This is the best meatloaf recipe ever! This traditional meatloaf recipe is just like mom used to make, made with ground beef and a sweet and tangy glaze topping.
What Makes A Really Good Meatloaf
I think the trick to good meatloaf is using lean ground beef. The problem with a lot of meatloaf recipes is that they call for ground beef with a high fat content. As the meatloaf cooks, the fat cooks out and makes a greasy mess. Not this recipe!
How To Keep It Moist
You may be thinking, but won’t lean ground beef make the meatloaf dry? Not at all! The milk, egg, ketchup, and diced onion in the meat mixture are all working to keep the meatloaf moist and delicious.
Loaf Pan Versus Baking Sheet
I prefer to use a loaf pan because it keeps all the glaze in place perfectly and the meat is juicier. But, you could line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Shape the meatloaf into a loaf shape. Top with the glaze. And, bake as normal.
How To Make The Best Meatloaf
*Note: This is a summary. The full printable recipe card is at the bottom of this post.
Make the Meatloaf:
- Add 90% lean ground beef to a large bowl.
- Add dried bread crumbs and some diced onion.
- Add milk, an egg, ketchup, and worcestershire sauce.
- Add dried parsley, garlic powder, salt and pepper.
- Mix it together REALLY well.
- Pour the meat mixture into a loaf pan.
- Spread it into a flat even layer.
Make the Ketchup Glaze
- Add ketchup, brown sugar, and red wine vinegar to a bowl.
- Whisk until combined.
- Pour the glaze over the meatloaf.
- Bake it!
- Let it cool before slicing.
Can This Be Made Ahead Of Time
Absolutely! Just cover the loaf pan with plastic wrap and refrigerate it until you’re ready for it. Then, uncover it and let it come to room temperature as you’re preheating the oven.
Can This Be Frozen
Yes! Prepare the meatloaf, put it in a loaf pan, and top with glaze according to the recipe directions. Cover the pan and freeze.
Place the frozen meatloaf in the refrigerator to thaw about 24 hours before you want to bake it. Then, uncover it and let it come to room temperature as you’re preheating the oven.
I’ve been playing around with this recipe for the past few months, making it many times. And, I didn’t mind the repetition at all because I do believe I ended up with the best classic meatloaf recipe ever. 🙂
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The Best Classic Meatloaf Recipe
Video
Ingredients
- 1 lb. 90% lean ground beef
- 1 cup dried bread crumbs
- 1/2 cup diced yellow onion
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1 large egg beaten
- 2 tbsp. ketchup
- 1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tsp. dried parsley leaves
- 3/4 tsp. salt
- 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
- For the Topping:
- 1/4 cup ketchup
- 2 tbsp. packed light brown sugar
- 1 tbsp. red wine vinegar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350° Fahrenheit.
- In a large bowl, add the beef, bread crumbs, onion, milk, egg, 2 tablespoons ketchup, worcestershire sauce, parsley, salt, garlic powder, and pepper. Use your hands to mush and mix these ingredients together until well combined.*
- Add the meat mixture to a loaf pan. Pat the meat down into an even layer.
- In a small bowl, add ¼ cup ketchup, the brown sugar, and vinegar. Stir to combine. Pour the sauce on top of the meatloaf and spread it into an even layer.
- Bake uncovered for 55 minutes.
- Let the meatloaf rest for 8-10 minutes before serving (or it may fall apart).**
Notes
Nutrition
Check out all of my great ground beef recipes.
Amazing! We made this almost vegan except for the ending with coconut milk and impossible burger and it was absolutely fabulous We made this almost vegan except for the egg with coconut milk and impossible burger and it was absolutely fabulous!
Meant egg!
This is my secound time making this recipe…I love it. My husband loves it. We both eat it all in 1 sitting. That in my eyes is AWESOME!! 3RD TIME COMING UP👍😁
I love meatloaf, always have. I’m a retired career firefighter of over thirty years and I can’t even count the number of times I’ve served meatloaf at the fire station and at home. Considering the simplicity and minimal number of ingredients, this is hands down the best I’ve ever had. I cooked it exactly as the recipe is written using 90% lean ground beef. The only difference was I used a 9X13 baking dish. The consistency was perfect and it didn’t want to fall apart. Perfect for sandwiches as leftovers. I’ve just thrown away my other meatloaf recipes.
I made this meatloaf for the first time a month ago and it was absolutely delicious! 😋 my husband did not have gas or a stomachache afterwards which trust me I was relieved lol he’s asking me to make it tomorrow so I’m baking it right now as we speak for dinner tomorrow. I wish I could give it ten stars ⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This recipe is so good that my loaf came out amazing even with a bunch of substitutions. Temperature and timing is phenomenal
This is truly the best meatloaf recipe I have found. So very simple, yet wildly delicious. Thank you for sharing this!
I only have almond milk. Will that be ok to use for this recipe?
This is the greatest meatloaf recipe of all time…and I didn’t even have the ingredients to make the glaze on top! I followed all of the other instructions to a T, and I was actually shocked at how great it came out. Thank you for this!
Very good… Hubby rates it 5 stars!
Could you use ground turkey? If so what percent lean would you get?
Best EVER meatloaf, for sure!!! Been making this nonstop since we discovered this delicious recipe! Thank you! There is absolutly nothing wrong with the original recipe, but we have tweaked the following to our taste: I have been using more than a pound of beef, like at least 1.5 pounds, and it’s the 85% lean instead of 90%, and there has never been any huge accumulation of fat in the pan. I also just form the meatloaf into a loaf-like lump and heat in a regular oven pan. Instead of bread crumbs, I’ve been using Panko bread crumbs, and only .75 cups instead of 1 cup. I also cut down the milk to 1/3 a cup. And since we always seem to add ketchup to the meatloaf when we eat it, I have cut down the topping mixture down by half (just trying to save any calories where I can) and am using balsamic vinegar. Thank you again for the fantastic recipe!
This IS the best meatloaf EVER 🙂 I went gluten-free recently and couldn’t think of what to use in place of bread crumbs. Ah HA! Smushed CORN TORTILLA CHIPS!! A very interesting change. Our family really liked it! I will miss the original recipe cuz it IS perfect!!
I haven’t made a meatloaf in over ten years, with a cold, rainy day this recipe looked perfect. It was super easy and came out very good. The only thing I changed was using balsamic vinegar instead of red wine for the glaze, my husband really liked it. Will definitely make it again.
Great recipe for an old guy like me! My first meatloaf ever and it turned out beautifully. I used ground turkey as that was all I had and it is extremely low fat. Made my own breadcrumbs too, and had to substitute a barbecue sauce for the ketchup. It was fun making it and the way it turned out was very satisfying. Thanks for a great recipe!
I’ve tried many recipes and this is by far my family’s favorite meatloaf!! Super good, so easy, very moist! We make this once a week now
Love this meatloaf. Easy to make and bake. I didn’t have dried parsley so I used Italian Seasoning and for the topping, I didn’t have Red Wine Vinegar, so I used Apple Cider Vinegar. Overall, the best held together meatloaf I have ever made. Oh I also used 93% lean beef too.
Hands down the best meatloaf recipe ever ! I have been making meatloaf for 16+ years and even though they were good (as in edible) this is the best recipe out there! My kids (ages 10,16) love it ! Thank you 😊
Wow!! I tried this recipe on a whim and it was amazing. I only had 80% lean ground beef so I let the meatloaf rest for a full 15 minutes before slicing it and it was perfect! So moist and the perfect flavor. Definitely keeping this recipe.
I made yesterday and it was so good.. Will make it again with 2 lbs of Meatloaf mix.
Did you double the other ingredients, when using 2 pounds.
Very good! Next time we’ll double it so we’ll have some left overs!