The concept of this dish kind of makes me raise an eyebrow because, well, it’s a loaf of meat. But when it’s executed well, it’s just so good. This easy meatloaf recipe is filling, cozy, and delicious, and I always look forward to eating the leftovers (hello meatloaf sandwich, I’m looking at you). It also happens to be pretty budget-friendly since it stretches a pound and a half of ground beef with pantry staples to make seven hearty servings. This recipe is the traditional homemade meatloaf that we all know and love—tender, juicy, full of flavor, and with a tangy tomato glaze on top. It’s so perfect when paired with mashed potatoes and green beans. Like a plate of pure comfort!
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“Whole family loves this recipe, even the picky eaters, and it’s so simple to prepare! My favorite is when the glaze and loaf are moist, but the bottom has browned and crisped up adding a nice flavor and texture contrast.”
Wilbur
A Family Dinner Staple
There is no comfort food like my famous meatloaf recipe. With almost 200 5-star reviews, it’s one of my favorite recipes on Budget Bytes. It’s a winner every time, and tested (and tested and tested) to make sure it’s completely fool-proof.
And here’s why this meatloaf turns out so perfectly every single time: the ingredients all play a role in texture and flavor, and the balance is just right. I always opt for 80/20 ground beef because the fat keeps things moist and tasty. Breadcrumbs and milk help lock in that moisture while giving the loaf its signature tender bite, and the egg holds it all together. I also use a simple seasoning mix to add flavor while still allowing the natural beef flavor to shine through. And that glaze? A mix of ketchup, brown sugar, mustard, and Worcestershire sauce (for added umami) makes it tangy, glossy, and just sweet enough. Trust me, don’t skip it. 🤤
Recipe Success Tips
- The secret to good meatloaf is MILK. It sounds weird, but it makes a HUGE difference. It hydrates the breadcrumbs to help bind the loaf and keep it super moist. When I first tested this recipe, I made one without milk, and I must say, the difference was ENORMOUS. It was dense, a little tough, and notably drier than the loaf made with milk. So don’t skip it! P.S. You can also use your favorite unsweetened dairy-free milk.
- There are two camps when it comes to making this dish: loaf pan or baking sheet. I’m team baking sheet—it lets extra moisture evaporate so the meat stays juicy, not soggy. That said, if you like clean edges or want an easier shape, a loaf pan might be more your style. Either works for this recipe.
- Keep your meatloaf from falling apart. I recommend following my recipe as written (using the correct amount of egg and breadcrumbs), using ground beef with a finer ground, or one that’s been double ground. I find that really coarse beef doesn’t mix as thoroughly with the binders and may crumble when sliced. And finally, mincing the onion as finely as possible. Large chunks of onion will stop the loaf from holding together as well.
- The mustard is a very subtle ingredient in the glaze and acts more as a flavor balancer than anything else. However, if you really don’t like mustard, you can leave it out!
- Use a large egg (and don’t skip it). A large egg adds just enough moisture and structure to help hold the loaf together. I don’t recommend leaving the egg out of this recipe because it really plays a big part in binding the meat mixture, plus it adds flavor and richness.
- Don’t have any milk? Use chicken stock instead. Plenty of our readers have swapped the milk in this recipe for an equal amount of chicken stock and LOVED the result. I bet beef stock would also work well.
- Don’t overmix the beef mixture. This is really important and can make or break your loaf. Overmixing works the proteins in the meat too much, which breaks them down into mush and will cause your finished loaf to be dense and tough. Just mix until everything is combined and no more.
- Let your loaf rest for about 10 minutes before slicing. It gives the juices time to settle so they don’t run out, keeping every slice moist and flavorful.
Classic Meatloaf
Cost $9.23 recipe / $1.32 serving
Ingredients
Meatloaf
- 1 large egg ($0.18)
- ⅓ cup milk ($0.09)
- 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce ($0.02)
- ½ cup plain breadcrumbs ($0.16)
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning ($0.10)
- ½ tsp garlic powder ($0.05)
- 1 tsp salt ($0.02)
- ¼ tsp black pepper (freshly cracked, $0.05)
- ½ cup minced onion ($0.22)
- 1½ lbs. ground beef (80/20, $7.95*)
Glaze
- ½ cup ketchup ($0.30)
- 1 Tbsp brown sugar ($0.03**)
- 1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce ($0.05)
- 1 tsp yellow mustard ($0.01)
Video
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF. In a small bowl whisk together the egg, milk, and Worcestershire sauce. In a separate small bowl, stir together the breadcrumbs, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Mince the onion.
- Add the ground beef, egg mixture, breadcrumb mixture, and minced onion to a large bowl. Use your hands to mix the ingredients together until evenly combined. Avoid over mixing.
- Place the meat mixture on a rimmed baking dish and shape it into a loaf that is approximately 4-inches wide, 8-inches long, and 2-inches tall.
- In a separate small bowl, stir together the glaze ingredients (ketchup, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, and mustard). Spread the glaze evenly over the top and sides of the meatloaf.
- Bake the meatloaf for 50-55 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 165ºF. Allow it to rest for 5-10 minutes after baking, then slice and serve.
See how we calculate recipe costs here.
Equipment
- Meat Thermometer
- Small Roasting Pan
- Measuring Cups/Spoons
Notes
Nutrition
Have you tried this recipe?Mention @budgetbytes or tag #budgetbytes on Instagram!How to Make Meatloaf – Step by Step Photos
Gather all of your ingredients and preheat your oven to 350ºF.
Combine the wet and dry ingredients: Start by pre-mixing some of the ingredients so there will be less mixing required for the meat (overmixing the meat can make it tough). In a small bowl, whisk together ⅓ cup milk, one large egg, and 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce. In a separate bowl, stir together ½ cup breadcrumbs, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, ¼ tsp freshly cracked pepper, and 1 teaspoon salt.
Mince the onion: Now, mince about a ½ cup onion. Make sure to chop or mince the onion as finely as possible. Chunky onion can make the loaf fall apart more easily.
Make the ground beef mixture: Add the milk mixture, breadcrumb mixture, and minced onion to 1.5 lbs. ground beef (80/20). Mix with your hands until everything is evenly combined. Avoid overmixing to stop the end result from becoming tough and dense rather than moist and juicy.
Form the loaf: Place the meat mixture on a rimmed baking sheet or baking dish and shape it into a loaf that is approximately 8″ long, 4″ wide, and 2″ tall.
Make the glaze: Stir together ½ cup ketchup, 1 tablespoon brown sugar, 1 teaspoon yellow mustard, and 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce.
Spread the glaze over the top and sides of the loaf.
Cook: Bake the loaf in the preheated 350ºF oven for 50-55 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 165ºF. You don’t need to cover the baking dish. Let it rest for about 10 minutes before slicing and serving.
What to Serve with Meatloaf
My favorite pairings are what I have pictured here, Mashed Potatoes and Steamed Green Beans. But I don’t limit myself to just these sides! I sometimes swap out the green beans with another vegetable, like Roasted Broccoli or Honey Balsamic Glazed Carrots. And if you’re wondering what else goes well with meatloaf, I’d never say no to a filling, starchy side dish like Macaroni and Cheese or Potato Salad in place of my usual mashed potatoes. I’m not picky, and you can honestly choose any sides you love…there are no rules! 😉
Storage, Meal-Prepping & Freezing
Keep your leftovers in the fridge for up to 3-4 days in an airtight container to stop them from drying out. You can also freeze individual slices by wrapping them in plastic wrap or foil and placing them into a freezer-safe bag or container (perfect for meal prepping!) Let the slices thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating in the oven at 350ºF or in a skillet on the stovetop with a little oil. I’d add a sprinkle of water or broth over each slice to help keep them moist and cover the baking dish with foil if reheating in the oven.
As for meal prepping, you can bake the loaf as directed and store it as above, or prep the meat mixture and bake it later on. I’d combine the ingredients and store them covered in the fridge to form and bake later in the day.
More Ground Beef Recipes
Our famous Meatloaf recipe was originally published 9/27/21. We have updated it to be the best it can be and republished 2/6/25.
I made this for dinner tonight and it was amazing. My husband even raved about it. It was nice and moist and had incredible flavor. Will definitely be making this gain in the near future!
Made this recipe and it will be my go to recipe for meatloaf. It tasted even better the next day,
Ye this is a good recipe, pretty easy to make, annoying to change to uk measurements there could be a conversion chart. Skip the red sauce glaze and go for a bbq glaze, I used Jack Daniels barbecue sauce,Tastes good. Well worth the time to make. Also don’t mess around making silly shapes, it’s a lot easier to put in a 2 pound tin.
Altered the recipe a little, did most of the things, but no res sauce of nastiness, I used Jack Daniels barbecue sauce instead and it so much easier to put it in a 2 pound cake in instead of messing around, trying to put it into a block. The measurements are annoying cause it’s in American and not UK but OK Google works for that stuff. overall, pretty bloody tasty.
This recipe is delicious! Yes , so moist because of the milk. The only difference I made was to use a pound of ground beef and a half pound of hot Italian sausage . We aren’t glaze fans, so no glaze. No need for any sauce or ketchup , for that matter, lol. Made with the twice baked potato casserole! Yummo
I had to cook it an extra 10 minutes but it was so delicious!!! My husband was impressed that I could cook something like that, changed up our few rotating meals. It was a very easy recipe to make with low effort.
Made this for dinner last night and served with mashed potatoes and green beans. This was just a classic all around great meatloaf. Will come back to this one over and over again, I’m sure. Can’t wait for meatloaf sandwiches today!
This recipe has become a staple in our house! I always make it as is but I think I’m going to try experimenting with 1 lb ground beef and half a pound of mild Italian sausage. Have you tried that? Thanks! :)
It should work but you’ll likely have more fat in the bottom of the roasting pan at the end of cooking!
Yes made last night friends staying with like meatloaf was easy & Moist as said don’t leave MILK out am out in bush Cooktown Australia Done in wood stove oven used Powdered milk
add 1 tspn Italian herbs & 1 tspn Mixed
herbs and Dijon Mustard
Scott and Sharon said 10/10
Left overs for lunch Thanks for great recipes most Meatloaf can Be on dry side this excellent
I followed this recipe and it turned out amazing! Next time I will try adding jalapenos to the meat mixture to make it a little spicy.
This meatloaf was insanely good! I also froze some of it, then reheated in the oven and whipped up some additional glaze, it was even better that way! I really did get the taste of “mom made”! Super easy to make too! I would give 10 stars if I could :)
I use a meat grinder for the onion it turns to onion juice and I use 2 lbs burger and 1 lb of sausage. Makes sandwich size slices. I believe it’s grinding the onion and the sausage that makes it MMM YUMMY. Have it on the tregar right now.
I just made this recipe tonight with turkey instead of ground beef and it came out great! I was worried the turkey would be too dry, but it wasn’t at all. I did have to cook it for about 10 additional minutes to get it up to temperature. Another budget bytes winner for sure!
Any recommendations for adjusting this for air fryer use?
That would definitely need some testing on our part first to make sure the outside doesn’t burn before the inside gets cooked through!
I sent my son to the store to buy the beef and he accidentally bought ground lamb. Best mistake ever I only make this recipe with ground lamb is absolutely delicious. Love this recipe and the sauce is the best when I make it for other people they always ask me for the recipe for the sauce.