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.
Absolutely delicious! I actually doubled the recipe because I had almost 3 lbs of beef. I also only added a light layer of sauce. Because of the amount I used a glass rectangle dish and molded into a large loaf. I’m looking forward to leftovers tomorrow!
I normally hate meatloaf. All my life always hated it. Made this recipe and I absolutely love it as does the family.
I don’t change anything in this recipe.
We have a joke in our family every time I cook meatloaf pizza magically appears that our So I tried your recipe and they ate it right up didn’t even leave me enough for a meatloaf sandwich the next day!!
I make this meatloaf recipe every month and don’t change anything. It’s my family’s favorite! Thank you
Loved this recipe. It was so very much like my Mom’s.
This recipe is the best! I make it as written and sometimes sprinkle a few French fried onions on top of the glaze. My husband and I love it and our toddler does, too! We just cut off the top part with the glaze for her because the flavor is a bit strong for her, but as she gets older I’m sure she’ll love that part, too.
This is now a go to weeknight meal that feels like Sunday dinner. It’s simple to make and comes out perfectly every time. Thank you!
This is the BEST meatloaf recipe!! I use my mixer to mix the ingredients together. I make 2 loaves;cook them and freeze one for another meal.
This meatloaf is SO good. There are few things my kids ask for and even less that they both eat. This is one of them.
So easy to make and declious. 🙂
I made this recipe meatloaf 2 weeks ago andnit was a hit with scalloped potatoes my family loved it! I used red wine instead of Redwine vinegar delicious!
Love this recipe. My husband keeps asking me to make it. Very tasty. The glaze tops it off great!
Old dude, not a baker and/or cook. Took this to a senior citizen luncheon meeting as my contribution. Many positive comments including requests for the recipe. I have to agree. It really was delicious.
A lot of great tips for this recipe! I did find that there wasn’t enough flavor to it so I will add a little more next time and also add minced garlic, the most important tip as you said DO NOT cut it until it cools, not only to hold its shape but to keep it moist, if you cut it too soon the juices will escape forever 🤣
Enjoyed this recipe very much. I always was stand off when it came to meat loaf. But this one is great. It makes the best meat loaf sandwiches.
This is by far the best recipe for meat loaf I make it at least once a month! Everyone asks for recipe! Thank you
My husband and I loved this meatloaf. I used italian croutons and crushed them a little (those suckers are hard!) and soaked them in the milk (great tip). Only because I was too lazy to make breadcrumbs. This will be our go to recipe from now on.
I doubled the topping which made my husband very happy. The best recipe ever, probably, because of the topping.
I substituted the dried parsley for fresh and the red wine vinegar for balsamic. This was the best meatloaf I have ever made!!
The recipe was moist and delicious with 97%-3% ground beef. So much so, that we’re adding it to our regular rotation. I doubled it the first time I made it, I just wish they made a longer loaf pan that was self draining so I wouldn’t have to wash two pans.
I always use aluminum foil in the log pan so it won’t be a hassle to clean! Works great
LOAF pan not log lol
I have a meatloaf pan that is two layers. The top layer pan that you put the meat in has small drainage holes and the bottom is a traditional loaf pan. I got mine at Williams and Sonoma but I’ve seen it for a lot less at Walmart.
I just bought two of those pans, and I am so happy with them! They drain away a lot of fat, making for a healthier meatloaf.
Those pans work great. It separates the oil in the ground beef from the beef as it cooks.
Thank you for this .I’m a RN and try to decrease saturated fats without sacrificing taste. My family has some issues with DM and heart disease.
I liked this recipe, but I felt like there were too many bread crumbs. Next time, I won’t use so many. I must not have mixed it well enough, cause you could see some of the bread crumbs & it just looked like mold in the meatloaf. If you use all the bread crumbs, make sure you really do mix it well.
Love this recipe! Didn’t have vinegar so had to skip the glaze. Doubled recipe too. I always shape meatloaf by hand and place atop slices of bread or thin buns in the bottom of a cast iron skillet.I also use my finger to create a trench on the top center of meatloaf before cooking. It keeps it extra moist. Family loved it!
Any kind of vinegar will work. I used apple cider vinegar because that’s what I had and it turned out great. Even without any kind of vinegar (ketchup has some), ketchup and brown sugar is good on its own, just a little sweeter.