This twist on our classic meatloaf recipe creates a savory, satisfying, succulent meatloaf with even more flavor and less fat than my previous Traditional Fast and Easy Meatloaf recipe.
What’s different with this meatloaf recipe?
We’ve only changed a couple of ingredients, but it lowers the amount of saturated fat, increases the moisture, and boosts the flavor of the meatloaf. Here’s what we’ve changed for this amazing homemade meatloaf recipe:
- 90% Ground Beef- Many meatloaf recipes claim that you can’t use 90% lean ground beef in a meatloaf because it will dry out; instead they recommend ground chuck. While that cut of meat is delicious, it’s also incredibly high in saturated fat. In this recipe, I use 90% lean beef, but we compensate for the lower fat content of the ground beef by changing up other ingredients.
- Grated onions- Instead of onion powder, this meatloaf recipe calls for grating fresh onion into the meat mixture; you not only get better flavor than onion powder, but also more moisture and a more delicate texture to the finished loaf. No dry dense meatloaf here!
- Fresh parsley- This is more for aesthetics than taste, but fresh parsley does add a touch of fresh to the dish. It also looks beautiful mixed into the loaf and sprinkled on top. If I’ve depleted my garden’s supply, I buy a bunch, place the stems in a cup of water (like flowers in a vase), and keep it in the fridge to have on hand for recipes.
- Olive oil- as I do whenever I make meatballs, I used a little olive oil in the meat mixture for this recipe and it works beautifully. It adds some good fats to replace the saturated we’ve removed.
- Meatloaf glaze- a combination of ketchup and steak sauce makes a sweet, tangy, glaze that keeps the meatloaf moist while it cooks and adds a bright note of flavor to the dish. If you’re not a fan of these, you can use your favorite BBQ sauce instead.
Other Easy and Delicious Recipes to Serve with Meatloaf
While meatloaf is amazing by itself, we need to eat our veggies, too! Serve this meatloaf recipe with steamed green beans, roasted carrots, or your preferred vegetables for a delicious well-balanced meal. And don’t forget the homemade mashed potatoes, scalloped potatoes, or boiled baby potatoes!
A warm fruit cobbler or baked apples with ice cream make for a lovely and lighter dessert after this wonderfully filling meal.
Why You’ll Love this Fast and Easy Meatloaf Recipe!
We think this is our best meatloaf recipe yet and we think you will agree
- Simple preparation: This homemade recipe isn’t fancy and doesn’t need to be. There are only a few simple ingredients needed, and it is very easy to prepare. Easy enough for a midweek meal but special enough for a Sunday dinner.
- It slices beautifully: This classic meatloaf recipe is simple to portion for dinner, and it’s excellent for leftovers and meatloaf sandwiches.
- Delicious & nutritious: The meatloaf is hearty, delicious meal, packed with protein. While we’ve made a few changes to our original recipe, we have only improved the taste and nutrition.
How to make this Fast and Easy Meatloaf Recipe
Some Tips and Tricks
- Don’t over-mix the meat mixture. Gently combining the ingredients for this easy meatloaf recipe will yield a lovely, tender meatloaf. Over-mixing results in dense meatloaf. Notice the meat mixture looks fluffy and not compacted.
- If you want a juicy meatloaf, make sure you let the meatloaf rest after removing from the oven. This allows the juices to redistribute.
- The meatloaf will continue to cook and the internal temperature will rise a few degrees after removing from the oven, so don’t overcook it. Many recipes call for cooking the meatloaf for an hour or more, which is way too long. Pull the meatloaf after 40 minutes and check the temp using a meat thermometer or instant read thermometer. If it’s below 140°F, put it back in the oven and check again after 5 minutes.
Easy Meatloaf Recipe
- Total Time: 50 minutes
Ingredients
Meatloaf ingredients: 
2 pounds of Ground Beef (90% lean)
1/2 cup bread crumbs (you can use any kind, including Panko)
1 egg, beaten
1 small onion, grated
1/2 cup chopped parsley
3 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon minced fresh garlic or garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 Tablespoon olive oil
For Meatloaf sauce:
3/4 cup ketchup
3 Tablespoons steak sauce, such as A1
Instructions
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Combine ground beef, spices, and egg in large bowl.
- Grate the onion directly into the bowl.
- Gently mix all ingredients except ketchup and steak sauce together in a large bowl until just combined. Do not over-mix the meatloaf mixture or the loaf will be dense.
- Shape gently into a small baking dish or loaf pan and smooth the top. Alternatively, for a crustier meatloaf, shape into domed loaf shape on a foil-lined baking dish.
- For the meatloaf sauce: combine ketchup and A1 in small bowl and spread on top of meatloaf. If baking on a foil lined baking sheet, put sauce on the sides as well.
- Bake the meatloaf uncovered in preheated oven at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 140° F. Use an instant read thermometer or use a meat thermometer inserted in the middle of the meat loaf. *Remember that the loaf will continue to cook for a few minutes once removed from the oven. To keep the meatloaf tender, do not overcook it.
- To ensure a moist meatloaf, let the meatloaf rest for 5 minutes before serving and slicing.
Notes
Some Tips and Tricks
- Don’t over-mix the meat mixture. Gently combining the ingredients for this easy meatloaf recipe will yield a lovely, tender meatloaf. Over-mixing results in dense meatloaf.
- If you want a juicy meatloaf, make sure you let the meatloaf rest after removing from the oven. This allows the juices to redistribute.
- The meatloaf will continue to cook and the internal temperature will rise a few degrees after removing from the oven, so don’t overcook it. Many recipes call for cooking the meatloaf for an hour or more, which is way too long. Pull the meatloaf after 40 minutes and check the temp using a meat thermometer or instant read thermometer. If it’s below 140°F, put it back in the oven and check again after 5 minutes.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
Frequently Asked Questions:
How to store leftover meatloaf?
Leftover meatloaf can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator overnight or up to 5 days. Leftover meatloaf makes an awesome sandwich filling!
Can I freeze meatloaf?
Yes, this recipe actually freezes very well. Store cooked leftovers in an airtight container, such as a ziplock freezer bag, in the freezer for up to 3 months. After that, I find that the frozen meats invariably dry out. If the meatloaf is already sliced, I recommend wrapping each slice in parchment paper before freezing to make it easy to defrost individual slices.
Can I use ground turkey instead of beef?
I’ve tried substituting ground turkey to make the dish even more heart healthy, but it lost some of the flavor. At most, I would substitute half of the ground beef with ground turkey. If you do, add 1/4 cup beef broth to the meatloaf mixture for added moisture. You can use 1 Tablespoon of Better Than Bouillon and 1/4 cup water if you prefer.
Can I freeze meatloaf before I cook it?
Yes, after combining the ingredients and shaping the loaf, cover it tightly in plastic wrap before putting it in an airtight freezer bag. In the freezer, raw meatloaf should remain edible for up to six months. It is important to take into account whether the meat was frozen before being used to make the meatloaf. I do not recommend re-freezing thawed raw meat.
What if I don’t have breadcrumbs?
Guess what? I didn’t have any when I last made this so improvised. I toasted two slices of gluten-free bread, pulsed them in my mini food processor, and then toasted them again. It was a bit of a pain and increased my cooking time, but it sure worked well! In the past I have also used cracker crumbs, again pulsed in food processor. 
