Actually the Best Meatloaf Recipe

This is the most flavorful, BEST meatloaf recipe out there! It has the perfect texture (not too dry or greasy) and you don’t even need a loaf pan to make it (please don’t use one, actually). Recipe includes a how-to video!

What Makes My Meatloaf Recipe the Best

• Made from-scratch. No bottled ketchup, BBQ sauce, or chili sauce in this meatloaf recipe! Making our own ketchup (like I do in my sloppy joe recipe) gives us complete control over what goes in our meatloaf and how it tastes (which is amazing, by the way!).
• Incredible texture. For the best texture, it is critical that you do not over-mix the ground beef (same thing applies when making smash burgers). We’ll implement the panade technique from my meatball recipe and “temper” the mixture with a small amount of the ground beef to make sure everything combines without the risk of over-mixing.
• Unparalleled flavor. Cooking the onion and caramelizing the tomato paste is an extra step (as opposed to tossing straight into the mixture), but it adds SO much depth of flavor.
• No loaf pan needed! Surprise! While many meatloaf recipes are baked in a loaf pan, cooking the meatloaf on a sheet pan is actually much better here. It allows the loaf to evenly brown and prevents it from sitting in a pool of grease (often leading to a gummy texture).

My homemade meatloaf recipe is tender, moist, incredibly flavorful and made 100% from-scratch. I tested over a dozen versions (we ate a lot of meatloaf for weeks 😅) before deeming this one the winner and I’m just as proud of this one as I am my worst chocolate chip cookies or vanilla cake. I mean it when I say I can’t wait to hear how you like it (so make sure you let me know!).

What You Need

A lot of thought went into the technique as well as the ingredients. Let’s go over a few notes about a few of the key ingredients that you’ll need for my meatloaf recipe before we begin…

• Ground beef. A higher fat meat provides the most flavor. 80% lean can be quite greasy but is really good (the meatloaf basically melts in your mouth!). 85% lean is what I opt for; it’s still tender and flavorful but doesn’t have as much grease. 90% or higher will yield a more dry and crumbly meatloaf. If it’s all I had on hand, I’d use it, but it’s not as good. Note that the higher the fat, the more grease you’ll have on your pan so don’t be alarmed when you pull the meatloaf out of the oven!
• Brown sugar. This is part of our homemade ketchup, and it adds such a nice depth of flavor. If you want, you could substitute coconut sugar for the brown sugar.
• Panko breadcrumbs. I tried this recipe with plain panko, regular breadcrumbs, and torn slices of bread (like I use in my meatball recipe). Panko and torn bread gave the best results, but I opt for panko because it’s the easiest to measure and have consistent results. You can alternatively tear up 3 pieces of white bread to use instead; I’ve also torn up slices of my sourdough bread to make this, and it’s delicious that way, too. Breadcrumbs were my least favorite and the meatloaf came out the driest this way. 
• Whole milk. This creates a very tender texture. If you don’t want to use milk, you can substitute beef broth instead. 

SAM’S TIP: For the best presentation, I recommend transferring your loaf to a serving platter after 10 minutes (use a large spatula) and garnishing with a bit of fresh parsley. Not necessary, but it looks nicer, especially if you are serving this to guests!

Remember, this is just an overview of the ingredients I used and why. For the full recipe please scroll down to the bottom of the post!

How to Make Meatloaf

1. Make the panade by stirring the panko and milk together in a large bowl. Set aside so the milk has time to saturate (I let it sit while I move onto the next step of cooking the onion!).
2. Saute the onion over medium heat until softened, then stir in the garlic, tomato paste, and sugar. Cook until the tomato paste caramelizes (a step that takes 30 seconds but really enhances the flavor — don’t skip it!), then stir in the worcestershire and vinegar (vinegar enhances the flavor and adds a nice bit of brightness to the flavor). Add this to the panko mixture and stir to combine.
3. Add the eggs, spices and two tablespoons of the ground beef and stir very well to combine. Be vigorous and thorough, and don’t worry about over-doing it at this point (I use a whisk!). We’re rougher with this smaller portion of the meat that way we can be more gentle in the next step and not worry about overdoing it.
4. Add the remaining meat and now gently work everything together with your hands. At this point, you need to be gentle, delicate, and careful while still making sure everything is well incorporated. Don’t over-work the meat, or you will make your meatloaf tough!

5. Form the mixture into a loaf on a parchment and foil lined rimmed baking sheet. I typically aim for typical loaf-size (so 8×5″) and try to smooth the surface as much as possible (to prevent cracks!).
6. Make the glaze by combining all ingredients in a large measuring cup.
7. Spread half of the glaze over the loaf. Make sure you reserve the rest for later. Bake partway, then add the remaining glaze and return the loaf to the oven until cooked through.
8. Let the meatloaf rest for 10-15 minutes before cutting in (otherwise it could fall apart).

SAM’S TIP: Use a rimmed baking sheet! The meatloaf will release a fair amount of grease when cooking, and if that drips into your oven, it could start a fire. I also recommend you line your sheet well with foil (and then place parchment on top, to avoid cooking directly on foil) for easy cleaning.

Tips

Skip the loaf pan!

While meatloaf is sometimes baked in a loaf pan I knew I specifically wanted to avoid this with my meatloaf recipe. You’ll get best flavor, appearance, and texture by cooking it on a baking sheet. If you bake it in a loaf pan the meatloaf sits in the excess grease, which can make it soggy. Additionally, the outside tends to overcook while the center stays underdone. Baking on a (rimmed!) baking sheet lets the extra grease/fat drain and the loaf browns more evenly.

Make it a full meal

Serve with mashed potatoes (or garlic mashed potatoes!) and/or a green veggie like asparagus, peas, roasted broccoli, or roasted brussels sprouts. Other good starchy sides options include my easy mac and cheese or roasted potatoes. And don’t forget the bread! Artisan bread, drop biscuits, or garlic knots are good additions!

Swap the meat for a leaner option (just temper your expectations)

Ground turkey or ground chicken (the chicken would be my preference if I only had a choice between the two) will work just fine here, but since they are leaner meats the flavor won’t be as rich and deep. Just keep that in mind and temper your expectations accordingly 😉

Make cleanup easy on yourself

Line a rimmed baking pan with aluminum foil to catch any grease from the meatloaf (there will most certainly be some!). If you don’t like baking directly on aluminum foil (I don’t) place a piece of parchment on top of the foil before adding your meatloaf to the pan.

I am so proud of this meatloaf recipe and seriously cannot wait to hear how you like it!

Enjoy!

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Actually the Best Meatloaf Recipe

This is the most flavorful, BEST meatloaf recipe out there! It has the perfect texture (not too dry or greasy) and you don't even need a loaf pan to make it.

Recipe includes a how-to video!

5 from 17 votes

Print Pin Rate

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Course: Dinner, Main Course, Main Dish

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour hour 10 minutes minutes

Total Time: 1 hour hour 30 minutes minutes

Servings: 8 servings

Calories: 373kcal

Author: Sam Merritt

Ingredients

For the meatloaf

• ▢ 1 cup (90 g) plain panko
• ▢ ½ cup (118 ml) milk
• ▢ 1 Tablespoon olive oil
• ▢ 1 cup finely diced yellow onion
• ▢ 1 Tablespoon minced garlic
• ▢ 2 Tablespoons (33 g) tomato paste
• ▢ 1 Tablespoon light brown sugar
• ▢ 2 Tablespoons worcestershire sauce may substitute coconut aminos
• ▢ 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
• ▢ 2 large eggs lightly beaten
• ▢ 1 teaspoon dried parsley
• ▢ 1 teaspoon table salt
• ▢ ½ teaspoon onion powder
• ▢ ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
• ▢ ⅛ teaspoon crushed red pepper
• ▢ 2 lb (907 g) 85% ground beef

For the glaze

• ▢ ¼ cup (66 g) tomato paste
• ▢ 2 Tablespoons (25 g) light or dark brown sugar firmly packed
• ▢ 2 Tablespoons (42 g) honey
• ▢ 2 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• ▢ 2 teaspoons worcestershire sauce may substitute coconut aminos
• ▢ ½ teaspoon table salt
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

Recommended Equipment

• ▢
  Baking sheet
• ▢
  Mixing bowls
• ▢
  Skillet

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350F (175C). Line a baking sheet with foil (for easy cleanup) and then parchment paper. Set aside.
• In a large mixing bowl, combine panko and milk and stir until panko is completely moistened. Let sit for at least 10 minutes while you prepare the onion.
  1 cup (90 g) plain panko, ½ cup (118 ml) milk
• In a medium-sized skillet, heat oil over medium heat until shimmering.
  1 Tablespoon olive oil
• Add onion and cook, stirring, until softened (about 5 minutes)
  1 cup finely diced yellow onion
• Add garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant (about 30 seconds).
  1 Tablespoon minced garlic
• Add tomato paste and sugar and cook, stirring, until tomato paste is deepened in color.
  2 Tablespoons (33 g) tomato paste, 1 Tablespoon light brown sugar
• Add worcestershire sauce and apple cider vinegar and stir well. Remove from heat and set aside.
  2 Tablespoons worcestershire sauce, 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
• Once panko is completely saturated and has had at least 10 minutes to sit, add the onion mixture into the bowl and stir briefly.
• Add eggs, spices, salt, and about 2 Tablespoons of the ground beef. Stir very well (I use a whisk) until all ingredients are very well-combined.
  2 large eggs, 1 teaspoon dried parsley, 1 teaspoon table salt, ½ teaspoon onion powder, ½ teaspoon ground black pepper, ¼ teaspoon dried oregano, ⅛ teaspoon crushed red pepper
• Add the rest of the meat and use your hands to gently work everything together until ingredients are completely combined (do your best to not over-mix!).
  2 lb (907 g) 85% ground beef
• Transfer the mixture to prepared baking sheet and use your hands to form into a loaf shape (about 8×5”). Prepare the glaze.

For the glaze

• Whisk together all glaze ingredients until smooth and thoroughly combined. Spoon half of the glaze mixture over the meatloaf and spread evenly over the loaf. Reserve the remaining glaze for later.
  ¼ cup (66 g) tomato paste, 2 Tablespoons (25 g) light or dark brown sugar, 2 Tablespoons (42 g) honey, 2 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar, 2 teaspoons worcestershire sauce, ½ teaspoon table salt, ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
• Transfer the baking sheet to the center rack of your 350F (175C) preheated oven and bake for 45 minutes. Remove from the oven and spoon the remaining glaze evenly overtop, then return to the oven and bake for another 20-25 minutes or until the center of the meatloaf reaches 160F (72C).
• Allow meatloaf to rest for 10-15 minutes before slicing and serving. We like to serve ours with mashed potatoes and roasted broccoli.

Notes

Baking in loaf pan

For best results, do not bake this meatloaf in a bread pan.

Storing

Allow meatloaf to cool then store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Making in advance

You can prepare this meatloaf in advance! Assemble the meatloaf as indicated (through step 11) and make and use the glaze as indicated in step 1 of the “make the glaze” section. Cover the meatloaf and additional sauce tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for up to 2 days before baking. You’ll likely need to bake longer to make sure it’s cooked through since it will be cold when it goes in the oven.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 373kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 25g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 120mg | Sodium: 762mg | Potassium: 608mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 13g | Vitamin A: 287IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 80mg | Iron: 4mg

Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered an estimate only. Actual nutritional content will vary based upon brands used, measuring methods, cooking method, portion sizes, and more.

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