Homemade Meatloaf Recipe with Old Fashioned Flavor

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This homemade meatloaf recipe is easy to make, stays together, and has the best glaze you’ve ever tasted! Southern style, classic comfort food straight from Mom’s kitchen! Be sure to read my tips for freezing!

Shopping List

Nothing unusual or hard to find in this meatloaf recipe! I’m not hiding veggies or adding seaweed for extra nutrition. It’s just a classic meatloaf like mom made.

• 90/10 ground beef (see tips about which ground beef to use)
• Onion
• Green pepper
• Eggs
• Salt
• Black pepper
• Minced garlic
• Italian bread crumbs
• Italian style diced tomatoes
• Spicy Catsup
• Brown Sugar
• Balsamic vinegar or cider vinegar

Homemade Comfort Food

There is nothing that says home like a good, old fashioned meatloaf. It’s basic, it’s easy, it’s budget friendly, and just about everyone has memories of a childhood table laden with steaming slices of tender meatloaf next to some potatoes. It defines many of  our childhoods — those days of  kickball, riding bikes, and coming in when the streetlights came on

I think there’s a quiet rebellion going on — one in which we are returning to the foods that we loved growing up, the easy recipes and comfort foods that our grandmothers and mothers fed their families with. Comfort foods made with easily obtainable, quality ingredients.

How to Make a Moist Meatloaf

There are a couple of beliefs on making meatloaf that’s not dry.

1. Use 80/20 ground beef so you have more fat… OR
2. Use more liquids

I like to use 90/10 ground beef for my homemade meatloaf recipe. I just don’t like all the fat. I’d suggest making the same recipe a couple of times and using a different percentage of fat each time to see what you like best.

For me that’s 90/10. Flavorful, moist, and no fat swimming around the meat when it’s done cooking.

I used Italian diced tomatoes, Italian breadcrumbs, and minced garlic in this recipe and those help with the moistness, as well.

Can You Freeze Meatloaf?

You absolutely can!

In fact you can freeze it cooked or uncooked depending on which works better for you.

To Freeze Before Baking

You will need to thaw it overnight in the refrigerator before baking. Once thawed you’ll just follow the recipe.

1. Line a loaf pan with waxed paper.
2. Assemble the ingredients according to instructions in the recipe but leave off the glaze.
3. Place in the freezer and freeze.
4. Once frozen remove the meatloaf by pulling up the waxed paper.
5. Wrap the waxed paper around the frozen meatloaf and then either vacuum seal (best) or wrap tightly with aluminum foil and return to the freezer.
6. Place bake in loaf pan before baking and glaze it.
7. Bake as directed in the recipe.

To Freeze Baked

I like to slightly undercook this meatloaf before freezing so it finishes cooking while I’m warming it up. I’ll take it out when the center registers 155F.

1. Bake meatloaf as directed in recipe.
2. Remove when the center registers 155F.
3. Let cool.
4. Vacuum seal (best) or wrap in waxed paper and then seal in aluminum foil.
5. Thaw overnight and bake until the center is 160F.

About 20 minutes before it’s done the whole kitchen starts smelling really good and your mouth begins to water. It’s an easy recipe and definitely budget friendly but it’s so unbelievably good. Tomato-y, beefy goodness!

I like to add just a little sweet-spicy glaze to the top about 15 minutes before it’s ready to come out of the oven. I think it gives it a nice glaze and a little extra kick but you can leave it completely off if you like.

Be sure not to overwork the meat mixture or pack it together too hard! It will make it tough

More FAQs

Here are the most commonly asked questions about this recipe. If you don’t find the answer to yours here leave a comment below or email me – I’ll get back to you as soon as I can!

Why does my homemade meatloaf fall apart?

Usually it’s because you are cutting into it when it’s still too warm. Let it stand for 10 minutes before slicing.

When you 80/20 and the proportions of breadcrumbs, eggs, and liquids aren’t right then that may make it fall apart as well.

How long to cook meatloaf?

It’s going to take close to an hour at 350F.

Table of Cooking Times and Temps

Sometimes you may need to cook homemade meatloaf at a different temperature than called for (like if you have another dish baking alongside it) which will usually change the time.

The main thing to remember is the finished meatloaf should be at about 160F when you check the internal temperature AND you should let it rest about 10 minutes to come up to a full 165F.

Here is table of times and temps for homemade meatloaf-

325	65-75 minutes
350	60 -70 minutes
375	55-65 minutes
400	45-55 minutes

More Old Fashioned Dinner Recipes

There’s just something about sitting down to a dinner that stirs up childhood memories. I love pho, and ramen, and Whataburger but they just don’t satisfy in the way that my mom’s homemade meatloaf recipe does!

Here are more of those kinds of recipes that I love.

• Chicken Tetrazzini is just as creamy and gooey as you remember!
• Old Fashioned Stuffed Bell Peppers are an inexpensive comfort food that can be made in the oven, crockpot, or top of stove. 
• Mom’s Baked Macaroni and Cheese is more gooey than creamy. Big chunks of melty cheddar, tender macaroni, and a crispy breadcrumb topping.

Homemade Meatloaf Recipe

Y’all, double this and make two – the leftovers make the BEST meatloaf sandwiches ever.

Serve with a couple of these cloverleaf rolls, hot and steaming from the oven.