Meatloaf Recipe

This is a Meatloaf recipe for people who love their Meatloaf oozing with flavour, moist and tender yet not crumble apart when sliced, and a sticky caramelised meatloaf glaze . It’s so much more than just a giant hunk of ground beef in a loaf shape!

A loaf made entirely of meat. What’s not to love? (Vegetarians are excused 😉)

It’s economical. It’s quick to prepare. It’s a classic family favourite. And leftovers make terrific sandwiches.

If you think that Meatloaf is really just a giant beef burger shaped like a loaf, it’s time to abandon that misconception! Meatloaf shouldn’t taste like a hamburger! Meatloaf has more flavour because whereas you wouldn’t eat a hamburger without toppings, sauces, cheese and a bun, you can certainly eat Meatloaf plain because it’s so juicy and tasty!

The secret to making a meatloaf taste really good is to use fatty beef, plenty of flavourings and to grate your onion instead of dicing it.

Meatloaf is so much more than a giant hunk of ground beef in a loaf shape. It should ooze with flavour, be moist and tender yet not crumble apart when sliced. And the caramelised glaze is the crowning glory!

Prep Time: 15 mins

Cook Time: 1 hr 15 mins

Total Time: 1 hr 30 mins

Ingredients:

1 cup panko breadcrumbs (Note 1)
1 large onion , grated (brown, yellow)
1 kg / 2 lb ground beef (mince) , preferably not lean
2 eggs
3 garlic cloves , minced
1 tsp Worcestershire Sauce
1/4 cup tomato ketchup
1/4 cup chopped parsley (optional), or 2 tsp dried parsley or basil
1 tsp dried thyme
2 beef bouillon cubes , crumbled or 2 tsp beef powder (Note 2)
1 tsp black pepper
Meatloaf Glaze:
1/2 cup tomato ketchup
2 tbsp cider vinegar
1 tbsp brown sugar , lightly packed

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 180C/350F. Oil or spray a loaf tin. (Note 3)
Glaze: Mix together in a small bowl. Set aside.
Meatloaf: Place breadcrumbs in a very large bowl. Grate over onion. Mix so the breadcrumbs are all wet. (Note 4)
Add remaining ingredients. Mix well using your hands. Form into a loaf shape, pinching together then smoothing over creases and cracks (helps prevent cracks during baking).
Transfer into loaf tin. Brush generously with glaze, using about 1/2.
Bake for 45 minutes. Remove from oven and brush with most of the remaining glaze. If there is excess fat pooling, scoop/pour it off.
Bake for a further 30 minutes. Remove from oven.
Stand for 10 minutes before turning out and cutting into thick slices. You will probably get a bit of crumbling just on the edges of the first couple of slices, this is normal and indicative of the tenderness of the meatloaf (zero crumble indicates firm packed harder meatloaf which isn’t as enjoyable!).
Ideal served with a dollop of ketchup, creamy mashed potatoes and steamed vegetables.

Notes:

Panko breadcrumbs are larger than normal breadcrumbs so they make the meatloaf softer. Nowadays they are found in most supermarkets here in Australia, usually in both the Asian section and alongside normal breadcrumbs.
Bouillon cubes adds so much better flavour to the meatloaf compared to just plain salt. Best subs: chicken or veg bouillon or stock powder. Salt sub: 1.5 tsp salt.
Pan size: My loaf pan is 23 x 13 x 6 cm / 9 x 5 x 2.5″. As long as you have one about this size, this recipe will work fine though it might be flatter or taller.
Grated onion – a highly effective and efficient technique to make meatloaf more tender (soaked breadcrumbs puff up when baked) and adds savoury onion flavour without the need to separately fry diced onion.

Nutrition per serving, assuming 8 servings.

Nutritional Info:

Ingredients:

1 cup panko breadcrumbs (Note 1)

1 large onion , grated (brown, yellow)

1 kg / 2 lb ground beef (mince) , preferably not lean

2 eggs

3 garlic cloves , minced

1 tsp Worcestershire Sauce

1/4 cup tomato ketchup

1/4 cup chopped parsley (optional), or 2 tsp dried parsley or basil

1 tsp dried thyme

2 beef bouillon cubes , crumbled or 2 tsp beef powder (Note 2)

1 tsp black pepper

Meatloaf Glaze:

1/2 cup tomato ketchup

2 tbsp cider vinegar

1 tbsp brown sugar , lightly packed

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 180C/350F. Oil or spray a loaf tin. (Note 3)

Glaze: Mix together in a small bowl. Set aside.

Meatloaf: Place breadcrumbs in a very large bowl. Grate over onion. Mix so the breadcrumbs are all wet. (Note 4)

Add remaining ingredients. Mix well using your hands. Form into a loaf shape, pinching together then smoothing over creases and cracks (helps prevent cracks during baking).

Transfer into loaf tin. Brush generously with glaze, using about 1/2.

Bake for 45 minutes. Remove from oven and brush with most of the remaining glaze. If there is excess fat pooling, scoop/pour it off.

Bake for a further 30 minutes. Remove from oven.

Ideal served with a dollop of ketchup, creamy mashed potatoes and steamed vegetables.

Notes:

Panko breadcrumbs are larger than normal breadcrumbs so they make the meatloaf softer. Nowadays they are found in most supermarkets here in Australia, usually in both the Asian section and alongside normal breadcrumbs.

Bouillon cubes adds so much better flavour to the meatloaf compared to just plain salt. Best subs: chicken or veg bouillon or stock powder. Salt sub: 1.5 tsp salt.

Pan size: My loaf pan is 23 x 13 x 6 cm / 9 x 5 x 2.5″. As long as you have one about this size, this recipe will work fine though it might be flatter or taller.

Grated onion – a highly effective and efficient technique to make meatloaf more tender (soaked breadcrumbs puff up when baked) and adds savoury onion flavour without the need to separately fry diced onion.

Nutritional Info:

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