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This Meatloaf Recipe makes tender, juicy slices packed with savory flavor and topped with a sweet, tangy ketchup glaze. The glaze gets sticky around the edges as it bakes, adding even more flavor to this classic comfort food dinner.
This easy meatloaf recipe is great for a family dinner, plus the leftovers reheat well the next day. Serve it with my Browned Butter Mashed Potatoes and Sautéed Green Beans for a complete meal. If you’d rather have ground beef with gravy, try my Oven Baked Hamburger Steaks.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Tender, juicy slices: Soaked breadcrumbs help the ground beef hold moisture and keep the slices together.
- Soft, flavorful onions and garlic: Cooking them first brings out their flavor without leaving crunchy pieces in the finished meatloaf.
- A sticky ketchup glaze: Brushing it on toward the end gives the glaze time to thicken without burning.
Ingredients Needed
Here are a few things to know about the ingredients. You’ll find the exact amounts in the recipe card below.
For the Meatloaf
- Ground beef: I recommend 80/20 for juicy, tender slices. If you’re using 85/15, add 2 tablespoons of extra milk to the breadcrumb mixture.
- Plain dry breadcrumbs and whole milk: Choose unseasoned breadcrumbs so you control the flavor. Soaking them in milk keeps the meatloaf tender and helps it hold together.
- Yellow onion, garlic, and unsalted butter: Finely dice the onion and use fresh garlic. Cooking them in butter first softens the onion so there aren’t crunchy pieces in the meatloaf.
- Worcestershire sauce and Dijon mustard: These give the beef a savory depth that balances the sweet ketchup glaze.
- Eggs: Lightly beat them before adding them to the mixture so they distribute evenly and help the meatloaf hold together.
- Sea salt, black pepper, smoked paprika, and fresh parsley: The seasonings give the beef plenty of flavor, while the smoked paprika adds a subtle smoky note. Use fresh parsley for a little brightness.
For the Ketchup Glaze
- Ketchup and light brown sugar: Use packed light brown sugar. It helps the ketchup glaze thicken into a sticky coating.
- Apple cider vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, Dijon mustard, and garlic powder: These add tang and savory flavor to balance the sweetness.
How to Make Meatloaf
The full instructions and cooking times are in the recipe card below. Use these photos as a guide.
Prepare the Breadcrumbs and Onions
Soak the breadcrumbs in milk until thick. Cook the onions in butter until softened, then add the garlic. Let cool slightly.
Mix and Shape the Meatloaf
Combine the soaked breadcrumbs, cooked onions, eggs, and seasonings. Gently mix in the ground beef, then shape into a loaf on a foil-lined baking sheet.
Bake and Glaze
Bake the meatloaf uncovered. Brush most of the ketchup glaze over the top and sides toward the end of baking, then return it to the oven until the center reaches 160°F.
Finish and Slice
Add the remaining glaze and broil briefly for a sticky finish, or apply it during the last few minutes of baking. Let the meatloaf rest for 15 minutes before slicing.
Tips for the Best Meatloaf
- Don’t skip soaking the breadcrumbs: The mixture should look like thick oatmeal before you add it to the beef. If it’s too thick, add milk a tablespoon at a time. If it’s too watery, add a little more breadcrumbs.
- Mix gently: Overmixing makes meatloaf dense and tough. Use your hands to gently combine everything and stop as soon as the ingredients are evenly mixed.
- Keep the loaf low and even: A loaf that’s about 2 inches tall cooks more evenly than a tall, narrow one. Avoid pressing it down too much when shaping.
- Use a baking sheet if you can: I prefer making meatloaf free-form so the sides can brown instead of sitting in the grease that collects in a loaf pan. If you’re using a loaf pan, transfer the meatloaf to a baking sheet before adding the glaze.
- Use a meat thermometer: Start checking near the end of the baking time. Insert the thermometer from one end, making sure the tip reaches the center of the thickest part. Ground beef meatloaf should reach 160°F.
What to Serve With Meatloaf
For a classic meatloaf dinner, you can’t go wrong with mashed potatoes and green beans. If you want something extra creamy, my Mashed Potatoes with Cheese are another great option.
For a bigger comfort-food meal, serve the meatloaf with my Baked Macaroni and Cheese and Glazed Carrots with Maple Syrup. The sweet carrots go especially well with the tangy ketchup glaze.
You can also make it a Southern-style dinner with Creamed Corn, a green vegetable, and Homemade Cornbread. Or keep things simple with Air Fryer Broccoli or a fresh side salad.
Make Ahead, Storage & Reheating
- Make ahead: Mix and shape the meatloaf up to 24 hours in advance. Cover and refrigerate it until you’re ready to bake. You may need an additional 10–15 minutes of baking time when starting with cold meatloaf.
- Store: Keep leftover meatloaf in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Reheat: Cover the slices and warm them in a 325°F oven until heated through to 165°F. You can also reheat them in a skillet with a little butter if you like crisp edges.
- Freeze: Wrap the cooked meatloaf tightly, either whole or in individual slices, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
FAQs
Meatloaf can fall apart if it doesn’t have enough binder or you cut into it too soon. The eggs and soaked breadcrumbs help hold everything together, but resting is important too. Give the meatloaf 15 minutes before slicing so it has time to firm up.
No, I recommend baking this meatloaf uncovered. That way, the outside can brown and the ketchup glaze can thicken instead of staying soft and wet.
Meatloaf Recipe
Use DRDAVINAHS at checkout to save on some equipment & ingredients!
Recommended Equipment
- Rimmed baking sheet
- Aluminum foil
- Small skillet
- Mixing Bowls
- Instant-read meat thermometer
Ingredients
For the Meatloaf
- 2 lb Ground Beef, 80/20
- ½ cup breadcrumbs, plain dry
- ⅔ cup whole milk
- 1 medium Yellow Onion, finely diced
- 6 cloves Garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp Butter, unsalted
- 2 large Eggs, lightly beaten
- 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 1 ½ tsp Natural Ancient Sea Salt
- 1 tsp Black Pepper
- 1 tsp Smoked Paprika
- 2 tbsp Fresh parsley, chopped
For the Ketchup Glaze
- ⅔ cup Ketchup
- 3 tbsp light brown sugar, packed
- 1 tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tsp Dijon mustard
- ¼ tsp garlic powder
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil.
- Soak the breadcrumbs: Combine the breadcrumbs and milk in a small bowl. Let sit for 10 minutes, until the liquid is absorbed and the mixture is thick.
- Sauté the onions and garlic: Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Cook the onion for 5–6 minutes until softened, then add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Let cool slightly.
- Mix the meatloaf: In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, Worcestershire sauce, Dijon mustard, parsley, sea salt, black pepper, and smoked paprika. Stir in the soaked breadcrumbs and cooked onion mixture. Add the ground beef and gently mix just until combined.
- Shape the meatloaf: Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking sheet. Gently shape it into a loaf about 9 inches long, 5 inches wide, and 2 inches tall without packing it tightly.
- Make the glaze: Whisk the ketchup, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, Dijon mustard, and garlic powder together until combined.
- Bake the meatloaf uncovered for 40 minutes. Brush about two-thirds of the glaze over the top and sides. Bake for another 15–25 minutes, until the center reaches 160°F. If skipping the broiler, brush on the remaining glaze during the final 5 minutes of baking.
- If broiling, brush the remaining glaze onto the meatloaf and broil for 2–3 minutes for a darker, stickier finish. Watch closely to prevent burning.
- Rest the meatloaf for 15 minutes before slicing and serving.
Save This Recipe for Later
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Recipe Notes
- Ground beef: I recommend 80/20 ground beef for the best texture. If using 85/15, add 2 tablespoons of milk to the breadcrumb mixture.
- Loaf pan option: If using a loaf pan, line it with foil and transfer the meatloaf to a baking sheet before adding the glaze so the sides can brown.
Nutrition Details
The nutrition facts come from entering the recipe ingredients into a database of food ingredients. They may vary for any recipe based on the exact product used.
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