Best Classic Meatloaf
Updated
Updated
The best Meatloaf made with both lean ground beef and Italian sausage, then coated with a sweet and tangy glaze. Tender, juicy, so flavorful, and slices without crumbling. This classic Meatloaf Recipe is where it’s at!
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5 STAR REVIEW
Word on the street is that Meatloaf is just a giant rectangular hamburger. This hurts. It’s really not, you guys. Yes, they’re both made with beef, and yes, you can slice meatloaf and serve it on a bun (leftover meatloaf sandwiches, anyone? Sign me up.) But that’s where the similarities stop.
Meatloaf is made with egg and some type of binder like breadcrumbs, oatmeal, or cracker crumbs, baked in a loaf pan, and coated with a glaze. A slice of meatloaf can be enjoyed all on its own, but a hamburger without toppings? Not so much.
This is our go-to meatloaf recipe. It’s easy to prep, affordable, nothing weird or fancy about it. Just classic ingredients that result in a juicy, tender, super flavorful loaf!
Tips for THE BEST Meatloaf
- Choose the right meat. Use ground beef that is 85% lean and Italian sausage. The combination of these two, in addition to the other ingredients, will produce the juiciest loaf. All ground beef can be used, if preferred.
- Grate the onion. No need to sauté the onion first if you grate or very finely dice it. By doing this, it will cook through and the oats will soak up the onion juices, creating necessary moisture.
- Do not overmix. Bring all the ingredients together, but don’t over-mix or you’ll end up with dense meatloaf that’s tough.
- Use a loaf pan. Pressing gently (but compactly) into a loaf pan allows the meatloaf to hold its shape, prevents it from falling apart once sliced, cook more evenly, and remains moist since the juices stay locked in.
- Line your loaf pan: Using parchment paper to line the loaf pan with two edges hanging over will make the meatloaf so much easier to remove.
- Don’t cover while baking. You want the meatloaf to brown on top and the glaze to caramelize. If you notice the loaf is browning too quickly, loosely tent with foil toward the end, but before you apply the glaze.
- Let the meatloaf rest. After it’s done baking, let the loaf rest for 10 minute before slicing. Much like letting a roast or steak rest, it allows the juices to set.
Best Classic Meatloaf
Ingredients
For the Meatloaf
- 1 pound lean ground beef, (85% fat)
- 1 pound Italian sausage, , broken into pieces
- 1 small sweet onion, , very finely minced or grated
- 3 cloves garlic, , minced
- 2 large eggs, , lightly beaten
- 3 tablespoons ketchup
- 3 tablespoons finely chopped parsley
- 3/4 cup quick-cooking oats
- 1/3 cup whole milk
- 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 & 1/2 teaspoons dried Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
For the Glaze
- 3/4 cup ketchup
- 2 teaspoons mustard
- 1 & 1/2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line a 9×5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, add all of the ingredients for the meatloaf. Mix thoroughly to combine.
- Add meat mixture to the loaf pan; gently press down and shape evenly.
- Transfer to the oven and bake for 40 minutes.
- Drain off some of the fat that has surfaced on top of the meatloaf.
- In a small bowl, mix all of the ingredients together for the glaze and spread evenly over the meatloaf.
- Return to oven and bake an additional 15-20 minutes (or until an internal temperature of 160 degrees F is reached.)
- Remove from the oven and rest for 10 minutes before slicing. Drizzle with the baking juices from the pan, if desired.
Video
Nutrition
Nutritional information given is an automatic calculation and can vary based on the exact products you use and any changes you make to the recipe. If these numbers are very important to you, I would recommend calculating them yourself.
Did you make this? Leave a rating below!
What temperature is meatloaf done?
The internal temperature of cooked meatloaf should be 160 degrees F.
How long to cook meatloaf?
At 375 degrees F, a 3-pound meatloaf like this one will take between 60-75 minutes to reach an internal temperature of 160 degrees F. (Note: If using a smaller loaf pan than 9×5, that means the meatloaf will be taller/thicker, which will require a longer cooking time.)
What to Serve with Meatloaf
Serving meatloaf over creamy mashed potatoes is a dynamic duo if ever there was one. For a lower carb option, mashed cauliflower is also great. We also like to serve a couple slices alongside roasted carrots or roasted green beans, plus a simple side salad. That’s a plate of pure, wonderful comfort food. Make sure to leave a little for sandwiches the next day!
Make Ahead and Storing Leftovers
- Make ahead: You can easily prepare the raw meatloaf up to 1 day ahead of time. Simply form the mixture in the pan, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate. When it’s close to dinner time, uncover it and let it come to room temperature before baking.
- Storing leftovers: Allow to cool completely, then wrap tightly in foil or place in an airtight container and transfer to the refrigerator. It will keep 3-4 days.
- Can you freeze meatloaf? Yes, meatloaf freezes very well either cooked and cooled or formed and raw. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap, again in foil, then transfer to a freezer-safe Ziploc bag. All of this will help prevent freezer-burn. It will keep in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and then bake or reheat.
- How to reheat meatloaf: Place leftover meatloaf in a shallow oven-safe baking dish with 1 to 2 tablespoons of beef broth (or water) to avoid it from drying out. Cover the dish with foil. Transfer to a preheated 250 degree F oven for 25-30 minutes or until the meatloaf is warmed through.
More Comfort Food Recipes:
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Can old fashioned oats be OK? That’s what I have at the moment.
Hi Margie! This recipe works best with quick cooking oats. They dissolve better into the mixture as a binder and for best texture.
I made it today and it was really really good i doubled the recipe because I have a food saver and tomorrow I will cut servings and they will go into the bags. I will draw the air out and then whenever I feel like meatloaf, I’ll take it off the freezer. I’ll put the bag in boiling water and enjoy this is actually the second big meatloaf I made the first one was OK but Amy’s was way better. so far, I have made her meatballs and the snickerdoodle pumpkin loaf, which was awesome.
So I am most definitely going to try this meatloaf. I have looked at a lot of recipes to see what they have in common Worcestershire sauce is at the top of the list and then your basic onions bread crumbs, fresh bread, panko that always varies eggs that always Varys as to how many to but to I like the idea of sausage meat so wish me luck. I do have a food saver so I will probably make a 4 pound loaf and then cut into servings and freeze. I’ve been doing that a lot lately and I just put the bags in a pot of hot water and heat it that way so far it’s working out really good but I did finish up the last of the meatloaf yesterday so thank you very much. I love watching your videos.
Howdy Amy! I am so excited about your website. I am trying your meatloaf tonight. Already put it in the oven. Your recipe is a little similar to mine except I use some petite diced tomates with the basil, thyme and oregano in it and 1 tbs of A1 sauce. Haven’t tried the cheese so excited about that and Inalso like it loaded with veggies so also put in the onion and 2 stalks of celery. I can’t wait to try it out. One little secret is if you use smoke flavoring to the sauce on top, it turns out amazing. You’re such a great cook girly! Can’t wait for more recipes. Have you ever made a poor man’s sugar cream custard pie? My grandma was a great pie maker and she called it that due to basic ingredients. Have a great weekend. Tootles, diane
This is my go-to recipe for meatloaf. My husband loves it so much, that this one stays in our regular meal rotation. (:
I’ve made many meatloaf recipes over the years but this is the first where there was a combination of pork and beef – we all loved it!
This meatloaf was absolutely delicious!!
My family loves this recipe, it has earned a place in our regular rotation. (:
Perfect in every way! Loved it
Another winner Amy! This was simple to make and came out moist and flavourful. My wife said : ” it’s juicy like real meatloaf ! “
I have made my fair share of meatloaf in my day. I had to use turkey hamburger and turkey sausage due to medical diet. I habe t tell you that this recipe has just the right amount of everything to give it a great meatloaf taste. This is now my go to rwxipe. Thank you!!!
Outstanding! I found the sausage flavor strongly predominant over the beef, and I loved that–it gave this meatloaf a different (and delicious) spin. One of the ways I ate it was to top a few slices with sliced hardboiled eggs and then with green hot sauce. Oh, boy!!!
The best I’ve made and is now my go to meatloaf recipe. So simple, moist and flavorful. It’s perfect.
We really liked this recipe. I liked everything about it. Especially that it held so well together. I had to use plain breadcrumbs as I was out of oats.
We loved the full flavor of this meatloaf. I followed all ingredients except the I used breakfast sausage. Next time I will use Italian sausage. The topping was so good.
Amy, I doubled the recipe on this last night and made it for the first time~ Delicious and perfect comfort food for a raining and cold evening!!!! Thanks for posting!
Yay! I’m so glad you guys enjoyed it!
I’m looking forward to trying this. I’ve always made meatloaf the way my mother did, tearing bread into small pieces. I’ve heard of using oatmeal but never tried it.
I am a meatloaf fanatic. I can never get enough of it. This looks absolutely amazing.
I LOVE meatloaf! Thank you for this delicious recipe, it was amazing!
Adding the veggie juices sounds like a great boost of nutrients!
I added in some shredded carrots. Loved this recipe.
I added in some V8 juice, but otherwise didn’t change anything. Will definitely make this again.
What a fantastic idea to add oats to meatloaf; this is how I will make it from now on. Loved the extra fiber and how it makes the meatloaf gluten free, whether intended or not. Completely delicious!!
This is THE BEST meatloaf I have ever eaten!
Haha. I love what you said about trying to make it pretty. You’re brave to have even tried! It may not be pretty but at least it’s not disgusting looking like most meatloafs (this is supposed to be a compliment! ;)) so awesome job!
This blew the pants off of the meatloaf recipe I’ve been using for years. Cold sandwiches the next day were amazing, too. Thank you!!
I love meatloaf, but have never made my own and only ever think about it when I see how fabulous someone else’s looks.