Meatloaf

Name: Meatloaf
Yield: 2 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1½ lbs (680g) ground beef (80/20 blend recommended); 2 large eggs; 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced; 2 cloves garlic, minced; ½ cup breadcrumbs; ¼ cup whole milk; 2 tablespoons ketchup, plus extra for topping; 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce; 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon black pepper; 1 teaspoon dried mustard or 1 tablespoon prepared yellow mustard

About this dish

Meatloaf is a classic American comfort food made from seasoned ground meat mixed with binders and aromatics, shaped into a loaf, and baked until firm and juicy. It is typically served sliced, often topped with a ketchup or tomato-based glaze, and accompanied by sides like mashed potatoes and green beans.

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Ingredients

🥩1½ lbs (680g) ground beef (80/20 blend recommended)

🥚2 large eggs

🧅1 medium yellow onion, finely diced

🌿2 cloves garlic, minced

🍞½ cup breadcrumbs

🥛¼ cup whole milk

🍅2 tablespoons ketchup, plus extra for topping

🥄1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

🧂1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon black pepper

🌶️1 teaspoon dried mustard or 1 tablespoon prepared yellow mustard

Method

Serves 2

Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly grease a 9x5 inch loaf pan or line a rimmed baking sheet with foil.

In a small bowl, combine the breadcrumbs and milk and let them soak for 2–3 minutes until the breadcrumbs have absorbed the milk to form a paste. This helps keep the meatloaf moist.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground beef, soaked breadcrumb mixture, eggs, diced onion, garlic, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, salt, and pepper.

Mix the ingredients together with your hands or a fork until just combined — avoid overmixing, which can result in a dense, tough texture.

Transfer the meat mixture into the prepared loaf pan or shape it into a freeform loaf on the baking sheet. Smooth the top with a spatula.

Spread a thin, even layer of ketchup over the top of the loaf to form a glaze.

Bake in the preheated oven for 55–65 minutes, or until the internal temperature reads 160°F (71°C) on an instant-read thermometer and the glaze is caramelized.

Remove from the oven and let the meatloaf rest for 10 minutes before slicing and serving, which allows the juices to redistribute and makes for cleaner slices.

✓ What Makes it Authentic

Meatloaf has long been a staple of American home cooking and is strongly associated with midcentury family meals and the tradition of economical, filling weeknight dinners. It appears in American cookbooks from at least the late 19th century onward and gained particular popularity during the mid-20th century as ground beef became widely affordable. Regional and family variations are numerous, with differences in meat blends, fillings, glazes, and seasonings common across households.

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