Go Back
–+ servings
Easy Meatloaf
Print

Easy Meatloaf

Moist, tender, flavorful, and super EASY MEATLOAF dinner made with ground meat and spices baked beautifully in a loaf pan and glazed with a sweet and tangy sauce. A classic family dish perfect for busy weeknights!
Course Main
Cuisine American
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings 6 - 8 slices
Calories 444kcal
Author Imma

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon (14ml) cooking oil
  • 1 medium onion , grated
  • 2 teaspoons (10g) minced garlic
  • ¼ cup (46.25g) finely chopped green bell
  • 1 ½ pound (680.39g) ground beef meat
  • 3 tablespoons (12g) chopped parsley
  • ¾ cup (37.5g) breadcrumbs
  • 1 egg
  • 2 teaspoons (2g) fresh thyme
  • 1 teaspoon (2g) white pepper
  • ½ -1 teaspoon (1g-2g) cayenne pepper
  • ½ tablespoon (1g) beef bouillon powder or 1 cube
  • 2 teaspoons (11.34g) Worcestershire sauce
  • ¾ cup (180ml) milk
  • salt to taste (I used about ( 1 1/2 teaspoon)

Meatloaf Glaze

  • ½ cup (117.5g) ketchup
  • 1 tablespoon (15g) dijon mustard
  • 2 tbsp (25g) brown sugar , lightly packed
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350°F with rack in middle. Pour about 1 tablespoon of oil to a small- medium saucepan, bring to medium heat.
  • Add onions, garlic, and bell pepper and saute for about a minute or two to let the flavors bloom. Be careful to not let it burn. Let it cool.
  • Place the beef, parsley, breadcrumbs, egg, thyme, white and cayenne pepper, Worcestershire sauce, beef bouillon powder into a medium bowl. Add the cooled onion mixture, followed by milk and salt. Mix lightly until everything has been fully combined.
  • Form meatloaf into a loaf on a rimmed baking pan or place into a 5×9 loaf pan, lightly press so it’s evenly distributed in the pan.
  • Bake for about about 40 minutes, then carefully remove from the oven.

Meatloaf Glaze

  • Mix ketchup, mustard, and brown sugar. Then brush meatloaf with the ketchup glaze.
  • Return meatloaf back to the oven. Continue baking for another 20 minutes or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into center of meatloaf registers 160 degrees F.
  • Let it stand for 10 minutes before serving.

Notes

  1.  If you prefer less fat for this dish, you can use lean ground beef with 30% ground pork. Ground turkey also works fine.
  2.  Yes, you can always use panko breadcrumbs which are larger than the regular breadcrumbs. This makes the meatloaf softer.
  3. Aside from onion, bell pepper, and garlic, you can also saute some carrots and celery for added texture.
  4. Yes, you may add small pieces of bread to this dish. But make sure to soak the bread in milk until it becomes thick and mushy before adding it into the mixture.
  5. Most recipes would call to just dump everything in a bowl and mix with the ground meat. But in this recipe, I highly suggest that you don't skip the sauteing part as it allows the veggies to bloom and soften, adding more flavor, moist and aroma to our meatloaf dish.
  6. Gently pat down the meatloaf mixture into the loaf pan instead of packing it in too firmly.
  7. Let it stand for 10 minutes before serving (this is important!). You can use two thin spatulas to remove and transfer the meatloaf from the pan. 
  8. Please keep in mind that nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary greatly based on products used.

Nutrition

Serving: 1slice | Calories: 444kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 24g | Fat: 27g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 110mg | Sodium: 539mg | Potassium: 510mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 415IU | Vitamin C: 11.5mg | Calcium: 104mg | Iron: 3.5mg