Classic meatloaf
A tender, juicy meatloaf with a sticky sweet ketchup glaze, and the leftovers make the best sandwiches.
- 90 min total
- 20 min hands-on
- Follow-a-recipe easy
- Serves 6
- About $2.10 a serving
- 360 calories
- Good the next day
Dolly says: Make the full amount. It’s just as good for lunch the next day.
Ingredients
For 6 servings.
- 1 yellow onion, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup milk
- ¾ cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1½ lb 85/15 ground beef
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- ½ cup ketchup
From your pantry
- 1¼ tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
Each serving has about 360 calories, 25 g protein, 20 g carbs and 19 g fat, and costs about $2.10 at typical US grocery prices. Both are estimates from what the recipe uses.
Missing something?
- No yellow onions? White onions or red onions work.
- No milk? Half-and-half works.
- No 85/15 ground beef? 90/10 ground beef works.
Steps
Tap an underlined word for a quick explanation.
the oven to 350°F and line a with foil.
Preheat. Preheating means turning the oven on before you start, so it’s fully hot when the food goes in. Food that starts in a cold oven cooks unevenly and doesn’t brown the same.
How you’ll know: The oven beeps or its light clicks off, usually 10 to 15 minutes after you turn it on.
Sheet pan. A sheet pan is a flat metal baking tray with a low rim all the way around. The rim catches juices, and the wide surface lets food spread out and brown.
How you’ll know: Everything fits in one layer with a little space between the pieces.
the onion and the garlic.
Finely chop. Finely chopping means cutting food into small pieces, a little bigger than minced, about the size of a lentil. Small pieces spread their flavor through the dish and cook quickly.
How you’ll know: Nothing is bigger than a lentil, and the pile looks like confetti rather than paste.
Mince. Mincing means chopping something into the tiniest pieces you can, smaller than a grain of rice. Tiny pieces melt into the dish, so you get the flavor without biting into a chunk of garlic.
How you’ll know: Every piece is tiny and about the same size, and the pile starts to look almost like a paste.
Dolly’s tip: Small pieces melt into the loaf. Big chunks make it crumble when you slice it.the eggs and milk in a large bowl, stir in the panko, and let it soak 5 minutes.
Whisk. Whisking means beating quickly with a whisk or a fork to blend things together. It smooths out lumps and mixes eggs, oil or sauces evenly.
How you’ll know: It all looks one even color and texture, with no streaks or lumps.
Timer: 5 min
Dolly’s tip: Soaked crumbs are the secret to a meatloaf that stays tender instead of tough.Add the beef, onion, garlic, Worcestershire, salt, pepper and Italian seasoning, and mix with your hands just until evenly combined.
Dolly’s tip: Mix like you’re tossing a salad, not kneading dough. Overworked meat bakes up dense.Food safety: Wash your hands, the board and the knife with hot soapy water after touching raw meat, and don’t rinse raw chicken in the sink.
Shape it into a loaf about 9 inches long and 2 inches tall in the middle of the pan.
Stir the ketchup, brown sugar and vinegar in a small bowl, and spread half of it over the loaf.
45 minutes, then spread the rest of the over the top.
Bake. Baking means cooking in the oven with dry heat all around the food. It cooks evenly from every side, so you can mostly leave it alone.
How you’ll know: It’s golden on top and passes the recipe’s check, like a clean toothpick or the right temperature.
Glaze. A glaze is a thin, glossy coating, often sweet, brushed or spooned over food near the end. It adds shine and flavor, and because it has sugar, it can burn quickly.
How you’ll know: The food looks shiny and evenly coated, sticky at the edges but not blackened.
Timer: 45 min
15 to 20 minutes more, until the middle reads 160°F on a thermometer.
Bake. Baking means cooking in the oven with dry heat all around the food. It cooks evenly from every side, so you can mostly leave it alone.
How you’ll know: It’s golden on top and passes the recipe’s check, like a clean toothpick or the right temperature.
Timer: 17 min 30 sec
Dolly’s tip: No thermometer? Cut into the center. It should have no pink, and the juices should run clear.Food safety: Ground beef, pork and lamb are done at 160°F. When it’s cooked through there’s no pink left anywhere in the pan.
Let it 10 minutes, then cut into thick slices.
Rest. Resting means letting cooked meat sit for a few minutes before you cut it. It keeps cooking gently, and more of the juice stays in the meat instead of running onto the board.
How you’ll know: Loosely covered with foil, it stays hot, and very little juice runs out when you slice it.
Timer: 10 min
Plan this in Dollop, and get the grocery list
Dollop puts this dinner on a night that suits your week, lists only what you still need to buy, and walks you through each step while you cook.
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