Meatloaf Recipe - Easy Weeknight Family Dinner (2024)

This Meatloaf Recipe is quick to throw together, smothered with a sweet glaze and is ultra tender. The easiest, classic American comfort food!

If you grew up in the United States, it’s highly likely that you grew up eating meatloaf. But this isn’t the grey blob of dry, bland mystery meat you remember.

This meatloaf recipe is the BEST. It’s ultra moist thanks to buttermilk and is incredibly flavorful thanks to sautéed onions, garlic, and seasoned breadcrumbs.

This recipe is definitely better than what you remember, but I promise, it’s just as quick and easy!

Ingredients

These ingredients may look similar to your standard meatloaf, but with a few upgrades – sautéing onions and garlic in butter, buttermilk, and seasoned breadcrumbs – this is going to be the BEST meatloaf recipe.

Topping

• Brown Sugar– gives the sauce a rich, molasses flavor.
• Ketchup– this is the base of our sauce and adds sweetness.
• Mustard – contrasts the sweetness with a bit of tang.

Meatloaf

• Butter– used for sautéing the onion and garlic.
• Onion– adds texture and a slightly sweet, caramel-y flavor when sautéed.
• Garlic– gives the meatloaf recipe that nutty flavor.
• Salt and Pepper– adds flavor depth and a little spice.
• Breadcrumbs– bind the meatloaf together. Use Italian seasoned breadcrumbs for quick flavor!
• Buttermilk– soaks into the breadcrumbs to moisten the meatloaf recipe. Buttermilk adds WAY more moisture than “regular” milk.
• Worcestershire Sauce– adds that vinegary, slightly sweet tang.
• Ground Beef– use a 90%, 10% lean ground beef for a tender, but not overly fatty texture and flavor.
• Eggs– bind the other ingredients together to really form the loaf shape.

How to make

This recipe bakes for an hour, but only requires about 15 minutes of prep, making it the perfect family friendly weeknight dinner.This meatloaf couldn’t be easier . . . my only tip? Don’t over mix the meat or you’ll end up with an overly compact, dense loaf.

1. Cook onion and garlic with salt, pepper, and butter in a large skillet.
2. Transfer to a mixing bowl, then add in breadcrumbs, buttermilk, Worcestershire sauce, ground beef, eggs, salt, and pepper.
3. Use your hands to mix until well-combined.
4. Move the mixture to a greased loaf pan.
5. Spread on topping.
6. Bake!

How to make meatloaf sauce

Three ingredients and you’ve got the BEST meatloaf glaze.

1. Use a whisk to mix together brown sugar, ketchup, and mustard in a medium-sized bowl.

That’s it! Like I said before, I actually make quite a large batch, so I can spread some on top and serve the rest as a dipping sauce with the cooked meatloaf.

How long to cook meatloaf

Cook meatloaf for 90 minutes at 350º F.

Keep in mind that the minimum internal temperature for ground beef is 160º F so use a meat thermometer to make sure your meat loaf has reached that temperature before serving!

What is the best meat for meatloaf?

Lean ground beef (example: 90/10) is best for meatloaf, because it’s lean but still has a little bit of fat, which helps keep this meatloaf moist.

I don’t recommend using ground beef with a higher fat content (example: 80/20) because as it heats, the fat cooks out causing the meatloaf to be greasy and oily.

Do i have to put milk in meatloaf?

You need to add milk to meatloaf, because it adds moisture. The meatloaf would be dry otherwise. I prefer using buttermilk, because it adds more moisture and flavor than regular milk.

I highly recommend using buttermilk for the best results, but if you don’t have it on hand, feel free to make your own buttermilk.

Pairing SUggestions

This meatloaf recipe makes a fantasticmain dish, but I love to bulk my meal up with a couple of side dishes as well! Here are some of my favorite recipes to pair with this one!

• Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes Recipe
• Easy Roasted Vegetables Recipe
• Lemon Parmesan Roasted Asparagus Recipe
• Crock Pot Mac and Cheese Recipe
• Roasted Green Beans Recipe

How to store

This meatloaf can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days or in the freezer for 3-4 months! Be sure to store the extra dipping sauce separately.

To reheat, just pop the meatloaf in the microwave until heated through!

Can you freeze meatloaf?

You can store completely cooked and cooled meatloaf in an airtight container for 3-4 months!

I don’t recommend freezing the extra sauce.

How to thaw frozen meatloaf

Before reheating from the freezer, let your meatloaf thaw in the refrigerator for about 24 hours.

– Jennifer