The Best Meatloaf Recipe {So Easy} Modern Meal Makeover (2024)

This is THE Best Meatloaf Recipe Ever with a mouthwatering brown sugar glaze! It is a savory and hearty combination of ground beef, eggs, tangy condiments (ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, and mustard), flavorful Italian bread crumbs, and Lipton Beefy Onion Soup packet, all baked together and topped with a sweet, ketchup and brown sugar glaze.

This meatloaf recipe is an easy weeknight dinner that is sure to become a family favorite. Not only is it tasty, but it is hearty and filling. Compare it to a hamburger, and your kids will be sold! They will be shocked to find out that it tastes even better than a burger because it is packed with flavor. The Italian bread crumbs, the condiment mixture, and the onion soup mix give it so much zest that every bite is a tasty treat. Top that with the sweet sauce, and you have an entree that is absolutely irresistible.

One of the best parts about this meatloaf recipe (besides how delicious it is) is how simple it is to make. I love to have my kids help, especially with the mixing. Once you have lined and sprayed your pan, you basically just mix up your ingredients and then squish them all together in a bowl. Once you press it in a pan and put it in the oven, you’ll whip up your glaze. Then just top the meatloaf with the glaze and bake for a few more minutes. The bake time of this dish gives you plenty of time to get your sides ready. In just an hour or so, you’ll have a tasty dinner entree ready for your whole family to enjoy!

Why You’ll Love This Best Meatloaf Recipe

• It’s the perfect combination of a savory meat mixture topped with a sweet glaze.
• This meatloaf is simple to make.
• It makes a tasty weeknight dinner that your whole family will enjoy.
• You probably already have all of the ingredients that you need in your kitchen!
• It is a very hearty and filling entree, and it pairs well with just about everything.

Equipment Needed To Make This Simple Meatloaf Recipe

• Baking Sheet
• Foil
• Cooking Spray
• Large Bowl

Ingredients To Make The Best Meatloaf Recipe

• Ground Beef: I prefer 80/20 using a high fat content beef with make the juiciest meatloaf. If you prefer a leaner ground beef. I suggest adding more wet ingredients like ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, and milk to keep it from drying out.
• Eggs: This is the key ingredient to help keep everything together.
• Ketchup: Used in both the glaze and in the meatloaf to add a tangy flavor.
• Worcestershire sauce: A key ingredient in meatloaf and adds so much depth of flavor.
• Yellow mustard: Helps add a little zing to the flavor.
• Breadcrumbs: Italian seasoning bread crumbs are my go to for this recipe. Because they add so much flavor. You can use any type of bread crumb that you like as long as are dry and not fresh.
• Milk: Used to add moisture to the breadcrumbs to help bind everything together.
• Salt & Black Pepper: I’ve listed recommended amounts since obviously you should never taste test raw meat. Add more if desired after cooking.
• Lipton beefy onion soup: This is what add the most flavor. If you can not find this Lipton onion soup will work as well.
• Brown Sugar: Perfect to add a hint of sweetness to the tangy glaze.

How To Make The Best Meatloaf Recipe

The first thing you will want to do is ditch the pan and bake this on a baking sheet. I have found that if you use a pan the meatloaf comes out mushy. So you will want to line the baking sheet with aluminum foil and coat it with cooking spray. Then set it aside and grab a medium mixing bowl. You will want to mix the eggs, milk, and breadcrumbs and set them aside.

Next, you will add the ground beef, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, yellow mustard, salt, pepper, and Lipton beefy onion soup to a large bowl. Use your hands to mush and mix these ingredients until well combined. Then mix in eggs, milk, and breadcrumbs.

Once your ingredients are mixed well form it into an 8″x4″ loaf on the prepared baking tray. Then bake for 45 minutes at 350 degrees.

How To Make The Best Meatloaf Sauce

A perfect blend of sweet and tangy.

In a small bowl you will mix the ketchup and brown sugar. Start the sauce about 5 minutes before the meatloaf is done cooking. Then spread the sauce over the meatloaf and bake for an additional 10-15 minutes. The total cook time will be 55-60 minutes.

Why Does My Meatloaf Fall Apart?

The most common reason that your meatloaf is falling apart. Is that you did not use enough binding ingredients. This recipe calls for eggs and bread crumbs because they are key ingredients that keep the meat stuck together. Not letting your meatloaf rest is another common reason why your meatloaf is falling apart. Rest the meatloaf for 10 minutes. This gives the juices time to redistribute and settle back into the beef. This will also ensure you have the juiciest meatloaf.

What to Serve/Pair with Your Best Meatloaf Recipe

This delicious meatloaf pairs well with just about anything. For side items, I like to make these Easy Garlic Parmesan Mashed Potatoes and this Grilled Asparagus.

While any dessert pairs well with this meatloaf, a few of my favorites are these Hershey Kiss S’more Cookies, these Skinny No Bake Oreo Cheesecake Bites, or these Brownie Cookies.

You can never go wrong with chocolate!

Popular Substitutions & Additions

• Some people prefer gravy on top of their meatloaf instead of a sweeter glaze. Feel free to substitute your favorite gravy in place of the glaze.
• If you want some texture in your meatloaf, instead of the Italian breadcrumbs, toss panko crumbs with Italian seasoning.
• A non-dairy milk substitute can be used in place of dairy milk.

How To Reheat & Store Delicious Meatloaf Recipe

This meatloaf tastes delicious leftover! The flavors really soak into the meat. To store your leftover meatloaf, place it in a sealed container. Once it has completely cooled, place it in the fridge. It will last for up to 3 days. Reheat individual portions for 2 minutes in the microwave. For larger portions, preheat the oven to 350 degrees and heat for 20 minutes, or until warm.

This meatloaf recipe can also be frozen! Once it has completely cooled, place it in an air-tight, freezer-safe container and put it in the freezer. It will last for up to 6 weeks. When you are ready to cook your meatloaf, thaw it overnight in the fridge, then heat as directed above.

Best Meatloaf Recipe FAQs

Other Ground Beef Recipes You’ll Love

• Easy Sheet Pan Quesadillas with Ground Beef
• Mexican Taco bake: bubble up pizza casserole with ground beef

Don’t Forget To Come Back And Let Me Know How Your Best Meatloaf Recipe Turned Out!

HAVE YOU TRIED THIS RECIPE?

RATE and COMMENT below! I would love to hear your experience. Getting feedback from you helps me and other readers too!

Also, if you share onINSTAGRAM, use the hashtag #modernmealmakeover and tag me (@modernmealmakeover) so we can stop by and give your post some love. Thank you!

More Comfort Food Favorites

• Garlic Mashed Potatoes – This goes amazing with this meatloaf recipe
• Hamburger Casserole
• Ritz Cracker Chicken Casserole
• Hawaiian Macaroni Salad

18 Comments

1. Dannii

   March 9, 2021 at 8:59 am ·Reply

   
   Can you believe that I have never tried meatloaf before. I need to give this a try, as it looks amazing.

   • Shanna

     March 9, 2021 at 9:54 am ·Reply

     It will be one of your favorite meals once you try it.

2. Jamie

   March 9, 2021 at 9:34 am ·Reply

   
   The Italian breadcrumbs are such a great touch in this meatloaf! So comforting and satisfying!

   • Shanna

     March 9, 2021 at 9:53 am ·Reply

     It is just a little thing, but it makes such a difference in the flavor.

3. Angela

   March 9, 2021 at 9:39 am ·Reply

   
   Meatloaf is one of my favorite dinners. This is a wonderful recipe. Thanks for sharing!

   • Shanna

     March 9, 2021 at 9:52 am ·Reply

     It is one of my family’s favorite dinners too! I would love to know what you think once you try it.

4. Maria

   March 9, 2021 at 9:49 am ·Reply

   
   That meatloaf looks so moist and tasty! I agree, overmixing tends to make it tough so go easy on your loaf.

   • Shanna

     March 9, 2021 at 9:51 am ·Reply

     Not overmixing is the key to a juicy meatloaf.

5. Gail Montero

   March 9, 2021 at 9:54 am ·Reply

   
   This meatloaf looks absolutely tasty and moist and something my family will enjoy for sure!

   • Shanna

     March 9, 2021 at 10:07 am ·Reply

     Your family will definitely love this meatloaf recipe.

6. Dianne Wylie

   September 20, 2021 at 12:31 pm ·Reply

   I didn’t have onion soup mix, so omitted, I added parsley, onions and peppers. It was absolutely delicious, will make again ❤️

   • Shanna Allen

     September 20, 2021 at 3:51 pm ·Reply

     So glad you like it. Next time you make it you definitely need to try the onion soup mix. But I love the substitutions you made.

7. Marlo

   November 15, 2021 at 3:38 pm ·Reply

   
   Thank you for sharing this awesome recipe.

   • Shanna Allen

     November 15, 2021 at 5:08 pm ·Reply

     I am so glad that you liked it. It is one of my family’s favorites.

8. Kathy

   November 28, 2021 at 1:51 pm ·Reply

   
   I tried it and it was really good. Glad I found it and made it for the hubby. It is very tender and may need more bread crumbs (I used the Italian bread crumbs) next time I make it. But will definitely make it often. Thank you for the dinner we just had.

   • April King

     November 28, 2021 at 11:04 pm ·Reply

     I’m so glad you and your husband liked the meatloaf!

9. TV

   April 27, 2023 at 11:01 am ·Reply

   Can I add more breadcrumbs to this recipe to soak up some moisture in the meatloaf? I prefer my meatloaf with a little more bite and texture as opposed to more mushy/tender.

   • April King

     May 1, 2023 at 3:51 pm ·Reply

     I havent tried it with more bread crumbs, but I would love to hear how it turns out.