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- February 7, 2024
- 4.38 from 8 votes
- 25 comments
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This easy meatloaf recipe makes for a perfect weeknight meal that the entire family will love! Serve it with sides like creamy mashed potatoes and roasted broccoli. Perfection!
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Homemade Meatloaf
Meatloaf is one of the quintessential American home-cooked dinners. And for good reason! It’s easy to make, hearty and super satisfying. Everyone’s family has their go to meatloaf recipe and this is our favorite! It upholds the classic taste and texture that everyone loves, but the combination of bell pepper with the onion and spices takes it to the next level. Plus, it’s topped with a sweet, tangy glaze that everyone looks for on meatloaf.
We’ve also included some tips and tricks for making the perfect meatloaf every time.
Why Does Some Meatloaf Fall Apart?
The key to making a crowd-pleasing meatloaf lies with the texture. Unfortunately, it’s fairly common for a meatloaf to come out of the oven dry and crumbly, with is an understandable turnoff.
The most common reason as to why your meatloaf may fall apart is that it doesn’t have enough binding agents, like eggs and breadcrumbs. These ingredients are key because they’re what makes the meat mixture stick together and stay together while it cooks. Our recipe has both eggs and breadcrumbs to make sure the meatloaf stays together and moist!
Another reason could be that it’s overcooked. People often get nervous cooking something like meatloaf because you won’t know it’s done until you slice into it. But remember that ground beef and eggs don’t take too long to bake. I always use a thermometer to know exactly when my meatloaf is done so it doesn’t over cook. And the crucial step here to ensure that you meatloaf is cooked through and juicy? Letting it sit for at least 10 minutes. This allows the meatloaf to reabsorb the juices. Plus, it continues to cook in the pan for that allotted time. Whatever you do, DON’T SKIP THIS STEP!
ingredients
- Ground beef:We used 85/15 ground beef, which is lean but still has some fat. This helps the meatloaf retain its natural juices and beef flavor.
- Onion:Minced onion is key here because it combines so seamlessly with the ground beef. You don’t want big chunks of onion in the meatloaf.
- Red bell pepper:This is one ingredient that helps our recipe stand out. The red bell pepper offers pops of color that compliments the glaze, but it also gives a bite of freshness that pairs well with the onion and beef mixture.
- Italian bread crumbs:We prefer Italian bread crumbs over plain because they are flavored in a way that compliments the meat mixture and spice blend. Bread crumbs serve as a binding agent for the loaf, helping it not crumble after it’s cooked.
- Spices:We combined Italian seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper, hot sauce, and Worcestershire sauce to create the perfect flavor profile to compliment the rest of the meat mixture and ensure flavor in every bite.
- Milk:Like the breadcrumbs, milk serves as a binding agent for the meatloaf. But don’t add too much! Two tablespoons will suffice.
- Tomato paste:Adds extra tomato flavor to the meatloaf.
- Eggs:Like the breadcrumbs and milk, eggs act as a binding agent to hold the meatloaf together. We found two eggs did the trick.
Make This Easy Homemade Meatloaf in 4 Simple Steps
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees, and grease a rimmed baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray.
- Combine all of the ingredients to a large bowl. Use your hands to mix until just combined. (Make sure not to over mix!)
- Form the into a loaf shape and place onto the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake for approximately 40 minutes, or until the center of the loaf reaches 140 degrees with a meat thermometer.
- Remove it from the oven, and spread the glaze on top of the loaf. Return it to the oven, and continue cooking until the meatloaf reaches 160 degrees.
- Allow to rest for 10 minutes to finish cooking and seal in the juices. Then slice, serve, and enjoy!
Tips for the best meatloaf ever!
- Lightly toast your breadcrumbs in a tablespoon or two of butter in a nonstick skillet until a light golden brown. This will amp up the flavor!
- Swap the ground beef for ground turkey or ground chicken if you’re looking for a lighter option.
- If you’re a garlic lover, add a minced clove or two to the meat mixture.
- Serve with sides like creamy mashed potatoes, roasted broccoli, roasted garlic Brussels sprouts, roasted cauliflower, warm German potato salad, mashed sweet potatoes, or a side salad.
storage instructions
- Store any leftovers in the fridge in an airtight contain for for up to 4 days.
- Reheat in the microwave or in a skillet until desired heat is reached, or enjoy cold.
can i freeze meatloaf?
Yes! But you should freeze it raw. Frozen cooked meatloaf is certainly doable, but it is likely to end up being super dry once thawed.
To freeze this dish ahead of time to cook later, simply mix all of the ingredients together and form the loaf. Then wrap it securely with plastic wrap and place it in an airtight freezer-safe bag. Raw meatloaf should last up to six months in the freezer.
What Can I Do with the Leftovers?
One of my favorite ways to eat meatloaf is leftover the next day. And sandwiches are the perfect way to use up leftovers!
Simply warm the leftover slices in a skillet or in the microwave, and then place it between two pieces of white bread, each smeared with some ketchup. You honestly don’t even have to reheat the meat; enjoy it cold!
You could also use the meatloaf slices as the beef for a patty melt. YUM!
Another option is to crumble pieces of the cooked loaf and sub it for ground beef in recipes like a chili or casserole. There’s really no wrong way to eat meatloaf!
More Beef Dishes To Try
If you like this recipe, then you’ll love these beefy entrees:
- Slow Cooker Guinness Beef Stew
- Slow-Roasted Beef Brisket
- Korean Beef Bowls
Easy Meatloaf
4.38 from 8 votes
This easy meatloaf recipe makes for a perfect weeknight meal that the entire family will love! Serve it with sides like creamy mashed potatoes and roasted broccoli. Perfection!
Servings: 4
Prep Time: 15 minutes mins
Cook Time: 35 minutes mins
Total Time: 50 minutes mins
Ingredients
Easy Meatloaf
- 1 pound ground beef,, we used 85/15
- 1/2 cup onion, minced
- 1/2 cup red bell pepper, minced
- 1/2 cup Italian bread crumbs
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp pepper
- 1 tbsp hot sauce
- 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tbsp milk
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 2 large eggs
Glaze
- 1/4 cup ketchup
- 1 1/2 tbsp light brown sugar
- 1/2 tsp apple cider vinegar
Instructions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease a rimmed baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray.
Add all of the ingredients to a large bowl. Use your hands to mix to combine. Make sure not to over mix.
Form the meatloaf into a loaf shape and place onto the prepared baking sheet.
When the meatloaf reaches 140 degrees remove it from the oven and baste it with the glaze. Return back to the oven and continue cooking until the meatloaf reaches 160 degrees.
Allow the meatloaf to rest for 10 minutes to finish cooking and to seal in the juices then slice and serve!
Glaze
Combine all three ingredients in a bowl and set aside.
Nutrition Information
Calories: 451kcalCarbohydrates: 26gProtein: 26gFat: 26gSaturated Fat: 10gCholesterol: 174mgSodium: 1123mgPotassium: 650mgFiber: 2gSugar: 13gVitamin A: 946IUVitamin C: 32mgCalcium: 98mgIron: 4mg
Kelley Simmons
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Comments
Sharon
- Reply
This looks really good.
If I skip the hot sauce, do I have to substitute something else?Kelley Simmons
Hi Sharon,
Thank you so much! You can just omit the hot sauce. You don’t have to worry about replacing it with something else.
Thanks!
Kelley
Kathleen
- Reply
Thank you for the Meatloaf Recipe. Do you have any meatloaf recipes that do not call for dairy products? My grandson is of the Jewish faith, he cannot have dairy product with beef. Could I substitute beef broth?
Kelley Simmons
Hi Kathleen,
Yes beef broth would work perfectly in this meatloaf to replace the milk. Hope you enjoy!
Thanks!
Kelley
Anna
- Reply
I’ve been looking for an easy meatloaf recipe for my husband. I don’t eat beef, but do cook it for him occasionally. Other recipes called for 2 lbs of beef or beef/pork mixture, which was way too big for just him.
So I made it for him today and he loved it! He will enjoy the leftovers for a couple days. This will be my go-to recipe for meatloaf!
Thanks!Kelley Simmons
So glad your husband enjoyed this meatloaf Anna! Thanks so much for sharing!!
Roy Tyler
- Reply
I followed this recipe to a “T” and it cracked in quite a few places when baking. Also, I know everyone’s tastes are different but it was way too spicy.Kelley Simmons
Hi Roy,
I am so sorry to hear you did not enjoy this meatloaf. Thank you so much for trying my recipe!
Kelley
Natalie
Too spicy, with literally only 1 Tbsp of hot sauce? Did u use habanero, ghost pepper, or something even hotter on the pepper scale, to punish the recipe that badly? If u don’t like anything spicy, and clearly u know this already, why would u add ALL of the heat element (in this case, hot sauce) without having the wherewithal to reduce the amt from the start, or leave it out altogether? Unless u are baking (cakes, cookies, pies, etc), ANY savory recipe on the WWW is customizable/adjustable to your preferences, whether those be fat, sodium or heat levels. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with the recipe. What deserves a measly ONE star rating, is your inability to use ur gray matter & leave out an element u know u don’t like or can’t handle, and use the WWW to figure out a substitution for it… I’m a middle aged woman and even I can use Google to search for subs/replacements for items I don’t like or can’t get, in order to make/adjust a recipe to my tastes.
It’s a sad state of affairs today when folks all over the world punish a recipe rating bc they can’t find their way out of a wet paper bag, bc they were cottled their entire life, and didn’t learn how to think for themselves. Please don’t procreate…
The truth is hard to hear – I understand that.
Jolie Fish
- Reply
I made this and it turned out great!!
Christina pakosz
- Reply
Delicious meatloaf! The glaze is amazing!
Kelley Simmons
Yah I am so happy you enjoyed this recipe Christina!! Thank you so much for sharing!
Frank D
- Reply
No rating, as I haven’t made it yet. Looks good, but a question about the glaze. Text calls for ketchup, brown sugar, and Worcestershire, but recipe calls for cider vinegar. Guess I’ll try both and see what happens. Mashed taters and green beans, here I come!
Kelley Simmons
Hope you enjoy! Yep the cider vinegar gets added to the glaze. Thanks!
Richard E Lake
- Reply
This isn’t a meatloaf recipe, it’s a beefloaf recipe. Meatloaf must have more than one type of meat usually beef, pork and veal.
Marlene Flax
- Reply
Good explanation,It was really delicious !!Carmela Molter
- Reply
Is the tomato paste necessary? Can it be substituted?
Thank youKelley Simmons
Hi!
I like the tomato paste for flavor however you could just add a squirt of tomato sauce instead.
Hope this helps. Thanks!
Kelley
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