When we think of home-cooked meals that bring that comfort food flavor, meatloaf stands out as a quintessentially American family favorite. Our Momma’s Meatloaf isn’t just any meatloaf; it’s a classic that boasts the best flavor ever! While everyone may have their version of this American classic, this particular recipe takes all the best elements and combines them into a dish that’s simply unforgettable.
Why Our Recipe
- Free-form loaf baked in a 9×13 or on a sheet pan so that the loaf isn’t sitting in its own grease.
- Lots of flavor goes straight into the meat so that every bite is delicious.
- The most delicious glaze goes without saying.
Substitutes and Variations
- The Meat: While ground beef is commonly used, consider a blend of ground meats such as pork, veal, or lamb for varied flavor and texture.
- Binders and Fillers: Ingredients like bread crumbs are added to both stretch the amount of servings and to hold the meatloaf together. Consider using oats or crushed crackers instead. Gluten-free bread crumbs and crackers are acceptable substitutes.
- The Liquid: Milk soaks the breadcrumbs, adding essential moisture. If you prefer not to use milk, opt for low-sodium beef stock, chicken stock, water, or a non-dairy milk substitute.
- Flavorings: Fresh herbs, grated Parmesan cheese, and minced garlic add layers of flavor. Worcestershire sauce, mustard, or even a splash of soy sauce can add depth.
Doubling This Recipe
Begin by simply doubling all the ingredients listed in the original recipe. When combining the ingredients, ensure that they are mixed thoroughly but avoid overmixing to maintain a tender texture.
When shaping the loaf, the diameter or thickness of the meatloaf will determine the baking time. After the initial 45 minutes at 350°F, check the meatloaf’s progress using a meat thermometer. Aim for an internal temperature of 160°F. If it hasn’t reached this temperature, continue baking and check every 10 minutes. You may need an additional 30 to 45 minutes before applying the glaze and baking an additional 15 minutes at 400°F to allow the glaze to caramelize.
Mini Meatloaf Freezer Meal
Smaller portions will freeze and defrost more easily. You can make mini meatloaves in a muffin tin!
- Portioning: Scoop the meat mixture into the cavities of a muffin tin, pressing down slightly to mold.
- Freezing: Put the entire muffin tin in the freezer. After the mini meatloaves are fully frozen, pop them out and place them in a resealable freezer bag. Keep stored in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Baking Mini Meatloaves from Frozen:
When you’re ready for a fresh meatloaf dinner, preheat your oven to 350°F. For small loaf pans, place the frozen meatloaves on a baking sheet and bake for 45-50 minutes. For muffin tin sizes, start checking around the 25-30 minute mark.
Storage and Reheating Instructions
Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Reheat single servings in the microwave on high in 30-second increments until warmed through. Check in between each interval to make sure you don’t overheat.
More Meatloaf Recipes
Turkey Meatloaf
1 hr 10 mins
Jalapeño Cheddar Stuffed Meatloaf
1 hr 10 mins
Mozzarella Stuffed Meatloaf
1 hr 10 mins
Korean Meatloaf with Korean BBQ Glaze
1 hr 15 mins
Video Demonstration
Watch the video below where Rachel will walk you through every step of this recipe. Sometimes it helps to have a visual, and we’ve got you covered with a full video tutorial where we’ll demonstrate the entire recipe from start to finish.
Very good . I just chose to bake it on a slotted surface on a pan to drain the grease. Delicious.
Well a family favorite. I be been looking for a substitute recipe since have an Italian recipe in Tuscany. This one is thee one…
This meatloaf recipe is definately replacing my previous!! I had some leftover and put it in the crock-pot with some ro-tel, chili beans, black beans, chopped bellpepper and chili powder and created a new chili recipe that went over very well!
Its so delicous
Very tasty!!!! Will definitely make again We didn’t do the glaze as we don’t do ketchup, was still moist and the flavors were great
Thanks for another excellent recipe
growing up i always had this mindset that meatloaf was some flavorless blob of ground beef served with ketchup on top. it has NEVER appealed to me once in my life, in fact if i knew meatloaf was going to be served i would have rather just skipped the meal entirely than to have attempted to stomach such a bland meal. so imagine the way i felt when my husband asked me if i could make a meatloaf with the excess ground beef we had piling up in our freezer? surely i could have made him anything else… tacos, spaghetti and meatballs, burgers, LITERALLY ANYTHING ELSE… but no. he liked meatloaf and wanted to try ‘my’ version of it.
at the time i googled ‘meatloaf recipe’ i think there was one that was slightly higher rated, but the fact that this was called ‘mamma’s meatloaf’ was charming to me, and many of my favorite bookmarked recipes have some personal twist to them (ex. petes pancakes, jo mama’s lasagna, grandma’s apple pie ect) so i decided to give it a try. let me tell you right now, i am SO GLAD that i did! hubby likes it, i like it, even our kids like it (4 sons, 7 and under). it’s such a good base recipe as well, it makes it easy to customize each time. the only real difference is that we add garlic powder or minced garlic to ours, but it’s perfectly delicious without it.
The best meatloaf recipe I’ve ever tried. Full of flavor and very moist. I always trust her recipes no matter what the dish. I know it’s going to come out perfect. From now on this is my “go to” meatloaf recipe.
I made this recipe for my boyfriend and he absolutely loved it!!! Making it again tonight.!!
It’s been years since I made a meatloaf and was trying to remember the recipe. I googled it and yours was the 1st to come up. It’s almost identical to my old favorite recipe!
lots of picky eaters here. this was a win everyone loved it