The Best Meatloaf
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The Best Meatloaf recipe that I’ve ever had! With a handful of easy ingredients and just a few minutes of prep, you’re on your way to comfort food heaven!
Meatloaf. What a word! It’s definitely not my favorite word. In fact, for most of my childhood and into early adulthood. I refused to eat the stuff … just because of what it was called. And the way it looks? Man, meatloaf just needs a makeover. So, I gave it one in the flavor department. I took my mother-in-law’s classic meatloaf recipe, which is totally delicious, but I kicked it up a notch because y’all know i’m a lil’ extra when it comes to flavor.
This meatloaf is drop dead delicious. I honestly can’t believe how much I love it! Eric begs met to make it because he can never get enough. I think Meatloaf gets a bad rep, honestly. Between it’s name and the way it looks. Poor loaf doesn’t stand a chance. I know it can be a “love it or hate it kind of meal”, but I hope if you’re kind of on the line of the “hate it” side and you think maybe you could like it with the right kind of recipe, I hope you’ll give this a try because it’s kind’a epic.
Epic meatloaf? It’s possible staying at home so much has gotten to me, but trust it’s REAL good.
One more thing, you absolutely cannot have Meatloaf without mashed potatoes. It’s comfort food rule number one. Google it. You should make my Homestyle Cauli-Tater Mash to throw on the side because after you do that you’ll love this meal so much you’ll wanna put a ring on it.
How to make The Best Meatloaf:
First up, you’re gonna chop up an onion and red bell pepper. Mince a few cloves garlic while you’re at it (or use the stuff in the jar, shh I won’t tell anyone). Throw the peppers and onions in a pan with 1 tsp of oil. Sauté over medium heat just until softened. When they’re about done add in the garlic and cook for about 30 seconds or until garlic is fragrant. Remove the veggies from the pan and set aside. Allow to cool for at least 5 minutes before adding into raw meat.
While waitin’ on the peppers and onions to cool off a bit. Grab a small bowl and add in 1/4 cup reduced sugar ketchup, and 1 tbsp red wine vinegar. Stir together well and set aside for lil later.
A little note about the glaze: I decided to include the ketchup glaze in this recipe because I do make it with the glaze more often than not because Eric loves it and it’s much closer to a classic meatloaf recipe that you all know and probably love. But, I prefer eating it without the glaze and I make a super quick brown gravy to pour over it when its finished. I’ll update this post with the official link to the brown gravy recipe soon, but in the mean time here’s what I do:
In a small sauce pan add 1-1/2 cups water and add 1 tbsp of better than bouillon beef broth base (you could also use a bouillon cube or two depending on the size of them) and let it come to a boil. While that reaches a boil in a small bowl add 3/4 cup water and then 1/3 cup all purpose flour. Whisk it extremely well (like your life depends on how well you whisk this mixture). When your done slowly pour it into the boiling beef broth while whisking constantly until thickened. And, voila! Easiest gravy ever and I honestly prefer it over most other kinds. It’ll probably be salty enough, but I like to add a little pepper. If it seems too thick for your taste add more water(little at a time) over low heat while whisking constantly. The end.
In a large bowl add in 1 lb of lean ground turkey (don’t use extra lean. It’s too dry for this particular recipe), 1 lb of lean ground beef, 1 cup oats (old fashioned or quick cooking will work), 2 eggs (beaten before added to the bowl), 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce, 1 tsp Lawry’s Seasoned Salt, and about 1/2 tsp pepper. Also, add in the sautéed peppers and onions once they’re cooled off.
One, two, three… mash it up! With your hands. It’s for the best. I know, it’s kind of yuck, but it’s meatloaf and it’s the easiest way to combine it without over mixing. Oh that’s a rule too… Combine it well, but take care not to over mix it because otherwise it’ll be dry and just not as good as it should be and you’ll hate me… especially if you’re not 100% team meatloaf in the first place and are trusting me to change your mind.
Now dump the meatloaf mix onto a sheet pan. I line it with aluminum foil for extra ease in the clean up department. There is gonna be some not so pretty stuff on the pan after it bakes and it’s best just to throw it in the trash and pretend it never happened.
Shape the the meat mix into… a loaf. Ha! This just keeps getting better. Some people put their meatloaves into a loaf pan, but I never have and I don’t know why.
Anyway, brush the ketchup-y glaze all over it and throw’r in a preheated 350 degree oven for an hour.
After it’s done let the meatloaf sit for about ten minutes before cutting into and serving.
As ugly as meatloaf is… this photo makes my drool! It’s the perfect plate of comfort in my opinion.
Time to dig in and enjoy! I hope y’all love it as much as I do. Let me know how it goes in the comments below.
Ingredients
Meatloaf
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 1 large red pepper diced
- 1 large yellow onion diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced (or 1 tbsp jarred minced garlic)
- 1 lb raw lean ground beef (93% lean, 7% fat)
- 1 lb raw lean ground turkey (93% lean, 7% fat)
- 1 cup oats (old fashioned or quick cooking work)
- 2 tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
- 2 large eggs (beaten before added to the meatloaf mix)
- 1 tsp Lawry's Seasoned Salt
- 1/2 tsp Pepper
Ketchup Glaze
- 1/4 cup reduced sugar ketchup (I use Heinz)
- 1 tbsp red wine vinegar (I've also used apple cider vinegar)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a sheet pan with aluminum foil.
- In a medium skillet heat olive oil over medium heat and add onions and red peppers. Cook until softened and then add minced garlic. Continue to cook for about 30 seconds or until the garlic becomes fragrant. Remove from heat and from the pan so they can cool off for about 5 minutes.
- In a small bowl add ketchup and vinegar. Mix together and set aside.
- In a large bowl add ground turkey and beef, oats, Worcestershire sauce, beaten eggs, cooked onions/peppers/garlic, and salt & pepper.
- Mash together with hands until combined well, but take care not to over mix the ingredients otherwise you'll have dry meatloaf.
- Dump the meatloaf mix onto sheet pan and form a loaf and spread glaze all over it.
- Place into oven and cook for 1 hour. Remove from oven and let it sit for 10 minutes to let the juices distribute. Serve warm and enjoy!
Can you make these as mini?
Amazing! I am asked to make this all the time! I double the ketchup sauce…it’s sooo good!
Woohoo! So happy everyone enjoys
Can this be made with 2 lbs of lean ground beef, or does it get too greasy?
two pound of ground beef is just fine! As long as you’re not using like a fattier ground then it won’t be greasy
Love this meatloaf recipe! I actually use a combination of ground beef and ground deer and it is wonderful. Thanks for all your great recipes. You are my go-to when I want to try something new.
I’m so happy you enjoy it!!
Delicious! Held together nicely; the oats are soft enough not to notice them. Could maybe use a little more seasoning, but not much. Great as leftovers. Will make again!
Star!! Another golden recipe! I found you a few years ago starting WW and then got pregnant/ had our sweet girl and fell off the wagon. Anyway, just getting back to it again and I’m off to a great start with the help of several of your recipes. Today I wanted something comforting and googled WW meatloaf…about 30 seconds in to my search results I questioned why I didnt start with your website. Long story short, I searched for meatloaf on your website, found and made this one and you knocked it out of the park. My husband said ‘this is WW? Tastes like your normal’ (that he loves, using full fat beef and all the fixings). Thanks for this recipe and all the rest. You make being ‘skinnyish’ easy.
I’m so so happy you found me again! Congratulations on your sweet baby!!
Thank you for creating a healthier version of the meatloaf I have been making for years. I actually used two pounds of turkey (93/7), which was still yummy. I don’t like ketchup, so we just made a packet of gravy and had that with mashed potatoes. I love that this meatloaf has vegetables, grains, and meat all in one.
@mrs.q.1985_
This was so good!! Definitely becoming a staple in my dinner rotation! So flavorful & not at all dry like other meatloaf recipes I’ve tried!
This really is the BEST meatloaf! What’s even better is the leftovers you can make with this delicious meatloaf. Family fave recipe !!
Made this meatloaf tonight for supper and we loved it! So easy, will be great leftovers and we both found it delicious! I’ve made several of your recipes and we’ve yet to find one we don’t like. Chicken street tacos, Italian beef, chipotle bowls, creamy chicken chili, easy baked chicken breast, pickle chicken, crockpot marinara, and crockpot lasagna are all frequently on our meal rotation..meatloaf will be added.
My favorite meat loaf recipe I have made while doing WW! I have loved every recipe at the skinnyish dish, can’t wait to try more!
@ww.with.Brooke
The best meatloaf recipe! The glaze is my favorite part. Love it on a sandwich as leftovers.
@kaseygilmour
Love this meatloaf recipe! I’ve used this recipe the last 3 times making meat loaf.
I love this meatloaf so much. I portion it and freeze it for workdays. Makes me look forward to lunch at work!!!
@jeannerrt
THIS MEATLOAF. It’s seriously the greatest. My husband is a picky eater and when I typically ask for dinner ideas, he’s got nothing. Well this recipe right here has changed the game around here. It’s become a family favorite and I make it every other week-it’s a hit every time! Thanks for sharing your magic with us Star! @kbtracksnsnacks
This Meatloaf!! Let me tell you how delicious this turned out. I was so happy that there was a couple slices left for today. Quick, easy and most of all yuuummmyyy! Thank you Star for all the time you take to post your recipes.
Thank you!!
I have not made meatloaf in years because I could never get it to turn out. This recipe is so easy. I like putting it on a sheet pan instead of using a loaf pan. It turned out perfect and was delicious. I made the Homestyle Cauli-Tater Mash to go with the meatloaf. This is the second time I made these and they are so good. Thank you developing and sharing these great recipes, Star.
Thanks for stopping back by to comment and rate the recipe, Cathy! I really appreciate it. I’m so happy you enjoyed it! I’ve NEVER used a loaf pan for meatloaf or even had meatloaf made in a loaf pan. Love those potatoes and so happy you enjoyed the whole meal!
Had this tonight and it did not disappoint! My husband comes from a family of naturally skinny people, (not fair) and he hates turkey. He had no idea. At the end he said this was good you couldn’t even tell there were oats in there. (He saw me pour those in) then he said, make this again soon. I told him about the turkey and he was shocked. Thank you for a recipe that got my toddler to eat veggies and my husband to eat turkey!
My husband HATES meatloaf and after having this he asked me to add it to our weekly rotation! Even my very picky toddler gobbled it up!
This was a hit with my family. So flavorful, quick and easy!
My husband LOVES meatloaf and I’ve never been much of a fan until I made your recipe! It was so good! I skipped the glaze and made the brown gravy instead. Thank you for another great recipe!!
Was truly the best! Whole family loved it!
Delicious! Will be making this again. Thank you!
Another winner! I was skeptical that any meatloaf recipe could top my mothers which I’ve been eating since childhood and making for my own family for years, but this is unanimously the new family favorite (shh, don’t tell!). The flavors and consistency was just perfect. Already looking forward to leftovers 🙂
Just locked up my lips and threw away the key! Haha. So happy yall enjoyed it so much!
(sorry to your mama!)
Seriously, this was amazing! My husband and I loved this so much. Definitely becoming a staple in my weekly meals.
Another winner, Star! Can’t believe how low points it is and how filling at the same time. Also made the gravy with some mashed potatoes. Yum!
This was so good! Even my very picky husband went for seconds! I split the loaf in half and froze one for later. We will be eating it very soon! This will definitely be in the rotation for dinner.
I attempted to make this, cooked for one hour at 350 degrees, but when it came out parts of it were not cooked. It wasn’t like just the center wasn’t done….it was random parts that were still pink. Any tips on what to do for next time?
Hmmm oven times can definitely vary from time to time. You can check the temp with a thermometer to ensure that it is done. I recommend 160 degree temp for it to be cooked and then be sure to let is set for about 10 minutes after its done cooking as well. I’d probably add an additional 10-15 minutes for next time right off the bat if it was still pink.
If you didn’t throw it away you could slice the pieces and finish the cooking in the oven too. It may be a tad bit dry since it’s been cut into slices, but still good!
Ok… we are not meatloaf people. In fact, as a kid I hated it. I do think it had to do with the word “meatloaf” lol… so funny that Star said that. Anyway, this was A HIT. I wanted to give the loaf one more shot and I’m glad I did! Thanks for the recipe, it will be a keeper for sure!
This mearloaf recipe is soooo flavorful! The turkey and beef mixture made it taste like regular beef turkey, I didn’t tell my family I mixed in turkey and they had no idea, they devoured it! This will definitely be a regular on my menu from now on.
Great meatloaf! I have never found a turkey meatloaf that I liked….but this one with the combo of turkey and beef is awesome! Only feeding 2 people..so I actually made this into 2 smaller loaves and frozen one for later without the glaze. Just heated up the frozen loaf and added the ketchup glaze ….it tasted just as delicious! Thanks for another great recipe!
Hey Star! I’ve made this recipe so many times and it’s so super delicious.
My question, I wanted to make this tonight but I don’t have beef, I just have 1 lb pork and 1 lb turkey.. do you think I could still make it the same way, and have it taste good?
Fantastic! I just used two pounds of 93% turkey since Wifey has an intolerance with beef. It was so delicious and I ate it every day at lunch for a week with the leftovers!
If I double the recipe, how long would you bake it?
If I were to double I would probably mix it all together, but make two loaves and bake for the same amount of time and check temp to make sure they are both done. The internal temp should be 160 degrees.
This was delicious! I must have not compressed it enough into a loaf because it kinda fell apart LOL. But that’s ok because it was tasty still. It was pretty good with the ketchup glaze but I ended up putting some sugar free BBQ sauce on the side and loved it even more with that!
This meatloaf is FANTASTIC!! The only change I made was to throw my oats in my bullet because my husband and son wouldn’t have liked the texture of the whole oats. It came out perfect! So moist and flavorful. We all gobbled it up! I will 100% be making this again and again!
This meatloaf recipe is SO good! I have a bit of an aversion for ground turkey, so was a bit leery, but followed the recipe so I could track calories properly and it is so tasty! Stayed nice and moist, had great flavour, and I couldn’t stop eating it!
OMG! This is amazing! I altered the recipe a little. Instead of beef and turkey, I used 2 lbs of 85/15 percent beef. I used regular ketchup rather than sugar free. I have been trying to find a meatloaf recipe for years. My husband normally takes a bite and runs, he hates meatloaf. He ate two pieces of this recipe, he loved it. So glad I gave it a try 🙂
Yum, yum, and yum! Just made this tonight. Thank you! I invited the boyfriend over for dinner without having made it before because I have that much faith in your recipes!
Best meatloaf I’ve ever made! The family loved it. Thanks for the recipe!
Do you think I can cut this recipe in half and make it in muffin cups? Thanks so much.
What might be a good egg substitute for this dish? My son is allergic is eggs.
My daughter uses Just Egg in place of eggs. It’s sold with the eggs. She has a sensitivity to eggs.
This meatloaf is amazing!! I love so many of your recipes, so thank you for sharing them with the world! I made the meatloaf tonight, and let’s just say – I cannot keep my fork out of the Tupperware that the leftovers are stored in! So good!! Thanks again!!
I LOVE meatloaf and feel like I can’t say it without referencing wedding crashes.. This was an amazing recipe!! I just made this last night and am hooked!
Thank you for always making the best recipes. Each week I always make multiple recipes of yours! & this is another great one to add to our rotation!
WOW!! This recipe really lives up to its name!! My kids don’t like meatloaf but LOVED this one! They had no idea that it had turkey OR oats in it and were sure the glaze had brown sugar in it! It’s very filling and moist and I’m so excited I get to bring it for lunch this week too!!
Do you think this would be just as good with ground chicken??
I think that it should work well. Let me know how it went!
Thank you for this meatloaf recipe. Always game to try something new.
However, when making the gravy you said: “While that reaches a boil in a bowl add 3/4 cup water and then 1/3 cup water.” One of those water measurements should be a different ingredient to thicken the gravy?
this seriously is the best meatloaf! My family had no idea it wasn’t all beef, and found it delicious =) thank you for another fabulous recipe!
I’m assuming in your instant brown gravy recipe you meant “3/4 cup water and 1/3 cup FLOUR,” not “3/4 cup water and 1/3 cup water” as the mini-recipe suggests. Hey, I was going with it until you suggest to add MORE water to make it thinner!
Will be trying this soon. Sounds yummy!
I just fixed it! Thanks so much for letting me know! No matter how many times I edit I feel like there’s always one thing I miss.
Question under the ketchup glaze – I don;t understand this:
While that reaches a boil in a bowl add 3/4 cup water and then 1/3 cup water.
In this paragraph.
In a small sauce pan add 1-1/2 cups water and add 1 tbsp of better than bouillon beef broth base (you could also use a bouillon cube or two depending on the size of them) and let it come to a boil. While that reaches a boil in a bowl add 3/4 cup water and then 1/3 cup water. Whisk it extremely well (like your life depends on how well you whisk this mixture). When your done slowly pour it into the boiling beef broth while whisking constantly until thickened.
Hi Dave! I just fixed it. Sorry about that. It’s 1/3 cup flour to the water, not water to water. My mistake!