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.
This meatloaf is fantastic! Even my son who always says he doesn’t like meatloaf loves it. It is very moist. Since we have been cutting back on dairy I used water in the recipe twice now and it came out great.
This tasted great, reminded me of my Mom’s.
I normally put orange, red and yellow peppers (which can overpower the meatloaf with the taste of peppers) or white and sweet potatoes or carrots in my meatloaf and it would be a hit or miss situation.
I normally like to try someone’s recipe at least once before doing any tweaks to make it mine, but this first time around I did add some parmesan cheese to the bread crumb mixture (old ingrained habits).
Absolutely delicious!
Wow! Tried a different meatloaf recipe last night, and it was a bust. Tried this one tonight with leaner meat, and it turned out amazing! Definitely will be my go to next time. Thanks for the amazing recipe! Delicious!!
The whole family loved this meatloaf. We will make again.
made it today!!! this is not my favorite but my son’s…we made it for his 39th bday. it was all the rave and then some. very moist indeed.
Very good. Tasty and very easy to make
Made it tonight – tasted perfect. Will definitely make this recipe again.
Sounds like a winner. I want to try this recipe, but I need to know how much bread crumbs or crackers for the mixture???
We made this tonight as per recipe, backed off on sugar – otherwise this is a keeper.
Made this tonight, it was awesome!! I’m not a big meatloaf person but this recipe is changing that. I really like the flavor from the topping too. Compliments from the whole family. A++
This is a perfect meatloaf recipe! Taste is wonderful and texture great. I bake on a rack over a roasting pan so the fat drips out. I just put ketchup on top rather than the topping because I think it is tart and sweet enough. Also, I bakeat least for 70 minutes to get it to temp. Maybe that’s just my oven, but I’d use a meat thermometer.
Classic comfort food. My son said he didn’t like meatloaf based on his school cafeteria experience but he loved this of course. So yummy! We served it with buttery mashed potatoes, and steamed broccoli and carrots.
Very good.My new favorite recipe.
I love this recipe 🙂
I never knew how to make meat loaf, so I googled a recipe and this came up. Now my wife only lets me make the meat loaf.
Since she is HIGHLY allergic to milk and wheat.
I subbed the meat for ground turkey, milk for Unsweet Almond milk and Gluten free Panko and brown sugar for…well we omitted that.
sometimes we tried adding oregeno and crushed peppers (to eliminate the sweetness of the almond milk)
This Last time I added Cayenne pepper to the topping as a sugar substitute. it was surprisingly good.
Any ideas what I can substitute the milk with?
We can’t have meat and dairy together.
Almond or soy or rice or oatmeal milk. Or beef broth…
Fantastic meatloaf
Hi, this meatloaf recipe is amazing!! Very easy to make, super flavorful and moist!!! It will definitely be in my meal rotation each month!!
Thanks for sharing with us!! 😊
Request was made by two teenage sons to cook this again the next night!! High reviews which says a alot! One son is on Paelo diet so i portioned off some meat for him and substitued the bread crumbs for crushed pork rinds; and used No Sugar Ketchup. (and no topping on his0 He said he would eat this every night. Thank you for such an easy recipe.