A good meatloaf is moist, sliceable and well seasoned, with a glaze that’s sticky rather than sugary. It’s not complicated food, but small decisions matter: the fat content of the meat, the binder, and how long you mix it.
This one is baked free-form on a sheet pan. That gives you more browned surface than a loaf pan and lets the fat drain away instead of pooling around the meat.
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About this dish
Meatloaf at its best is juicy, well seasoned and easy to slice, with a tangy, slightly sweet glaze that browns on top. It tastes like a proper family dinner, and the leftovers make one of the best sandwiches you’ll eat all week.
It’s a forgiving recipe. You can swap the meat, add vegetables or change the glaze, and the method stays the same.
Prep 20 min · Cook 1 hour · Serves 6 to 8
Ingredients
Meatloaf
- 2 lb (900 g) ground beef, 80/20, or 1.5 lb beef and 1/2 lb ground pork
- 3/4 cup (45 g) panko breadcrumbs
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) whole milk
- 2 large eggs
- 1 medium onion, finely diced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tbsp butter
- 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tbsp ketchup
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 1 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
Glaze
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) ketchup
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
Method
- Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment.
- Melt the butter in a small skillet and cook the onion for 5 minutes until soft. Add the garlic for 1 minute. Let it cool for a few minutes.
- Stir the panko and milk together in a large bowl and leave for 5 minutes.
- Add the eggs, Worcestershire, ketchup, mustard, salt, pepper, thyme, parsley and the cooled onion. Mix well, then add the meat and fold it in with your hands just until combined.
- Shape into a loaf about 9 by 5 inches on the baking sheet, with a slightly rounded top.
- Stir the glaze ingredients together. Spread half over the loaf and bake for 40 minutes.
- Spread the remaining glaze on top and bake for another 15 to 20 minutes, until the center reads 160°F (71°C).
- Rest for 10 minutes before slicing so the juices settle.
Tips
- Use meat with some fat. Lean beef gives a dry, crumbly loaf.
- Mix gently. Overworked meat turns dense and bouncy.
- Use a thermometer. Meatloaf looks done long before it is, and 160°F is the safe temperature for ground meat.
- Cook a small test patty in a skillet first if you’re unsure about the seasoning. It takes two minutes.
What to serve with it
Mashed potatoes and green beans are the standard pairing. Buttered egg noodles or roasted carrots work just as well. Cold slices make an excellent sandwich the next day, with mustard and a little extra glaze.
Storage and freezing
Leftovers keep for 4 days in the fridge. Wrap individual slices well and freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat slices in a covered pan with a spoonful of water, or in a 325°F oven.
Variations
- Wrap the loaf in bacon before baking for extra richness.
- Add 1/2 cup of finely grated carrot or zucchini for moisture.
- Make mini meatloaves in a muffin tin. Bake for 25 minutes.
Where meatloaf comes from
Loaves of ground or chopped meat have been made in Europe for centuries, and German-American cooking was a big influence on the version found in the United States. Home cooks in the 19th century used ground meat to turn cheaper cuts and leftovers into something sliceable.
Meatloaf became especially common during the Great Depression and again during wartime rationing, when bread, oats or crackers were used to stretch a small amount of meat further. The ketchup glaze is a 20th-century touch, and by the mid-century it had become a staple of the American family dinner table.
Meatloaf has relatives across Europe, including the German hackbraten, the Italian polpettone and the Dutch gehaktbrood. They all follow the same logic: ground meat, a binder, seasoning, and a long gentle bake.
