Classic Meatloaf Recipe
- 1 1/2 pound lean ground beef
- 1 Cup diced onions
- 3/4 cup bread crumbs
- 1/3 cup milk, water or broth
- 2 eggs slightly beaten
- 1 teaspoon tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 3/4 cup ketchup
- 1 tablespoon white vinegar
STEP 1: Preheat Oven
Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a baking
sheet with aluminum foil. Dice 1 cup of onion into very
small pieces. The smaller the better - this will allow the
meatloaf to stick together easier.
STEP 2: Mix Ingredients
Mix In a large bowl, mix together 1 ½
lbs lean ground beef (or beef/pork blend), 1 cup diced onion (chopped
small), ¾ cup bread crumbs (or panko), ⅓ cup milk (or
broth/water), 2 eggs, 1 tsp tomato paste, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp onion
powder, ½ tsp salt, and ¼ tsp ground black pepper. Combine everything
really well.
👉 Do
not use ketchup or vinegar in this step (it's for the topping added
later)
Shape The Meatloaf
Option 1: Shape the meatloaf into a loaf with
your hands and place it directly on the lined baking sheet.
Option 2 (my favorite hack): Pack the mixture into a greased
loaf pan, then flip it upside down onto the baking
sheet and lift off the pan.
👉 Why
do it this way? It gives you a perfect loaf shape and crispier
edges-no soggy bottom like traditional pan-baked
meatloaf.
STEP 3: Bake + Mix Sauce
Bake uncovered for 40 minutes. While it's
cooking, mix together the sauce topping: ¾ cup ketchup and 1 Tbsp white
vinegar.
STEP 4: Spread The Sauce
Remove the meatloaf from the oven and spread the sauce
mixture over the top and sides.
Place back in the oven to bake for another 10 minutes,
or until fully cooked inside.
STEP 5: Let Rest
Let the meatloaf rest for 10 minutes before
slicing to allow the juices to distribute evenly. Serve and enjoy!
