Easy Meatloaf Recipe with the BEST Glaze
Your family is going to love this quick and easy favorite meatloaf recipe with a homemade sweet and tangy glaze baked on top.
I spent 2 years cooking for a camp and retreat center, and learned this special method for making meatloaf. It turns out delicious every single time. Not only is it one of my family’s favorite meal, it was also a favorite of hundreds of guests!
Why You’ll LOVE this Homemade & Easy Meatloaf Recipe
Meatloaf is a universal comfort food favorite recipe that feels a bit old fashioned~ like maybe I should be wearing a vintage dress and heels while I make it ~ a-la June Cleaver ~ although, truth be told, I’ve never seen an episode of Leave it to Beaver!:)
This particular easy meatloaf recipe is juicy and full of flavor, with the perfect tangy & sweet glaze baked right on top. It’s perfect serve with your favorite potatoes like smashed potatoes (recipe is also below), baked potatoes, or mashed potatoes.
Ingredients needed for this Homemade Meatloaf recipe:
- 1 1/2 pounds ground beef
- 1 egg
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1 cup milk
- 1 cup oatmeal
- salt and pepper to taste
For the homemade meatloaf glaze:
- 2 Tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 Tablespoons mustard
- 1/3 cup ketchup
Step by Step Instructions for easy meatloaf
(Refer to recipe card for more detailed instructions.)
1.Mix meatloaf mixture and press into a loaf pan. 
2.”Flip” the meatloaf onto a parchment lined baking pan with a rim. 
3.Cover meatloaf in homemade glaze.
- Mix all meatloaf ingredients together in a large mixing bowl. Use a large spoon for to break up the meat a bit, and if you aren’t too squeamish, wash your hands well and mix it together well with your hands. Mix just until the ingredients are all incorporated together and press the mixture firmly (but not hard packed!) into a loaf pan.
- Turn the meatloaf onto a parchment lined baking pan with sides. Rather than baking meatloaf in a loaf pan (where the grease sits in a pool on the top ~ Yuck!), try this trick:
- Flip the packed meatloaf from the loaf pan onto a large pan with sides which has been lined with parchment paper.
- “Whack it!” firmly on the bottom, til it slides out of the loaf pan.With this method, the grease will then run out onto the pan as it bakes. It works like a charm!
- Mix the barbecue sauce glaze ingredients together in another bowl and pour over the top of the meatloaf. The secret weapon of this meatloaf is the sauce you pour over the top. It makes the house smell delicious as it bakes and adds so much flavor!
- Bake at 350 degrees for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, or until completely done (and not pink) in the center.
Tips for making easy meatloaf extra special & amazing!
- DO NOT over mix the meatloaf ingredients after you put the oatmeal in. If you do, it turns very gummy. Although it has never happened to me, I’ve heard horror stories.;)
- Be careful not to pack the loaf pan too tight with the meatloaf mixture. Just gently press it into the loaf pan before you flip it onto the baking pan – or you can just form it into a loaf shape with your hands.
- Line the baking sheet with parchment paper (not wax paper!) or aluminum foil for easy cleanup.
- For easy slicing, rest the meatloaf for 5-10 minutes after baking before slicing.
Quick and Easy Meatloaf Recipe
Your family is going to love this quick and easy favorite meatloaf recipe with homemade barbecue sauce baked on top. It's a perfect comfort food meal and a great weeknight meal idea.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds ground beef
- 1 egg
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1 cup milk
- 1 cup oatmeal
- salt and pepper to taste
- For the sauce:
- 2 Tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 Tablespoons mustard
- 1/3 cup ketchup
Instructions
- Mix all meatloaf ingredients together in a large mixing bowl. Use a large spoon for mixing, and if you aren’t too squeamish, wash your hands well and mix it together well with your hands.
- Press meatloaf mixture firmly into a loaf pan.
- Turn formed meatloaf onto a parchment paper lined baking pan with sides.Rather than baking meatloaf in a loaf pan (where the grease sits in a pool on the top ~ Yuck!), try this trick: Flip the packed meatloaf from the loaf pan onto a large pan with sides which has been lined with parchment paper.
- (“Whack it!” firmly on the bottom, til it slides out of the loaf pan.)
- With this method, the grease will then run out onto the pan as it bakes. It works like a charm!
- Mix the barbecue sauce ingredients together in another bowl and pour over the top of the meatloaf.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, or until completely done (and not pink) in the center.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1 gramsAmount Per Serving: Unsaturated Fat: 0g
When making smashed potatoes (pictured above on the platter) to go with meatloaf, I bake the meatloaf first. Once I take it out of the oven, I increase the oven’s temperature and bake the smashed potatoes.
Meatloaf slices cut easier if it rests a few minutes before slicing, so baking the potatoes while it’s resting works well.
Umm…umm..Good!
What should I serve with this easy meatloaf recipe?
Typically, meatloaf is served with some kind of potato recipe. Side dish recipes like smashed potatoes, baked potatoes, mashed potatoes, scalloped potatoes with cream of mushroom soup, cheesy potatoes with frozen hash browns, or this potato salad recipe with egg are all great options. Other sidedishes that would be yummy with meatloaf include:
- Cold pasta salad
- This crock pot baked beans recipe is a crowd pleaser.
I’ve put together a list of over 30 ideas for what to serve with meatloaf to give you lots of options!
For more easy ground beef recipes that are classic, nostalgic comfort food dinner ideas, you may want to check out:
- The Best Freeze Ahead Lasagna
- Crock Pot Taco Soup
- Cheesy Beef Casserole with Biscuit Topping
- Crock Pot Pizza Potato Bake
- Individual Hamburger Steak in Oven are super quick & easy to make and are similar to individual meatloaf!
- Lipton Onion meatloaf is a quick easy meatloaf that is great for meal prep, too!
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Can you use bread crumbs instead of oatmeal?
Hi Kathy, Thank you for the awesome question! This meatloaf recipe goes crazy over on facebook, and one of the most frequently asked questions is “can bread crumbs be substituted for oatmeal in meatloaf”?
I’ve never tried it myself, so I did some research. Yes, breadcrumbs can be substituted for oatmeal in meatloaf. You’ll just want to add a little less breadcrumbs than oatmeal. I would try a little more than 3/4 cup breadcrumbs to replace the 1 cup of oatmeal.
Hope that helps. Enjoy your meatloaf!
Do you mean “Oats” not Oatmeal?
Hi Pam, Thank you so much for your clarification question asking “Do you use oats or oatmeal for this meatloaf recipe?”
You question made me do a little digging, and I found myself asking “is oats and oatmeal the same?”
This is the answer I found from a site called greatist:
“Technically, oats refers to the whole grains themselves, and oatmeal to the porridge-like dish often made from them, and/or to the processed form of the whole grains—but now, the terms are often used interchangeably”
So, to answer your question, I use oats. I hope that helps!
I wonder about cracker crumbs.
You can also use bread tear it in small pieces then mix some of the milk with the bread and mix with the hamburger. Also add a little little green pepper cut up real fine , and even some red pepper.My mom made ours this way added lots of flavor .
I followed the recipe and first off, it’s nearly impossible to smack the loaf out of the pan; and secondly it lacked any flavour other than the top sauce. It was super bland and definitely needs additional seasoning outside of just salt and pepper. It’s a decent basic recipe but it’s not amazing. We won’t make it again.
Every one have different taste buds
Hi Tara,
If you try baking meatloaf outside a loaf pan in the future, you can try packing the meat less loosely, or just form the meat into a loaf with your hands. If the meat is packed so tightly into the pan that it’s hard to turn out, it may take much longer to bake and be more dry as well.
If you prefer spicier meatloaf, add in extra spices of your choice. Onion powder, dry mustard, garlic powder, & paprika are some other options you might want to try in addition to the salt and pepper.
Hope that helps!
The name says it all… almost! Not only is this meatloaf quick and easy, but it’s also scrumptious! I’ve never been a big meatloaf fan, but this recipe changed that with the first bite. A hit with our whole family!
Oh, yay! I’m so glad your family loves this easy meatloaf recipe as much as ours does!
Hi Rita Joy, This looks delicious! I copied both recipes. You didn’t have a Print Ready version for the Smashed Potatoes. As I was copying it, I noticed you had two step number 3s and two step number 4s! You might like to edit that. Thanks for sharing!
What a perfect recipe for a blustery day like today. So many good tips. Thanks Rita.
Bev