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!

Jump to:

• ❤️ Why you'll love this recipe
• 🧾 Ingredients
• 🔪 Instructions
• ⏲️ How long to cook meatloaf
• 🥫 Storage
• 🎥 Video
• 💭 Things to know
• 💧How to make a moist meatloaf
• 👩🏻‍🍳 Frequently asked questions
• 📖 Variations
• 📚 Related recipes
• Old Fashioned Meatloaf
• 💬 Comments

❤️ Why you'll love this recipe

• There is minimal prep time and meatloaf ingredients are simple and obtainable.
• You can make it ahead.
• 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 defines many of  our childhoods -- those days of  kickball, riding bikes, and coming in when the streetlights came on

This is the best meatloaf recipe I've tried - and that includes my favorite Cracker Barrel version!

I love serving a homemade meatloaf with Noodles Romanoff or fried potatoes for a real vintage meal. Give it a try!

🧾 Ingredients

• 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 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.

🔪 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.

⏲️ 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

🥫 Storage

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 and refrigerated for up to 5 days.

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

🎥 Video

Just click on the image below if you'd like to see the full length video on YouTube. It opens in a new tab so you won't lose your place here.

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

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.

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 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.

💭 Things to know

Expert Tip: Saute the onion and peppers before mixing them into the meatloaf mixture. It gives a little more flavor.

• 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 makes sure that 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.
• 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.
• Italian seasoned breadcrumbs are fabulous in this easy meatloaf recipe!
• If you don't saute the onions and peppers just make sure you chop them small so they cook all the way throug

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 looks pretty and adds a little extra kick but you can leave it completely off if you like.

💧How to make a moist meatloaf

There 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

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.

📖 Variations

• 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.

📚 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!

• 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.
• I love this classic southern meatloaf recipe with a serving of smothered green beans, maple roasted carrots, or this creamy broccoli casserole on the side.

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.
• Creamy Corn Casserole Recipe is a cheesy, creamy southern side dish.

Southern style, classic comfort food straight from Mom's kitchen! We love it with a side of mashed potatoes, southern fried cabbage or pasta con broccoli.

It's an old fashioned, easy meatloaf recipe and definitely budget friendly! Tomato-y, beefy goodness!

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

Serve with a couple of these cloverleaf rolls, hot and steaming from the oven and a big bowl of this southern creamed corn.

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. Don't forget that you can click on "add to collection" to save it to your own, private recipe box!

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

First published April 27, 2016. Last updated October 20, 2022 for editorial changes.