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There’s just something about a classic meatloaf that feels like home. It’s the kind of meal that brings everyone to the table, fills your kitchen with the most amazing aroma, and delivers pure comfort with every bite.

Whether you grew up eating meatloaf on busy weeknights or you’re just now discovering its cozy charm, this recipe is one you’ll want to keep in your regular rotation.

This version is everything a great meatloaf should be—juicy, tender, perfectly seasoned, and topped with a sweet and tangy glaze that caramelizes beautifully in the oven. Pair it with mashed potatoes and green beans, and you’ve got a dinner that never goes out of style.

Serve this meatloaf with a side of homemade mashed potatoes and some Honey Butter Brussels Sprouts.

Why You’ll Love This Classic Meatloaf

Easy to make with simple pantry ingredients
Perfectly moist (no dry meatloaf here!)
Family-friendly and great for leftovers
Freezer-friendly for meal prep
Classic flavor with a delicious glaze

How to Make a Classic Meatloaf

To make this recipe, here's a list of ingredients you will need —

Ground beef: For a leaner version, you can switch out half the ground beef for turkey or ground pork.
Fresh bread: A lot of people use bread crumbs in their meatloaf, but I like to use fresh bread slices.
Onion: Any onion variety works well, sweet onions, red, yellow, white, etc.
Milk: I use full red top milk. It creates the best flavor in this dish.
BBQ Sauce and Ketchup: Choose your favorite variety. My favorite is the honey-flavored BBQ sauce.
Worcestershire sauce: If you don't have any Worcestershire sauce on hand, simply increase the barbecue sauce by 2 TBS.
Minced garlic: The garlic really adds great flavor to the meatloaf.
Light brown sugar: Dark brown sugar can be used in place of light brown sugar.

Mix the brown sugar, ketchup, and BBQ sauce and set it aside. This is your glaze.

Now, mix the remaining ingredients. This is your meatloaf.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Add a wire rack to the baking sheet. Form the meatloaf into a loaf shape and place it on the wire rack.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and bake the meatloaf for 40 minutes until the top starts looking slightly browned and set.

Now add the glaze on top and bake for an additional 10 to 15 minutes. The internal temperature should be 160 degrees. You can broil the top for 2-3 minutes if you want as well.

Remove from the oven and transfer the loaf to a cutting board. Allow it to cool slightly before slicing and serving.

Tips for the Best Meatloaf

Use 80/20 ground beef for the perfect balance of flavor and moisture
Don’t skip soaking the breadcrumbs—it keeps everything tender
Let it rest before slicing so it holds together better
Add finely diced veggies like bell peppers or carrots for extra flavor

Check out these other delicious ground beef recipes

Yield: 6 servings

The Best Classic Meatloaf Recipe

Name: The Best Classic Meatloaf Recipe
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 1 h
Total time: 1 h 10 min
Yield: 6
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: ½ cup ketchup; ¼ cup light brown sugar; 2 Tablespoons of BBQ Sauce; 2 Tablespoons of Worcestershire sauce; 2 pounds ground beef; 2 slices of fresh bread crumbled up to make soft bread crumbs; ½ cup onion finely diced (optional); ¼ cup whole milk; ½ cup barbecue sauce; 2 eggs; 2 Tablespoons of Worcestershire sauce; 1 Tablespoon of minced garlic; 1 teaspoon of fine sea salt; ¼ tsp ground black pepper

This is the best meatloaf recipe ever! It’s tender, moist, and flavorful with the most delicious glaze.

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 1 hour

Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes

Ingredients

For the meatloaf

2 pounds ground beef
2 slices of fresh bread crumbled up to make soft bread crumbs
½ cup onion finely diced (optional)
¼ cup whole milk
½ cup barbecue sauce
2 eggs
2 Tablespoons of Worcestershire sauce
1 Tablespoon of minced garlic
1 teaspoon of fine sea salt
¼ tsp ground black pepper

For the glaze:

½ cup ketchup
¼ cup light brown sugar
2 Tablespoons of BBQ Sauce
2 Tablespoons of Worcestershire sauce

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
In a large bowl whisk together milk, BBQ sauce, eggs, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, salt, and pepper.
Add the meat, onions (if you are adding them), and fresh bread. Mix well with your hands.
Line a wire rack with aluminum foil and poke holes in it, then place it on a large baking sheet covered in parchment paper.
Form the mixture into a large loaf (about 10” by 5” by 2”)
Bake for 40 minutes.
While the loaf is baking, mix together the topping ingredients and set them aside.
Remove from oven, spread sauce on top, and bake for 10 to 15 more minutes or until meatloaf reaches an internal temperature of 160 degrees F.
To caramelize the top, place under the broiler for 3 to 5 minutes.
Remove from oven and let cool for at least 5 minutes before serving.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 618Total Fat: 30gSaturated Fat: 11gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 14gCholesterol: 198mgSodium: 1182mgCarbohydrates: 40gFiber: 1gSugar: 25gProtein: 46g