Meatloaf

By Kay Chun

Updated Oct. 15, 2024

Meatloaf
Christopher Testani for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.
Total Time
1½ hours
Rating
4(3,418)
Comments
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Traditional meatloaf was created as a tasty way to use up leftover vegetables and to stretch meat further during lean times. This easy meatloaf recipe is a classic version, blending ground beef, pork and veal with simple pantry seasonings, but you should feel free to use your preferred combination of meat, such as half pork and half beef. Milk-soaked bread ensures a tender meatloaf, and baking it freeform — on a baking sheet instead of a loaf pan — provides more surface area for the tangy-sweet tomato glaze to caramelize as it bakes. Leftover slices can be crisped in a skillet and served with a salad or tucked into a sandwich. Alternatively, freeze one uncooked loaf for the next time you need to put dinner on the table with ease; simply thaw the night before and bake as directed.

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Ingredients

Yield:6 to 8 servings (2 loaves)

    For the Meatloaf

    • 2tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for greasing
    • 1large yellow onion, finely chopped (about 2 cups)
    • 5large garlic cloves, minced (about 2 tablespoons)
    • 2tablespoons tomato paste
    • 3(½-inch-thick) slices white sandwich bread (about 3 ounces), torn into small pieces
    • ⅔cup whole milk
    • 3large eggs
    • ¼cup coarsely chopped fresh flat-leaf or curly parsley
    • 2tablespoons kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal) or 1 tablespoon coarse kosher salt or fine salt
    • 1teaspoon black pepper
    • 1teaspoon dried thyme
    • 3pounds meatloaf mix (or any combination of ground beef, pork and/or veal)

    For the Tomato Glaze

    • ½cup ketchup
    • 1tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
    • Chopped fresh parsley, for serving (optional)
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (8 servings)

576 calories; 41 grams fat; 4 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 3 grams monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 17 grams carbohydrates; 5 grams dietary fiber; 14 grams sugars; 34 grams protein; 698 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Make the meatloaf: Heat oven to 350 degrees and grease a rimmed baking sheet with oil. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a medium skillet over medium. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 2 minutes.

  2. Step 2

    Stir in tomato paste until well combined; let cool.

  3. Step 3

    In a large bowl, combine bread and milk, and mash with a spoon until a paste forms.

  4. Step 4

    Add eggs, parsley, salt, pepper, thyme and cooled onion mixture and mix until well blended.

  5. Step 5

    Add the beef, pork and veal, and mix gently to combine, being careful not to overwork the meat.

  6. Step 6

    Divide mixture into 2 equal portions and shape each into a 4-by-8-inch meatloaf on the prepared baking sheet. (If you like, use an 8-inch loaf pan to shape each meatloaf before unmolding for baking.)

  7. Step 7

    Make the glaze: In a small bowl, whisk together ketchup and Worcestershire sauce until smooth. Use a spoon to spread mixture over the top and sides of each meatloaf.

  8. Step 8

    Bake until nicely browned and an instant-read thermometer inserted in the center of meatloaf registers 160 degrees, 45 to 55 minutes. Let rest for 15 minutes before sprinkling the top with fresh parsley, if using, and slicing.

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Ratings

4 out of 5
3,418 user ratings
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Comments

Ned

I much prefer adding the Worcestershire sauce to the meatloaf mixture, and adding vinegar and brown sugar to the ketchup for the glaze. Just personal preference.

Anita

Could you be more specific about how you substitute quick cooking oatmeal for the bread and milk. Do you cook it first? How much oatmeal do you use? It is a very interesting idea.

Dena

@Anita, the Quaker Oats meat loaf recipe (which I've used for decades) calls for 3/4 cup uncooked oats per 1-1/2 pounds of meat.

Charles Michener

A tangy glaze doesn't make up for the relative blandness of this recipe. What's missing are the enrichments of umami - mushrooms, soy sauce, anchovies, Marmite (!) - that deepen the flavor of the best meatloafs.

Elizabeth

I hate substitution suggestions. Yet. Here I am. All beef. Ground mushrooms instead of pork. Packet of unflavored gelatin instead of veal. (bloomed in soy sauce or Worcestershire sauce or broth… whatever you need to use up)

T

Worcestershire in the meatloaf and good marinara on the top. Form in the middle of a baking dish and the oils leak out so the loaf is less greasy. I’ve sometimes substituted panko for bread crumbs.

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