. Nice and moist and the glaze really adds to it. Easy to make. I froze 2 portions and they tasted just as good after re-heating
Hi Susan! I’m so glad you enjoy this meatloaf. Thank you for sharing. 🙂
Loved the flavor but ours turned out mushy so next time would bake it directly on a pan or rack, not in a loaf pan.
I made this for my family for dinner on the first day of school. Everyone RAVED! The butcher told me to use ground chuck which was yummy but oily. The glaze was insane! Thank you for this wonderful recipe!
You’re welcome! I’m so happy you enjoyed it, Ann!
I only have one pound of ground beef. Am I able to make this recipe with just one pound? If so what would the measurements for the other ingredients be?
Hi Cass. Our site provides a tool where you can adjust the serving size and it will adjust the ingredient list for you. This recipe serves 8 so if you change this to 4, it will be 1lb of beef.
I 1/2’ed the recipe because I could not find where to change the serving size to 4.
Hi Sandy! If you hover the cursor over number of servings, you can slide right or left to increase or decrease the servings. 🙂
Could I substitute red wine vinegar for white vinegar?
I think I’ve made something similar before but used a red wine instead of white!
That should be fine. 🙂
Finally commenting on this after making it so many times. It’s absolutely delicious and freezes really well for future dinners. Thanks for an awesome recipe, Natasha!
Hi Kristine, thank you for sharing! I’m happy to know that you always make and love this recipe.
Hi! I have a couple questions. Can I substitute the milk for almond milk? Also, any substitutions for Panko breadcrumbs?
Super excited to make this 😊
Hello Natasha, I have not tested that to advise. If you do an experiment, please update us on how it goes!
Could I use onion powder or onion flakes rather than an actual onion?
Hi Sally! It might alter the flavor a bit, but I think that would be fine.
I love this meatloaf recipe. I love the glaze. I put it on my baby back ribs, and its a hit. just wondering,can I make this meatloaf recipe in a crockpot?
Good to know that, Melissa. I haven’t tried making this using a crockpot to advise. If you do an experiment, please share with us how it goes.
Excellent. I’d have taken a picture but the family dove right in. Moist, flavorful and love the vinegar in glaze. Awesome!!
Thanks for sharing, Cory! So glad they loved it. 🙂
I was wondering if you could make this with 1 pound of ground beef? What would the measurements for the other ingredients be?
Hi Cass, you can use the tool on the recipe card to decrease the servings to 4 and it will convert the ingredient list for you.
Do you use smoked or sweet paprika in the meatloaf? I have to buy more anyway but wondering which to get.
Hi Kayti, just regular paprika is fine. It’s really just a preference thing. One of my other readers makes this recipe with smoked Paprika and said it turned out great.
I’ve only ever had Filipino meatloaf, but thought I’d try American meatloaf. It was a hit with my picky 2 year old. Husband said the glaze is delicious! Thanks for sharing!
That’s wonderful to hear! 🙂
how is Filipino meatloaf different? would love to try to make sometime.
My favorite recipe for meatloaf! It reminds me of my mother’s meatloaf recipe. This time I doubled the sauce recipe because we liked it so much it’s great to heat up with the leftovers!
Hello Sherry, that is great to know! Thank you for your good comments and feedback, we’re happy to hear that you love this recipe!
This is the only meatloaf recipe I will make. It’s moist and full of flavor!
Love it, May! Thank you for the review.
This recipe was a hit at my house. I only had 1 lb of ground beef so I just use half the ingredients. Instead of breadcrumbs, I use crackers bout 1/4 cup. The sauce came out perfect. It delicious. Thanks for the recipe.
Good to know that this recipe is a huge hit!
This came out better then I thought! Was my first time making meatloaf and this was an amazing flavorful recipe to follow!
Awesome! Thank you for the great feedback, Kiana.
I am looking forward to trying this recipe. I am new to this site; is there an option to create my own ‘cookbook’ with Natasha’s Kitchen recipes without having to save to Pinterest?
Hi Lori! Welcome to my blog. At this time, we do not have a feature like that but hopefully, we can have something similar in the future where you can save your recipes. You can however click the print icon on the recipe card to print the recipes and create a cookbook.
Oh my goodness!! The recipe will now be my good to. My son is very picky but he loved this recipe You have to drizzle the top with the leftover juices. Wonderful. Thank you!!
You’re welcome, Andrea. Happy to know that your picky son loved it!
Yummy!! It was a tad too salty for me, but other than that it was perfect. Next time I’ll add about half the amount of salt the recipe calls for.
Hi Allison, thanks for the feedback and review. Yes, feel free to adjust the seasoning according to your preference next time.
I like the idea of tacos out of the leftovers ( if there is any ) but use taco seasoning instead of the Italian seasoning. Going to give it a try tonight
Delicious! I used beyond burger meat instead of regular ground beef and it still tastes amazing!
I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us, Shannon!
This is the best meatloaf I have ever tried. My family loves it! Would I be able to pre-make it and freeze it for a quick dinner? Would it taste the same?
Hi Farah! So glad you enjoy this recipe. I have frozen it before cooking. To freeze, prepare meatloaf per instructions. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and foil and freeze.
This recipe stopped my dad from eating the packaged processed meatloaf. I change the beef to half meatloaf mix (pork and beef) and half ground turkey. Everyone loves it.
That’s wonderful! I’m so glad to hear that, Christy. Thank you for the review.
This is an exceptionally good recipe to create a meatloaf with a combination of ground kangaroo and sautéed camel quarter points.. It adds that gamey savoir faire non-spoken undertone of garden variety flavoring, mashed together in a splendid cacophony of earthiness, but also adds a slightly carom de la Marcene to the flavor… If you have a kangaroo hanging about please give it a shot…you won’t regret it.
Hi Johnny! Wow, kangaroo?! Thank you for the wonderful feedback and for sharing your experiment with this recipe. 🙂
Omg. This is amazing. Sooooo good. My husband loves it. Best meatloaf I have ever ate in my life.
That’s awesome feedback, Shannon. Thanks a lot for sharing!
Hi I made this recipe and it didn’t cook all the way with the 40 minutes at 375. I had to cook it longer
She said cook 40 minutes then remove and add topping glaze and put back for another 15-20 minutes so cooks an hour at most.
I made this with 93-7% fat ground turkey instead of beef, and it was Sooo good. Thanks for the recipe. I’ll be keeping this one.
That’s wonderful! Thanks for sharing 🙂
I made this recipe for my family with a few changes and they loved it! I caramelize the onions first then add them to the meatloaf and I divide the milk into half milk half heavy cream! Turned out great!
Thank you for your great comments and feedback, Marian. I appreciate you sharing that with us.
I previously made this recipe but cut it in half as I only had one lb of ground beef. I also only had smoked paprika, no Italian seasoning, and only Italian panko crumbs. Using the Italian crumbs instead of plain crumbs took care of my problem of having no Italian seasoning. The substitutions were delicious and my grandkids LOVED the meatloaf. Going to make it again tomorrow trying a bit of finely chopped green pepper added in. Great recipe – so moist and tasty! Thanks!
Aww, that’s the best! I’m so happy to hear you and the grandkids loved it, Deb! Thank you so much for sharing that with me.
I’ve made this recipe before and it’s turned out great, but here’s one thing I advise that you DON’T do- 80% hamburger was on sale at the store and I thought it wouldn’t make that big of a difference this time around, but just switching that one thing in the recipe made the meatloaf way too greasy and fatty.
We’ll still eat it out of stubbornness, and it’s not “bad”, but learn from my mistake and don’t try to cut corners on the hamburger fat percentage. Go for the leaner stuff.
Thank you so much for sharing that with us, Leslie!
Never go with on sale ground beef unless it’s 95/15. Just remember all the fat you hate your meatloaf swimming in and the unsightly greasy platters etc. all that will be in you! Today more than ever cook for health!
I made this meatloaf for my picky family last night and they loved it. This will definitely be a go to recipe from now on. Thanks for sharing it.
I’m so glad this was a hit, Reva! That’s the best when the family loves what we parents make!
Just made this meatloaf. It was very good. I may make some changes the next go around. The Italian seasoning was a bit wrong for our taste…will leave it off next go. The glaze was amazing…might add shredded cheddar cheese on top as my family loves a cheese element to meatloaf, but wanted to do recipe as written the first time cooking.
Excellent feedback, Kim! Thank you for sharing. 🙂
Can you put green and red peppers in this recipe? I want to try this tonight for dinner
I think you could but I have not tested it myself to advise.
I just made this but will also try adding some diced yellow and red peppers and leave off Italian seasoning …maybe a bit more onion as well. Respond back if you make it with the peppers!
Kim, like a lot of people, I grew up with meatloaf on the table often. It always included green bell peppers, as well as sliced celery. YUM!
Yes, I do either one, just making sure it’s finely chopped. So delicious!
Best meatloaf I have ever made! I added a little bit of smoked paprika to the finishing sauce that gave it a nice smokey flavor that my family loves. It formed nicely, which is my biggest challenge. Instead of a pile of wet meat, we actually had sliced loaf! TY so much!
That’s a nice addition to the recipe, thanks for sharing the results with us. Glad you liked it!
It’s an amazing and delicious recipe! I used almost all the ingredients except parsley and everyone loved it!!!
Sounds great, Karen. Good to now that the recipe was a huge hit!
This has been my favorite meatloaf recipe for the last year!! Outstanding
Happy to know that, Martha!
I sub gluten free oats for the panko and put two slices of bacon on top. Rave reviews
Awesome! Thank you so much for sharing that, Amy! I know our readers will find this helpful!
I made this for my family Sunday night and u must say it was an HUGE hit. “This is the best meatloaf I’ve ever eaten” from the son in law, and “I don’t think I’ve eaten a juicier tastier meatloaf ever” from my Mother. So thank you thank you for this share. Tonight it’s the White sauce lasagna but substituting Italian and spicy sausage for the chicken. Can’t wait to see what a hit this one is.
You’re so welcome, Elizabeth! I’m glad to hear this was hit with your family! Thank you for your fantastic review!
Could I substitute the panko bread crumbs for Italian? Trying to work with ingredients I already have in the kitchen.
Hi Kortni, I haven’t tested that to advise. If you do an experiment, please share with us how it goes!
I used Italian instead of panko and it worked great. Good luck.
The best I have ever had. My family wants me to make it again
Awesome! Glad you and your family enjoyed this recipe.
Made 2 loaves today. Put one in the freezer and the other in the fridge for tomorrow’s dinner. I’m here in the San Francisco Bay Area. We are expected to have normal weather the next couple of days…80’s. I’m okay with turning the oven on. 😊
Sounds good! Enjoy and I hope you’ll enjoy all the recipes that you will try.
Made this for the first time tonight and my family devoured it! So delicious! Not dry and packed full of flavor! Saved the recipe and will definitely make again! Thank you!
Wonderful! I’m happy you enjoy this recipe. 🙂
Parsley sage rosemary and Tyme from the song Scarborough fair was from a meatloaf recipe. 🙂
Just made this tonight along with the mashed potatoes and it’s delicious! Thank you!
Wonderful! Thank you for the review.
Hey Natasha, I’m looking forward to trying this recipe! Do you think any other substitutions could work for the eggs, while keeping it moist? My son has egg allergies.
I haven’t tried any substitutions to advise. If you do an experiment, please share with us how it goes!
I recently read to use ground flax seed sitting in water for a few minutes to get the gel-like consistency would do the trick. I’m sorry i forget where i read that.
Here’s a quick list of egg substitutes that can be used in meatloaf: olive oil, mayonnaise, unflavored gelatin, breadcrumbs, avocado, Egg substitutes, Flax egg, Flour and oatmeal, Breadcrumbs, Gelatin, Chia seeds, Chickpea flour, Yogurt, Applesauce, Cheese, Aquafaba, Mashed potatoes, Cornstarch,
Hello curious if I wanted to cut this recipe in half for a small loaf how long would I bake for?
Hi Pat, I have not tried making this in half batch but I imagine it will be the same cooking time just check it every now and then.
Traditional meatloaf mixes use 2 parts beef, 1 part pork, and one part veal. Eggs help bind the loaf but so does the veal with collagen. Substitute a couple packets of gelatin for the eggs, and the veal.
Digital meat thermometer 160 degrees. I make 12 oz individual meatloaves. My kids like having their own.
Just made this exactly as written with no changes, and it is very good!
Hi Mark, thank you for following the recipe exactly as written. Happy to hear that you loved it!
Have made this a couple of times – though I had to modify the sauce to reduce some of the sugars. I used crushed tomatoes instead of the ketchup, reduced the brown sugar and included many of the same herbs already in the recipe. It’s been a hit each time and will continue to be our go-to meatloaf.
Thanks for continuing to share you recipes with us. I’m a big fan and have made many of them.
Hello Jackie, great to hear that the modifications that you made worked out so well! Thank you for your good comments and feedback.
Thank you, tried this recipe and it was wonderful. made a slight addition and that was I added 1/4 lb of Jimmy Dean hot sausage, and a small amount of smoke paprika. It was great.
Hi Virgil! I’m so glad you enjoyed this recipe. Thank you for sharing your experience.
I made this recipe for dinner last night. My family loved it, not a single crumb left!!!
That’s wonderful, Pam! So glad they enjoyed it.
Omg this is the best meatloaf I’ve ever had. I usually only eat meatloaf on a sandwich. It’s so tender. I’ve always had tough meatloaf.
Thank you
I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us, Kathy!
Good recipe. My loaf that I make is awesome. And I never need to put ketchup on meatloaf I think it’s horrible. But had to make some for a friend and she wanted that darn ketchup. I used my loaf recipe So I tried your sauce to see how it would step ketchup up a notch. It is by far the best add on to meatloaf I’ve ever had and can’t believe I didn’t come up with that myself. I add green peppers diced tomatoes and more Worcestershire to my loaf. gratz on a good loaf recipe
So glad you enjoyed the glaze, James! Thank you.
I made it and it was great my family loved it and I will be making it again soon
Great to hear that they loved this recipe!
Hello Natasha!
This meatloaf came out Amazing! I did add some red, yellow and jalapeno peppers because they were just laying around doing nothing. It’s so tasty and moist.
Thankyou for posting this!
Sounds delicious! You’re very welcome, Colleen! I’m happy it was enjoyed. 🙂
I’ve tried to make meatloaf so many different ways I tried your recipe and oh wow it’s the fast thank you so much for sharing
You’re welcome, Joanna! I’m glad you enjoyed this meatloaf.
Really love this simple and straightforward recipe, I’m lucky if the family leaves any leftovers for the next day! Rock on, Natascha.
Hi Alex. So glad your family enjoys this recipe. Thank you for the review.