Location: Home Kitchen
Meatloaf Recipe: Easy Homemade Meatloaf, Ingredients, Steps and Tips
This meatloaf recipe is the Allrecipes Easy Meatloaf. It takes 1 hour 15 minutes in total, serves 8, and bakes at 350F in a 9×5-inch loaf pan until the middle reads 160F. It uses 1.5 pounds of ground beef, 1 egg, 1 chopped onion, 1 cup of milk and 1 cup of dried bread crumbs, with a sauce of ketchup, brown sugar and prepared mustard on top. A meatloaf recipe like this one is one of the easiest ways to learn how to make meatloaf: five steps, a short list, and a moist, sliceable loaf.
Featured Image and Caption
Recipe at a Glance
This meatloaf recipe at a glance: the key facts from the Allrecipes page.
| Detail | What you get |
|---|---|
| Recipe | Allrecipes Easy Meatloaf |
| By | Janet Shum, Allrecipes Test Kitchen |
| Prep | 15 minutes |
| Cook | 1 hour |
| Total | 1 hour 15 minutes |
| Serves | 8 |
| Oven | 350F (175C) |
| Pan | 9×5-inch loaf pan, lightly greased |
| Done at | 160F internal, middle |
| Ingredients | 1.5 lb beef, egg, onion, milk, bread crumbs |
| Glaze | 1/3 cup ketchup, 2 tbsp brown sugar, 2 tbsp mustard |
| Rest | 10 minutes before slicing |
| Fridge | 3 to 4 days, tightly wrapped or airtight |
| Freezer | 3 to 4 months, double-wrapped |
Why We Visited
We did not visit a restaurant for this guide, so here is why this meatloaf recipe was researched instead. Meatloaf is one of the most searched home cooking topics, and the guides disagree on what matters most: cook time, doneness temperature, loaf pan versus sheet pan, and what keeps it moist. We took Allrecipes Easy Meatloaf as the spine because it is simple and widely tested, then filled the gaps from the competitor guides.
What We Ordered and Prices
There is no restaurant bill here, so this table lists the ingredients with rough 2026 United States grocery estimates. These are estimates only, not store prices, and they vary by city, store, and brand.
| Ingredient | Amount | Rough 2026 estimate |
|---|---|---|
| Ground beef | 1.5 lb | $6 to $9 |
| Egg | 1 large | $0.30 to $0.60 |
| Onion | 1, chopped | $0.50 to $1 |
| Milk | 1 cup | $0.25 to $0.50 |
| Dried bread crumbs | 1 cup | $0.50 to $1 |
| Ketchup | 1/3 cup | $0.40 to $0.80 |
| Brown sugar | 2 tbsp | $0.10 to $0.20 |
| Prepared mustard | 2 tbsp | $0.15 to $0.30 |
| Estimated total | Serves 8 | About $8 to $13 |
Our Food Review
We have not tasted this exact loaf ourselves, so this is a researched review. On paper, this meatloaf recipe earns its reputation: a short list, five steps, and a glaze that gives a sweet, tangy crust while the inside stays soft. Reviewers call it easy to follow, a keeper, and a family favourite.
The flavour is classic comfort food: savoury beef, soft onion, a mild crumb, and a ketchup glaze that caramelises at the edges. Texture rests on three choices: 80/20 beef or added sausage, gentle mixing, and a 10 minute rest before slicing. The limits are honest: Allrecipes gives no exact amount for onion, salt, or pepper, and one reviewer found half a large onion plenty, with some pieces staying crunchy. A few report a greasy loaf with fattier beef, and one reports a burnt bottom. The fixes: saute the onion first, and drain the fat at 60 minutes.
What Makes This Meatloaf Recipe Moist
The answer across the guides is a panade: bread crumbs soaked in milk until saturated, so the starch traps moisture as the loaf bakes. Savoring Tales calls the panade the secret to a moist loaf, and EatSip365 uses the same method. Three more choices help: 80/20 beef instead of lean beef, a sausage mix as The Modern Proper uses, and gentle mixing, because overworking the beef makes the loaf dense.
The Ingredients in This Meatloaf Recipe
For the loaf: 1.5 pounds of ground beef, 1 large egg, 1 onion chopped, 1 cup of milk, 1 cup of dried bread crumbs, and salt and pepper to taste. For the sauce: 1/3 cup of ketchup, 2 tablespoons of brown sugar, and 2 tablespoons of prepared mustard. The egg and crumbs bind the loaf, the milk softens the crumbs into a panade, and the onion adds sweetness and moisture. If onion pieces stay crunchy, saute the onion first.
- 1.5 pounds ground beef, 80/20 for moist or 90/10 for leaner
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten, to bind the mixture
- 1 onion, chopped, or half a large onion if yours is big
- 1 cup milk, to soak the crumbs into a panade
- 1 cup dried bread crumbs, plain or Italian seasoned
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1/3 cup ketchup, 2 tablespoons brown sugar, 2 tablespoons prepared mustard, for the glaze
Binder Choices for a Meatloaf Recipe
Dried bread crumbs are the Allrecipes choice: one cup, soaked in one cup of milk. Panko, used by This Silly Girl’s Kitchen and EatSip365, gives a lighter texture. Soft fresh bread, torn and soaked in milk, makes the softest panade. Oats give a denser, heartier bite, and a stuffing mix adds seasoning. Keep the ratio close to one cup of binder to one cup of milk per 1.5 pounds of beef.
Glaze Options for a Meatloaf Recipe
The classic glaze is the Allrecipes sauce: ketchup, brown sugar and prepared mustard stirred smooth and spread over the top before baking. I Heart Eating uses chili sauce instead of ketchup, half a cup in the mix plus extra for brushing, for a spicier, less sweet top. A BBQ sauce glaze is the swap several reviewers report. This Silly Girl’s Kitchen glazes in two stages, half mixed into the meat and half on top, and EatSip365 does the same, half at 40 minutes and half after, so the top stays glossy. If the classic glaze tastes too sweet, halve the brown sugar or swap in honey.
Loaf Pan or Free-Form: Shaping This Meatloaf Recipe
Allrecipes bakes the loaf in a lightly greased 9×5-inch loaf pan, pressed in evenly. The pan gives neat slices and holds its shape, so it is the best choice for a first attempt. The free-form alternative: The Modern Proper, This Silly Girl’s Kitchen and EatSip365 shape the mixture by hand on a sheet pan, because a free-form loaf gets a crust all round and the fat drains away instead of pooling. The trade-off is real: a loaf pan can trap fat and steam, so the bottom can burn, as one reviewer reported, while a sheet pan loaf can spread if the mixture is too wet. Use the loaf pan the first time, and drain the fat at 60 minutes with fattier beef.
Cook Time and Doneness in This Meatloaf Recipe
How long to cook meatloaf is where the guides disagree most. Allrecipes bakes at 350F for about 1 hour, 1 hour 15 minutes in total with prep. The Modern Proper bakes 50 minutes, Savoring Tales 60 minutes with foil for the first 45, This Silly Girl’s Kitchen 30 minutes then 20 to 30 more after glazing, I Heart Eating 55 to 60 minutes, and EatSip365 60 minutes. Do not cook by the clock alone: use the thermometer.
On the meatloaf internal temp, the disagreement is plain. Allrecipes says the loaf is completely cooked and safe to eat at 160F, measured with an instant-read thermometer in the middle, and the USDA figure for ground beef is also 160F. This Silly Girl’s Kitchen says 165F, which is higher and gives a slightly drier loaf, so we use 160F. Check the middle, not the edge, and cover loosely with foil if the top browns too fast.
Resting, Slicing and Serving This Meatloaf Recipe
Rest the loaf for 10 minutes before slicing: the juices settle back into the meat, and a loaf cut straight from the oven will crumble and leak. Slice about one inch thick, serve hot with the glaze side up, and spoon pan juices over the slices if you like.
Make-Ahead, Storage and Leftovers for This Meatloaf Recipe
Wrap the loaf tightly in plastic wrap or foil, or use an airtight container, and keep it in the refrigerator for three to four days. To freeze, wrap in at least one layer of storage wrap plus one layer of foil, then put it in a zip-top freezer bag labelled with the date, for three to four months. You can also freeze the raw mixture as mini loaves: they cook faster and give quick dinners later. Reheat slices gently at 325F with a spoon of glaze or a splash of water. Cold slices make excellent meatloaf sandwiches.
Variations on This Classic Loaf
Mini meatloaves are the most popular variation: the Allrecipes mini version takes 15 minutes of prep, 45 minutes of cooking, 1 hour in total, serves 8, and is done at 160F. A slow cooker meatloaf is the hands-off version: the Allrecipes Melt-In-Your-Mouth slow cooker meatloaf takes 15 minutes of prep and 5 hours 15 minutes of cooking for 6 servings, glaze in the last 15 minutes, and another slow cooker version with onion soup mix takes 10 minutes of prep and 4 hours for 6 servings. A stuffed meatloaf fills the middle, such as the Allrecipes Jalapeno Popper-Stuffed Meatloaf: 25 minutes of prep, 35 minutes of cooking, 1 hour in total, serving 4, at 160F. A taco meatloaf seasons the beef like taco meat: the Allrecipes Mexican Taco Meatloaf takes 15 minutes of prep, 45 minutes of cooking, 1 hour in total, serving 8, at 160F. A turkey meatloaf swaps beef for ground turkey, and a meatloaf with oatmeal swaps the crumbs for oats.
Sides to Serve With This Classic Loaf
The Allrecipes page names three sides: garlic mashed potatoes, creamed peas, and glazed carrots. Garlic mashed potatoes soak up the glaze and pan juices, creamed peas add a soft, sweet green, and glazed carrots echo the sweetness of the glaze. Beyond those, try green beans, roasted potatoes, a salad, or buttered corn.
Common Mistakes in a Classic Loaf
- Dry loaf: lean beef, overmixing, or cooking past 160F. Use 80/20 beef, mix gently, trust the thermometer.
- Greasy loaf: high-fat beef with nowhere for the fat to go. Use a sheet pan, or drain the fat at 60 minutes.
- Crunchy onion: raw onion that never softens. Chop fine, or saute first.
- Burnt bottom: fat pooling and scorching. Grease lightly, check at 60 minutes, drain the fat.
- Too sweet glaze: the full brown sugar amount. Halve the sugar, or swap in honey or BBQ sauce.
Picky Eats
If the onion is the problem, chop it very fine, saute it until soft, or swap it for a tablespoon of onion powder. If the glaze is the problem, serve the loaf plain and put the sauce in a small bowl on the side. If the texture is the problem, mini loaves help: they feel more like a burger and cook faster. For plain-food children, leave the mustard out of the glaze and serve the loaf with mashed potatoes.
Parents’ Review and Family Tips
For parents, this meatloaf recipe is a practical family dinner. Prep is 15 minutes, the oven does the rest, and one loaf serves eight, so a family of four gets dinner plus lunch the next day. Remember the community tips: make mini loaves for individual portions, freeze extras for quick dinners or meatloaf sandwiches, saute the onion first, and drain the fat at 60 minutes with fattier beef.
Nutrition and Carbohydrate Information
We are not publishing nutrition figures for this loaf. The Allrecipes Easy Meatloaf page was fetched fresh on 2026-11-02, and its nutrition panel was not captured, so no official calorie, carbohydrate, protein or fat figure for this exact recipe is available from the source. We will not invent one, and we will not copy another recipe’s figures onto this one: the 385 kcal per serving quoted by EatSip365 belongs to the EatSip365 recipe, which uses different amounts and a different glaze.
| Nutrition item | What we can say |
|---|---|
| Calories per serving | Not published; no figure captured from Allrecipes |
| Carbohydrates per serving | Not published; no figure captured from Allrecipes |
| Protein and fat per serving | Not published; no figure captured from Allrecipes |
| Source | Allrecipes Easy Meatloaf page, fetched 2026-11-02; nutrition panel not captured |
| Method | Figure omitted rather than estimated; no other recipe’s calories copied |
| What affects the numbers | Beef fat ratio, sausage added or not, glaze sugar, serving size |
What to Know Before Cooking
- Preheat the oven to 350F and lightly grease the 9×5-inch loaf pan.
- Use an instant-read thermometer: the middle must reach 160F.
- Mix gently and stop as soon as the mixture holds together.
- Chop the onion fine, or saute it first, so it softens fully.
- Spread the glaze evenly on top.
- Rest the loaf for 10 minutes before slicing.
- Store leftovers in the fridge for 3 to 4 days, or freeze double-wrapped for 3 to 4 months.
Is It Worth Visiting
There is no restaurant to visit, so the honest question is whether this meatloaf recipe is worth cooking, and the answer is yes, with limits. It is cheap, quick to prepare, feeds eight people, and gives leftovers that are genuinely useful. It is not worth cooking if you want a showpiece dish or a lean, low-fat dinner: a classic loaf is comfort food first, and the glaze is sweet. For a weeknight family dinner or a freezer stock-up, it is one of the best places to start.
FAQ
How long does it take to cook meatloaf at 350F?
About 1 hour, 15 minutes of prep for a total of 1 hour 15 minutes. Competitor guides range from 50 to 65 minutes. Cook to temperature: the middle must reach 160F.
What temperature is meatloaf done?
160F in the middle, measured with an instant-read thermometer. Allrecipes and the USDA both use 160F for ground beef. This Silly Girl’s Kitchen says 165F, so we use 160F.
How do you keep meatloaf moist?
The secret in this meatloaf recipe is the panade: bread crumbs soaked in milk until saturated, so the starch traps moisture as the loaf bakes. Use 80/20 beef or add mild Italian sausage, mix gently, and rest the loaf for 10 minutes.
Can you make meatloaf ahead of time?
Yes. Keep the cooked loaf in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days, tightly wrapped or airtight, or freeze it double-wrapped plus a zip-top bag for 3 to 4 months. Mini loaves are the best make-ahead shape: they cook faster and reheat quickly.
What is the best binder for meatloaf?
Dried bread crumbs are the classic choice, one cup soaked in one cup of milk. Panko gives a lighter texture, soft fresh bread gives the softest panade, and oats give a denser bite. Keep the ratio close to one cup of binder to one cup of milk.
What goes with meatloaf?
The classic trio is garlic mashed potatoes, creamed peas and glazed carrots. Garlic mashed potatoes soak up the glaze and pan juices, creamed peas add a soft sweet green, and glazed carrots echo the sweetness of the glaze. Green beans, roasted potatoes, a salad or buttered corn work too.
Related Food Guides
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Sources and Review Notes
What was researched: the Allrecipes Easy Meatloaf page (https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/16354/easy-meatloaf/), submitted by Janet Shum and tested by the Allrecipes Test Kitchen, fetched fresh on 2026-11-02, for the ingredients, steps, times, servings, 160F doneness, storage, sides and community tips. Cross-checked against the meatloaf guides from The Modern Proper, Savoring Tales, This Silly Girl’s Kitchen, EatSip365 and I Heart Eating, plus Allrecipes variations for mini meatloaves, slow cooker meatloaf, stuffed meatloaf and taco meatloaf, all checked 2026-11-02. What was not tried: we did not cook or taste this loaf ourselves, and this guide claims no visit and no cooking session. Disagreements stated: cook time 50 to 65 minutes at 350F, doneness 160F (Allrecipes and USDA) versus 165F (This Silly Girl’s Kitchen), loaf pan versus free-form sheet pan, and beef fat ratio 80/20 versus 90/10. Nutrition figures are omitted because the Allrecipes nutrition panel was not captured, and no other recipe’s calories were copied. Ingredient costs are rough 2026 United States grocery estimates only. ChatGPT and Claude cannot be read from here, so the competitor check used Google, Bing and the live web sources actually available.
