The Best Basic Meatloaf Recipe

This easy meatloaf is one of our best basics recipes because it offers up a tasty, hearty dinner or a killer meatloaf sandwich for minimal effort. And once you have mastered this best basic meatloaf recipe, you can trick it out and make it your own. Consider crazy glazes, wrapping the whole thing in bacon, or swapping out some — or all — of the recommended meats for another ground meat.

If you want to add some spice, swap out 1 pound of the ground meat for 1 pound of hot italian sausage. Just remove the casing and crumble the sausage meat before mixing.

The Best Basic Meatloaf Recipe
No Ratings
Servings
6
to 8 servings
Ingredients
  • 3/4 cup onion
  • 2 pounds ground meat
  • 1/2 cup ketchup
  • 1/2 cup mustard
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 cup seasoned bread crumbs
  • Salt and pepper
Directions
  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
  2. In a large mixing bowl, combine all ingredients and mix until evenly combined. Mix it up with your hands, get a little dirty, it's all good.
  3. When we salt and pepper says to taste in this case, we do not mean you should taste this raw meat mixture.  That instruction just means add as much salt and pepper as you'd like.  A good sprinkle of each should do it.
  4. You can make one large loaf or two small loafs from your mixture.  Either way place your loaf/ loaves onto a baking sheet.  Place in the preheated oven for 1 hour for 1 large loaf. If you are going for 2 smaller loaves, reduce cooking time to about 45 minutes.
  5. For an easy glaze you can top the loaf/ loaves with barbecue sauce or ketchup half way through cooking.
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