This is the best meatloaf recipe ever! This traditional meatloaf recipe is just like mom used to make, made with ground beef and a sweet and tangy glaze topping.
What Makes A Really Good Meatloaf
I think the trick to good meatloaf is using lean ground beef. The problem with a lot of meatloaf recipes is that they call for ground beef with a high fat content. As the meatloaf cooks, the fat cooks out and makes a greasy mess. Not this recipe!
How To Keep It Moist
You may be thinking, but won’t lean ground beef make the meatloaf dry? Not at all! The milk, egg, ketchup, and diced onion in the meat mixture are all working to keep the meatloaf moist and delicious.
Loaf Pan Versus Baking Sheet
I prefer to use a loaf pan because it keeps all the glaze in place perfectly and the meat is juicier. But, you could line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Shape the meatloaf into a loaf shape. Top with the glaze. And, bake as normal.
How To Make The Best Meatloaf
*Note: This is a summary. The full printable recipe card is at the bottom of this post.
Make the Meatloaf:
- Add 90% lean ground beef to a large bowl.
- Add dried bread crumbs and some diced onion.
- Add milk, an egg, ketchup, and worcestershire sauce.
- Add dried parsley, garlic powder, salt and pepper.
- Mix it together REALLY well.
- Pour the meat mixture into a loaf pan.
- Spread it into a flat even layer.
Make the Ketchup Glaze
- Add ketchup, brown sugar, and red wine vinegar to a bowl.
- Whisk until combined.
- Pour the glaze over the meatloaf.
- Bake it!
- Let it cool before slicing.
Can This Be Made Ahead Of Time
Absolutely! Just cover the loaf pan with plastic wrap and refrigerate it until you’re ready for it. Then, uncover it and let it come to room temperature as you’re preheating the oven.
Can This Be Frozen
Yes! Prepare the meatloaf, put it in a loaf pan, and top with glaze according to the recipe directions. Cover the pan and freeze.
Place the frozen meatloaf in the refrigerator to thaw about 24 hours before you want to bake it. Then, uncover it and let it come to room temperature as you’re preheating the oven.
I’ve been playing around with this recipe for the past few months, making it many times. And, I didn’t mind the repetition at all because I do believe I ended up with the best classic meatloaf recipe ever. 🙂
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The Best Classic Meatloaf Recipe
Video
Ingredients
- 1 lb. 90% lean ground beef
- 1 cup dried bread crumbs
- 1/2 cup diced yellow onion
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1 large egg beaten
- 2 tbsp. ketchup
- 1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tsp. dried parsley leaves
- 3/4 tsp. salt
- 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
- For the Topping:
- 1/4 cup ketchup
- 2 tbsp. packed light brown sugar
- 1 tbsp. red wine vinegar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350° Fahrenheit.
- In a large bowl, add the beef, bread crumbs, onion, milk, egg, 2 tablespoons ketchup, worcestershire sauce, parsley, salt, garlic powder, and pepper. Use your hands to mush and mix these ingredients together until well combined.*
- Add the meat mixture to a loaf pan. Pat the meat down into an even layer.
- In a small bowl, add ¼ cup ketchup, the brown sugar, and vinegar. Stir to combine. Pour the sauce on top of the meatloaf and spread it into an even layer.
- Bake uncovered for 55 minutes.
- Let the meatloaf rest for 8-10 minutes before serving (or it may fall apart).**
Notes
Nutrition
Check out all of my great ground beef recipes.
I love this recipie and I’m not a meatloaf girl. My husband bugged me for months to make one. Luckily the first one I tried was it!
This came out Awesome– It creates the meal that we all want meatloaf to be. Other recipes leave much to be desired. Great for the whole family.
I’ll be saving this in using for multiple meals in the future!
Easy tasty!
Very moist and flavorful! Easy and quick to throw together with on-hand spices. I was looking for something different than my go-to recipe and this worked wonderfully. I will certainly make it again!
Excellent meatloaf. I skip the milk which , in my opinion, makes it better as it is more firm. This is my go to recipe and currently printing it for my mother-in-law, so it must be good.
This meatloaf starts a new ranking of 6 stars!!! So easy to make, tastes fabulous all the right ingredients that are already in the kitchen .. wow, wow, wow, wow, wow, wow. Thanks so much for sharing 🙂
I thought this turned out really good. It was moist but held together. I did make sure to follow the author’s instructions to mix very well and let stand for 10 mins and it must have worked because it was not mushy and sliced firmly. I added diced green bell peppers to mine because I just like them. I used dark brown sugar since I didn’t have light for the topping. I don’t know if it made a difference but it tasted good to us. The recipe was easy to follow and easy to make. Will definitely make it again!
I really like this recipe. I learned something that I didn’t know. The 90/10 ground beef stays together better than 80/20. I’ve been cooking for 65 years and never knew that. It really does come together better. The gla3 is lovely also. A new twist on an old favorite
LOVED THIS RECIPE FOR JUST 1 LB GROUND BEEF! CAME OUT PERFECTLY!
I put a half pd. of ground pork it just elevated the Meatloaf. Thanks for a delicious recipe of Meatloaf. Cindy 😊✌🏼
Literally the best meatloaf! We make it at least 3 times a month! So good! We even add some bacon and jalapeno occasionally for extra kick/flavor.
Best meatloaf recipe I have ever made.
Wooowww!! This is a great recipe to follow. The instructions are clear and well written. My kids LOVED IT…not liked it LOVED IT (their words 🙂
I did not have any Worcestershire so I used a 1/2 tbsp of bbq sauce. I also did not have any brown sugar so for the topping I used 2 tbsp of Ketchup 1/2 tbsp of bbq sauce and 1/8 tbsp of prepared yellow mustard, and did not put it in until the last 15 mins of cooking time.
Will definitely be making again!!!
Very easy to make love it
Made many meatloafs in my 79 years this is in the top 3 . Actually it’s even with numbers 1&2 Mom’s was always #1 with me , but this is pretty darn close . Loved it. I can’t match mom’s but I’ll make this !!!!
Just perfect. Old fashioned and yummy. My whole family loved this meatloaf I made. I gave the recipe out to them and my cousin then lost it. But found it again !
My wife said, “this is better than my mom’s.” Simply great.
Awesome!! So good!! I made meatloaf all my life seemed to come out good to us. But this one was amazing very moist ever used milk in it before and very please with the recipe. We’ll make this way for now on. Can’t wait to try other recipe of yours.
Love your recipes
This was a very delicious and easy meatloaf recipe. I prepped the meatloaf in the morning, covered with foil, and refrigerated until evening for dinner. I baked it in a pie plate, so it was easy to search as wedges. Thank you!