Best Homemade Meatloaf Recipe

This easy meatloaf recipe is the best you’ll ever try. Tender beef topped with a sticky caramelized topping and simple to make in under an hour.

Serve with a side of mashed potatoes and green beans for the perfect comfort meal.

Easy Meatloaf Recipe

Meatloaf is one of those nostalgic meals that we enjoyed as a family growing up. It’s a dish that reminds me of my childhood, along with sloppy joe’s, pot roast and grilled cheese with tomato soup.

This is one of the first meals that comes to mind when I think of comfort food. It may not look the prettiest, but it sure does taste amazing. Especially paired with crockpot mashed potatoes.

What I love about this classic meatloaf recipe is that it’s so easy to make and done in less than one hour. It’s perfectly tender and juicy with a sweet meatloaf sauce on top. You could even add some variety and make it a cheese stuffed meatloaf.

Recipe Ingredients

Find the full printable recipe with specific measurements below.

• Ground beef: I like to use 80-90% ground beef to keep the meatloaf super tender and juicy.
• Bread crumbs: You can make your own homemade breadcrumbs (toasted first) or use panko to help hold the ingredients together and give it texture.
• Broth: I use beef broth instead of milk to add more flavor.
• Eggs: These act as the binder and allows the meatloaf to hold its shape.
• Parsley: I love the taste of fresh parsley against all the other flavors.
• Worcestershire: This gives an extra dash of umami to the meatloaf.
• Ketchup: The sweetness and acid work perfectly with the beef and other seasonings. It also helps to add some moisture.
• Seasonings: It doesn’t take much to make this dish big on flavor: salt, pepper, garlic powder and onion powder.
• Glaze: A simple mix of ketchup and/or BBQ sauce and brown sugar makes the perfect glaze to this traditional meatloaf.

How to Make Homemade Meatloaf

1. Mix. In a large bowl, combine the meat, breadcrumbs, broth, eggs, parsley, Worcestershire, ketchup, salt, pepper, garlic powder and onion powder. Mix just until combined. Don’t over mix or the meat won’t be as tender.
2. Glaze. In a small bowl, mix together the ketchup and/or BBQ sauce and brown sugar. Then pour over top of the meatloaf. Add pepper on top if desired.
3. Shape. Press the mixture into a foil-lined (and sprayed) 9×5″ loaf pan. You can also use a foil-lined baking sheet and form the mixture into a loaf shape on the pan.
4. Bake. Bake at 375°F for 45 minutes, or until the meat reaches 160°F.

Cooking Tips

1. Use 80-90% lean ground beef. This makes the meatloaf super tender and juicy. You can also make turkey meatloaf with ground turkey but it will not be quite as juicy (but still plenty flavorful though). Sometimes I like to mix half turkey and half hamburger to make it a little more lean.
2. Beef broth instead of milk. The broth adds a heartier flavor and just makes more sense to me. But you can absolutely use milk if preferred.
3. Don’t over mix! Mix just until combined, making sure not to over mix the meat mixture. An over mixed meatloaf won’t be as tender and soft.
4. Use a meat thermometer. Once the internal temperature of the meat has reached 160°F, you can remove it from the oven.
5. Add some heat. If you prefer a little heat, add some red pepper flakes into the meat mixture or a few dashes of sriracha to the sauce.
6. Mini muffins. Turn into mini meatloaf muffins by pressing the meat mixture into a muffin tin.

More Comfort Food Dinner Ideas

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