13 Best Meatloaf Recipes For You To Enjoy With Your Family Dinner! (2024)

Jump to Recipe

We love meatloaf recipes around here. So I’ve gathered up my favorites that will make for an easy and flavorful dinner! This list has a type of meatloaf for everyone! Including old-school classic meatloaf recipes, a few copycat restaurant favorites, plus many other different variations!

Different Meatloaf Recipes

There’s nothing that screams home-cooking like meatloaf. Everyone grew up with at least one family member making their famous signature meatloaf.

Such a common dish it's just a classic! Meatloaf is usually made from ground beef. Sometimes from pork sausage, veal, or practically any other type of meat.

Meatloaf recipes have been tweaked and twisted over the years, and as a result, there are a TON of different ways to make a meatloaf for dinner!

13 Best Meatloaf Recipes For You To Enjoy With Your Family Dinner! (1)

My favorite meatloaf recipes for an easy and flavorful dinner!

Jump to:
  • Different Meatloaf Recipes
  • 1. Traditional Meatloaf with Oatmeal
  • 2. Taco Meatloaf
  • 3. Lipton Onion Soup Meatloaf
  • 4. Smoked Meatloaf
  • 5. Cracker Barrel Meatloaf
  • 6. Stove Top Meatloaf
  • 7. Air Fryer Meatloaf
  • 8. Bacon Wrapped Meatloaf
  • 9. Boston Market Meatloaf
  • 10. BBQ Meatloaf
  • 11. Sweet and Sour Meatloaf
  • 12. Ham Loaf
  • 13. Marinara and Mozzarella Topped Italian Meatloaf
  • 📖 Recipe Card
  • Best Meatloaf Recipes You Need To Try!
  • IngredientsUS CustomaryMetric
  • Instructions
  • 💬 Reviews

From old-school, traditional methods to new takes on an old favorite, meatloaf is one of the most versatile dishes there is. Sometimes you may just want to try different types of meatloaf. Something unique perhaps?

Below are a few of my absolute favorite meatloaf recipes if you’re searching for inspiration!

1. Traditional Meatloaf with Oatmeal

This is an old-school meatloaf recipe, but it’s still totally delicious! Made with quick oats, this meatloaf is delightfully tender and moist.

Top it with a classic ketchup glaze and revel in all your childhood memories of eating meatloaf at dinnertime. This meatloaf is familiar and comforting, a true classic.

Meatloaf (Traditional Recipe with Oatmeal)

This easy, wholesome meatloaf with oatmeal may be an old-school recipe, but that doesn’t mean it’s not still amazingly delicious! Tender ground beef is blended with seasoning and oats, then baked with a classic ketchup glaze- it’s the perfect traditional meatloaf.

Check out this recipe

13 Best Meatloaf Recipes For You To Enjoy With Your Family Dinner! (2)

2. Taco Meatloaf

This meatloaf is made with a delicious mixture of ground beef, taco seasoning, crushed tortilla chips, and pepper jack cheese. This is a great recipe for when you want to switch it up from the norm.

Rather than ketchup, taco meatloaf is topped with none other than taco sauce! It’s zesty, it’s cheesy, and it’s a meatloaf you have to try!

Taco Meatloaf

This easy taco meatloaf is a tasty combination of ground beef, seasoning, pepper jack cheese, and crushed tortilla chips topped with taco sauce. It makes for an irresistible and delightfully cheesy meatloaf recipe that the whole family will love!

Check out this recipe

13 Best Meatloaf Recipes For You To Enjoy With Your Family Dinner! (3)

3. Lipton Onion Soup Meatloaf

This Lipton onion soup meatloaf is super easy to make and full of beefy onion flavor! This recipe is also very hands-off, making it perfect for busy weeknights.

I love a ketchup glaze, and that is an option here as well, but you can omit it if you are not a ketchup fan. Serve it up with some red skin mashed potatoes andbroccolini salad for a well-rounded meal.

Lipton Onion Soup Meatloaf Recipe

This tasty Lipton onion soup meatloaf is seasoned with classic, savory Lipton Beefy Onion Soup mix for a quick dinner! Simply mix in the onion soup packet with your ground beef or preferred meatloaf blend, and bake! It's an easy 6-ingredient meatloaf dinner your family will love!

Check out this recipe

13 Best Meatloaf Recipes For You To Enjoy With Your Family Dinner! (4)

4. Smoked Meatloaf

If you have a smoker, why not use it to make some delicious meatloaf! It may not be your first thought when you’re firing up your smoker but trust me- this meatloaf is savory and full of smoky flavor!

When cooked in a smoker, the meatloaf retains a lot of its moisture, keeping it tender and juicy! A BBQ glaze pairs perfectly with the smoky flavor.

Smoked Meatloaf

My smoked meatloaf is savory and flavorful. The best way to shake up your classic meatloaf recipe! Topped with a BBQ sauce glaze. Making this the most flavorful meatloaf you’ll ever have!

Check out this recipe

13 Best Meatloaf Recipes For You To Enjoy With Your Family Dinner! (5)

5. Cracker Barrel Meatloaf

This copycat of Cracker Barrel’s beloved meatloaf is spot-on. The addition of green bell pepper and shredded cheddar keeps the meat tender and moist.

The real secret to this meatloaf is using buttery Ritz crackers instead of breadcrumbs! This recipe is a crowd-pleaser and a kid favorite.

Cracker Barrel Meatloaf Copycat Recipe

My Cracker Barrel meatloaf is comfort food at its best with onions, green bell peppers, Ritz crackers, and cheese! It's topped with a delicious glaze that’ll knock your socks off! This homemade restaurant entree is so tasty that your family is sure to love it more than the original!

Check out this recipe

13 Best Meatloaf Recipes For You To Enjoy With Your Family Dinner! (6)

6. Stove Top Meatloaf

Stove Top meatloaf didn’t earn its name from cooking it on the stovetop, it’s because it’s made with easy Stove Top stuffing!

This is a hearty meatloaf that’s full of herbaceous flavor. Plus, it’s super easy to make and it will taste good with any type of glaze.

Stove Top Meatloaf Recipe

Tasty Stove Top meatloaf combines ground beef with classic Stove Top Stuffing to make a super easy, moist meatloaf dinner! Add a few herbs, an egg, and some Worcestershire sauce for flavor. Then top it off with ketchup, tomato sauce, or your favorite BBQ sauce for a family-favorite meal!

Check out this recipe

13 Best Meatloaf Recipes For You To Enjoy With Your Family Dinner! (7)

7. Air Fryer Meatloaf

Some of the other recipes may be “easy”, but it does not come close to meatloaf made in the air fryer! The air fryer cooks the meat perfectly while keeping it juicy and tender.

With this recipe, cleanup is easy! It is sure to become a weeknight favorite.

I make this meatloaf topped with ketchup, but you can try another sauce or leave it off completely!

Air Fryer Meatloaf

Air Fryer Meatloaf combines tangy seasonings and condiments with Panko breadcrumbs. This an amazing meatloaf the whole family will love! Cooking it in the air fryer means your meatloaf is super moist, tender, and cooked to perfection!

Check out this recipe

13 Best Meatloaf Recipes For You To Enjoy With Your Family Dinner! (8)

8. Bacon Wrapped Meatloaf

Bacon makes everything better. Nothing like a meatloaf wrapped in more meat!

Crispy bacon really elevates this traditional meatloaf. The tangy glaze and bacon are a flavor combination that is out-of-this-world delicious!

The bacon grease drips into the meatloaf as it cooks, and the meatloaf absorbs all the bacon flavor!

Bacon Wrapped Meatloaf

A delicious, traditional, home-style Bacon Wrapped Meatloaf is topped with tangy ketchup sauce, a family favorite! This stand-by family dinner is always a quick and easy hit and is made even better with bacon wrapping!

Check out this recipe

13 Best Meatloaf Recipes For You To Enjoy With Your Family Dinner! (9)

9. Boston Market Meatloaf

This copycat Boston Market meatloaf is incredibly easy to throw together. It requires very simple ingredients while having no shortage of flavor.

This is a great choice if you have picky eaters that don’t like “all the extra stuff”. This meatloaf is simple and nostalgic!

Boston Market Meatloaf Copycat Recipe

This Boston Market meatloaf copycat recipe is very easy to make and a flavorful family favorite! This meatloaf only requires a few simple ingredients you may already have in your kitchen, making a wonderfully easy dinner for busy nights any day of the week!

Check out this recipe

13 Best Meatloaf Recipes For You To Enjoy With Your Family Dinner! (10)

10. BBQ Meatloaf

If you are a BBQ lover, this meatloaf is for you. With a tangy BBQ sauce and Liquid Smoke glaze, it’s an explosion of savory BBQ flavor!

If you like heat, pick a BBQ sauce for the glaze that has a little kick, if not use a sweeter sauce!

BBQ Meatloaf

This BBQ meatloaf is full of classic flavor that’s made better with a tangy BBQ glaze! This easy meatloaf recipe calls for a cup of your favorite BBQ sauce so you can decide how sweet or hot you want the glaze!

Check out this recipe

13 Best Meatloaf Recipes For You To Enjoy With Your Family Dinner! (11)

11. Sweet and Sour Meatloaf

You’ve heard of sweet and sour chicken, how about sweet and sour meatloaf? This tasty twist on a traditional meatloaf is full of the familiar flavor of sweet and sour sauce!

The sweet and tangy sauce is just perfect with the savory ground chuck, it makes for a perfect glaze! This recipe is always a favorite of kids and adults alike.

Sweet and Sour Meatloaf

My sweet and sour meatloaf combines tender and seasoned meatloaf with a sweet and sour sauce! Plus, it is so easy to make. The flavorful meatloaf pairs perfectly with the tangy glaze to make a family meal that is anything but ordinary!

Check out this recipe

13 Best Meatloaf Recipes For You To Enjoy With Your Family Dinner! (12)

12. Ham Loaf

Ham loaf is making a comeback! If you've never had ham loaf, it is a delicious retro-inspired twist on meatloaf!

Rather than ground beef, this loaf is made up of diced ham and ground pork! Best of all, this ham loaf includes a tangy-sweet brown sugar Dijon glaze that is totally the opposite of what’s on traditional meatloaf.

This recipe is perfect for using up holiday ham leftovers.

Ham Loaf (with Tasty Brown Sugar Dijon Glaze)

Ham loaf may not be the most appetizing name, but my ham loaf with tasty brown sugar Dijon glaze is totally delicious! The tangy-sweet Dijon glaze will get you hooked and you'll be putting ham loaf on your list of favorite weekly dinners!

Check out this recipe

13 Best Meatloaf Recipes For You To Enjoy With Your Family Dinner! (13)

13. Marinara and Mozzarella Topped Italian Meatloaf

This meatloaf is full of all your favorite Italian flavors. In place of ketchup, it is topped with marinara sauce and a hefty portion of mozzarella cheese!

This meatloaf is one of our favorites (because it’s the only one covered in gooey, melty cheese). It’s full of flavor, and pairs well with some delicious Italian sides like lemon asparagus orzo.

Be sure to check out my post on what to serve with meatloaf for a little inspiration when choosing your side dishes!

If you give any of these awesome meatloaf recipes a try, let us know how it turned out by leaving us a comment below! Better yet, if there’s a meatloaf recipe we didn’t mention, let us know what we’re missing!

📖 Recipe Card

13 Best Meatloaf Recipes For You To Enjoy With Your Family Dinner! (14)

Print Recipe Leave A Comment

Love This Recipe?Click On A Star To Rate It!

5 from 38 reviews

Best Meatloaf Recipes You Need To Try!

We love meatloaf recipes around here. So I’ve gathered up my favorites that will make for an easy and flavorful dinner! This list has a type of meatloaf for everyone! Including old-school classic meatloaf recipes, a few copycat restaurant favorites, plus many other different variations!

Author | Angela

Servings: 10 servings

Calories: 309kcal

Prep 10 minutes minutes

Cooking 1 hour hour

Resting Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 20 minutes minutes

Pin Recipe

Ingredients

  • 2 lbs ground beef (ground chuck is preferred, or use a ground beef/ground pork combo)
  • 1 ½ cups quick oats (or plain breadcrumbs)
  • ½ cup white onion (or yellow onion, finely diced)
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1 tablespoon meatloaf seasoning (see recipe, or use 1 packet store-bought seasoning mix)
  • cup ketchup (plus more for topping the meatloaf if desired)

Help Us Out!If you love a recipe, be sure to come back and share your ratings. This helps future users, and allows me to continue sharing free recipes! Angela

Instructions

  • Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and lightly grease a 9x5 loaf pan or line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.

  • In a large mixing bowl, add the ground beef, quick oats, diced onion, eggs, meatloaf seasoning, and ketchup. Mix until just combined, do not over-mix.

  • Transfer the meatloaf mixture into your prepared loaf pan then shape so that the loaf is mounded at the top. Or transfer the loaf mixture to your baking sheet and form it into a loaf approximately the same size as a loaf pan (9x5-inch).

  • Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 50 minutes, remove from the oven and coat with an additional ⅓ cup of ketchup or BBQ sauce if desired. Return to the oven and finish cooking for an additional 10-20 minutes. Your meatloaf is done when it has an internal temperature of 160°F (71°C).

  • Remove from the oven when done, drain off the excess grease, and then allow your meatloaf to rest for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

Notes

  • A splash of Worcestershire sauce is pretty much a go-to, must-have ingredient in my meatloaf recipes. If you love Worcestershire, balsamic vinegar, or soy sauce feel free to add a bit for flavor!
  • If you don't have meatloaf seasoning packets on hand and/or don't have all of the spices for my homemade meatloaf seasoning, you can use these measurements as a base: 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon paprika (or smoked paprika), ½ teaspoon ground black pepper, and ½ teaspoon onion powder.

Nutrition

Calories: 309kcal (15%) | Carbohydrates: 11g (4%) | Protein: 19g (38%) | Fat: 20g (31%) | Saturated Fat: 8g (50%) | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 120mg (40%) | Sodium: 155mg (7%) | Potassium: 345mg (10%) | Fiber: 1g (4%) | Sugar: 2g (2%) | Vitamin A: 122IU (2%) | Vitamin C: 1mg (1%) | Calcium: 33mg (3%) | Iron: 3mg (17%)

Did you try this recipe? Rate it below!I can’t wait to see your results! Mention @bake_it_with_love or tag #bake_it_with_love!

best meatloaf recipes, meatloaf recipes, Meatloaf with Oatmeal

Course Beef Dishes, Dinner Recipes, Main Dish

Cuisine American

13 Best Meatloaf Recipes For You To Enjoy With Your Family Dinner! (15)

Angela @ BakeItWithLove.com

Angela is an at home chef that developed a passion for all things cooking and baking at a young age in her Grandma's kitchen. After many years in the food service industry, she now enjoys sharing all of her family favorite recipes and creating tasty dinner and amazing dessert recipes here at Bake It With Love!

bakeitwithlove.com/about/

13 Best Meatloaf Recipes For You To Enjoy With Your Family Dinner! (2024)

FAQs

What is the secret to a great meat loaf? ›

DO NOT OVERMIX – This is the secret to keeping meatloaf moist! Overworking the meat mixture can result in a tough/dense meatloaf. Line your loaf pan with parchment paper with edges hanging over the pan for easier removal of meatloaf. Keep the juices from the pan and pour over the sliced meatloaf before serving.

What is the secret to keeping meatloaf moist? ›

By adding finely diced or pureed aromatic vegetables to your mixture, you are adding additional moisture into the meatloaf. Not only does this make your final product juicier, but it also adds lots of extra flavor.

Is it better to cook meatloaf at 350 or 375? ›

The oven temperature is typically set at 350 degrees F for making meatloaf. That's the temperature you want to be sure to use so the meatloaf cooks and doesn't dry out. Too high, and the outer crust will burn before the interior is cooked all the way, too low and you don't get that delicious crust.

What ingredient keeps meatloaf from falling apart? ›

Eggs: Like the breadcrumbs and milk, eggs act as a binding agent to hold the meatloaf together.

Why do you put milk in meatloaf? ›

The only way to guarantee tender meat is not to overcook it. And that's a simple matter of using a thermometer when you bake the meatloaf. Milk does, on the other hand, add moisture and fat and is worth including for that fact alone. Heavy cream works better.

Is it better to bake meatloaf on a sheet pan or loaf pan? ›

When choosing a baking pan, avoid a small loaf pan or baking dish. A tight fit means that the loaf will steam — think school cafeteria meatloaf. Instead, use a sheet pan or a large baking dish and leave some breathing room so the edges will caramelize nicely.

Should you cover meatloaf when baking? ›

Should I cook my meatloaf covered or uncovered? The meatloaf can be cooked uncovered. However, if you are concerned about it burning, you can cover the meatloaf with foil for the first 45 minutes and uncover it for the final 15 minutes to allow the meatloaf to brown on top.

How to tell when meatloaf is done? ›

Using a leave-in probe thermometer like the ChefAlarm® to monitor the temperature while cooking can help guarantee success. Because meatloaf is cooked in a moderately-hot oven—350°F (171°C)— there will be some carryover cooking, so pull it from heat at 155°F (68°C).

Why does my meatloaf burn on the bottom all? ›

A higher temp will overcook and possibly burn the outer layer before the inside is cooked, whereas a lower temp won't result in a well-baked crust for your meatloaf.

How to make a Bobby Flay meatloaf? ›

Whisk together the eggs and herbs in a large bowl. Add the meat, bread crumbs, cheese, 1/2 cup of the ketchup and 2 tablespoons of the balsamic vinegar, the vegetables and mix until just combined. Mold the meatloaf on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

What does adding an extra egg to meatloaf do? ›

Sure, egg yolks add some rich flavor to a meatloaf, but the real reason we need eggs is for structure—to help bind the meatloaf together. This is especially important since we're making a free-form meatloaf, or one that you shape by hand, versus using a loaf pan.

Can you put too many breadcrumbs in meatloaf? ›

Another common reason meatloaf is mushy is too much filler, like breadcrumbs, bread, and oatmeal. Too much filler will stop it from baking correctly and becoming a fully formed meatloaf. So, just as you would reduce the amount of liquid you use, reduce the amount of filler you use.

How do you get meatloaf to hold its shape? ›

When this happens, it's because you didn't use enough. Next time, try adding in an extra egg and/or some more breadcrumbs. Alternatively, rice, barley, corn flakes, crackers, and dried soup mix can also stand in as binding ingredients as well. Including larger quantities of these items should help solve the problem.

Should meatloaf be covered when baking? ›

Should I cook my meatloaf covered or uncovered? The meatloaf can be cooked uncovered. However, if you are concerned about it burning, you can cover the meatloaf with foil for the first 45 minutes and uncover it for the final 15 minutes to allow the meatloaf to brown on top.

What can you put under meatloaf to soak up grease? ›

A neat trick to soak up the grease under your meatloaf is to line the bottom of the pan with bread slices. The bread soaks up the grease as the loaf bakes. When the meatloaf is done, you can either throw out the bread or bake it to make some truly indulgent toast.

What makes a meatloaf dense? ›

However, overmixing can cause meatloaf to become springy, rubbery, and too dense. If that myosin network gets built up too much, it's bad news for the texture of your loaf. So, don't mix it too heavily.

Top Articles
Chocolate Hazelnut Fudge Bars. Vegan Freezer Fudge Recipe - Vegan Richa
Clean Eating Cut Out Cookies Recipe
Hometown Pizza Sheridan Menu
Hotels Near 625 Smith Avenue Nashville Tn 37203
Skyward Houston County
What Was D-Day Weegy
Oxford House Peoria Il
Bc Hyundai Tupelo Ms
Shooting Games Multiplayer Unblocked
Washington Poe en Tilly Bradshaw 1 - Brandoffer, M.W. Craven | 9789024594917 | Boeken | bol
Void Touched Curio
Best Suv In 2010
Jesus Calling Oct 27
Dr Manish Patel Mooresville Nc
What is Rumba and How to Dance the Rumba Basic — Duet Dance Studio Chicago | Ballroom Dance in Chicago
Soccer Zone Discount Code
Wausau Obits Legacy
Zoe Mintz Adam Duritz
Persona 4 Golden Taotie Fusion Calculator
Van Buren County Arrests.org
20 Different Cat Sounds and What They Mean
Orange Pill 44 291
Ac-15 Gungeon
Scheuren maar: Ford Sierra Cosworth naar de veiling
Raw Manga 1000
Drift Hunters - Play Unblocked Game Online
Bocca Richboro
130Nm In Ft Lbs
Paradise Point Animal Hospital With Veterinarians On-The-Go
DIY Building Plans for a Picnic Table
Haunted Mansion Showtimes Near Cinemark Tinseltown Usa And Imax
404-459-1280
Steven Batash Md Pc Photos
Http://N14.Ultipro.com
Buhsd Studentvue
Nobodyhome.tv Reddit
The Vélodrome d'Hiver (Vél d'Hiv) Roundup
Collier Urgent Care Park Shore
D-Day: Learn about the D-Day Invasion
Vocabulary Workshop Level B Unit 13 Choosing The Right Word
Wayne State Academica Login
2023 Fantasy Football Draft Guide: Rankings, cheat sheets and analysis
Craigslist en Santa Cruz, California: Tu Guía Definitiva para Comprar, Vender e Intercambiar - First Republic Craigslist
Jamesbonchai
Walmart 24 Hrs Pharmacy
Frontier Internet Outage Davenport Fl
Leland Westerlund
Craigslist Chautauqua Ny
Das schönste Comeback des Jahres: Warum die Vengaboys nie wieder gehen dürfen
Model Center Jasmin
Bluebird Valuation Appraiser Login
Secondary Math 2 Module 3 Answers
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Roderick King

Last Updated:

Views: 6498

Rating: 4 / 5 (51 voted)

Reviews: 82% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Roderick King

Birthday: 1997-10-09

Address: 3782 Madge Knoll, East Dudley, MA 63913

Phone: +2521695290067

Job: Customer Sales Coordinator

Hobby: Gunsmithing, Embroidery, Parkour, Kitesurfing, Rock climbing, Sand art, Beekeeping

Introduction: My name is Roderick King, I am a cute, splendid, excited, perfect, gentle, funny, vivacious person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.