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.
Soooooo delicious!!! Thank u!
I sauteed the onion, substituted picante sauce for the ketchup, and honey mustard dressing for the brown sugar. When I put a slice on my head … My tongue near beat my brains out to get at it!
I made this last night and it is so delicious!! I used a red onion, because it was all I had, but the flavor this meatloaf has is just amazing!! Will totally be making it again!! Thanks for sharing!!!!
I’ve made this meatloaf like 8 times and every time my family tells me how moist and amazing it is!! Thank you so much for this awesome recipe!
Excelente recipe I Cooked it and it was the BEST meatloaf ever!!!!!
excellent – finally found a meatloaf that I can make and it tastes wonderful
I’m just becoming a wife and I constantly look for recipes, when looking for a meatloaf recipe I came across this one. I never had any mother figure to teach me to cook. This recipe is easy to follow. Not a lot of dishes to clean (added plus) and it was great. I paired it with my famous mashed potatoes and my husband said this was the best thing I have made. HIGHLY RECOMMEND. I add a little more seasoning. And we eat it with mustard.
Used some honey bbq sauce with the ketchup just because I thought it would work well. My family wolfed it down- even my Mom, who is picky since her stroke. This is going to be my “go to” meatloaf recipe from now on!
Not affiliated with this site, but I wanted to congratulate you on your marriage!
I used steak sauce instead of Worcestershire, no parsley, and substituted Thousand Island Dressing in the topping.
I doubled the recipe. If I’m cooking it at 350°, & My loaf pan is approximately 9.5″×5″, & the uncooked meatloaf is over 2 inches thick in this pan, how long do I bake it for?
Wonderful! Love the glaze. This was the best meatloaf I’ve every had! I really didn’t measure per se,, I just added what I though I would like, (Extra Worcestershire Sauce, and I added A1) I didn’t have Red wine Vinegar, so I substituted Red Balsamic Vinegar and I love a white onion but not in my meatloaf. However I used dried onion and that was just fine. Overall, just Excellent! Never heard of adding Milk in Meatloaf before and not sure what that does for the recipe but just last week I made corn on the cob and read a recipe to boil them in Milk, butter and water and that was amazing! So must be something about adding Milk in your recipe. But Im sure if you follow the recipe as indicated, it will be just as amazing!)
I don’t have any milk. What should I use?
Janine
I also didn’t have the red wine vinegar so I used lemon juice and it worked perfectly
I made this for my 5 picky eaters and husband. It’s gone….the kids loved it, so did my husband. Will definitely make again.
Thank you
Yum! Been looking for a really great meatloaf recipe, and this was it! A definite winner!
However, i ran out of ketchup for the topping.. i improved with tomato paste, a little apple cider vinegar instead of red wine, and the same ratio of water, salt and pepper. Yum!!!
Will use this recipe again and again!!
My package of ground beef weighed 1.25 pounds, plus I added 1/4 pound of fresh breakfast sausage that I wanted to use up. This gave me 1.5 pounds of meat to work with, so I simply upped all the other ingredients by half. I also cooked it an extra 10 minutes due to the larger mass. It turned out splendidly!
I have not cooked in 20 years, I followed the recipe exactly, The recipe was easy and delicious.
Love this meatloaf! My whole family enjoys it. I toss in fresh sliced carrots and celery- adds some veggies, color and texture. Thank you for the recipe.
Followed recipe and thought it was really good.
Easy and delicious. Perfect!
Amazing! My husband and I were talking about foods our mothers made that we hadn’t had in a long time. Meatloaf was at the top of the list. Super glad I came across this recipe. Will definitely make it again. It may be better than Mom’s! (Shhhhh….)
Never in my life…. this meatloaf literally melted in my MOUTH! I literally didn’t have to chew it. I should pin this recipe and frame it! Thank you SO much!
The Nicest meatloaf I’ve made. I used fresh parsley about 1/4c and I would chop my onions a little smaller. Extremely moist and that is what I usually have trouble with being to dry. Thanks for sharing the recipe
Love it! We’ve made this several times. The glaze is especially tasty with the vinegar. Definitely an easy crowd-pleaser. 👍
This was super easy and tasted delish!