Easy Meatloaf

5 from 31 votes

This easy homemade meatloaf recipe is hearty, flavorful, and perfectly seasoned—just like the classic comfort food you grew up with!

Prep Time15

Cook Time1 10

Total Time1 25

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Servings:

Author: Kristyn Merkley

Ingredients

1 cup ketchup
⅔ cup packed light brown sugar
2 tablespoons lemon juice, divided
2 teaspoons dry mustard
4 bread slices
2 pounds lean ground beef, 80% lean/20% fat
¼ cup diced onion
1 egg, beaten
1 beef bouillon cube, crushed

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
In a small bowl, combine ketchup, brown sugar, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, and the dry mustard and mix until smooth. Set aside.
Pulse bread slices in a food processor until crumbled and uniform in size.
In a large bowl, combine ground beef, breadcrumbs, onion, egg, bouillon cube and remaining 1 tablespoon lemon juice. Add half the ketchup mixture and mix until well combined. Form meat into a loaf and place in a lightly greased casserole dish.
Bake for 1 hour. Drain fat from the dish, then top with remaining ketchup mixture and bake for an additional 10 minutes.

Video

Notes

Recipe tips.

Over-mixing can cause the meatloaf to turn out tough and dense.
Use 80/20 ground beef for the best balance of moisture and flavor.
When shaping don't over-pack the meat, just gently form it into the loaf shape.
Double the glaze ingredients for an extra saucy meatloaf (still only add about ¾ cup to the meat mixture and slather the rest on top).

Prep ahead. Form the meatloaf and place it in a baking dish. Cover with plastic wrap or foil and refrigerate overnight. The sauce can be stored in a separate container in the fridge.

Freezer meal. Make the meat mixture as directed, form the loaf, and wrap it with plastic wrap. Place the glaze in a Ziploc bag. Place both together in a freezer bag for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge for 24 hours before baking according to the recipe directions.

Store in an airtight container(s) in the fridge for about 3 days or freeze meatloaf for up to 3 months. Leftovers also make great meatloaf sandwiches!

Nutrition