Meatloaf (Family-Style or Mini Loaves)
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This classic meatloaf recipe is a comforting favorite, packed with flavor and perfect for any night of the week. Whether you go for a hearty family-sized loaf or mini loaves for faster cooking, it’s a meal everyone will love.
Photo by Johnny Miller (Clarkson Potter, 2021)
This is a very good, very simple meatloaf recipe, and it’s a real stick-to-your-ribber. You can make one big family-style loaf or smaller individual loaves. Just keep in mind, the family-style loaf takes about 75 minutes to cook, while mini loaves are ready in 40, making them more weeknight-friendly. I recommend baking meatloaf on a baking sheet instead of a loaf pan. It allows for better browning and lets excess fat drain away for a leaner result.
The glaze is the classic ketchup topping. For a twist, try the BBQ-style glaze that is used in my popular turkey meatloaf recipe. Serve with mashed potatoes for a comforting meal, and enjoy leftovers as delicious meatloaf sandwiches.
“Exactly what you want when you are craving meatloaf!”
What You’ll Need To Make Meatloaf
- Onion and garlic: The flavorful base for the meatloaf mixture.
- Milk: Keeps the meatloaf tender and moist.
- Eggs: Bind the ingredients together.
- Worcestershire sauce: Adds tangy richness and a hit of umami that takes the meatloaf to the next level.
- Meatloaf mix: A blend of beef, pork, and veal that makes a juicy, flavorful meatloaf (also great for spaghetti and meatballs). Alternatively, you can use equal parts ground beef and pork or simply ground chuck.
- Plain bread crumbs: A filler and binder that holds the dish together.
- Ketchup: The classic topping that caramelizes into a tangy, irresistible glaze.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-by-Step Instructions
Heat the oil in a medium skillet and add the onion. Cook until softened, about 5 minutes, then add the garlic and cook 1 minute more.
Transfer the onion and garlic mixture to a large bowl and add the milk, eggs, thyme, salt, pepper, and Worcestershire sauce.
Whisk to combine.
Add the meat and bread crumbs to the egg mixture.
Mix with your hands until just combined.
For individual loaves, divide the meat mixture into 6 equal portions (about 9 ounces each) and shape into loaves.
For a large family-style loaf, form the meat mixture into a 12 x 5-inch loaf shape directly on the prepared baking sheet.
Spoon the ketchup over the top and sides of the loaf (or loaves).
Bake until an instant-read thermometer registers 160°F in the middle. Let rest for about 5 minutes, slice if necessary, and serve.
You can prepare the loaf/loaves up to 1 day before baking. Baked meatloaf keeps in the fridge for up to 3 days or in the freezer for 3 months.
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Meatloaf (Family-Style or Mini Loaves)
This simple yet delicious meatloaf can be made as one large loaf or quicker-cooking mini loaves, making it the perfect cozy meal any night of the week.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- ¼ cup milk
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 heaping teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 2½ lbs meatloaf mix (see note)
- ¾ cup plain bread crumbs
- ¾ cup ketchup
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and set an oven rack in the middle position. Line a 13 x 18-inch baking sheet with parchment paper or heavy-duty, nonstick foil.
- Heat the oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring frequently, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute more. Do not brown. Transfer to a large bowl.
- To the bowl, add the milk, eggs, thyme, salt, pepper, and Worcestershire sauce. Whisk to combine.
- Add the meatloaf mix and bread crumbs to the egg mixture and mix with your hands until just combined.
For Individual Meatloaves
- Form the mixture into 6 small (9-ounce) loaves and place on the prepared baking sheet. Spoon the ketchup over the top and sides of each loaf. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until an instant-read thermometer registers 160°F in the middle of a meatloaf. Let the meatloaves rest for about 5 minutes. Scrape any fat away from the edges of each meatloaf, then use a spatula to transfer them to a serving platter or plates.
For Family-Style Meatloaf
- Form the meat mixture into a 12 x 5-inch loaf shape directly on the prepared baking sheet. Spread the ketchup evenly over the top and sides of the loaf. Bake for 75 to 80 minutes, or until an instant-read thermometer registers 160°F in the middle of the meatloaf. Let the meatloaf rest for about 10 minutes. Scrape any fat away from the edges of the meatloaf (it will ooze out and brown while baking), then use a wide spatula to transfer the meatloaf to a cutting board or serving platter. Slice and serve.
- Note: Meatloaf mix is a combination of ground beef, pork, and veal that is more flavorful than ground beef alone. Most supermarkets carry meatloaf mix, but if you can’t find it, equal parts ground beef and pork is a good substitute. If you don't cook with pork, go ahead and use ground chuck, which is 20% lean ground beef.
- Note: If making individual meatloaves, the trickiest part of this recipe is making the loaves of equal size. I usually divide the meat mixture roughly in half and then divide each half roughly into thirds. Then, I scoop large balls of the mixture onto the prepared baking sheet, reapportion if necessary, and then shape into loaves.
- Make-Ahead/Freezer-Friendly Instructions: You can refrigerate the uncooked loaf/loaves, covered, 1 day before you plan to bake them. Allow a few extra minutes in the oven if baking from cold. For already baked meatloaf/loaves, cool completely, wrap well, and refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months. If frozen, defrost overnight in the refrigerator and then reheat, covered, on a baking sheet in a 300°F oven until hot in the middle.
Pair with
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (6 servings)
- Calories: 834
- Fat: 54 g
- Saturated fat: 19 g
- Carbohydrates: 34 g
- Sugar: 14 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 51 g
- Sodium: 945 mg
- Cholesterol: 262 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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I made the individual loaves today. I baked to 160 internal temp which took about 40 minutes. I had to refrigerate for a couple of hours after baking, as I was bringing them to a friends house. I followed the instructions and reheated uncovered at 300 for about 20 minutes and they were very dry! They tasted great right after baking (before refrigeration). How can I avoid the dryness??
Hi Mary, Sorry to hear they dried out when you reheated them. If you found them dry, I’d try microwaving them next time.
When I reheat any kind of meat, I always cover it so any moisture stays trapped. You need to heat them a little longer when covered but it’s worth the wait.
Made this last night and even my super picky 6yo liked it! The only sub I made was tomato soup instead of ketchup and it turned out great. This is definitely a keeper.
Hi Jenn! I plan on making these as mini loaves. Can I freeze some of them before cooking? I’d prefer to bake them fresh instead of reheating if possible 😊 Thanks so much!
Sure!
Can you use panko breadcrumbs?
Sure, Sara, that’s fine. Enjoy!
Good day Chef Jenn! I used 1/4 cup chicken stock in place of the milk, as I have dairy issues. The flavor was great. Others that have lactose intolerance might try this or, a vegetable stock, as I believe the milk is more for moisture than anything else. Thank you for all of the good recipes.
Tastefully yours,
Mark Waitsman
I made this, and the flavor was excellent, but I didn’t like the texture and neither did my family. It wasn’t meaty or hearty/chewy. It had almost a slimy mouth feel. What did I do wrong? Might I have over mixed it? The meat was perfectly fresh, so I know it isn’t spoiled ingredients. It had something to do with how I put it together or maybe the baking. I would love to try again, but now I’m nervous. I hope Jenn might have some ideas.
Hi Jen, I’m sorry you found the texture to be a little off. It definitely should not be slimy. Did you use meatloaf mix for the meat? If so, it sounds like the meatloaf may have been slightly underbaked.
Yum is all I have to say! I live by myself so made these into individual meatloaves. I ate one the night I prepared them and froze the rest. I wanted to wait to leave a review until after I ate a frozen one so that I could ensure they tasted good after thawing. Well, I can now say that they are delicious both ways. I totally love that I can make this one recipe and get 6 meals out of it — thanks for making my life easier (and tastier), Jenn!
This is the recipe that will replace my 30 year old family favorite recipe! I make/made a really good meat loaf for decades and occasionally would try something new, which never matched up. Today, I told my husband I was going to try “a new recipe” his reply was “no, why mess with a good recipe”…my reply, “it’s Chef Jenn’s” he said “okay, give it a shot, she’s never let us down” 🙂
Thank you once again for another wonderful recipe!
I used 2/3- 80% ground beef and 1/3- ground pork as my meat mixture…only because that was in the freezer. The sauce I used on top was one very similar to yours on the turkey meatloaf recipe.
I cut recipe in about half, made four loaves. I liked it , but I think the quality of my ground pork was not great,also didn’t use veal. Next time I make I hope to find meatloaf mix
Perfect as written. My husband requests this recipe and it’s a favorite of mine as well. Exactly what you want when you are craving meatloaf!