There’s nothing like a good meatloaf, and this foolproof recipe will teach you how to make the best meatloaf using pantry-staple ingredients such as ground beef, breadcrumbs, onions, and the perfect mix of spices. Follow this recipe to give you the juiciest and tastiest meatloaf!
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Meatloaf is a dish made from ground meat that has been mixed with other ingredients, shaped into a loaf, and then baked.
This is a classic meatloaf recipe to give you traditional flavors with the least hassle! It’s as easy as throwing everything together and popping it into the oven for anywhere from 60 to 70 minutes!
🥘 INGREDIENTS YOU'LL NEED
- Ground beef: The most important ingredient when making meatloaf is the meat you use! I love using grounded chuck because it has 20% fat which is the perfect mix for the juiciest meatloaf. We'll be using 700 grams of ground beef.
- Breadcrumbs: To add some texture to the dish, we'll also use some breadcrumbs in our meatloaf. We'll crumble two slices of bread in this recipe. You can also pulse them in the food processor.
- Egg: We'll need a binding agent to keep our meatloaf together, and eggs are perfect for that! You'll also need three more boiled ones for the filling!
- Spices and aromatics: We'll use the least amount of spices and aromatics for the most flavor! You'll need some onions and garlic for the aromatics and paprika and pepper for the spices.
How to Make
Step 1
Preheat oven to 350F/180C. Place parchment paper in a 9 x 5 x 3” pan.
Step 2
In a bowl, add the bread and milk and let it soak for one minute. Add all the ingredients except the beef and boiled eggs and mix well. Next, add the beef and mix gently until well combined.
Step 3
Place half the mixture in the baking pan, then place the boiled eggs, cover with the rest of the mixture, and spread evenly.
Step 4
Bake for 60 minutes to 1 hour and 10 minutes. The baking pan will be full of juices, so slightly tilt the baking pan (I did this over the sink) and discard the extra fat and liquid.
Step 5
When the meatloaf is warm to the touch, remove it from the pan and serve.
💭 COOKING TIPS
- Get your hands on the best meat you can for the tastiest meatloaf. Ground chuck is a great cut for this traditional meatloaf.
- Ensure your oven temperature is as mentioned in the recipe to avoid overbaking the meatloaf.
- Make sure the internal temperature is at least 160F before taking your meatloaf out of the oven.
- Letting the meatloaf rest covered at room temperature enhances the flavor.
📖 DELICIOUS VARIATIONS
Make a burger instead! Cut the meatloaf into thick slices, shallow fry it, and make it into a burger sandwich. You won't believe how flavorful it is.
Add other vegetables to your meatloaf. Mushrooms, carrots, and celery are some great options.
Change up the meat, and maybe try ground turkey instead of beef for a lighter meatloaf if you’re on a low-calorie diet. You can also try ground chicken or lamb meat in this recipe. Do note that ground chicken and turkey will take less time to bake.
💬 FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
To maintain the moisture in the loaf pan, several recipes call for wrapping it with aluminum foil before baking. You don't need to do that in this recipe at all. Just bake uncovered as per the recipe, and you'll still have a delicious, moist meatloaf.
If you ask me, the key to a tasty meatloaf is using lean ground beef. Many meatloaf recipes call for ground beef that is high in fat, which is not good. The meatloaf becomes a greasy mess when the fat cooks and releases while cooking. But you won't have a problem with that here if you use lean ground beef like ground chuck beef.
You may be wondering, but won't lean ground beef cause the meatloaf to be dry? Absolutely not! The milk, egg, ketchup, and sliced onion in the meat mixture all contribute to the meatloaf remaining moist and flavorful.
When using a loaf pan, I find that the meat stays moister and the glaze doesn't bubble over. You could, however, line a baking sheet with aluminum foil instead but that's not what I recommend doing.
🍲 MORE BEEF RECIPES YOU'LL LOVE
🌡️ STORING AND REHEATING
Fridge: Your leftover meatloaf can be stored safely in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Make sure to cover it in plastic wrap before you do.
Freezer: You can also freeze it for up to three months!
Reheat: Preheat your oven to 350F/180C and then warm it for 10 minutes, or until the internal temperature is 160C by checking with a meat thermometer.
Note: When frozen, place the meatloaf in the fridge overnight and reheat in the oven as mentioned above.
📖 Recipe
Meatloaf Recipe
Ingredients
- 700 grams Ground beef
- 2 slices of bread crumbled
- ⅓ cup milk
- 1 large egg
- ¼ cup chopped parsley
- 1 large onion finely chopped
- 3 garlic minced
- ¼ cup ketchup
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 boiled eggs for filling
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F/180C. Place a parchment paper in a 9 x 5 x 3” pan.
- In a bowl, add the bread and milk and let it soak for one minute. Add all the ingredients except the beef and boiled eggs and mix well.
- Add the beef and mix gently until well combined.
- Place half the mixture in the baking pan, then place the boiled eggs, cover with the rest of mixture and spread evenly.
- Bake for 60 minutes to 1 hour and 10 minutes. The baking pan will be full of juices so slightly tilt the baking pan (I did this over the sink) and discard the extra fat and liquid.
- When the meatloaf is warm to the touch, remove from pan and serve.
Notes
- Make sure that your oven temperature is as mentioned in the recipe to avoid over baking the meatloaf.
- It is better to let the meatloaf rest, covered and at room temp to enhance the flavor.
Angie@Angie's Recipes
It's called Falscher Hase here in Germany. My husband loves it a lot. Yours turned out so perfect.
munatycooking
My husband loves Meatloaf too. I wonder if the German version is different!