Meatloaf Recipe

Nothing gathers a family around the dinner table better than a plate full of juicy meatloaf with a side of fluffy mashed potatoes and green beans. When it comes to comforting, easy, and cheap dinners, meatloaf is perfect recipe. It comes out tender and juicy every time and the glaze on top is such a perfect addition of sweet and tangy flavors.

I’ve been tweaking this recipe for a few years and it’s time to update it for everyone else. To make sure that my meatloaf has the best texture, I use a combination of ground beef and ground pork, add finely diced onions, and use two eggs. For the best flavors, make sure to add Worcestershire sauce, mustard, and fresh herbs. The family will be begging for this every week!

There is never a need for gravy with this moist and flavorful meatloaf. You just need to decide what kind of sides you wish to serve with it. Do you want to go healthy or go all the way for comforting? Decide and enjoy this classic, always satisfying family dinner.

Ground meats- I always, always use a combination of beef and pork in my meatloaf and meatballs. This is a great combination for juicy and tender meatloaf. Choose either an 85/15 or 90/10 ground beef for the best meat to fat ratios. Remember that when the meat is too lean, it will most likely come out dry.

Garlic – fresh garlic is always the best choice.

Bread crumbs – use Italian seasoned bread crumbs or Gluten Free bread crumbs if needed*.

Dijon mustard – use Dijon mustard for best results or spicy mustard if needed, but not yellow mustard.

Herbs – a combination of fresh dill weed and parsley.

See recipe card for complete information on ingredients and quantities.

Gluten Free Notes

It’s very simple to make this meatloaf recipe gluten free by just swapping out bread crumbs for gluten free bread crumbs. For this recipe, I prefer to use Italian bread crumbs.

Italian style gluten free bread crumbs are not as widely available as plain, so you may need to get plain gluten free crumbs and add dried parsley, dry oregano, dried basil, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper to get the flavors into it. You only need a little bit of that seasoning in the bread crumbs as most of these flavors are already present in the meatloaf.

This is the best part about cooking meatloaf, it’s so easy! All you have to do is quickly combine the ingredients and pop it in the oven.

Preheat the oven to 350° and lightly grease a 9×5 loaf baking pan. 

Combine all the ingredients for the meatloaf in a mixing bowl (1 and 2) and mix it until ingredients are evenly incorporated throughout. Transfer the meat mixture into the prepared baking pan and use a wooden spoon to spread evenly in the pan (3). 

Freezing Instructions:

If planning to freeze meatloaf, you can use aluminum loaf baking pans to bake it and freeze right in it. It can also be baked in a regular loaf baking pan and then transferred into aluminum ones after. 

Prepare the meat mixture according to the recipe and transfer into the baking pan. Bake for 50-55 minutes, until just cooked. Cool completely before freezing. Freeze the meatloaf without the topping.

Transfer the loaf into aluminum pan, wrap it tightly in aluminum foil and the plastic wrap. Label and freeze for up to 2-3 months.

Thaw overnight, in the refrigerator. Spread topping all over the top and reheat at 350° for 15-20 minutes. 

Some More Classic Italian Recipes

Creamy Tomato Gnocchi

Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto

Baked Ziti

Pomodoro Sauce

Classic Manicotti

PIN THIS RECIPE FOR LATER

DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE? PLEASE leave a 🌟 star rating! Let me know how you liked it by leaving the 📝 comment below or share and tag me on social media @willcookforsmiles. DON’T FORGET to subscribe to my newsletter!