4.66 from 38 votes

Mom’s Classic Meatloaf

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This classic beef meatloaf recipe just feels cozy like home. Packed full of flavor, this meatloaf is super easy to make and the leftovers make sandwiches my family will fight over! Topped with a quick ketchup-based sauce, this traditional style recipe makes the best ground beef meatloaf.

Meatloaf sliced from the side on a platter


 

Why We Love Mom’s Classic Meatloaf Recipe

  • Flavorful Classic Dinner – This recipe is packed full of lots of flavor, is nice and moist, and the sauce on top is the perfect addition!
  • Leftovers Are The BEST – Not every dish makes great leftovers, but with this beef meatloaf my family will fight over the leftovers for sandwiches.
  • Easy To Prep Ahead – This meatloaf can be prepped ahead up to 24 hours, and is just great for meal prep in general.

My husband loves this recipe. He’s a big meatloaf fan and grew up eating classic meatloaf regularly. He says I don’t make it often enough, and it’s pretty close to his mom’s recipe but with a bit more flavor. Don’t tell her, ok?

My kid took a little longer to come around. She struggles with new sauces sometimes, so we started by giving her just part of a piece from the bottom and just giving her a few bites with sauce.

She does like italian meatballs, so explaining it like a slice of meatball helped her to be more interested in the beginning. Now she fights for the leftover meatloaf sandwiches too!

Ingredients For Mom’s Ground Beef Meatloaf

Ingredients for mom's meatloaf in bowls with text labels over top of the image.

Find the full printable recipe with specific measurements and directions below in the recipe card.

For The Meatloaf

  • onion diced, you want the small pieces of chopped onion
  • salt plus a pinch for the onions
  • sliced bread You can use store-bought bread crumbs, but starting from bread always gives it a better texture.
  • lean ground beef
  • pepper
  • garlic powder
  • parsley I used dried
  • parmesan cheese
  • Worcestershire sauce
  • minced garlic
  • Dijon mustard
  • ketchup
  • eggs
  • milk

For The Sauce

  • ketchup
  • brown sugar
  • Worcestershire sauce

Want a meatloaf the kids are sure to love? You need to try the Mini Turkey Meatloaf Muffins, which are even great for picky eaters. Or try the creamy slow cooker meatball stroganoff in a creamy sauce, delicious.

How To Make Mom’s Best Meatloaf

This is a very easy meatloaf recipe and won’t take you very long at all. Most of the work for Mom’s meatloaf is waiting for it to finish in the oven, easy peasy!

Prepare The Meatloaf

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray the loaf pan well with cooking oil.
  2. Place a small fry pan over medium heat and spray with cooking oil. Add diced onions and a pinch of salt. Sautee over medium-high heat for 3-4 minutes or until the onions begin to brown then remove from the heat.
  3. Toast the bread in a toaster until they are a light brown. With a sharp knife, dice up the bread into the smallest pieces you can. When finished you should have about a cup of breadcrumbs.
  4. In a large bowl add the ground beef, 1 teaspoon of salt, pepper, garlic powder and dried parsley. Add the diced bread, parmesan cheese, Worcestershire sauce, minced garlic, dijon mustard, ketchup and the cooked onions all to the bowl with the meat. Don’t mix yet.
  1. In a separate small bowl, crack the eggs discarding the shells. Add the milk to the eggs, then beat the mixture with a whisk or fork until the yolks are well mixed. Add the egg mixture to the bowl with the meat mixture.
A whisk in a glass bowl with a beaten egg mixture.
  1. Mix the meatloaf with your hands until combined. Try to mix until everything is just combined then stop. Overmixing can cause the meatloaf to be tougher. Coating your hands with a little olive oil or cooking oil before you begin mixing can help keep the meat from drying out.
A bowl of raw ground beef meatloaf mixture in a large mixing bowl.
  1. Put the meatloaf mixture in the pan and form into a loaf.

Looking for more family-friendly ground meat recipe that cooks up faster? Check out these kid-friendly beef burgers, my ground pork meatballs, or my juicy turkey burger sliders.

Make The Sauce

  1. In a small bowl place 1/2 cup ketchup, 2 tablespoons brown sugar and 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce. Mix well with a spoon to make a smooth sauce for the glaze on top.
A ketchup based red sauce for meatloaf in a small bowl with a raw meatloaf in a pan and a spoon next to it.
  1. With a silicone brush or a spoon, spread half of the sauce on top of the meatloaf.
A raw meatloaf in a metal pan with a red sauce on top.

Bake The Meatloaf

  1. Bake the meatloaf for 40 minutes.
  2. Pull the meatloaf from the oven and put the second half of sauce on the top.
  3. Bake the meatloaf for an additional 45 minutes. Check the inside with a meat thermometer. The meatloaf is finished when the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees. Let the meatloaf rest for at least 5 minutes it helps keep the meatloaf tender and juicy. Then slice and serve!
A meatloaf cooked in a pan with a sauce on top.

Love easy family dinners? Check out this crockpot pork loin, which is always a family favorite. Or the super tender slow cooker Mississippi Pot Roast which goes great with mashed potatoes for dinner.

FAQ For Making This Meatloaf Recipe

Do I have to use milk in meatloaf?

Milk is usually preferred because it soaks the breadcrumbs. This helps the breadcrumbs to stick together and bind the meatloaf, and also to keep from drying out. Other liquids can be used such as low sodium chicken broth, beef stock or broth, or even water can be substituted.

Do I have to saute the onions?

I’ve made beef meatloaf where I’ve sauteed the onions and somewhere I haven’t. Both versions were delicious but the version with the sauteed onions had a lot more flavor and didn’t have a sharp onion taste. So it’s possible to skip the saute but for more flavor, I like to take the extra minute to bring out the flavor of those onions.

How do you know when a beef meatloaf is done cooking?

Between having a red sauce that can sometimes look pink, and being a really thick recipe, it can be hard to tell when a meatloaf has finished cooking. Using a meat thermometer check that the inside of the meatloaf is 160 degrees, then you know it’s ready.

What kind of pan should I use?

I made and tested this meatloaf in a metal loaf pan. It made a nice juicy meatloaf with a little bit of crispiness soaked in sauce on the edges.

Glass pans are popular, but if you have a glass pan you want to turn your oven down about 25 degrees. Glass pans take a little longer to come to temperature. Glass pans hold in the heat a lot more then metal, which can sometimes over bake what’s inside but adjusting the temperature helps.

You can also find loaf pans in silicone. Silicone is great because nothing sticks to it. But if you like having edges that are a little more crispy to your meatloaf, silicone won’t crisp up the same way. If you use a silicone pan, slide a metal baking sheet underneath it. Silicone pans can be a little unstable so moving it in and out of the oven on a metal pan helps you keep from spilling hot filling accidentally.

Overhead view of meatloaf sliced being served.

What To Serve With Meatloaf?

Meatloaf is a classic stick to your ribs, cozy comfort food kind of dish. but most people like to add a side dish. It goes really great with potatoes like my cream cheese mashed potatoes or my dreamy mashed sweet potatoes. A crispy baked potato or crispy potato wedges are also delicious to serve with meatloaf.

The green beans and potatoes all roasted on one pan together is another great choice with meatloaf or try the honey roasted baby carrots. A green salad like my favorite apple cranberry salad is another great choice.

Mac and cheese with broccoli, loaded mashed potato casserole or bacon cheese quick bread are all great cheesy options that go well with this beef meatloaf recipe.

Why Did The Meatloaf Fall Apart?

The Meatloaf Needs More Binders – Binders are ingredients like eggs, milk, and breadcrumbs which help the meat stick together. If you didn’t add the full amount of any of these items, then it is possible that is why the meatloaf is crumbly.

An extra half an egg, or soaking the bread or breadcrumbs in the milk before adding it to the beef can be help if you regulalry have trouble keeping enough moisture in your meatloaf.

Overcooked – When meatloaf overcooks, it dries out. This causes the binders to break apart and the meatloaf to crumble more. Make sure you’re checking the meatloaf with a meat thermometer so you don’t overbake.

Overmixed – If you mix the meatloaf too much with your hands, the meatloaf can become tough. Your hands can actually absorb moisture from the meat that can make it a little tough.

Try coating your hands with olive oil or another cooking oil before mixing to keep the moisture in the meat. You could use a spoon, but if you use your hands it’s a lot easier to make sure the meatloaf is mixed enough. It somehow always gets messier with a spoon and doesn’t end up evenly mixed for me.

Can You Freeze Meatloaf?

Yes traditional meatloaf freezes very well! If I only have a small portion, I like to freeze meatloaf in slices on freezer paper on a baking sheet. Then I wrap the pieces of meatloaf in freezer paper and put it in a zip-top freezer bag or freezer container. This helps keep the individual pieces from sticking together.

Sometimes when I reheat the meatloaf I’ll mix up a little extra sauce, or just add some bbq sauce or ketchup, it just gives a little more flvor and can help keep the meatloaf from falling apart when reheating.

Frozen meatloaf can be reheated in the microwave or heated in the oven.

How Long Does This Easy Meatloaf Recipe Last?

Expect this meatloaf will last about three days.

Store leftovers in a covered airtight container in the refrigerator. Leftovers can be reheated in the microwave or warmed in the oven at 350.

I made this today for my family. They loved it. Moist flavorable and easy to make. 5 stars!

Toi- On My Kid’s Plate Reader

Sliced meatloaf from above on a platter
Recipe

Mom’s Classic Beef Meatloaf


Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 25 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 35 minutes
Servings 8 Servings
This classic beef meatloaf recipe just feels cozy like home. Packed full of flavor, this meatloaf is super easy to make. Topped with a quick ketchup-based sauce, this traditional style recipe makes the best ground beef meatloaf. It will be a hit in your family too.

Equipment

  • 1 spray cooking oil
  • 1 loaf pan 8 inch or 9 inch
  • 1 Large Mixing Bowl
  • 2 Medium bowls
  • 1 Fork or whisk

Ingredients  

For the meatloaf:

  • 1 medium onion diced
  • 1 teaspoon salt plus a pinch for the onions
  • 3 slices bread This will make about 1 cup of crumbs
  • 2 pounds lean ground beef
  • 1 teaspoon pepper
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • ¼ cup parsley I used dried
  • ½ cup parmesan cheese
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 teaspoons minced garlic
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 tablespoon ketchup
  • 2 large eggs
  • ½ cup milk

For the sauce:

  • 1/2 cup ketchup
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

Instructions

Prepare the meatloaf

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray the loaf pan well with cooking oil.
  • Place a small fry pan over medium heat and spray with cooking oil. Add diced onions and a pinch of salt. Sautee over medium-high heat for 3-4 minutes or until the onions begin to brown then remove from the heat.
  • Toast the bread in a toaster until they are a light brown. With a sharp knife, dice up the bread into the smallest pieces you can. When finished you should have about a cup of breadcrumbs.
  • In a large mixing bowl add the ground beef, 1 teaspoon of salt, pepper, garlic powder and dried parsley. Add the diced bread, parmesan cheese, 1 tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce, minced garlic, dijon mustard, ketchup and the cooked onions all to the bowl with the meat then set to the side.
  • In a separate small bowl, crack the eggs discarding the shells. Add the milk to the eggs, then beat the mixture with a whisk or fork until the yolks are well mixed. Add the egg mixture to the bowl with the meat mixture.
  • Mix the meatloaf with your hands until combined. Try to mix until everything is just combined then stop. Overmixing can cause the meatloaf to be tougher.
  • Put the meatloaf mixture in the pan and form into a loaf.

Make the sauce

  • In a small bowl place 1/2 cup ketchup, 2 tablespoons brown sugar and 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce. Mix well with a spoon to make a smooth sauce.
  • With a silicone brush or a spoon, spread half of the sauce on top of the meatloaf.

Bake the meatloaf

  • Bake the meatloaf for 40 minutes.
  • Pull the meatloaf from the oven and put the second half of sauce on the top.
  • Bake the meatloaf for an additional 45 minutes. Check the inside with a meat thermometer. The meatloaf is finished when the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees. Let the meatloaf rest for at least 5 minutes. Then slice and serve!

Video

Notes

Adding a little oil to your hands right before you start mixing the meatloaf can help it to stay juicier. Your hands actually absorb some moisture away from the meatloaf as you mix. It’s still easiest to mix with your hands. Mixing with a spoon or a spatula can sometimes mean you accidnetly overmix the meatloaf which can also cause it to be drier.
Resting the meatloaf before cutting and letting the meatloaf sit for about 5 to 10 minutes before slicing can help keep it juicy. If you cut into the meatloaf right away the juices rush out too soon and can make the meatloaf drier.

Nutrition

Calories: 278kcal | Carbohydrates: 17g | Protein: 30g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.4g | Cholesterol: 123mg | Sodium: 771mg | Potassium: 585mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 392IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 143mg | Iron: 4mg
Keyword dinner, easy recipes, Ground Meat

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Recipe Rating




10 Comments

  1. Chang Ming Ng says:

    5 stars
    My grand toddler daughter love this so much that I have to make the loaf regularly. She has at least one serving a week, sometimes two !
    I substitute the brown sugar with 2 tsp balsamic vinegar in the glaze, and 1 tsp of Worcestershire sauce instead of 1 tbsp. It gave a better “kickโ€ to the meatloaf.

  2. 5 stars
    Used seasoned bread crumbs and cut back on the seasoning in the meat mixture. Sautรฉed the onions in a bit of olive oil which I think helped with the flavor and moistness of the meatloaf. Made the sauce ahead of time so the flavors could blend. My mouth is watering thinking about how yummy this was!

  3. Carole Maxim says:

    5 stars
    Very good, love the sauce. Use green onions because regular ones bother me.

  4. 5 stars
    This was delicious – even my 3 year old and 17 month old loved it! I only had to make two substitutions (one because of laziness and one because itโ€™s all I had);
    1) just a cup of plain ol breadcrumbs works just fine in a pinch
    2) if you donโ€™t have Dijon mustard, yellow mustard works fine too!

    This is my new go to recipe for meatloaf night – THANK YOU!!

  5. 5 stars
    I absolutely LOVE this! My kids are So picky about food… mostly meat and they love this dish! I love it so much I wanted it as my last meal before my big surgery.( I actually add a bit of brown sugar and ketchup to the meat mixture as well) SO GOOD!

    1. I am so glad you and your family loves the recipe! That’s such an honor that you wanted this meatloaf as your special meal before your surgery. I hope it was delicious, and the surgery went well too! -Kristy

  6. Making this as we speak. Had to leave a couple of things out, not on hand. But I definitely appreciate the tips !
    Thank you !

  7. I made this for my family tonight and it was a big hit! It tasted amazing and I’ll definitely be making it again!

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