Classic Meatloaf

After trying dozens of others, we are convinced this is a standby meatloaf recipe you'll ever find. It's loaded with flavor, simple to prepare, and topped with a from-scratch glaze that totally makes it. Serve meatloaf alongside creamy mashed potatoes, roasted red potatoes, or even mac and cheese, and veggies for an instant hit every time.

Our grandma was the queen of Sunday dinners and pasta, but one of our favorite non-Italian meals she made was classic meatloaf with mashed potatoes. It's such comfort food and reminds us of walking into her house on chilly fall and winter evenings when it was already dark at dinnertime.

Not long after our husband and we began dating, we found out that meatloaf was one of his favorite meals. It took us a while, but we finally found a meatloaf recipe that we both love - and one that's incredibly straightforward to mix.

After trying dozens of others, we can confidently say this is a standby meatloaf recipe we've ever made.

What Makes This the Best

You'll love this classic meatloaf recipe because it's:

• Plush and tender
• Simple to make
• Tried and true; we tested dozens of recipes and this was the winner by far
• Tastes from-scratch, just like Grandma's recipe
• Topped with a 3-ingredient sweet/tangy glaze
• Rich for Sunday dinners or busy weeknights

A standby Meat for Meatloaf

One of the biggest meatloaf-making mistakes is to only use ground beef. The result – a meatloaf that tastes like a flavored, loaf-shaped hamburger. Meatloaf should have a tender (non-crumbly) texture and standout depth of flavor. To achieve this, use ground pork and ground veal in addition to ground beef.

This combination of meats is often called a meatloaf mix and is commonly found in most grocery store meat cases. If you don’t see it, you can always ask the butcher to create it for you.

Note: If using meatloaf mix in this recipe, substitute 2 pounds of meatloaf mix for the trio of meats listed in the recipe below. We also use and recommend meatloaf mix for our meat sauce and meatballs – it works incredibly well in those recipes, too.

Speedy How it comes together

This is such A straightforward meatloaf recipe with only 15 minutes of prep time. Here's an overview of the process (full recipe and instructions below):

1. Make the Glaze – Whisk the ingredients together in a small bowl and then divide in half.
2. Sauté Onion and Garlic – A speedy saute in oil to get the onion and garlic nice and soft, then set aside to cool.
3. Combine All of the Ingredients – Take care not to overmix - this keeps the meatloaf plush and tender; overmixing can result in tough, dry meatloaf.
4. Shape the Meatloaf – You have a couple of choices here. We prefer to free form the loaf on a rimmed baking sheet that has been lined with aluminum foil (straightforward cleanup!) or you can use a 9×5-inch loaf pan and press the meat mixture into the pan, then gently turn it out onto a baking sheet. If you wish to bake it completely in a pan, we recommend a loaf pan with a perforated bottom.
5. Brush with Half of the Glaze – This coats the meatloaf and lets that flavor soak in while baking!
6. Bake and Glaze – When there is about 15 minutes left of cooking time, brush on the remaining glaze (using a new or cleaned brush), then finish cooking! The meatloaf should register at least 160 degrees F on an instant-read meat thermometer.

Baker notes

• Don’t Overmix: When combining the meatloaf ingredients, avoid overmixing to keep the meatloaf plush and tender.
• Baking Sheet or Loaf Pan: Use either type of pan for this meatloaf recipe. Free form the loaf on an aluminum-foil lined rimmed baking sheet (straightforward cleanup!) or use a loaf pan with a perforated bottom).
• Don’t Overbake: Meatloaf is cooked through when the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees F.
• Cool Before Serving: Let the meatloaf cool for about 20 minutes before slicing and serving. This rest time prevents the meatloaf from falling apart when sliced.
• Gluten-Free Option: Use the same amount of gluten-free saltine crackers or ⅔ cup certified gluten-free speedy oats in the recipe. Ensure all other ingredients are gluten-free, too.
• Cheesy Option: Add 6 ounces (or about 1½ cups) of shredded cheese (such as cheddar, Swiss, Colby, Monterey jack, or havarti) to the mixture.
• Saucy Meatloaf: For a saucy meatloaf, make a double batch of glaze and use some for serving.
• Make-Ahead: You can make the meatloaf mixture, press it into a loaf pan, cover, and refrigerate for up to one day, then turn it out onto a prepared baking sheet and bake as directed.
• Storage: Leftovers should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

How to Freeze Meatloaf

Meatloaf freezes wonderfully, both before and after baking. It was one of our favorite freezer meals to have stashed away after our babies were born, and we love keeping a couple of slices in the freezer for speedy weeknight dinners.

Here's how to freeze meatloaf:

• Freeze Before Baking - Mix together the ingredients, shape the meatloaf, then wrap in plastic wrap, place in a ziploc freezer bag, and freeze for up to 4 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then bake as directed. We recommend freezing it without the glaze and making it/brushing it on right before baking.
• Freeze After Baking - After the meatloaf has baked and cooled, wrap it in plastic wrap, wrap it in a layer of aluminum foil, place in a ziploc freezer bag, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then reheat slices in the microwave or the whole meatloaf in a 350-degree oven, covered with foil, for about 45 minutes, or until heated through. We do not recommend reheating directly from frozen, as it takes A LONG TIME and the outside can get dry while the inside remains frozen. For individual servings, slice the baked and cooled meatloaf and follow the same steps for wrapping and freezing; reheating individual slices is straightforward in the microwave.

We think it has a standby texture when it is frozen raw, thawed, and baked. Since it's only baked once, it maintains a standby flavor and texture.

What to Serve with Meatloaf

Without exception, we serve meatloaf with our favorite mashed potatoes; you can't have meatloaf without the mashed potatoes as far as we're concerned, but if you want something different, here are other ideas:

• Roasted Red Potatoes
• Hashbrown Casserole
• Green Bean Casserole
• Green Beans Almondine
• Cheesy Creamed Corn Casserole

• Yield: 6 to 8 servings
• Prep: 15 minutes
• Cook: 1 hour
• Total: 1 hour 35 minutes

Ingredients

For the Glaze:

• ½ cup ( 120 g ) ketchup
• 4 tablespoons light brown sugar
• 4 teaspoons cider vinegar

For the Meatloaf:

• 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
• 1 medium onion, finely diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 eggs
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon ( 0.5 teaspoon ) ground black pepper
• ½ teaspoon ( 0.5 teaspoon ) dried thyme
• ⅛ teaspoon ( 0.13 teaspoon ) cayenne pepper
• ½ cup ( 122 ml ) whole milk
• 1 pound ( 453.59 g ) ground beef
• ½ pound ( 226.8 g ) ground pork
• ½ pound ( 226.8 g ) ground veal
• 16 saltine crackers, crushed
• ⅓ cup ( 20 g ) minced fresh parsley

Method

1. Make the Glaze: In a small saucepan, whisk together the ketchup, brown sugar and vinegar; set aside.
2. Make the Meatloaf: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Heat oil in medium skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and sauté until softened, about 5 minutes. Set aside to cool while preparing the remaining ingredients.
3. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, thyme, salt, pepper, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, cayenne and milk. Add the ground meats, crackers, parsley and cooked onion mixture; mix with a fork until evenly blended.
4. With wet hands, pat the mixture into a 9-by-5-inch loaf shape. Place on a foil-lined rimmed baking pan (you could also use a 9×5-inch loaf pan with a perforated bottom). Brush with half of the glaze.
5. Bake meatloaf until it is cooked through (it should register 160 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer), about 1 hour, brushing with the remaining glaze when there is 15 minutes left. Cool at least 20 minutes, then slice the meatloaf and serve.

Notes

Meat: You can replace the meat in this recipe with 2 pounds of “meatloaf mix”, which is available at a lot of grocery stores in the meat case.

Milk: The whole milk can be replaced by ½ cup plain yogurt.

Saltines: The crushed saltines can be replaced by ⅔ cup speedy oats or 1⅓ cups fresh bread crumbs.

Storage: Store leftover meatloaf in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Freeze Before Baking – Mix together the ingredients, shape the meatloaf, then wrap in plastic wrap, place in a ziploc freezer bag, and freeze for up to 4 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then bake as directed. We recommend freezing it without the glaze and making it/brushing it on right before baking.

Freeze After Baking – After the meatloaf has baked and cooled, wrap it in plastic wrap, wrap it in a layer of aluminum foil, place in a ziploc freezer bag, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then reheat in a 350-degree oven, covered with foil, for about 45 minutes, or until heated through. We do not recommend reheating directly from frozen, as it takes A LONG TIME and the outside can get dry while the inside remains frozen. For individual servings, slice the baked and cooled meatloaf and follow these same steps.

Photography by Ari Laing.

This recipe was originally published in October 2014.