Easy Meatloaf Recipe
Made with a mix of ground beef, pork, and veal and flavor enhancers like Worcestershire sauce, dried oregano, and fresh parsley, this easy meatloaf recipe is not your grandmother’s meatloaf. Instead, it’s moist, delicious, and could be a weeknight dinner staple.
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I have a confession: I only liked meatloaf after I was firmly planted in adulthood. Before that, I only ate it—begrudgingly—when my mom made it while I was growing up. I never liked the taste or the texture, and I never made it after I started cooking for myself.
Then, many years later, I ate it at my mother’s house after she told me that she had begun preparing it in recent years with a mix of ground beef, pork, and veal instead of just ground beef. I don’t know if that made all the difference or if my palette finally matured, but I loved it.
Of course, I had to tweak my mother’s ingredients and method just a bit (like I did with these baked vinegar chicken thighs and potatoes), but this easy meatloaf recipe is moist, tender, and flavorful. It also makes awesome leftovers.
Why You’ll Love This Easy Meatloaf Recipe
- It’s for those who don’t like meatloaf: Say “goodbye” to dry, boring meatloaf. This one is moist, tender, and flavorful.
- This meatloaf is easy to prepare: You combine almost every ingredient with the ground meat. Along with preparing a quick glaze, this recipe comes together quickly.
- It relies on many pantry ingredients: With the exception of the meatloaf mix, you’re likely to already have many of the ingredients already on hand.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Meatloaf Mix (ground beef, pork, and veal): This combination yields a moist, tender meatloaf.
- Celery: This adds a nice bit of crunch to the meatloaf.
- Yellow Onion: You can also use a white or Vidalia onion.
- Dried Oregano: Don’t use fresh because it could be too overpowering.
- Garlic Powder: Don’t substitute with fresh garlic. It will remain raw inside the meatloaf and be bitter.
- Worcestershire Sauce: This adds a umami flavor.
- Tomato Sauce (no added salt): This helps keep the meatloaf moist and creates the glaze.
- Eggs: Large are best.
- Italian Flat-Leaf Parsley: This adds freshness to the meatloaf.
- Dried Plain Breadcrumbs: Don’t use fresh breadcrumbs, which could make the meatloaf too soft.
- White Wine Vinegar: This is for the glaze. You can also use apple cider or red wine vinegar.
- Dark Brown Sugar: Also for the glaze, this will add sweetness. Light brown sugar is also OK to use.
See the recipe card below for more information on ingredients and quantities.
How to Make This Easy Meatloaf Recipe
- Mix all ingredients together: Mix together the meatloaf mix with the finely chopped celery and yellow onion, oregano, garlic powder, salt, pepper, Worcestershire sauce, tomato sauce, eggs, parsley, and breadcrumbs. Transfer it to a casserole dish and form it into a roughly 8″ x 4″ oval shape.
- Make the glaze: Whisk together more of the tomato sauce, the white wine vinegar, the dark brown sugar, and salt and pour over the meatloaf.
- Cook the meatloaf: Cook it on the bottom rack of a 350F oven, uncovered, for 1 hour. Let it sit for 15 minutes before cutting into it.
Pro Tips
Use a large bowl to mix the ingredients: This will make it much easier to ensure everything incorporates well.
Break up the ground meat in the bowl before adding the other ingredients: This will also make it easier to mix everything together evenly.
Add the Worcestershire sauce and tomato sauce directly to the ground meat: This will allow the meat to absorb these flavors instead of the breadcrumbs as you prepare the loaf.
Suggestions for Variations and Substitutions
- Make it with ground beef only (It may be less tender, though.)
- Use panko instead of regular breadcrumbs.
- Apple cider vinegar or red wine vinegar can replace the white wine vinegar in a 1:1 ratio.
- Use light brown sugar if you don’t have dark brown.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, but it won’t be as moist and flavorful. If you can’t find meatloaf mix, it might be because it’s labeled as meatball mix. If you can’t locate either one, you can purchase ground beef, pork, and veal separately, then take equal amounts of each to total 2 pounds. This may be more expensive, but you can freeze any unused portion and use it for another recipe.
I don’t recommend using fresh breadcrumbs with this meatloaf. Although they work really well in meatballs, fresh breadcrumbs may make the meatloaf too tender, causing it to fall apart when you cut into it.
Letting the meatloaf sit for 15 minutes will help it firm up and make it easier to serve.
Storage
Refrigerator
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Freezer
You can freeze the meatloaf for up to 3 months in a freezer-safe container.
Reheat
Defrost in the refrigerator first if you stored the meatloaf in the freezer. Reheat in the oven, covered, at 350F or lower until warmed through. You can also reheat in the microwave, covered, in a microwave-safe container.
More Comfort Food Recipes
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Easy Meatloaf Recipe
Ingredients
For the Meatloaf
- 2 pounds meatloaf mix ground beef, pork, and veal (Note 1)
- ½ cup celery finely chopped
- ½ cup yellow onion peeled and finely chopped
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper freshly ground, to taste
- ¼ cup tomato sauce no salt added (Note 2)
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 2 eggs large
- ½ cup Italian flat-leaf parsley minced
- 1 and ½ cups breadcrumbs dried, plain (Note 3)
For the Glaze
- 1 cup tomato sauce no salt added
- 4 tablespoons white wine vinegar (Note 4)
- 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar (Note 5)
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F. In a large bowl, mix together all the ingredients for the meatloaf:2 pounds meatloaf mix—ground beef, pork, and veal; ½ cup finely chopped celery; ½ cup peeled and finely chopped yellow onion; 2 teaspoons kosher salt; 1 teaspoon garlic powder; ½ teaspoon dried oregano; ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper; ¼ cup tomato sauce; 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce; 2 large eggs; ½ cup minced Italian flat-leaf parsley; and 1 and ½ cups dried plain breadcrumbs
- Transfer the meatloaf to a baking pan or casserole dish lined with aluminum foil and mold it into an approximate 8" x 4" oval shape.
- Whisk together the ingredients for the glaze and pour it over the meatloaf. It's OK if some of it runs down the sides.1 cup tomato sauce, 4 tablespoons white wine vinegar, 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar, and ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- Place the pan or casserole dish in the oven on the bottom rack, uncovered, and bake for 1 hour. Let it sit for 15 minutes before slicing into it. Enjoy!
