This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.

This Classic Meatloaf recipe was my dad’s claim to fame, at least in our house! It’s tender and juicy and has a uniquely delicious flavor. The brown sugar and ketchup glaze just puts this meatloaf over the top!

If hearty, classic, comfort food is your thing, you’ve got to try some of our other childhood favorites! We’ve got the best Chicken Fried Steak Recipe with Homemade GravySwedish Meatballs, and One Pot Creamy Chicken and Noodles, and a lot more!

This classic meatloaf recipe is tender and juicy with a deliciously unique flavor. If you've ever wanted to know how to make meatloaf, start here!

Check out my ultimate guide on How to Cook Ground Beef for tons of information, tips and tricks!

The Best Meatloaf Recipe

When I was in about 5th grade, my dad was put on permanent disability due to some health issues. So my mom was the one who went to work and my dad stayed at home. It was an unusual dynamic in those days (which makes me sound very old). When I was a kid it was becoming common for both parents to be working and it was really unusual to have a parent at home, much less the dad.

Given our family dynamic, my dad was the one who did a lot of the cooking. He had a few specialties that I remember fondly and love to recreate, like this classic meatloaf recipe. It’s a simple meatloaf recipe, but he definitely had his own twist to it. For example he used Porterhouse Seasoning, which I don’t see a lot of now but you can find it in the spice blends section of your grocery store. It’s a great dry rub for meats, especially beef, and is a blend of salt, garlic, onion, black pepper, oregano, paprika, parsley, celery, and rosemary.

This classic meatloaf recipe is tender and juicy with a deliciously unique flavor. If you've ever wanted to know how to make meatloaf, start here!

How To Make Meatloaf

My dad made the best meatloaf, but it was just slightly different each time depending on what we had on hand. One of the big swaps he would use is oats versus crackers. If you are going to use oats in your meatloaf you want to use Quick Cook Oats; the regular oats just won’t work the same. But most often he used crushed up crackers, like Ritz or Townhouse. That’s how I’m writing the recipe, but you can swap out for another binder like the oats or even breadcrumbs if you like. The biggest flavor bump in this meatloaf recipe is the Porterhouse Seasoning. If you can’t find it, you can sort of put together your own or use a similar spice blend… or just plain salt and pepper if you like.

Here are the ingredients you’ll need:

  1. Ground beef – I like to use a higher fat content like 80/20 but you can go as low as 90/10.
  2. Eggs
  3. Breadcrumbs or crackers
  4. Ketchup
  5. Onion
  6. Porterhouse seasoning
  7. Worcestershire

I like to add a glaze to the top, although my dad didn’t do this. I think he kind of like the crunchy bits you end up with on top. But the glaze helps to keep the top moist and tender and adds a delicious bit of flavor, so it’s my little twist to Dad’s Classic Meatloaf Recipe.

This classic meatloaf recipe is tender and juicy with a deliciously unique flavor. If you've ever wanted to know how to make meatloaf, start here!

Mix it just right

One of the keys to a good meatloaf is the mixing – do not over-mix, or you could end up with a tough meatloaf. The best advice I can give you is not something everyone likes to hear – you’ve got to use your hands! When you mix ground beef with a spoon or spatula you just aren’t able to easily combine all of the ingredients with the seasoning unless you mix for a while. This can cause the meatloaf to become dense and tough. Mixing with your hands – squeezing the meat between your fingers – allows the mixture to combine much quicker so it can stay nice and moist.

Why did my meatloaf fall apart?

Most likely, the culprit behind a crumbly meatloaf is not enough of a binder. The ingredients used to bind the meat together are some sort of bread (crackers, breadcrumbs, etc.) and eggs. If you use too much liquid, this could also cause the meatloaf to become too moist, and again fall apart. It’s a little like Goldilocks, you have to get it just right! But not to worry, this recipe will give you the proper ratios of ingredients for the best meatloaf around!

This classic meatloaf recipe is tender and juicy with a deliciously unique flavor. If you've ever wanted to know how to make meatloaf, start here!

One last trick

One of my biggest pet peeves about meatloaf is when the juices all pool at the bottom and soak up into the meatloaf at the bottom, making it a little greasy. I recently purchased a Meatloaf Pan (seen above), and I love it! It was pretty affordable and is a great tool to have if you have a family of meatloaf lovers like we do. It also makes it really easy to lift the meatloaf out of the pan to slice. (This is another helpful tip for keeping your loaf together!).

Serving Suggestions

Meatloaf is a classic dish that deserves respect. It should always be presented with the holy grail of side dishes – my Best Make Ahead Mashed Potatoes! Of course Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes are amazing, too. Don’t forget the veggies – A crisp green salad is delicious but since we’re going old school classic here, I love me some Honey Roasted Carrots.

What to do with leftovers

My dad was always excited on meatloaf night. Not because he loved the loaf itself (although he really, really did). It was because he knew that meant he be enjoying meatloaf sandwiches for the next few days. That’s one great way to use up leftovers, but a slice or two will reheat really nicely in the microwave.

Store leftovers in the fridge in a sealed container for 3-5 days. You can also place in freezer bags and store in the freezer for up to six months.

This classic meatloaf recipe is tender and juicy with a deliciously unique flavor. If you've ever wanted to know how to make meatloaf, start here!

Dad’s Classic Meatloaf Recipe is the best, but these other delicious meatloaf recipes are pretty great too:

And for even more classic ground beef recipes, try these:

Recipe
Social media image of classic meatloaf

Classic Meatloaf Recipe

4.50 from 2 votes
This Classic Meatloaf recipe was my dad's claim to fame, at least in our house! It's tender and juicy and has a uniquely delicious flavor. The brown sugar and ketchup glaze just puts this meatloaf over the top!
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings 6 servings

Ingredients
  

Meatloaf:

  • 2 pounds ground beef 85/15
  • 1/2 cup minced onion
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/2 cup ketchup
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire
  • 1 cup crushed crackers quick cook oats or breadcrumbs
  • 2 teaspoons Porterhouse seasoning
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper

Glaze:

  • 1/2 cup ketchup
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 2 teaspoons yellow mustard
Save this recipe
Get this sent to your inbox, plus get new recipes from us every week!

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9”x5” loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray.
  • Combine meatloaf ingredients in a large bowl using your hands, just until combined. Do not overmix - The less you mess with it, the better it will be!
  • Shape into a loaf and place into a loaf pan.
  • In a small bowl combine ½ cup ketchup, brown sugar and mustard. Brush about ⅓ of the mixture over the top of the meatloaf.
  • Bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes, then pour remaining sauce over the meatloaf. Return to the oven and bake for an additional 15-25 minutes or until meatloaf is completely cooked through. Meat should register between 155 and 160 degrees F.
  • Let stand for 5-10 minutes before slicing and serving. Garnish with parsley if desired.
Keyword meatloaf

Nutrition

Calories: 467kcalCarbohydrates: 24gProtein: 32gFat: 27gSaturated Fat: 10gCholesterol: 157mgSodium: 814mgPotassium: 658mgFiber: 1gSugar: 14gVitamin A: 284IUVitamin C: 3mgCalcium: 62mgIron: 4mg

Nutritional Disclaimer Kristin Maxwell of "Yellow Bliss Road" is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. For accurate calorie counts and other nutritional values, we recommend running the ingredients through your preferred online nutritional calculator. Calories and other nutritional values can vary depending on which brands were used.

This classic meatloaf recipe is tender and juicy with a deliciously unique flavor. If you've ever wanted to know how to make meatloaf, start here!

Kristin Maxwell

Kristin Maxwell is the creator and main recipe developer, writer, and photographer of Yellow Bliss Road. A self-taught cook and self-appointed foodie, she specializes in easy, flavorful and approachable recipes for any home cook.

Free Email Series
5 Secrets to Dinnertime Sanity
Free email series with tested, tasted & terrific dinner recipes!

You Might Also Like

4.50 from 2 votes

Leave a Comment

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Comments

  1. chris says:

    one comment… soak bread or breadcrumbs first in whole or evaporated milk till absorbed… much better binder

    1. Kristin says:

      Awesome feedback chris! Thanks for stopping by.

  2. Wendy Hampton says:

    Loved this recipe and the Porterhouse seasoning! IF there is any left, I like to cut it into square meatballs to put in spaghetti, or barbeque sauce. It has been added to my HEIRLOOM RECIPE file to make sure I never lose it. Love the story about your Dad.

    1. Kristin Maxwell says:

      Thank you so much Wendy, I’m glad you’ve enjoyed the meatloaf!

  3. Rebecca Payne says:

    It looks so good. I can’t wait to try.

  4. Tammy says:

    If you can’t get Porterhouse seasoning what else can you use?

    1. Kristin Maxwell says:

      Porterhouse seasoning is basically salt, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder and thyme. Sprinkle a little of each of those together; I’d go even on everything but a little lighter on the thyme.

      1. Tammy says:

        Thank you

  5. Lisa Messina says:

    Hi Kristin, I love you recipes, they are quick and easy and so delicious my Son’s favorite is the stove top chicken breast.
    Keep putting out those great t recipes.

    1. Kristin says:

      Thank you Lisa,
      So happy that you and your family loved this recipe!