I don’t take stating that this is the best meatloaf recipe lightly. I’ve made many meatloaf recipes over the years. This meatloaf has a blend of beef and pork, plenty of fresh herbs and vegetables and is baked to a moist perfection. It’s the tangy glaze that makes this meatloaf so popular with my family. It’s so good, that you really don’t need gravy– and if there are any leftovers, you’ve got yourself an incredible meatloaf sandwich!
If this recipe seems familiar, that’s because I first posted it in 2009– and the recipe became one of my most popular. There’s a good reason for it. It’s truly the best meatloaf I’ve ever made or eaten!
I had no idea that this meatloaf recipe would become my #1 most viewed blog post of all time! Every day, people are internet searching for “The Best Meatloaf Recipe” and this is where they end up. I’m so glad that you found me! I have made so many different meatloaf recipes, over the years.
For years, I made the Quaker Oats version, with canned cream of mushroom soup. Truth be told… I think it’s yummy. But that was BEFORE I swore off processed foods and canned cream soups.
This recipe is one I’ve made for several years. It’s from Food Network, “Sarah’s Secrets“. Unfortunately Sarah Moulton’s show is no longer on the air, but I still love this recipe!
The secret is using a mixture of beef, veal and pork. NOTE: I understand if you don’t want to use veal. I only buy grass fed, free-range red meat, these days. If you don’t want to use veal, use beef and pork. There is such a different flavor and texture, compared to using just ground beef. If you use all-beef, then the meatloaf tastes like a big burger. If you use turkey, the meatloaf will be very dry– unless you use a panade. At that point, you’ve changed the recipe so much, that I cannot guarantee success! What makes this recipes so full of flavor is the marjoram and thyme. I like the idea of cooking the onion and garlic, instead of adding them to the mixture raw. I’m not wild about hot sauce, but it works in this recipe.
If you hate meatloaf…. I hope you will reconsider this version. If you have your own recipe, and believe yours is the best ever–stick around. I want to share a tip that I learned on America’s Test Kitchen (Cook’s Illustrated). It changed how I cook my meatloaf, and it makes cleanup so much better.
Instead of using a loaf pan, you get better results by using a baking sheet, baking rack and foil. Why? Think about it! The warm air circulates all around the meatloaf, so that it doesn’t steam. Also, the delicious tangy glaze gets coated all around the top and the sides!
In a skillet, with a little olive oil, you cook 1 1/2 cups onion and 3 garlic cloves, until tender– about 5 minutes. Set it aside to cool. One of the secrets to a moist meatloaf is to make a “panade”. That’s a fancy word for bread and milk paste. With this recipe, I made combined milk, eggs and hot sauce (hold that thought on hot sauce). See that photo (above) of a Calabrian Chili Paste? I’ve grown to love it as a way to add some “zip” to recipes, without being fire engine hot. I prefer it over hot sauce. Either one works well, though.
Sooooo, let’s talk about the “meat” in meatloaf. Please, don’t use 100% ground beef! Years ago, a person left me a rude comment that the meatloaf tasted so bad, she threw it all out. (Fortunately, I was defended by other commenters that the meatloaf was delicious). Wow! It turns out, said person used only ground beef. What she made was a giant hamburger! You really want the combination of ground beef AND pork. Adding ground veal is entirely up to you, but I understand this is a touchy subject for some people. Personally, I’ve switched to only lean ground beef and pork.
After combining the liquid mixture and the cooled onion and garlic, add the meat mixture and fresh parsley.
There. I’m ready to make the glaze. All it takes are three ingredients– ketchup, brown sugar and apple cider vinegar.
Whisk it together, and… glaze that meatloaf! Now that I’m not using a pan, I can glaze it all over!
Bake this at 350F for 45 minutes, and then glaze it again about halfway through. In the meantime, I made garlic mashed potatoes and glazed carrots).
The meatloaf should be ready when it reaches an internal temperature of 160F. Mine took one hour and 15 minutes, unlike the original recipes says to cook for an hour. Plan for that, okay?
Slicing the meatloaf, the aroma of herbs and that tangy glaze was intoxicating. There was plenty of juice oozing out– in a good way. The meatloaf was bursting with moisture. My husband and I could hardly wait to dig in!
TASTING NOTES: Where is the gravy, you might be wondering? We don’t need it! The glaze is what really makes this meatloaf “shine”. The slices were moist. I have a ritual of one forkful of mashed potatoes, meatloaf and a little extra glaze dip. Yum!! I promise you. You will love this recipe. Trust me, and make the recipe just as written. I’ve made this so many times, and it always turns out perfectly.
I can also attest to the fact that leftovers make excellent Meatloaf Sandwiches. I love mine on Whole Wheat Bread, a little mayo, Dijon mustard, lettuce and pickled red onion. Amazing!
Recipe has been updated with new photos from the original 2009 post.
The Very Best Glazed Meatloaf
Ingredients
MEATLOAF:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 1/2 cup onion chopped
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup milk
- 2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon hot sauce I use Calabrian Chile Paste
- 1 1/2 teaspoon fresh marjoram or 1/2 teaspoon dried, crumbled
- 1 1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme or 1/2 teaspoon dried, crumbled
- Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
- 1 pound chuck ground beef
- 1/2 pound veal optional. Use half pork and beef if you can’t find ground veal or don’t buy veal.
- 1/2 pound ground pork
- 1 1/2 cups fresh bread crumbs
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley minced
GLAZE:
- 1/2 cup ketchup
- 1/4 cup light brown sugar
- 1 1/2 tablespoon cider vinegar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F
- In a skillet over moderate heat, add the oil. Heat the oil until hot, but not smoking. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring, until softened, about 5 minutes. Set aside and let cool.
- In a mixing bowl, whisk the eggs, milk, mustard, and hot sauce together. Add marjoram, thyme, salt, and pepper.In a large mixing bowl, combine the meats, egg-milk mixture, bread crumbs, parsley, and the cooked onion mixture.
- In a small bowl stir together ketchup, sugar, and vinegar. Set aside.
- OPTIONAL STEP: Form 1 tablespoon of the meat mixture into a small patty, add it to a small oiled skillet, and cook until no longer pink. Taste for seasoning and adjust.
- Place the shaped loaf on top of the foil. I prefer this method, as the loaf is less likely to "steam" in a loaf pan. You can also glaze all around the meatloaf, which is even better! Otherwise, transfer meat mixture to an oiled loaf pan.
- Brush meat with ketchup glaze. Bake in oven for about 45 minutes, until glaze has set.
- Brush meat loaf with remaining glaze and bake for 15 minutes more; glaze again.
- My oven takes 1 hour and 15 minutes to reach the desired doneness. Times do vary, so allow for that!
- Internal temperature of loaf should be 160 degrees F.
Notes
Nutrition
absolutely the best I have seen in quite a long time…I know this is a delicious meatloaf!
I’ll surely try this recipe. My boyz will love it.
regards
What pretty presentation! Those carrots are mega-orange and beautiful!
Hope you’re over your cold
I use the ATK meatloaf recipe also.. It is my favorite,, the glaze is the best part, you are right! How you make meatloaf look so deicious is amazing, really!
Meatloaf sandwiches alone are worth having meatloaf for dinner. I love them sooo much, especially with a big smear of mayo. I will have to try this recipe since you like it so much.
I just made meatloaf too! I wish I had seen this post before then…I guess I’ll have to make it again.
I use Martha’s mom’s recipe with a few changes.
This looks great! I find meatloaf to be a great comfort food but need to try and convert Mr. B. This could be the way to do it!
This does look really good, and I will try it. In the meantime, I invite you to try The Best Meatloaf on my site–it’s Jonathan Reynolds’ recipe and…so far…it’s the best I’ve had.
I love Sara Moulton, but not meatloaf. My hubby, like a true man, is a meatloaf freak. Since he’s Italian, I always make it with beef, pork and veal, unless I can sneak in some turkey on him when he’s not looking. And I always saute my veggies before adding them. I agree it adds flavor.
Meatloaf and mashed potatoes – yum! Such a comfort food.
This meatloaf looks delicious! I’m a huge meatloaf fan; I think this delicious comfort food gets a bad rap. I’m glad you’re combatting its bad reputation by sharing this delicious recipe! I love that the veggies are cooked before getting added to–count ’em–three types of meat!! How great.
Man that looks so good! I am surely going to try this. I love your photos and plating, always the right portion!
How do you get your kids (teenagers) to eat meatloaf? I’d love to give this a try, but I know our girls will complain about the appearance. They absolutely hate meat that does not look like meat.
I JUST stumbled across your site when I was searching for the Pioneer Woman's meatloaf recipe. I have to weigh in on freeform meatloaf:
AMAZING.
This recipe looks divine, I can't wait to try! I have a turkey meatloaf recipe with sage and dried cranberries that is my go to for turkey, but this looks SO GOOD.
I have been using this recipe for years and it is the best! My family loves it and it definitely does not need gravy!
I just made this tonight and I can't believe I finally found the very best meatloaf recipe. In fact my fiancee just yelled across the room that this was the best meatloaf I have ever made. What a hit!!! and I have never been a huge fan of it but I am now. I did not have veal on hand so I used pork and beef and I had to sub oregano for the marjoram but it was awesome and you are right no gravy needed. I can't wait for meatloaf sandwiches tomorrow!! Thank You
Maggie, thanks so much for letting me know that this was a hit. I wish you had an email, so I could tell you personally. Hopefully, you'll check back and see my response. Thanks for the testimonial!
I just google best meatloaf recipe and ended up here; it sure looks fantastic! Printing it out now.
Rita
It smelt so nice while it was cooking and it is truly the best meatloaf I have ever eaten. Thanks x
Yummy to the Tummy. This really is the best of the best.
Wow…this looks like a de-lish meatloaf!! Reminds me of how my Mom made it…in fact everything you make looks scrump-licious!! Deb
I make meatloaf almost identically to your recipe. My only difference is that my glaze is ketchup, worcester sauce and brown sugar and then I throw on a couple slices of bacon. I usually double the recipe and make spaghetti and meat squares the next day. Got one cooking right now! Yum!
thank you so so much for this recipe. i made it for my best friend's birthday last night and it was a HIT. everyone kept complimenting the meatloaf saying it was "better than my mom's" haha. this truly is The BEST meatloaf recipe EVER! here's a picture that i posted on my facebook of the finished product (i paired it with honey-balsamic carrots and garlic mashed potatoes- all from scratch)!
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10100808107188611&set=a.10100803661098611.2998282.10037318&type=3&theater
This truly is the best on the web. My honey loved it. The fresh parsley and the hot sauce are genius for this recipe. Thanks for sharing
First let me tell you that i am a male. i am 71 years old and have been cooking gourmet food for over 40 years, over the years i have heard it all and tried it all, dozens of meatloaf recipes. HO-HUM. This by far is the best recipe i have ever tasted. Happy that i could experience it before i go to cooks heaven.
Dear Barry,
That is one of the sweetest compliments I've ever received! I'm thrilled that this recipe fulfilled your desire for the best meatloaf. My husband agrees. Anytime I make this, he is one very happy man! Bless you.
I have tried so many meat loaf recipes each claiming to be the best. I came across your blog and thought 'here's another one claiming the same' until I read Barry's comment and I was sold. He has been making them for longer than myself so how could I doubt his testimonial?
Thanks for sharing, will definitely give it a try and thanks to you too Barry, I hope you get to try many more!
This recipe looks fantastic! Unfortunately, the recipe card didn't show up for me at the end of your post. Has it been disabled?
I apologize if you cannot see the recipe card. I am testing a new version of printable recipe cards for Key Ingredient. It seems that, for now, if you are viewing with Internet Explorer, or on a tablet, you can't view it. Please note that I added a link, that you can click on to see it on "Key Ingredient". I hope this will be fixed soon!
Thank you! I opened in Google Chrome and can see it now.
I'm not able to see the recipe. What is in the liguid? Thanks… always love a new netloaf recipe!
Cant vew recipie and monthly shopping trip is tonight. was waiting to add this recipie but recipie card isnt working *tear*.
I have posted that if you are using Windows Explorer that it might not be visible, so I say to click "HERE" in bold letters. That will transport you to the recipe card on Key Ingredient. Please, PLEASE, read the bottom of the post and you will see how easy it is to find the recipe card. Or, view it in Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox. Hope this helps.
Sounds good but I might add some more spice to it llike Jalpeno and cilantro in it to give it some kick.
Can't get to the recipe… : ( I'm using Google Chrome, and I clicked the click "HERE", however, I see an error message when I get to "Key Ingredient". Any other tips?
Dear Echo, you don't have an email on your profile Email me at foodiewife@gmail.com
I just tested my links, and they are working. No error message. I have no idea why you can't get to my recipe. Try viewing from Windows Explorer?
Debby, I made this meatloaf for today's Sunday Dinner (it was also hubby's birthday dinner)and it was fabulous! Gourmet meatloaf- who knew? I will definitely be blogging this one!
Does it really need veal? Think about the life of that little calf. At no time do I see the need to eat a young force fed animal that lives its short life in a box hardly big enough to stand up in. I love the rest of the ingredients but as a "country girl" I've seen the life that the little calves have. Love the recipe except for the veal. Let's be kind to the animals we eat and at least let them live a decent life before we eat them. Doka Wo
Dear Doka Wo,
Since you don't have a profile, I will address your question of this recipe really needs veal. No, it doesn't. Go with pork and beef only. Whenever I buy meat, I buy grass fed hormone-free meat. Yes, it's more expensive but that's what I do. I am well aware of the inhumane treatment of calves who are raised, in the dark, in tiny crates to be called milk-fed veal. I don't buy or eat it. I buy free-range. I'm a carnivore and a flexitarian. I don't apologize for eating meat. It's what I've done all my life. I don't judge vegetarians, and I would hope they would be vice versa. You be your own judge and choose accordingly.
I can't wait to try this! Like the previous poster, I was going to eliminate the veal for ethical reasons. (We raise and eat our own natural grass-fed beef and hogs – it's not like I'm against eating good meat!) I had never heard of free-range veal. If I can find some, I'll leave it in the recipe. At any rate, I look forward to trying it!
This seems to be a copy-cat recipe to the BBQ Meatloaf that Paula Deen does? Is it your take on it? Happy cooking!
Dear Chef,
If this is a Paula Deen copyccat, I have no idea. I ALWAYS list my recipe source if I use someone's recipe. I have referenced this recipe as being Sarah Moulton's recipe when she had (a much missed) show on Food Network. No matter what, it's the meatloaf recipe that my family loves best.
Your recipe is very similar to mine, but I'm going to get some marjoram to test that out. One very small suggestion (that I got from Cook's Illustrated) is to bake the meatloaf first just enough to get a crust and then put the glaze on.
Meatloaf and mashed… ahhhh. Second only to the sandwiches the next day.
That's a great suggestion on glazing after baking. I glaze before and after. Yummy!
Hey Debby – this glaze looks fantastic! When I make meatloaf – I still use the loaf pan and this sounds as it is worth a try! One thing I add to my ingredients is I finely chop up a stalk of celery. It gives good flavor to the loaf and keeps thins a bit moist. Will have to try this glaze though – it sounds yummy!
Made this Saturday night with a potato onion tart (Also a Pinterest recipe) and it was amongst the best meals I've ever had! Thanks for a truly awesome meatloaf recipe. Didn't have veal, so used 1/2 beef and 1/2 pork and it was outstanding!
I'm not a big fan of meatloaf — never was as a kid and now just shy away from it. My husband would eat it and I'm always looking for something new to make that he'd eat.
However, I have one problem: he hates onions. He likes the flavor of them, but not the texture.
Could I use a micro-planer on an onion and use it that way…so they kinda melt into the loaf?
Thanks so much!
You can buy a mini food processor for $15.00 or so, and liquefy the onions. Your hubby will never know. Love onions, and I'm the same way with bell peppers. I like the taste, but I hate their texture. My hubby loves peppers, so I use the food processor to pulverize them. It's a win-win!!
Oh yeah! This sounds wonderful and I plan to make it soon.
This was one of the best meals! The meat loaf was juicy and delicious! Thanks!
Found this tonight….didn't have the right ingredients this time, but I'm putting it on the menu for next week! Can't wait to try it. Thanks for posting the recipe!
Just want to THANK YOU for converting me into a meatloaf lover! My mom used to punish us by forcing us to eat the worst meatloaf ever. I made it and brought some to my mom, and even she thanks you!
Not having one of those special meatloaf pans, your instructions to cook it without one are great! I agree, the coating on top is excellent, no need for gravy. I did find one loaf to be very large. I cooked it to internal temp of 160 degrees as instructed, but the middle of the loaf was a bit mushy…really just a couple of the slices in the middle, and I tossed them in a frying pan the next day, no biggie. Next time, I think I will make 2 smaller loaves to cut the cooking time and ensure no mushiness.
Absolutely delicious, thank you for sharing, and please people, use the veal, pork and beef. It makes all the difference!!,
Thank you, Anonymous, for your comment. I should edit the recipe so that it suggests you can make two loaves. That is what I do, these days. I freeze one for a future meal. So glad you enjoyed it, and thanks for stopping by.
I agree with you about the pork, but I've been looking for a substitute to my own favorite recipe now that my son is allergic to pork [and it's derivatives] lamb and a whole heap of other stuff.
I totally agree that whole beef ends up like a big fat burger [not that there's anything wrong with that per se.
I'm hoping that if I stick with the other ingredients, especially the tomato paste and onions that I can make a good match.
Best wishes
What do you mean by "chuck"? I see the three meats that are to be used. i just curios on the word chuck.
I am looking forward to cook this tomorrow!
Cheers!
Dear Anonymous:
Please email me at foodiewife@gmail.com and I'll be happy to explain what chuck is. Or, you can google it and I'm sure it'll come up. Cheers.
thanks for posting this recipe. i'm making it now. but what's the measurement of the salt and pepper? can't do a meatloaf "to taste". :)thanks!
I would say a starting point for seasoning is one teaspoon of kosher (coarse) salt and about 1/2 tsp of cracked pepper. I don't use table salt. If you do,then start with half that amount. I hope this helps. Any further questions, please email me foodiewife@gmail.com
I have always used my oven's broiler pan to bake my meatloaf. I put nonstick Reynold's in the bottom pan so it is not so messy to clean later. I spray the top of the broiler pan with nonstick cooking spray. As it bakes, the grease drips down off the meatloaf into the bottom pan. It is yummy and the grease is gone.
I used to use a broiler pan, which can work. The baking rack allows for more even browning than a broiler pan. Leave it to America's Test Kitchen to find great tips, because that's where I got the idea!
This looks great! I haven't used veal, although when I make my meatloaf recipe I do use ground chuck with ground turkey. My husband is clueless and the kids and he absolutely love my meatloaf (and Hubby has always said he HATES meatloaf).
I could make a variation of this and love the onions and liquid. I'm always trying to sneak in extra healthy stuff for a family who prefers meat and potatoes and fish to veggies. 😛
Thanks for sharing!! I'm off to PIN it now!!
One last question, do you cook the meatloaf before you freeze it or freeze it raw with the cooked onions etc?
To freeze it, it’s uncooked. You just need to add additional cooking time.
My 19 was craving my meatloaf, to tell you the truth I really didn't remember it & personally I didn't think it was all that so I decided to do homework & I found foodiewife's recipe! Absolutely perfect!!!!! It converted my other non-meatloaf fans. I honestly can say i won't put this on a shelf for years ever again. My tweaks were, I used 1# of each meat (I'm from Jersey were you can buy this trifecta in the meat case already- but now I'm in tucson so I have to recreate). ISo i also added an extra egg (3) and 1/4 c more milk, then I topped the meatloaf with applewood bacon for the first hour then removed & brushed on the sauce.
Dear Evapaprika (love that name):
Thank you for such a lovely comment. It sounds like your little tweaks would have been delicious. So glad you liked this recipe, and thanks for visiting!
I have to say, it truly is the best meatloaf ever. Delicious. I used pork and beef, still it was wonderful. My husband was at first irritated that I had made a sweet glaze, but after eating it, he actually *apologized* and admitted he LOVED the meatloaf, and would order it in a restaurant. Food apologies don't often happen in these here parts, so this was a huge hit. Thank you for sharing this fabulous recipe!
Dear Mater,
Thank you for the wonderful testimonial. The first time I served this, my son asked "where's the gravy"? They don't ask that question, any longer. They just dig in and eat!
If you add coriander and a couple of drops of Tabasco to the glaze it gives it a wonderful flavor but does not add heat. I also save the glaze until the meatloaf is almost done, then glaze and broil the top for a few minutes to caramelize the glaze a bit. Yummy!
My husband has always hated meatloaf, while I love it. I've never been able to find a recipe he likes until now! He loved this one and has already asked for it again.
Dear Sadie!
Yay! I'm always happy to read raves reviews for this fantastic recipe. My men are always happy when I make this for them.
Hi:-) Just wanted to say my wife is a vegetarian and I have been trying for years to get her onto meat. After many years I have successfully got her eating and enjoying fish and chicken breast (she's not comfortable chewing meat off a bone so I'm happy to leave it there) Anyway about one month ago she was experiencing extreme pain that even the strongest pain killers wouldn't sort out, after some blood tests she was told by a GP and 2 naturopaths she had to start adding red meat into her diet as it was the easiest way to fix the problem along with vitamin B supplements. I cooked her up some of the best steak money can buy but she really was not enjoying it. That's when I thought about meatloaf and found this recipe. I followed it to the letter. She loved it so much it is now a weekly meal and she was so excited the first time she ate it that she took a photo and sent it to everyone. Best of all she hasn't had any pain since. Anyway sorry about this short story however I felt it was worth a mention as it tastes so good even my once vegetation wife loves it!! 😀 Thanks for the recipe!!
This has to be one of the SWEETEST, most heartwarming comments I've ever received! I loved your story and I'm so happy that your wife loves this recipe. Thank you for sharing that story! Debby
Going to do this tonight as I just bought the beef,veal, pork mix at my favorite gourmet market. Have you tried the Paula Deen trick of cooking your meatloaf on top of a couple of pieces of sliced bread? The bread soaks up all the grease. Its a great trick
That two slices of bread sound like a good idea. Though, I have to say, I really don't end up with my dripping fat. I'll stick with cooking mine atop a baking rack, because I like the idea of heat getting underneath the loaf as well. Since my baking sheet is foil lined, I can just roll it up and toss it. I hope you enjoy it.
Sorry to say that I made this for dinner last night and it was awful. My house smelled like garlc and the mealoaf tasted like garlic. Didn't use veal and used a 93% lean ground beef which made this very dry. Will go back to my Ann Landers meatloaf or Paula Deen's for the future.
I'm not a fan of anonymous comments, because they come across as cowardly. You could have written to me, as I provide my email.
With that said, you say you used ground beef and it turned out dry… did you add ground pork? I'm thinking not. If you read my blog, I say that if you use all beef, it will taste like a giant hamburger. I get frustrated when people alter my recipes and then complain that it didn't work out.
As far as smelling like garlic… did you go a little crazy with it? I've done that, and too much garlic can ruin a dish. Sorry you didn't like it, but I have dozens and dozens of people who have written to me to me that they loved it.
I won't delete your rude comment, so others can learn from your alterations that they don't work.
From here in the Philippines, thanks for this recipe! I made this for dinner today and it really is good!
I want to try and make this tomorrow but was going to substitute lamb for veal because I already have it. I have a few questions…does this make 1 meatloaf or 2…I saw mention of freezing half. Also if I make mini ones how many mini ones would the whole recipe make?
Thanks!
Dear Holly,
I wouldn't recommend substituting lamb for veal. I love lamb, but it's far too strong for this meatloaf. If anything, leave out the veal, and use beef and pork only.
This makes a very large meatloaf, but I like to make a two smaller ones, so I can freeze one for later.
I think I made 6 or 8 mini loaves. Again, it' s all about how large or small you want to make them.
I do hope you take my advice and NOT use lamb. I do make a delicious beef and lamb Shepherd's Pie, but definitely not for meatloaf. Good luck!
Oh my word! You weren't kidding when you said it was the best meatloaf recipe ever. I made it tonight & the family love it. Even the fussy 10 year old. The teenager asked for seconds. I'm looking forward to lunch tomorrow just for the leftovers! Fabuloso!!! I will be making again & again & sharing with friends.
Left overs just as delicious – thank you!
Delicious with nice herb-y flavor and that yummy glaze. Not at all your traditional, same-old tomato/onion flavored meatloaf. Great texture, moist and perfect if you want to make something that will be remembered. I made four smaller loaves. I froze three and baked one in my two-serving size loaf pan. Baking time at 350 degrees was about 50 minutes to reach 160 degrees. Each bite was better than the last. But now I'm sad. There are no left-overs for tomorrows lunch.
I've used this recipe since I first saw it in Sara's show over a decade ago. It truly is the best meatloaf! I like to buy the little foil loaf pans, punch holes in the bottom, and cook them on a metal rack (cleanup is so easy and the leftover loaves are perfect for a sandwich the next day). Thanks for sharing this! =)
On 10 Mar 2014 I posted that I made four mini loaves using this recipe for the first time, and froze three. We loved the one I cooked right away. Yesterday I thawed one of the frozen loaves and cooked it. Awesome! Still as good as the first. And once again, sadly no left-overs! I think next time I'll try making a larger loaf. Again, that two-serving size loaf took about 55 minutes to reach 160 degrees, not the shorter time suggested in the recipe.
Look no further!
I have always enjoyed good meatloaf, and my mom's was one that inspired many fond memories. But THIS ONE (don't tell my mom) is the best I have ever had!!!
I varied only slightly from the original, by increasing the quantity of meat almost double, and by using only grass fed ground beef and sweet Italian sausage, and since I adore garlic, I more than doubled that. Otherwise, I followed the original as closely as I could, and I could not be more delighted with the results.
I served the meatloaf with Szechuan Green Beans, from showmethecurry.com (another favorite of mine).
Thank you SOOOO much for posting this delicious sensation!!!
How spicy is this with the hot sauce in it? I have family members that will not eat anything at all spicy. Thanks!
It's not spicy at all. I don't like really hot food, either. You can leave it out altogether, or just use half.
Hey, this recipe is awesome!
Also, not trying to be a jerk but you said you'd swore off processed foods, yet ketchup is in this recipe? Isn't that just as processed as the other stuff you'd mentioned?
Is ketchup a processed food? It depends. I read the label, and I don't buy any with high fructose corn syrup.
Absolute meatloaf nirvana and I even forgot the marjoram! Didn't have parsley so used cilantro. No veal, just half and half ground beef and ground pork. Perfect texture and moisture content. Will certainly make this again AND remember the marjoram this time! Thanks Debby.
OMG! My mom came to visit and before she left for the airport I wanted her to have a great dinner! I saw your Blue Plate Special and MY MOM SAID TO TELL YOU THIS WAS A 10+!!!!!!!! Everything about it is excellent! I can't wait to make a sandwich! We had garlic mashed potatoes and broccoli with it! YUM!
Thanks, Tanya! I'm so glad your mom liked it.
Googled it, made it, ate it! YUM!!! I left out the veal and upped the pork. My husband was dubious when I said I was making meatloaf but he loved it. I did add a little of my Aunty's plum worcestershire sauce to the glaze and I used mild american mustard (that could be an aussie thing)instead of dijon and sriracha sauce for the hot sauce. Love the free form loaf! and the cooking method, so easy to clean up. Very thorough recipe thanks! I'm adding it to my tried and tested recipe collection.
Mmmmm… It sounds so meaty and loafy.
I like this delicious recipies, Thanks for sharing…..!
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Hubby made this for the first time and is putting in the oven now. He wasn't sure where to put Dijon mustard, so left it out…by the time he mentioned to me he had form and sauced the loaf. In any case, I'm sure it will be delicious, but wanted to mention. Thank You.
I am sure the meat loaf will turn out just fine. The instructions is in step #3 to add the mustard in with the eggs. Thanks for writing.
I just sampled the little patty that you suggested to make, to see if the spices needed to be adjusted, and, OH, MY…it was SOOO delicious! Can't wait for this to be done so that I can have a bigger piece! Thank you for sharing this wonderful recipe!
I can never get the actual recipe to show unless I open this page on my desktop and this is my go-to meatloaf recipe! Any suggestions? I love this and the glazed carrots! I could eat them daily! Thanks for posting!
The meatloaf recipe looks great (husband's favorite) so will make it soon. I was buying loaf pans for meatloaf, and replacing them often, then I remembered my Aunts and Mother and Grandmother cooking with cast iron loaf pans for bread and meatloaf. Used the same pans forever. So I bought some. Great investment. Browns beautifully, gives a more roasted flavor to meatloaf and the pans get better the more they are used. Love your site! Making the Transylvanian Goulash today and take it to work tomorrow. Hope it is a hit. Looks delicious.
I cannot get over how awesome this meatloaf is. As a kid, I hated it when my mom made meatloaf – but I've been making your version for three or four years, now, and I haven't had a single complaint from anyone. It makes awesome meatloaf sandwiches, too! Thanks so much for sharing!
Byan, thank you for sharing your praises for this recipe. I wasn't kidding when I said this is the best meatloaf. It's always appreciated by my family.
Hi Debbie, The lady who told you ketchup or Catsup is a processed food. It is but only in the sense is making the recipe and processing it by pressure canning it. I have made it from scratch and it is marvelous. Nothing like store bought. However if you haven't tried organic ketchup, give it a whirl. Organic means no HFCS but lots of sugar, it also gets rid of all of the unpronounceable chemicals. My problem is sugar and salt. So I have to start with tomato paste. It is merely plain plum tomatoes cooked long and thick then pressure canned. This allows control over the sugar. It can be done with granulated and brown sugar! all dark brown sugar, the very deep dark brown sugar available at the natural food stores, or add molasses to taste according to the family taste. I use LS Worcestershire Sauce for flavor( I just pretend those baby fishes aren't in there). I stock up on Vegetarian LS Worcestershire when I see it. Probably at Whole Foods, You can use LS Soy Sauce. Apple Cider Vinegar to thin it to Ketchup concentration. If you do use molasses, start with a small amount plus brown sugar you can liquefy an onion and garlic in order to add flavor. This is the way you can have your Ketchup and eat it too if you are like me, with resistant High Blood Pressure or either form diabetes. The lady who didn't like the meatloaf, created her own problem, the pork contributes some fat if she didn't use it it equals dry. There is also the flavor loss. But she bought the wrong hamburger as well. For the best tasting meatloaf you want to buy 80 – 85 % lean which is ground chuck, a tougher grade, but grinding 3x fixes that. More fat is more flavor. She said she used 93%, that is ground round, much leaner. My Mother used to buy that to make pot roast. I like Round for London Broil. So she made 3 negative judgements. Plus the garlic remarks, that was out of line. She cooks every day., she should already know whether or not she likes Garlic and adjust for it. Someone mentioned using Italian sausage, love that Idea, very flavorful sounding and a neat way to finagle ground pork for the recipe, or grind some fennel seeds in the coffee grinder. I would definitely use the celery as someone else mentioned. Great recipe, I don't eat Veal and use a vendor that supplies grass, pasture raised Beef, pork, Chicken, and lamb, no veal. This year we will have traditional Canadian Christmas Pie using Beef and Pork. Happy, Happy! Just not the same with ground pork chops. One final thought. Have you ever thought of using the glaze on grilled burgers? If you try the. Paste for Ketchup idea finally grate carrots and cook them in the Ketchup. That is the old country way to sweeten tomato sauces, Not much sugar. Add fresh ground salt and pepper to taste. You can use seasonings your family likes as well, make it your own. Try barbecue sauce as well. Thanks for listening, use anything you like, it's free, no charge, no copyrights, visit my Pinterest site anytime. MaryAnn Coy.
hi, this recipe sounds great. However, I cannot find on the page. you mentioned that it is at the bottom of the page, but I can’t find it. please tell me where i’m taking a wrong turn. the recipe is called”the very best meatloaf, i promise. thank you. jim
I’m sorry for any confusion. At the very bottom of the post, I have a link that takes you to an updated post with the recipe card.
https://afeastfortheeyes.net/2011/03/meatloaf-again-you-bet-psssst-its-bes.html
Debbie,
Is the list of in gredients listed separately?
I have redone this post with updated pics. At the bottom of the page there should be a link to where you can find a printable recipe card. Email me foodiewife@gmail.commif you still can’t find it.
I have made this recipe many times and it truly is the best. I have a printed copy from years ago that is getting ragged. Can this recipe be pinned? Also, i would like to prepare a few of these for freezing. How do you wrap it to ensure that there is no freezer burn? I was thinking tightly in foil and then in a freezer bag.
Thank you, Dani! I freeze mine, and then use my Food Saver. I love my FS because I don’t get freezer burn, ever!
After living through years of my mother’s big blob of meat, aka meatloaf, and my dad’s onion soup mix version I can honestly say that this is 100% my favorite meatloaf! The onions, marjoram, and thyme make this recipe. It’s such an interesting twist (to me anyway) that I now find myself wondering what else I can put those herbs in. And don’t get me started on the glaze. I think you should bottle and sell it. It is absolutely perfect. I make extra so I can have a little more for dipping. Blame the kid in me who had to dump half a bottle of ketchup on my mother’s meatloaf just to be able to stomach it. Anyway, I’ve been making this for years and just wanted to let you know how happy I am that I found it. 🙂
You really made me laugh out loud! I know what you mean about the glaze. The first time I made this, my son asked me “where’s the gravy”. I told him to try it my way and let’s see what you think. He has never asked for gravy again. Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a comment. I’m so happy you enjoyed it as much as we do.
Hi Debby,
This is THE MOST DELICIOUS RECIPE FOR MEATLOAF EVER!!!!!
I have to admit that I substitute ground chicken, but my family still finds it SUPERB!!!
I always double the ‘sauce’ and serve it with mashed potatoes and another side along with a salad…..but this is a Family Favorite for sure!! 🙂 🙂 🙂
Thank you for introducing me to this Deliciousness!!! 🙂
Thank you so much for the feedback. Ground chicken works, huh? That sounds worth trying that variation. My husband loves this recipe, too!
I can’t believe I never wrote on here how wonderful this recipe is for me. This was my third time making it. It is beyond delicious. I have tried to figure out is it the veal or spices that make it do wonderful. The best meatloaf recipe ever!
Thank you so much! I am just getting to make this again. My husband loves this recipe, too.
Made this tonight and it was DELICIOUS!!!! All of the kidults are grown and out of the house, so I get to enjoy this all week! Mashed potatoes and gravy with green beans on the side. I looked through 50+ recipes and decided on yours. What a blessing for me this Easter Sunday. Thank you so much for sharing.
I am honored that I won as choice recipe to try. Meat loaf, to me, is the ultimate comfort food. Thank you for the positive review!
I have made this so many times and it is always a hit! Love the texture and sauce. Its easy to make and so delicious! I’ve made several smaller “meat loaves ” vs. one large one so they last a few more days.
So delicious… thank you!
I have made this so many times and it is always a hit! Love the texture and sauce. Its easy to make and so delicious! I’ve made several smaller “meat loaves ” vs. one large one so they last a few more days.
So delicious… thank you!
Forgot to check 5 stars..sorry
Awww, thank you! This recipe is one of my husband’s favorite recipes, too.
Made this for my wife tonight. Best meatloaf I have ever made per her…
Thank you! I’m always happy when someone likes my recipe and take the time to rate it. 💓
Thank you so much for this recipe. I love meatloaf and this recipe produces a delicious tender and toasty meatloaf. I’ve been eating/making meatloaf for 50 years but this one … is the BEST ever! I’ve just sent a copy to my sister. Thanks again!
Thank you for the positive feedback. We love this recipe and have made it many times. I appreciate your taking the time to leave a review!
Holy flavor!! Thank you sooo much for this recipe! We LOVED it and we’re so looking forward to tonight’s leftovers! And we agree — the glaze is the chef’s kiss on top!
Thank you so much! I’ve made this recipe several times, and it’s one that my husband loves.
It is worthy of 5 stars because it is a very good meatloaf, Only bone of contention I have is the cook time.
I temp’d it after an hour and internal was only 110. No where near the 160. I knew my oven was correct so I can only
assume maybe my meatloaf was chubbier then yours. I don’t use a loaf pan. It took darn near an an hour and 45 mins.
It’s a keeper recipe— I just need to re-factor the cook time. Thanks for a great recipe.
Thank you for the positive review. I’ll update my instructions to advise cooks that times can vary.
I use your recipe as a guide and have great success with some alterations for my household. My alterations are to make it dairy and gluten free by using coconut milk and gluten free breadcrumbs. i substitute ground italian sausage for the veal and pork. it was a necessary substitute when I couldn’t get the veal and pork. for baking, i make “meatmuffins’ using a muffin tin. It reduces bake time and is great for getting the topping in every bite.
I’m liking your adjustments to make this dairy and gluten free. Great! I have made meatloaf muffins, myself, and that’s a great idea. My favorite part of this recipe is the delicious glaze. Thanks for taking the time to comment.