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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Quick cook oatmeal or old fashioned? Thank you!
No, our printer is fine….it’s just certain recipe sites have this lighter ‘grey’ font rather than the standard black and I can’t find a way to change it in my printer…and i thought maybe others were having similar issues. Thank-you for taking the time to respond, i appreciate it. (shared the meatloaf with my elderly neighbor….she LOVED it!)
This meatloaf is absolutely DELICIOUS…thank-you for sharing the recipe. On a side note….is it possible to make the font darker when using the print option? The recipe is SO light that when i print it, i can barely read it. Thanks again…we have loved all your dishes!
Hi Maureen, I’m so very glad you enjoyed this meatloaf recipe!
Thank you, also, for your feedback about the light font in the print option. I’ll have to investigate to see if I change that. I’m curious – Is everything you are printing too light? Or just this recipe? Perhaps your ink in the printer is running low? Just a thought. But, thanks again for the feedback. I appreciate it so much.
I have never been a fan of meatloaf, but I found this to be quite good. I used italian panko bread crumbs instead of oatmeal. I will make this again.
Hi Cathy, Oh, I’m so glad you found this meatloaf recipe to be quite good – even though you aren’t a fan of meatloaf. Good for you for trying it!!
I love to hear you substituted italian panko bread crumbs for the oatmeal, as I have many questions asking if bread crumbs can be substitued for the oats. Did you use the same amount of bread crumbs as the recipe called for oats (1 cup)?
Thank you so much for providing your feedback for this recipe. I appreciate it so much!
May I suggest placing the Meatloaf on a cooling rack over the pan lined with foil? This way the fats drain away from the Meatloaf.
Smashed Potatoes are great!
Hi Jane,
What a fabulous meatloaf baking tip! Grease pooling in the loaf pan is one of my least favorite things about traditional meatloaf baking methods. Your idea of turning the loaf out onto an aluminum foil lined cooling rack in a baking sheet is genious!! What a great solution to that greasy problem! Thanks so much for sharing.