The best easy meatloaf recipe you can make using ground beef and a tasty meatloaf sauce on top is Granny’s Classic Meatloaf.
Similiar to my mini bacon wrapped meatloaf recipe, Granny’s Classic Meatloaf is the ultimate easy-to-make dinner comfort food that your entire family will enjoy.
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CLASSIC MEATLOAF RECIPE
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If you’re wondering what to cook for dinner tonight, you can’t go wrong with Granny’s Classic Meatloaf. Much like Granny’s Monkey Bread and Granny’s Beef and Noodles recipes, this easy ground beef meatloaf recipe with a tasty meatloaf sauce on top will please everyone’s taste buds.
How to make meatloaf:
This classic meatloaf recipe consists of two parts: the meatloaf and the meatloaf sauce on top.
To make the meatloaf, start by sauteing some onion and garlic in butter. Adding raw onion to the meatloaf would be too intense. Cooking them first and allowing them to cool before combining with the remaining meatloaf ingredients allows you to get the best onion and garlic flavors without them being to harsh or intense.
This meatloaf recipe is super easy to make because you simply combine all of the ingredients in a bowl and shape it into a mound on a baking sheet. I always use parchment paper for easy clean up. This is how my family has been making meatloaf since I was a kid.
While the meatloaf is cooking, mix up the super simple meatloaf sauce. This easy combination of ketchup, brown sugar, and spicy brown mustard is just what the meatloaf needs. I like to add it half way though the cooking time.
How long to cook meatloaf:
There are two considerations when cooking a meatloaf recipe like this one: meatloaf cook time and meatloaf temp. You see, depending on the size and shape of the meatloaf you make, the time will vary.
If you make your classic meatloaf in a loaf pan, your cooking time could be longer because the meatloaf is taller and more compact. If you bake your meatloaf on a baking sheet like I did, it will generally be more flat, thus increasing it’s surface area and cooking faster.
A general cooking time range would be anywhere from an hour to an hour and twenty minutes. The only sure way to know when your easy homemade meatloaf recipe is done cooking is to verify the internal temperature is 160 degrees F.
Perfect side dishes to serve with Granny’s Classic Meatloaf:
- Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes
- Gorgonzola Celery Root Mashed Potatoes
- Brown Butter Mashed Potatoes
- Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Bacon and Balsamic
- Bacon Wrapped Asparagus
- Perfect Garlic Sauteed Asparagus
Watch my meatloaf recipe video below!
Granny's Classic Meatloaf
Ingredients
Meatloaf:
- 1 medium sized onion diced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 2 pounds ground beef
- 1 large egg
- 1 cup panko bread crumbs
- 1 cup milk
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon thyme
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
Topping (see note):
- 1/2 cup ketchup
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon spicy brown mustard
Instructions
- Preheat oven or grill to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper for easy clean up.
- Melt butter in saute pan over medium heat. Cook onions until fragrant and slightly brown while stirring occasionally, about 3-5 minutes. Reduce heat to low and add garlic, cook for 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.
- In large bowl, combine ground beef, egg, bread crumbs, milk, Worcestershire sauce, thyme, salt and cooked onions and garlic. Use hands to mix well, but try not to over work the meat. Shape into loaf on parchment lined baking sheet. Use sharp knife to cut a criss cross pattern on top.
- Bake uncovered in the preheated oven 40 minutes. While meatloaf is cooking, combine ketchup with mustard and brown sugar in a bowl. Set aside.
- After 40 minutes of cooking, spread ketchup mixture over the top of the meatloaf and continue baking for about 30-35 minutes to an internal temperature of 160 degrees F (70 degrees C).
Video
Notes
Nutrition
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I honestly love meatloaf. It’s true comfort food. Totally pinning!
This is making me hungry! Adding this to our menu this week!
Granny’s know their meatloaf, this is the best recipe!
Meatloaf is such a family favorite! So hearty and delicious. Can’t wait to try your recipe.
This is my husband’s new favorite! Thanks for the great recipe.
Would I be able to make this in a slow cooker?
You bet! The slow cooker should act just like your oven. I’m not sure how long to cook it for, so you’ll need to depend on a meat thermometer and I would hold off on adding the sauce until closer to the end.
Hi! What type of ground beef would you use Krissy? As far as fat content. And also can this recipe be cooked in a meatloaf pan?
I usually prefer lean but it will work with any kind of ground beef. If you don’t use lean, you’ll just get more fat that leaks out. I also prefer it on a baking sheet because I love the crispy outside, but you can certainly make it in a loaf pan.
Looks so good! While using a baking sheet, will it loose its shape in the baking process?
Nope! If your meat is real fatty, you’ll get some grease that cooks out, but for the most part it holds its shape well!
Sounds absolutely by far delicious!! I will be making this recipe tonight! Thanks for the recipe! My family hates onions and garlic any other good substitutes?
Hi Imani, Onion powder and garlic powder would work just as well for flavor and the onion and garlic haters might be okay with it.
This was the best meatloaf I’ve ever made! Probably best I’ve ever eaten! Seriously! I love that it’s one big loaf…enough for the whole family!
So glad you liked it!!
Smells so deeeeelicious!…..added some bacon strips on top just like my mom does
You can NEVER go wrong with bacon!
Thank you for this great recipe. I made it first time and it is already a big hit with my family. I believe the secret to this dish is cooking the onions in butter. It gives the dish a special flavor. Thank you again for sharing, a great recipe !!
This came out delicious. I didn’t have Panko at home so just used seasoned bread crumbs and didn’t make the topping, don’t like ketchup on my meatloaf. This has now become my go to meatloaf recipe. Thanks!
That is how I have always made mine, except for a different topping. Always a hit.
I don’t think grandma ever used Panko bread crumbs. She probably used bread soaked in milk. I will try this recipe though. Thank you for posting it.
I think the panko bread crumbs turned into one of my tweaks over the years. 🙂
I made this tonight and it was awesome. Very easy with simple ingredients from your pantry yet awesome flavor. Thanks for the great recipe,,
Can the meatloaf be frozen if extra is made?
Yes! Just be sure to wrap it extra air tight to keep away the freezer burn. To reheat you might want to make more of the ketchup sauce because it’ll stick to whatever you wrap it in.
I’m trying this for the first time it smells amazing I can’t wait to try it!! Thank you bunches for sharing this recipe!! Can’t wait to try some more of your recipes soon!!
Sounds delicious, but our favorite has always been Tomato Soup on top ! Mix with a little bit of water and smear it over the whole thing and some in the bottom of the pan. (Roasting pan). It makes for a delicious ‘gravy’ for the mashed potatoes!
how much ground beed? a pound?
Hi Kellie, For this recipe I used two pounds but you can definitely cut in half if you need a smaller portion.
This is a great meatloaf recipe! I’ve cooked it both on parchment paper and in a loaf pan. Great either way. If you use very lean mix (I use ground sirloin from local butcher shop) it works well in a pan and you can lift it right out when done for slicing. I just made it for lunch and used Herbes de Provence instead of straight thyme and it was extraordinary. Thank you!
LOVE the Herbes de Provence recommendation. I’ll have to try that next time. Thank you!
I made this tonight. It was delicious and my wife loved it! I added a little sriracha to the ketchup sauce for a little extra kick. Thanks for the recipe!