Is there any better comfort food than this old fashioned meatloaf recipe? With rich familiar flavors, a meatloaf that’s perfectly fork tender and juicy with flavor. Who needs a cozy blanket when you’ve got comfort food like this. This is the kind of classic American comfort food that doesn't need bells and whistles to feel special. This recipe is the definition of cozy, homemade comfort - the kind of meal that feeds a hungry family and brings everyone back to the table.
Looking for a unique twist on meatloaf? Take a look at my recipe for Spicy Meatloaf. Made with a rich flavored sofrito, your family will devour this one.
What To Expect From This Recipe
- An old fashioned meatloaf recipe is one that is firm in texture, yet still tender and juicy.
- It’s straight-forward and doesn’t have any crazy modern fusion ingredients that may cause the meatloaf to fall apart when you slice it.
- This is a reliable simple recipe that you’ll be proud to serve to your family.
- Learn how to make a meatloaf that’s not swimming in grease.
- And you want a loaf that sports that perfect topping, a sweet tangy sticky glaze. Just like Grandma used to make.
- Made with two pounds of ground beef = feeds that hungry family. It's hearty, satisfying, and exactly what most of us grew up eating.
This recipe relies on seasonings to enhance and compliment the beef, rather than over power, and seeks the perfect blend of breadcrumbs and eggs (the binding). Throw in some fine diced veggies and some simple liquids like ketchup, mustard and Worcestershire and you’re on your way to comfort food deluxe.
This meatloaf recipe is around 50+ years now. The recipe my mom taught me to make. It was always a hit at our dinner table. This recipe could 100% be considered an original Traditional Meatloaf Recipe.
In this post, you’ll learn the technique for just the right “feel” of the meat mixture to get the texture just perfect once its cooked. A texture that will slice and not fall apart.
And you’ll learn how to make that sweet, tangy sticky meatloaf glaze.
Note for those who need to know, this is a dairy free meatloaf recipe without milk and it’s a recipe for meatloaf without tomatoes.
Let’s take a look.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Ketchup
- Panko Bread Crumbs
- 2 Eggs
- Worcestershire Sauce
- Thyme
- To mix into 2 lbs. Lean Ground Beef: I recommend a ground beef blend of 80/20 or 85/15. Anything fattier will result in a greasy meatloaf.
Ingredients Substitutions
- Ketchup: Your favorite mild flavored BBQ Sauce makes a good substitution here.
- Mustard: Dijon mustard adds a unique depth of flavor, but if you don’t have Dijon, use plain prepared yellow mustard. My Mom always did.
- Panko: A great substitution and one my Mom always used is crushed saltine crackers. Just place saltines in a plastic zip lock bag and press the air out of the bag. Using a rolling pin, smash the saltines into a fine crumb. You can also use a food processor. You’ll need about 1 sleeve of saltines to make 1 cup. Voila, you’ve got meatloaf with saltines. You can also use plain bread crumbs.
- Ground Beef: Substitute ground turkey. Purchase a mix of dark meat and white meat. I’ve never had good luck making meatloaf with ground turkey breast or ground chicken breast. It’s just too dry.
Ingredients To Make Meatloaf Glaze
- Ketchup
- Tabasco Sauce or your favorite hot sauce
- Dijon Mustard, or regular yellow mustard
- Brown Sugar, dark or light will work well here
Step by Step Instructions, It’s Easy
- Step 1: This old fashioned meatloaf starts with you practicing you knife. Chop the celery, onions and garlic as small as you can. Small pieces will mix better with the raw ground beef. Large pieces may cause the meat to separate and fall apart.
Pro Tip Knife Skills: Always keep the hand that’s gripping the knife clean and dry. A wet hand could cause slips resulting in nicks or worse a nasty slice on your hand.
- Step 2: Sautee the celery and onions in a fry pan until just tender. About 5 minutes. Add the chopped garlic and cook until fragrant. About 1 minute. Remove from heat.
- Step 3: In a large bowl, add the ground beef, sauteed vegetables, catsup, mustard, eggs, thyme, Worcestershire Sauce, salt and pepper.
- Step 4: Using your very clean hands, gently toss the ingredients until well blended. Hands are always the best tool for mixing meatloaf. Using a large spoon will crush everything together, creating a tighter mix, which can cause the meatloaf to be dry and too dense in texture.
- Step 5: Shape the meat mixture into a loaf. I like the sheet pan meatloaf method. Simply turn the mixed ground beef onto a sheet pan that’s been coated with non-stick spray or a sheet of parchment paper. Start shaping the loaf pushing in with your hands rotating from side to side until a loaf is formed. I usually create a loaf that’s about 2 – 3 inches thick and about 11-ish inches long.
- Step 6: In a small bowl, add the ingredients for the glaze and using a fork blend the glaze well. Using a brush, liberally slather the glaze on top of the uncooked loaf. You’re ready to bake. If you’d like, take a sharp knife and score the top of the meatloaf before spreading on the glaze. It’s just provides more nooks and crannies for the glaze to penetrate.
FAQ’s And Tips For Making Meatloaf
I’ve never mixed meatloaf ingredients any other way than with my hands. Don’t overwork the meat mixture. Overworking makes for a mushy combination and a tough end result. And coat our hands with a thin layer of oil. This will keep the mixture from sticking all over your fingers.
With your hands. You can shape a meatloaf using a loaf pan or casserole dish. Or you can make a sheet pan meatloaf without a loaf pan. Simply dump the meatloaf mix onto a greased or parchment lined sheet pan. Using your hands start gently pressing the meat together until a loaf is formed. Press down or push together cracks in the loaf for a smooth meatloaf that will stay together. Using the sheet pan method, with the loaf fully exposed to heat, the end result is an ever so slight crusty effect on the loaf because it’s directly exposed to heat. A loaf pan, with its high sides will better secure that “loaf shape”.
Don’t go too lean on the beef. Meatloaf needs a little fat content to help with that moist texture and flavor. I recommend a ground beef blend of 80/20 or 85/15. Anything fattier will result in a greasy meatloaf.
Do you cover meatloaf with foil when baking? No. Cook the meatloaf uncovered. If you cover the meatloaf, you’ll get more of a steamed end result. An uncovered meatloaf, especially if making sheet-pan meatloaf will result in stickier glaze and the meat will garner a “crust” leaving the inside tender and delightfully perfect in texture.
That all depends on the thickness of the shaped loaf. To be safe, use a digital read thermometer and cook the meatloaf until it registers a 160 degree temperature in the center of the loaf. That usually takes around 50 minutes.
Always consistently small dice your vegetables and cook them before mixing with the raw meat. This is one step towards a meatloaf that doesn’t fall apart after it’s cooked. Also, a fine consistency of the bread crumb mixture is very important. Once everything is mixed together, take a small piece of the meatball mix and roll it in the palm of your hands like you’re forming a meatball. If the mixture readily forms a meatball, you’re good to form your meatloaf into a loaf.
Glaze, glaze, glaze. Yes! A meatloaf wouldn’t be the same without it. What you see in the recipe below is an old-fashioned meatloaf glaze of catsup and mustard. Make it yours, get creative with ingredients, but never cook a meatloaf without it. It’s all about that complimentary sweet/savory flavoring for the end result.
As with most meat recipes, meatloaf likes to rest before serving. A 10 minute rest tented with foil, will yield a more sliceable product. Trying to slice the meatloaf when it’s just out of the oven, will cause the slices to crumble and fall apart. Also, the ratio of binding (bread crumbs and egg) is more than likely not correct.
Tips for Success
- Use your hands to mix the meatloaf ingredients together before forming into a loaf. Your hands are gentler tools. A large spoon will simply mash the ingredients together, risking a tight dry loaf.
- Cut the vegetables as small as you can. Large uneven cuts of veggies can cause the meatloaf to fall apart.
- Let the meatloaf cool for about 10 minutes before slicing. This will insure the loaf will not fall apart when you slice it.
Storage and Reheating
- Store any leftovers in the refrigerator for up to four days. I like to wrap the meatloaf in plastic wrap and then add a layer of aluminum foil. Reheat individual slices in the microwave or on a sheet pan in the oven.
- Does Meatloaf Freeze Well? Yes! Again, wrap in plastic wrap then a layer of aluminum foil. Freeze for up to 6 months. To reheat, allow the meatloaf to that in the refrigerator overnight. Unwrap the meatloaf and reheat individual slices or use a sheet pan to reheat at a low oven temperature, such as 250 – 300 degrees. This will keep it from drying out.
In Conclusion
Something happens when you mix ground beef, herbs, seasoning, bread crumbs, celery and onion. It become one of the best known comfort foods. Smear that sweet and tangy glaze over the top and I’ll swat your fork away to get at a slice first.
I’m of the opinion that you can’t serve traditional meatloaf without mashed potatoes for a side dish. And this Old Fashioned Green Bean recipe is also a good choice.
I hope you give this traditional old fashioned meatloaf with panko a try. And if you do, please come back and let me know how you liked it and give the recipe a star rating.
And I hope you find these step by step instructions helpful.
Related Recipes
And if you’re looking for more beef recipes for dinner, take a look at my Beef Category. You’ll find lots of great dinner ideas, including the most popular on my site for Crockpot Cola BBQ Beef Brisket. It’s another great recipe for feeding that hungry family.
If you liked this recipe, please leave a star ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating in the recipe card below and leave a comment. I always appreciate your feedback and hearing how everything went.
And, don’t forget to subscribe to my newsletter for more delicious recipes and cooking tips. Make it a delicious day … every day.
Simple Old Fashioned Meatloaf Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons oil
- 2 stalks celery cleaned and diced
- 1 medium onion diced
- 2 cloves garlic diced
- 2 pounds ground beef 15% – 10% fat
- salt and pepper to taste
- ⅓ cup catsup
- 2 Tablespoons dijon mustard
- 2 Tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce
- 1 Tablespoon dried thyme
- 2 eggs lightly beaten
- 1 cup panko bread crumbs or crushed saltine crackers
- For the Meatloaf Glaze:
- ¼ cup catsup
- 1 Tablespoon Dijon Mustard heaping
- 3 shakes Tabasco sauce
- 2 Tablespoons brown sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 Degrees.
- Heat fry pan over medium high heat. Add oil until hot. Add onion and celery and cook until tender. About 5-6 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant. Remove from heat.
- In a large bowl add the ground beef, salt, pepper, onion, celery, garlic mixture, catsup, mustard, Worcestershire, thyme, eggs and panko. With your hands blend mixture until well mixed.
- In a small bowl, combine the catsup, mustard, Tabasco and brown sugar to make the glaze. Stir well until blended.
- Form the mixture into a loaf using either a loaf pan, sheet pan or oven safe casserole. Smear the loaf with the glaze mixture. Bake 50 minutes or until thermometer reaches 160 degrees.
Notes
- Use your hands to mix the meatloaf ingredients together before forming into a loaf. Your hands are gentler tools. A large spoon will simply mash the ingredients together, risking a tight dry loaf.
- Cut the vegetables as small as you can. Large uneven cuts of veggies can cause the meatloaf to fall apart.
- Let the meatloaf cool for about 10 minutes before slicing. This will insure the loaf will not fall apart when you slice it
Nutrition
Old Fashioned Meatloaf Recipe …It’s what’s for Dinner.
Why Trust My Recipes? I am a Culinary School Graduate and a lifelong student of home cooking. I hope to inspire you try to cook as often as you can. I’ve been cooking for 50 years, and my recipes are tried and true tested and tested and then tested again before published. To read more take a look at my About Page.
I do have to admit that I’ve never been a fan of meatloaf. My mother made them all of the time because she loved using the leftovers for sandwiches. So many I just got tired of them as a kid. Don’t know. I’ve only made one meatloaf since I’ve been married (47 years), so Bobby used to order it when we we went and it was on the menu. I guess that satisfies him. 🙂 I do like you topping with the Tabasco and dijon. That sounds like a tasty addition. It’s a gorgeous loaf and I’m sure quite good, just like everything else you made.
I almost never make meatloaf for some reason. Now you have me hungry for it! This looks terrific — nice, classic recipe. Thanks!
Hi Lea Ann,
Just a quick question what kind of brown sugar do you use the light or dark in the glaze? I make my meatloaf like yours except instead of cooking the celery, onions and
I also add 1-2 Tablespoons of bell pepper, I process them in the food processor until it is liquid then add to the meat mixture. Instead of Panko I use 10 saltines and 5 tbsp of Italian breadcrumbs crushed to a powder. Then I add 2 beaten eggs to the 2 lbs ground beef, (I use half ground sirloin and half ground chuck) and mix with my hands and form into a loaf.
Thanks
Katherine
There is nothing better in the whole world than a great meatloaf! This looks fantastic!
I make basically the same meatloaf recipe but instead of catsup I use a small can of HERDEZ red salsa, gives it little zing. I use what ever I have on hand such as ground soda crackers, oatmeal or crumbled bread for the stuffings, all soaked in the HERDEZ
I bet there are a lot of us out there whose mom’s (and grandmother’s) never wrote down these kind of recipes. Kudos to you! Happy New Year!
Lea Ann, sign me up for a hefty slice of that perfect meatloaf! AND the mashed potatoes and peas. Then set me up on the sofa with the cozy blanket and tea and cookies.
Done! 🙂 Happy New Year to You Jean.
I love meatloaf, especially the sandwiches that follow. This looks like a great meatloaf with a delicious glaze.
Those sandwiches that follow are most certainly a highlight. Thanks for stopping in and taking the time to comment.
Isn’t it interesting how some dishes are never as good as mom made – I have a few of those myself. Yours sounds delicious and the texture looks just the way I like it – not too soft and not too firm but just right. Now you have me craving meatloaf and Bev makes it like your mom and I don’t think we’ve ever written it down. Hope you guys have a very happy New Year – I just read about it next morning.
Us too. Osso Buco, a movie and to bed by 10:00. Just the way we like it.
Hi Lea Ann, love a good meatloaf and especially the sandwich the next day. Love the glaze you made. Wishing you a Happy New Year, take care!
It’s not meatloaf without a glaze – in my humble opinion. Happy New Year Cheri.
LOVE meatloaf and the sandwiches that follow! I am going to try this one because it has some different seasonings than my recipe. I make the same glaze but haven’t used Tabasco in it … another great idea. Happy New Year, Lea Ann!
Happy New Year Vickie! Here’s to a delicious 2017.