Classic Meatloaf Recipe (2024)

Enjoy this classic meatloaf recipe with a tangy tomato glaze! Perfect for sandwiches the next day, too!

Don’t you love all the new exciting foods and dishes that are available now? Fifteen years ago who would have dreamed we’d be ordering jackfruit on our BBQ sandwiches, drinking açai berry juice, making pudding with chia seeds, or shredding jicama on our salads?

Really, I love to try new foods but sometimes I crave a good old fashioned meal, like this traditional meatloaf. While I am not normally a “meat and potatoes” girl, this classic meatloaf, glazed with tangy tomato sauce, served with mashed potatoes and green beans, really hits the mark with me.

About this meatloaf recipe

• Combination of Meats: Most meatloaf recipes include ground beef or a combination of ground meats. In this recipe, you’ll use beef, pork, and turkey. You could also use ground veal or ground chicken. It’s smart to use at least one meat that is a little higher in fat because it makes the meatloaf more flavorful. A blend of meat gives a nice well rounded flavor.
• Super Moist: No one wants a dry meatloaf. This one has a ton of moisture thanks to vegetables, eggs, and milk, plus the combination of different types of meat.

Ingredient Notes

Vegetables: You’ll add lots of veggies (of course!): onions, carrots, celery, and garlic. Place the roughly chopped veggies into your food processor and pulse them until they are really finely chopped. Why the food processor? Two reasons: we don’t like big chunks of vegetables in meatloaf, and because the vegetables are so small, they cook right in the meatloaf that way. No need to sauté them before you add them to the meatloaf mix.

Filler: Another component of meatloaf is a filler, like breadcrumbs, panko, or oatmeal. For this recipe, you’ll use dried unseasoned bread crumbs. My mom always uses oats. Use what you have in your pantry or what you like the best.

Binder: Next we need the glue: milk and egg. These two ingredients hold the meatloaf together, providing structure, taste, and texture.

Flavors: Additional flavorcomes in the form of chopped parsley, Worcestershire sauce, ketchup, salt and pepper.

See Also

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How To Make Meatloaf

Okay, now you have a big bowl of ground meat, eggs, crumbs, and other stuff. Take off your rings if you’re wearing any. No, this isn’t a hold-up! You’re going to mix that meatloaf with your hands. Sounds kind of gross, but just dig in and squeeze and smoosh, and blend. It’s the only way to get everything nice and mixed together.

Continue mixing just until the ingredients are nice and blended together. You’ll be able to tell when it’s “bonded”. Don’t over mix or compact the mixture too much.

Shape it into a nice loaf, plop it in the pan, and spread on a tangy mixture of ketchup, brown sugar and red wine vinegar. I like to put half the mixture on right away, and then the rest of it towards the end of the baking time.

Let the meatloaf rest 15 minutes or so before you slice it to let all those juices soak back into the meat.

Make It Your Own

If you want to customize your meatloaf recipe, there are lots of variations you can try.

• Use different ground meats. As I mentioned above, you can experiment with different blends of ground meat, or use just one kind.
• Veggie options: If you would rather not have veggies in your meatloaf, leave them out. Perhaps you like the veggies to be a little more noticeable. If so, dice them evenly, and sauté them until soft before adding them to the meatloaf. I would let them cool a bit first, too.
• Try different fillers. Breadcrumbs, oatmeal, cracker crumbs, crushed tortilla chips all make good fillers. My mom makes a great meatloaf with ground turkey, crushed tortilla chips, and southwestern seasoning. Use what’s in your pantry!
• Vary the seasonings. Spice up the meatloaf by adding red pepper flakes or sriracha sauce. Add up to 1 cup of shredded cheese for cheesy meatloaf.
• Don’t like ketchup? Omit the ketchup in the meatloaf mix, and make a different topping, or use barbecue sauce or honey mustard.
• Make meatloaf in your air fryer. If you’re looking for a faster-cooking recipe, air fryer meatloaf is the way to go.

FAQs

Storage & Reheating Tips

Meatloaf is great reheated or eaten cold on a sandwich.

To Reheat: Just pop a slice in the microwave briefly to reheat.

Storage: If wrapped properly, it should last 3 to 4 days in the fridge.

Freezer: If you want to keep it longer, wrap securely and place in the freezer for up to 3 months. For best results, thaw overnight in the refrigerator.

Great sides to serve with meatloaf

Pretty much anything goes well with meatloaf! Try it with:

• Potatoes: Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes, Mashed Red Potatoes, Instant Pot Baked Potatoes, or Crockpot Cheesy Potatoes
• Vegetables: Air Fryer Brussels Sprouts, Air Fryer Broccoli, Crockpot Carrots with Cinnamon Glaze, Butternut Squash with Smoked Paprika, or Green Beans with Bacon, Garlic, and Onion
• Dessert: Snickerdoodles

More Old Fashioned Classics

Looking for more “old-fashioned” classics? Try tuna casserole, an iconic dish from the 50’s, homemade sloppy Joes, or stuffed pepper casserole with rice and ground turkey. For dessert, Texas sheet cake is a must!