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
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
- 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 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. Rest meatloaf 10 minutes before slicing. Drizzle with baking juices from the pan.
Nutrition Per Serving
If you make this recipe, I’d love to see pics of your creations on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter! Hashtag them #natashaskitchen
I don’t have Panko, nor do I have Saltines that other commenters said they used as a substitute. Would Ritz crackers work well? Or is there another substitute that I might have in my pantry that would work better?
Hi Jamie, I haven’t tested that but I think ritz would work fine and would add some nice buttery flavor. I would crush them and add them as though they were bread crumbs. Let me know if you try that out. I’m curious!
Wow, so good! I made no changes to recipe. My kids loved it, definitely a keeper!!
That’s so great, Renee! Thank you so much for sharing that awesome review with me! That is the best when kids love what we parents make!
I am so in love with this recipe so is my husband, comes out just right. Juicy and full of flavor ! Made it for a thanksgiving dinner at work and all my co-workers wanted me to make more and asked for the recipe ! The best meatloaf I’ve ever had
Sounds like you found a new potluck favorite, Julissa! Thank you for that awesome review.
I made this meatloaf recipe recently and it’s the best! I do have a question, if I wanted to make this recipe with ground turkey would it come as as great as using beef? Thank you so much Natasha for your great recipes.
Hi Erika, we prefer beef for that classic meatloaf flavor but ground turkey works well for meatloaf also.
Best meatloaf I have ever made. I noticed you have directions for freezing. How do you wrap without making a mess of the toppings? Or should I freeze the topping separate?
Yes! To freeze, prepare meatloaf per instructions. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and foil and freeze. You are welcome to freeze it with the toppings I just wouldn’t move the saran around too much after covering it.
Best meatloaf recipe ever. thank you. Love watching your videos
That’s just awesome!! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review
Made this tonight and it was fabulous! Didn’t make the sauce, but used fire roasted tomatoes and a bit of cheese. It was yummy and so moist!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Don’t be scared girl. Go for it. Ritz (or the waaaayy cheaper Aldi off-brand ones if I’m being honest) are where it’s at! I usually make my fried chicken and my meatloaf with a mixture of Panko and crushed up buttery crackers.
Loved the (lack of bell pepper) meatloaf recipe itself but didn’t love the glaze as much as the Dijon brown sugar glaze I usually make. I know… everyone’s a critic right? Oh and lining the meatloaf pan with parch paper… genius. Thanks for sharing!
Thank you for stopping by & for that awesome review, Angie!
where did i go wrong? it was dry and flavourless. the worst meat loaf ever.
Hi Patricia, it is difficult to say without being there with you but I’m always willing to help troubleshoot. Did you change anything at all in the recipe? Also, could it have been overbaked? Make sure to use conventional bake mode (not convection, which would bake it faster).
Delicious, I have made this a few times now and it’s amazing. I like it better when the onions are lightly sauteed before adding. Family and potluck favourite
*One question, is it safe to refreeze if using meat that was previously frozen?
Hi Robin, I have not tried refreezing a meatloaf so I had to take a look at USDA regulations for safety and here is what they wrote: “One thing to be aware of, however, is if the meat was frozen before you made it into the meatloaf—depending on how it was defrosted will determine whether it is safe to refreeze or not. Frozen meat that was thawed in the refrigerator is ok to refreeze, according to USDA” I hope that helps.
Definitely saving this recipe to make again. I bought 3 lbs. of ground beef so I followed suit and multiplied everything else by 1.5. I divided the mixture into 2 generous size loaves. The internal temperature got up to 180 degrees after cooking it for the full hour including the glaze step, but it was still super moist. Probably will be just as good or even better the day after.
Thank you for sharing that awesome review with me, Marianne! I’m so happy you enjoyed that.
I don’t make a lot of recipes twice, but I have made this meatloaf about 4 or 5 times now and it is always a hit. I have made it with all ground beef and with a mix of pork and beef. I have used bread crumbs and TJs “rice crumbs” for a gluten-free version. I have added some Worcestershire sauce and/or Franks hot sauce or a chopped jalapeño pepper. The recipe is easy and fun to experiment with. It always turns out juicy and so delicious. Thanks Natasha!
I’m so happy to hear that, Joan! Sounds like you found a new favorite.
Can I freeze this meatloaf?
Hi Alisa, I haven’t tested freezing that before baking so I cannot advise. One of our readers has stored it in the freezer post-baking, however. If you experiment, let me know how you liked the recipe
My husband is the usual cook and made this first. It was really good. Then he had to work really late, so I took over. It is just the two of us, but I had two pounds of 90%.
So I chopped and sauteed half of red/yellow/green peppers, whole yellow onion, some garlic, added 8 saltine crackers for ‘filling.’ Followed rest of ingredients, then made three ‘mini-loafs’ baked together on the bottom part of the broiler pan. (covered pan with foil for super easy clean up). Baked it with the glaze on for 45 minutes, then froze two of them. My oh my, the frozen ones were even better than fresh! AND we just thawed and heated in the microwave! Super easy dinner! Thanks for a great recipe!
I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us!
Made tonight. Delicious. Truly delicious. I’m not much of a meat loaf eater but my husband loved this dish. He’s downstairs cleaning up the kitchen as a guise to continue nibbling away on the loaf. I added Worcestershire and green pepper. This is now my “go to” meatloaf recipe. Thank you.
That’s so great! It sounds like you have a new favorite!
Absolutely the best meatloaf recipe! Cut the recipe in half. Being a New Mexico girl, I could not resist adding chopped Jalapeño pepper and a small sweet pepper. I keep roasted garlic in the frig and used it here. I sautéed Onion and peppers before adding to mixture. I missed the part about baking without glaze and adding it later. Instead I glazed (I topped with grated Parmesan Cheese) and baked for an hour on a ceramic quiche dish. My husband said it was the best meat loaf I have ever made and I couldn’t agree more.
Thank you so much for sharing that with me! I’m so glad you all enjoyed it!
We loved this recipe!! I used to make the same way, except I didn’t put ketchup in meat, and didnt put vinegar in my sauce. It makes a huge difference! I add green peppers to meat and a little bit of honey to my sauce tho.
Thank you for sharing that with me, Nickey!
Amazing
Thank you Sandra!
I normally don’t do reviews, but my husband said this recipe is exceptional! (I don’t eat meatlosaf, myself!)
That’s just awesome!! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review, Doreen!
If I were to half this recipe and use a smaller loaf pan, how long should I be baking it for?
Hi Dani, the bake time will depend on the size of pan that you used. If you used a pan that is half the size, it should bake in about the same amount of time since the meatloaf will be the same height. I hope you love the meatloaf!
Thank you! I’ve loved every one of your recipes that I’ve tried so far, so can’t imagine it being any different for the meatloaf!
I’ve made this meatloaf recipe a few times it’s the best !
Thanks for sharing
Marg
From Maryland
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Just made this and it was a hit! I actually halved the recipe as I only had one pound of meat, but it still formed an ok sized loaf. I also didn’t have ketchup on hand so used crushed tomatoes. With the sauce, it was delicious! Thank you!
You’re welcome! I’m so happy you enjoyed it, CK!
I made this last night for dinner and my husband and I LOVED IT!! I wouldn’t change a thing about the recipe, although I did use half salt and half Tony’s Chachere’s Creole Seasoning. My husband has to have that cajun spice in almost everything! LOL! The glaze is the BEST GLAZE! This recipe is definitely a KEEPER!!
I’m so happy to hear that! Thank you for sharing your great review!
I forgot to click on the stars, giving it 5 STARS!!!
You’re so nice! Thank you!