How to make the best, easiest, classic meatloaf recipe with all the top tips and secrets. It's tender and juicy in the middle and smothered with a tangy tomato sauce - perfect for roast dinners and special occasions!
Preheat the oven to 375°F/190ºC and line a loaf pan (9x5 inches) with parchment paper. Leave some overhang to make it easier to remove.
Finely chop the onion, roughly chop the parsley, and grate or mince the garlic.
In a large bowl, mix all the meatloaf ingredients until combined. Be careful not to over-mix, though.
Transfer it to the loaf pan, being careful not to press it down/work it too much, and then bake it in the oven for 40 minutes.
While the loaf is baking, combine all the sauce ingredients in a small bowl and whisk well (taste and adjust any ingredient to your liking).
After the initial 40 minutes of baking, remove the pan from the oven. Then either brush or pour the sauce over the meatloaf and return it to the oven for 15-20 minutes, or until the internal temp reads 160ºF/71ºC.
Remove from the oven and allow the loaf to rest for at least 10 minutes (tented with foil) before removing it from the pan and slicing it to serve.I also like to drizzle it with the baking juices from the pan when serving by pouring them into a small pitcher and bringing it to the table.
Notes
To season perfectly: Pan-fry just a tiny amount (a heaped teaspoon) of the seasoned meat mixture to taste it so you can adjust your seasonings accordingly.
Avoid compressing the meat: Otherwise, the texture can become overly dense. This applies to mixing the meat and loading it into the loaf pan.
If you don't have a loaf pan, create a free-formed loaf shape on a large parchment-lined baking sheet. Plus, doing it this way maximizes surface area to become caramelized and crispy. Baking time may vary based on thickness/shape.
Change the shape: The meat mixture also makes burger patties or meatballs. You could also make individual-serve meatloaf in mini loaf pans or muffin tin.
Leave it to rest: Like most meat, this time allows the moisture to disperse evenly and be retained in the loaf. Slice it too early, and the moisture will seep right out.
Adjust the sauce consistency: Baking it will thicken the sauce into a glaze. However, feel free to save some to serve over the loaf after baking as a sauce.
How to add more flavor? Boost the flavor with sauteed mirepoix (finely chopped carrots, celery, and onion) and/or other veggies, like bell peppers, mushrooms, or spinach. Or stuff the meatloaf with shredded cheese or add simple flavor boosters like Worcestershire sauce, Tabasco, and/or mustard to the meat mixture.Check the blog post for more tips and answers to top FAQs!