Best Ever Meatloaf
Classic Meatloaf is a tried and true favorite, and you’ll love having this easy recipe on hand. The sauce is made with ketchup, mustard, and brown sugar for sweet and savory flavors that are totally irresistible!
Serve this recipe up with steamed veggies, Creamy Mashed Potatoes, and a Yeast Roll for a delicious dinner the whole family will beg you to make again and again!
Meatloaf is a classic dinner, and this Easy Meatloaf Recipe is one of my all-time favorites!
Now that the holidays are over, we can all take a big breath. But unfortunately, if you have a family — or don’t want takeout every night — you still have to cook dinner.
Introducing my Best Ever Meatloaf Recipe, made with simple components and a 3-ingredient sauce that’s totally delicious!
Super simple and easy to make but very good. I was afraid it would be too salty but it was perfect. This is my new go-to meatloaf recipe. I made it with 7% fat ground beef and it didn’t even need to be drained.
The Secret Ingredient!
This version is made with ground chuck, oatmeal, ketchup, whole milk, onion, egg, salt, and pepper.
Yep, oatmeal keeps it moist and helps it all stick together!
And using oatmeal also means that this recipe is gluten-free unlike classically prepared meatloaves made with breadcrumbs.
How To Make Meatloaf:
- Begin by preheating the oven to 350 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- Then, in a large mixing bowl, combine the oatmeal, ketchup, milk, onion, and egg and let the mixture sit for 15 minutes for the oats to soften slightly.
- Add in the lean ground beef, salt, and pepper. Mix with hands until well combined.
- Shape into a loaf on the prepared baking sheet and bake for 35 minutes. You can also bake it in a loaf pan.
- While the meatloaf cooks, prepare the sauce by whisking together the ketchup, brown sugar, and mustard in a small bowl.
- Remove the meatloaf from the oven and spoon the sauce over it, place back in the oven and cook for an additional 20 minutes. Let the meatloaf rest for 15 minutes before slicing and serving.
The base of the sauce one of the best pairs around: ketchup and mustard. With the addition of brown sugar, it’s a delicious combination of both savory and sweet.
Basically, it’s like an elevated hamburger. It has all those scrumptious flavors… and then some!
Needless to say, this Easy Meatloaf Recipe is perfect for busy weeknights. Or really, any night when you don’t feel like spending much time in the kitchen.
Plus, this homemade recipe for meatloaf is definitely a family favorite in the making. Pair it with Roasted Sweet Potatoes and Corn Mac and Cheese and you’ll have some pretty satisfying comfort food.
Keep this tried-and-true meal on rotation all winter long. Another thing worth noting is that this recipe is super tasty leftover, too.
You can zap meat loaf in the microwave for lunch or dinner the next day. Or, make an extra “loaf” and pop it in the freezer to reheat in a pinch.
How To Freeze Meatloaf:
- Cooked: One way is to freeze a fully cooked meat loaf without the sauce and warm it up and add the sauce when you need it.
- Uncooked: Another way is to freeze the raw meat mixture, then simply thaw and bake when you’re ready as indicated.
If you enjoy meatloaf or you just want something wholesome to feed the family, you’ll love this Homemade Meatloaf Recipe. Make it tonight, and get ready for some rave reviews!
More Beef Dinner Recipes:
- Beef Stroganoff
- Bolognese Sauce
- Slow Cooker Italian Beef
- American Chop Suey
- Crockpot Beef Stew
- Tater Tot Hotdish
Let’s Connect!
If you’ve tried this recipe, please let me know how you liked it in the comments below and leave a review. I love hearing from you!
Don’t forget to tag me – @sugarandsoulco – on Instagram and Pinterest with your photos or join our Sugar & Soul Show-offs Community and share them there, where you can join our recipe challenges!
Best Ever Meatloaf
Ingredients
Meatloaf
- ½ cup 1-minute oatmeal
- ¼ cup ketchup
- 2 tablespoons whole milk
- 1 small onion, grated
- 1 large egg
- 1 lb ground chuck
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground pepper
Sauce
- 1/4 cup ketchup
- 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons yellow mustard
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the oats, ketchup, milk, onion, and egg and let the mixture sit 15 minutes for the oats to soften slightly.
- Add in the ground beef, salt, and pepper. Mix with hands until well combined.
- Shape into a loaf on the prepared baking sheet1 and bake for 35 minutes.
- While the meatloaf cooks, prepare the sauce by whisking together the ketchup, brown sugar, and mustard.
- Remove the meatloaf from the oven and spoon the sauce over it, place back in the oven and cook for an additional 20 minutes. Let the meatloaf rest for 15 minutes before slicing and serving.
Video
Notes
- You can also cook it in a loaf pan, but I find it easier to slice and serve from a baking sheet.
Nutrition
Did You Make This Recipe?
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Too bland for my family needed Worcestershire sauce and garlic or garlic powder, maybe some paprika and onion powder as well. Sauce needed a little Worcestershire sauce and onion/garlic/ pepper as well. I would try again with these changes for my fam. We like a lot of flavor though.
Super simple and easy to make but very good. I was afraid it would be too salty but it was perfect. This is my new go-to meatloaf recipe. I made it with 7% fat ground beef and it didn’t even need to be drained.
We use fresh or canned mushrooms to our meat loaf and for the sauce that goes on top, we use the ketchup and brown sugar but we use Dijon mustard in place of yellow mustard and a a few drops of wisterchuire sauce. Taste so good.
Made this for dinner tonight, it was delicious! Even my 5 year old loved it! The only tiny adjustment I made was adding 1 tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce. Next time I would double the recipe because I don’t think mine was quite 4 servings
I’m so glad your family enjoyed it!
This meatloaf is phenomenal!! I have made it so many times already. I double the ingredients and use one pound of beef and one pound of turkey and use just ketchup and honey Dijon for the sauce but other than that I followed it and it’s such a hit with my family. It’s great to have a gluten free meatloaf recipe. I have even hand written it in my recipe binder with our family’s favorite recipes to pass down one day 🙂 Thanks so much!
Dear Rebecca,
My name is Cynthia. I am 65 years old with brittle Diabetes. I don’t know why I read you everyday, because I don’t cook much anymore. But, you are so cute, I have to see what you are up to today and I thought you might enjoy this story about your Best Ever Meatloaf.
I grew up eating this same meatloaf recipe, but with a two ingredient difference.
Your use of oatmeal instead of bread crumbs is brilliant! (For those of us who must live gluten free)
The other ingredient difference was the addition of a small can of Hun’ts tomato sauce.
Now I’m not looking for product endorsement! You are the Empress of that!
It’s just that the recipe was on the little Hunt’s cann. They had paper labels in those days.
After supper, mother cut the label off the can, and stuffed it right into her huge recipe box. So every time we had meatloaf, we saw the Hunt’s can label, too.
Eventually, I think she cut just the recipe off and glued it to an index card!
My mother was fabulous cook. She would have loved your vlog!
This is just (what I think) is a funny story. I am not seeking to post to anyone except you.
Cynthia ?
Even though you don’t cook much anymore, I hope you get a chance to make this recipe! Thank you so much for following along and sharing your story with me, it means a lot! xoxo
Thanks to you my husband is going to love it.
Cynthia i just loooooved your comment………..i’m 73 and can relate. My Mother passed on the very same recipe……………….The Hunt’s Meatloaf……………..always delish !!!!!! But Rebecca i am going to try this one……your recipes are always delicious !!!!!! Thank you for a lovely blog to visit…………stay well…….and you too Cynthia Blessings………….love to all……………………dee
Sounds so good, gotta make it!