Homemade Meatloaf Recipe

This easy recipe stays together and has the best brown sugar glaze you've ever tasted!

Be sure to read my tips for freezing!

Table of Contents

• Best moistest meatloaf I ever had
• 🗝️ Key takeaways
• 🧾 Ingredients
• 📖 Variations
• 🔪 Instructions
• ⏲️ How long to cook meatloaf
• 🥫 How to store leftovers
• 🧊 Can you freeze homemade meatloaf?
• 🎥 Video
• Expert Tip:
• 💭 Things to know
• 💧How to make a moist meatloaf
• 👩🏻‍🍳 Frequently asked questions
• 📚 Related recipes
• 🍽️ Serve with...
• 📞 The last word
• 📖 Recipe
• 💬 Comments

🗝️ Key takeaways

• There is minimal prep time and homemade meatloaf recipe ingredients are simple and obtainable. Plus you can assemble it a day or two ahead of time.
• Meatloaf is such a comfort food - it's a hearty family meal any day of the week.
• It freezes well - double the recipe and freeze half for another meal.

There is nothing that says home like a good, old-fashioned meatloaf.

It's basic, easy, and budget-friendly.

It's old-fashioned goodness like this and classic pot roast that really stirs up memories for me. It defines many of  our childhoods -- those days of  kickball, riding bikes, and coming in when the streetlights came on

I've been making meatloaf for years and this is the best I've tried.

I love serving a homemade meatloaf with jalapeno cheese grits, noodles Romanoff or fried potatoes for a real vintage meal. Give it a try!

🧾 Ingredients

📖 Variations

• You can use any type of diced tomatoes from the type with chilis to the type with Italian seasoning for different flavor variations.
• I used seasoned salt but you can use plain salt and pepper if you like.
• I use the 90% lean ground beef because I like less fat. See the notes in the tips section.
• If you don't have balsamic then apple cider vinegar works fine.
• Honey is a good substitute for sugar but use a little less.
• Some people like to use 50/50 ground pork and ground beef.
• You can use cracker crumbs in place of the breadcrumbs. Saltines or Ritz crackers are delicious!
• This is a great place to hide leftover vegetables.
• If you'd like crispy edges form the meat mixture into a loaf on a rimmed baking sheet rather than baking it in a loaf pan.
• Use different types of canned, diced tomatoes to add different flavors. Try Ro*Tel with chiles, or diced tomatoes with Italian herbs, or fire roasted diced tomatoes!
• Don't feel like making the glaze? Use barbecue sauce or plain catsup instead (but this meatloaf glaze is really the best ever!).
• Old fashioned chili sauce is a delicious glaze as well.
• You can forgo the glaze and just brush it with teriyaki sauce if you like.

🔪 Instructions

Note: This is an overview of the instructions. The full instructions are in the green recipe card below.

1. Saute the onions and green peppers. This isn't essential but it does give them a nice flavor.
2. Add the ingredients to a large bowl.
3. Mix gently until completely mixed.
4. Press half of the mixture into each loaf pan.

5. Bake for 1 hour. About 15 minutes before the meat loaves are done mix the glaze.
6. Remove the meatloaves from the oven.
7. Brush the brown sugar glaze OR about ¼ cup catsup on the top of each if desired. Return to the oven.
8. When loaves are done (160F in center) remove from oven and let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

Wondering what to serve with it? Check out these ideas for what to serve with cabbage rolls. Most of them work here, too.

I like to make a cheesy yellow squash casserole to go with it in the summertime, though. Try it!

⏲️ How long to cook meatloaf

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 temperatures for homemade meatloaf-

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

The same times/temperatures apply for this Heinz 57 meatloaf and cheeseburger meatloaf too.

🥫 How to store leftovers

This easy meatloaf stores really well. You can even assemble it a day or two ahead of time and bake when you're ready to serve.

Cooked meatloaf should be covered with plastic wrap or placed in an airtight container and refrigerated for up to 5 days. Don't wrap it in aluminum foil because the acids in the sauce will react with the foil and give the meatloaf a weird taste.

And y'all... there's nothing better than a "next day sandwich" made with a slice of leftover meatloaf between two slices of buttermilk bread!

🧊 Can you freeze homemade meatloaf?

You absolutely can!

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

To freeze before baking

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.

You will need to place it in a baking dish and thaw it overnight in the refrigerator before baking. Once thawed you'll just follow the recipe.

This is fine to freeze for up to 6 months.

How to freeze baked meatloaf

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 on an instant read or meat thermometer.

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 for up to 6 months.

Thaw overnight and bake until the center is 160F. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

🎥 Video

💭 Things to know

• Be sure not to overwork the meat mixture or pack it together too hard! It will make it tough -and you want a juicy meatloaf.
• BUT make sure that the ingredients are mixed in very well.
• I prefer 90/10 ground beef for a leaner meatloaf. You can use 80/20 or 85/15 if you prefer. Be sure to drain off the grease.
• You can use all ground beef or any ground meat (ground pork, ground turkey, ground venison, ground lamb, ground chicken...) - you could even use a mixture.
• Many classic meatloaf recipes use a mixture of ground beef, ground pork, and ground lamb in equal measure.
• Italian seasoned breadcrumbs are fabulous in this easy meatloaf recipe!
• If you don't saute the onions and peppers, make sure you chop them small, so they cook all the way through.

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

💧How to make a moist meatloaf

This is the best meatloaf recipe ever as long as you don't overcook it and cause it to be dry. Here are a couple of thoughts on making homemade meatloaf that's not dry.

1. Use 80/20 ground beef so you have more fat... OR...
2. Use more liquids.
3. Some people believe that milk makes for a better meatloaf.
4. Don't overcook it! Interior temperature should be 160F. Let meatloaf rest on the counter for 10 minutes before serving. During that time it will continue to cook to 165 and it will firm up.

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% lean ground beef. 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.

👩🏻‍🍳 Frequently asked questions

Here are the questions I am most frequently asked about this recipe.

If you like this you may want to check out my 30 minute Salisbury steak casserole. It's so easy - perfect down-home comfort food when you don't have a lot of time.

📚 Related 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.

• Bacon Wrapped Meatloaf Stuffed Bell Peppers have all the things you love about meatloaf AND all the best from stuffed peppers!
• Air Fryer Keto Meatloaf is a quick and easy recipe when you need a quick dinner for one or two.
• Or, try this hamburger steak with the most delicious gravy ever!
• Creamy slow cooker salisbury steak is like meatloaf with a rich mushroom sauce. So good!

🍽️ Serve with...

📞 The last word

Southern style, classic comfort food straight from Mom's kitchen!

It's the best classic meatloaf recipe ever and definitely budget-friendly! Tomato-y, beefy goodness that the whole family will eat right up.

Y'all, double this and make two - the leftovers are even better the next day. This make the BEST meatloaf sandwiches ever.

If you click on the number of servings in the recipe card you can adjust the measurements up or down for the exact number of servings you need.

If you love this recipe please give it 5 stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

📖 Recipe

First published April 27, 2016. Last updated February 8, 2024 for more helpful tips and information.