This Meatloaf Recipe is my family’s FAVORITE dinner recipe! It really is the Best Ever Meatloaf, and it is incredibly easy to make. So much flavor packed inside with a delicious glaze spread on the top!
I have so many great dinner recipes that I never share here on Yummy Healthy Easy. Honestly, shame on me. I should be sharing these super, incredibly easy recipes with you! I guess I feel like not sharing them for a few reasons:
- The recipes in question are done a hundred times and not new, fresh recipes.
- I think they’ll be hard to photograph (brown food is my enemy 😉 )
- I wonder if the recipes are so easy that maybe they can’t be really a recipe. 😉
So there you have it. These are the true reasons I don’t share some of the staple recipes that I feed my family on a regular basis. Let’s be honest, meatloaf recipes are hard to photograph! I’ve only posted these adorable Mini Meatloaves because they’re cute and small and not as hard to photograph. But I LOVE making meatloaf for my family!
I really love how I can mix a few ingredients (that I usually have on hand) together and put in one loaf pan and bake. Plus, meatloaf has so much protein and is low carb so it makes a great dinner for the family. This particular recipe is even gluten free!
Serve this meatloaf recipe with a yummy Potato au Gratin or other starchy dish and a veggie like Green Beans Amandine and you are set for a quick, easy and healthy dinner the family will flip for! It will also look like you spent hours preparing some fancy dinner, when it really only took you ten minutes to mix and put in the oven! (your secret is safe with me) 🙂 Enjoy!
Best Ever Meatloaf Recipe
Ingredients
Meatloaf:
- 2 pounds lean ground beef
- 1 onion diced small (about 1/2 cup)
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 tsp. ground pepper
- 3/4 cup quick oats
- 1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tsp. garlic salt
- 1 tsp. onion salt
- 1/2 cup tomato sauce
Glaze Topping:
- 1/4 cup ketchup
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 2 tsp. mustard
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350ºF. Spray a 9x5" loaf pan with cooking spray.
- Mix together ground beef, onion, eggs, pepper, oats, Worcestershire sauce, garlic salt, onion salt and tomato sauce in a large bowl, using your hands. Do not overmix.
- In a small bowl, combine the ketchup, sugar and mustard. Spread on top of meatloaf and place in oven. Bake for 1 hour and 15-30 minutes, or until meatloaf is cooked through. Let cool for a few minutes and then slice and serve. Enjoy!
Nutrition
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Very good, i substituted chili sauce for the tomato sauce. This will be my go to recipe
I’m so happy you liked it!! I made it yesterday again, it’s always so good!
Can you make this without oats or bread or anything?
I’ve never tried making it without oats or bread. I have a feeling it would be more dense.
I used bread crumbs instead of oats. It came out delish!
I made your best ever meatloaf for my dinner tonight. You are so right, best ever, for sure. I doubled the glaze so i could put it on my mashed potatoes too. Next I’ll fix the hawaiian meatballs and white rice. Looks soooo good. Thanks for sharing. Jeannie, Paradise Island, Ft Lauderdale Fl.
I’m so happy you liked it! You will love the hawaiian meatballs too! Enjoy!
Hands down, the BEST meatloaf recipe I’ve ever made!! Hubby and I loved it!! Next time I will double the sauce! Awesome with the quick oats!! Thanks for sharing!!
I am so happy you liked it!! Yay! Enjoy the rest of your weekend!
meatloaf looks great ! can’t wait to try it! thanks
Haven’t made a meatloaf in almost three years and It is my husbands favorite meal. So I made your recipe and he said it was so good it didn’t need ketchup on it. Better than his moms.
OMG I can’t tell you how much I freaked out when I read your comment! THANK YOU!!! That totally made my day! So thrilled he liked it!
Loved this recipe. Used gluten free breadcrumbs vs. oatmeal and added some grated Parmesan. Delicious!!!
I’m thrilled you liked it!! Thank you for commenting and letting us know what worked for you in the recipe! 🙂
Just made this tonight and it was a hit! My man said it was the best he’s ever had and beats all restaurants. My five year even said she loved it! Super easy too. Thanks so much for a great recipe!
OMG this makes me SO happy to hear this!!! Thank you for such a sweet comment! I’m happy you all liked it!
Could you cook this in a crockpot? If so how long do you recommend?
Hi Lynn! I’ve never tried cooking this in the crock pot so I’m not sure. I would say form into a loaf and make sure it doesn’t touch the sides of the crock pot and then maybe cook on low for 6-8 hours, checking often so it don’ts overcook. Let me know if you try it and how it turned out in the crock pot. Thank you!!
Love meatloaf can’t wait to try….Thanks for sharing !
First time making the meat loaf, absolutely the best ever!! I used to use crackers, not anymore. I used beef and pork the only change. Thank you for the recipe..
Ahh!!! So happy you loved it!! Thank you so much for the comment!
Just a quick question, what kind of tomato sauce do you use for this? Thx!
I just use regular canned tomato sauce, not pasta sauce. I hope you’ll give it a try!
First time ever making meat loaf– used croutons because that’s all we had on hand! See how it ends up!! Daughter pretty much prepped it all too. So, taking all sorts of chances tonight!!
How did it turn out?!!
I love meatloaf and have been winging it for a while. This one looks so good. Will try it soon!
I’m still considered a newlywed with my husband and I making a year in December. Anyways I didn’t take an interest in learning to cook until I got married. Well out all the things I’ve tried my husband has finally picked a favorite meal! THIS! He said meatloaf is his favorite and when he ask me to make his favorite meal, I should make it just like this!!
Made with mashed potatoes and green beans as a side.
I’m so happy you like it!! It’s one of our favorites, too! Thanks for the nice comment!
Am making for the first time, have been looking for a good meatloaf recipe and can never seem to find one, and saw this and it looked pretty amazing, will let you know what the family thinks, personally after mixing and the glaze I have a feeling it’s going to be pretty darn good….
I hope you like it!! My family really loves this meatloaf!
Jen made the meatloaf omg’sssh it’s my new favorite, thank you for sharing, I have never found a meatloaf recipe that I have liked until this one, this will be my go to from now on, the family just raved about it, loved the sweetness from the glaze, so again thank you for sharing…was AMAZING
Sounds amazing! Making tonight!!
Quick question- which kind of mustard did you use?
I just use the regular yellow mustard!
This is a great meatloaf! I followed the recipe and it came out really good the sauce on the top is delicious, I wish there was more to pour on it! My new go to meatloaf! My husband loved it too! Super yummy!
Thank you so much for the awesome comment!! I’m so happy you loved it! I usually double the sauce on top because it’s that good, lol! Maybe you can do that next time? 😉
Can you use whole rolled oats or does it have to be quick oats?
I’ve only used quick oats in this recipe so I’m not sure but I’m thinking whole rolled oats would probably work too.
Rolled oats works just fine. I made this for the first time tonight for my dad (97) and myself. We loved it! Can’t wait for my husband to try it. Thank you so much for sharing your fabulous recipe. BTW, I didn’t have Worcestershire on hand so used A1. This worked out well also.
I’m so glad you liked it!!
Going in the oven now. I love meatloaf so I can’t wait. Very similar to my family recipe but thought I would change it up
What kind of mustard you use? Ground mustard or yellow mustard for like deli sandwiches?
I usually use yellow mustard but either will work! Just gives it that little extra kick of flavor!
Best meatloaf ever and EASY to make! Followed the recipe exactly….used 80% lean ground beef, baked it in a glass loaf dish at 350 degrees for 1 hour and 20 minutes. My teenage son and father loved it. Served it with mash potatoes. Thanks for posting this 🙂
Thank you for the nice comment, Veronica!! It’s my boys’ favorite dinner! Glad you liked it!
Fixed this meatloaf recipe today for dinner, my family loved it! Added potatoes and green beans on the side and no leftovers. Wife and kids complimented me, but I was honest and told them I followed your recipe. Now they want to know what’s cooking tomorrow. 🙂
I’m so excited you liked it!! It’s super easy and yum. You’ll have to try some more dinner recipes from my site! 🙂
Yes! For sure!!!
What temp to cook meatloaf & when do I add top sauce?
350 degrees Fahrenheit and top with the sauce right before you pop it in the oven. Enjoy!
Do you think I could prepare this the night before so it’s ready to put in the oven the next night ?
I’m sure you could do that! That’s actually a brilliant idea, and I’ll be trying it soon!
Best Ever is a good title. I’ve been making meatloaf for 30+ years trying to find the perfect balance. You’ve done it. Bravo and Thank you!
I’m so happy you liked it!
That’s pretty cool you have the recipe with quick oats… my grandmother had this recipe handed down to her and she always made it with oatmeal basically the same exact way but with a quarter or so of the meat being Italian sausage… It is also basically the same recipe I use for some stuffed bell peppers it’s great
Delicious! Made tonight and husband agrees! Best meatloaf ever
It really is SO good!
Had this meatloaf for dinner…with side dishes of glazed carrots, blackeyes peas, cabbages, vegan mac_n_cheese corn bread. And when I tell you that the plates was clean. It was del___________ious.
Tasty!
Very Good and easy to make!
I’ve been looking (for a long time) for a new go-to meatloaf recipe, and I think I’ve found it! I used 2 1/4 lb. ground beef (just because that’s the size package I purchased), doubled the garlic salt (because I didn’t have onion salt), and added 2 tsp. dried parsley. It was very good! I wasn’t sure about using the oatmeal, but it made the meatloaf firmer, yet still kept it moist. An added bonus since I am trying to cut back on carbs!
Thank you for trying it, Annette and for the comment! I’m so happy you liked it!
Made this meatloaf and we loved it!!!
YAY!! So good to hear! Thanks for the comment, Betty!
Does it cook uncovered? I didnt see where you mentioned that so I wasnt sure
I cook it uncovered. I hope you try it! It’s so good!!!
Best meatloaf ever. Put barbecue sauce in Ritz crackers. A taste explosion.
Thank you so much, Joe!!
I just want to thank you for sharing this recipe and I feel that to best thank you is to leave you a comment herein. I’ve tried and used this recipe at least 5 times and every time, it comes out great. But I think what is more satisfactory is that every time I make it, I get my two girls and husband so excited and are always anticipating a good dinner. The only thing that I’ve changed is used saltine cracker, broken to tiny little pieces instead of using oat meal because I didn’t have any in hand. Otherwise, I followed everything to the tee (coz I have the rest of the ingredients ?) and each time, the results are nothing less than delicious!
I’m thrilled to see this awesome comment! You made my day! I’m so happy you like it as much as we do!
This is the best recipe for meatloaf, you won’t regret it!
Thank you for posting it!
Thank you Katherine! I’m so happy you liked it!
I made this with ground turkey and used gluten free quick oats! Came out perfect!!! Next time I’ll double the glaze as well.
YAY!! So happy you liked it and great to know it’s just as good with ground turkey and gluten free oats!
Do you grind the oats in a food processor first or put them in whole?
Hi Nicole! I put the oats in whole! 🙂
Do you cover the meatloaf with foil while it bakes?
Nope! I don’t cover it with foil.
Do you prefer white or yellow onion? I’ll be using only 1lb of beef and making 3 smaller loafs. Your thoughts on using 1/2 the recipe and 3 small loafs.
I personally like yellow onions. I’ve never tried splitting it into 3 loaves and halving the recipe, but I’m thinking it would probably work just fine. The full recipe makes a big full meatloaf. Let me know if you try it and how it turned out!
What if I dont have mustard for the topping will it still taste good?
I’ve never tried making it without the mustard but I’m sure it would be fine! The brown sugar and ketchup together alone are delicious. Let me know how it turns out!
That so so amazing!!. Thanks for your sharring!!
I made this lastnight, it was by far the best dish I have ever made! I did not have quick oats, so I used panko bread crumbs. So delicious!!! Thank you!
SO happy you liked it!! It’s my boys’ favorite dinner. They get so excited when they know I’m making it. 🙂 Thanks for the nice comment!
The name of this recipe is no lie. It is the BEST meatloaf I have ever had and I don’t generally like meatloaf. I wanted to make it b/c I knew m 19 mo son would enjoy, which he does. But mommy and daddy loved it as well! Thank you for posting!
Yay!! Thanks for the nice comment, Laureen! So happy you all loved it!
You suggested to serve this with potatoes au gratin. But the meatloaf cooks at 350 and the potatoes at 400. Any advice on how to cook them in the same oven? Tia!
Hi Lyn – I would suggest either preheating the oven to 400 and then cooking the potatoes while you get the meatloaf prepared (maybe like 30 minutes in the oven) and then bump the temperature back down to 350 when you add the meatloaf in. Doing this might make it so both the meatloaf and the potatoes take a bit longer but they will most likely finish around the same time. You can always pull the meatloaf out when it’s done and cover with foil if the potatoes need a bit more time. I hope this helps!! Let me know if you try them and like the recipes! Thank you!
Have you tried freezing it before?
I haven’t tried it! If you do, let me know how it turns out!
Love this recipe! We have it often. I use gluten free bread crumbs instead of the oatmeal though.
Awesome to know you can use gluten free bread crumbs! I’m so happy you like the recipe!
I absolutely love this recipe 🙂 I just started a low carb diet wondering how many carbs is in it?
Hi Angela! I just added the nutrition facts to the recipe! Thank you for pointing it out that I forgot to add it in. I’m happy you like the recipe! It’s one of my favorite dinner recipes!
This is a family favorite, made at least once a month during the Fall/Winter months and occasionally during the Summer.
I’m thrilled you like the recipe that much! Thank you for leaving a nice comment!! 🙂
Excellent! Will definitely be making this again. I did make some adjustments based on what I had; I used marinara sauce instead and mixed ground chicken and deer since we don’t like beef. Texture was super soft and the flavors were amazing. My daughter said it was the best meatloaf ever. So five stars and two thumbs up ??
This makes me so happy! Thank you for leaving such a nice comment!
This is the best meatloaf I have ever made. Easy to make and soooo good
That’s what I love to hear!!! Thank you for trying it AND leaving a comment!
Hi! I was wondering if I could use breadcrumbs in replacement of the oats? Or is there a specific reason for the use of oats?
Hi Nicole! I haven’t tried breadcrumbs in place of the oats but I think others have tried it and replaced the same amount of oats with breadcrumbs with good results. I hope this helps and you try it! Thanks!
I have made several different meatloaf recipes. My 18 yr old son loves meatloaf. When I made this recipe he told me it was the best recipe ever and now he begs me to make it. I appreciate that you use oats instead of bread crumbs. Thank you so much for sharing,
Oh my gosh, this made my day! Thank you so much!! My boys are obsessed with this meatloaf recipe, too! So glad you guys liked it!
I used this recipe and the meatloaf turned out great. I accidentally bought tomato sauce with roasted garlic flavor. So, I left the garlic salt out. Other than that, I followed the recipe. It’s a keeper.
Thank you so much, Barry! I’m so happy you liked it!
Loved it! It’ll be on the rotation! I didn’t think the topping needed sugar though, so I left it out. Yum ?! Thank you!
Thank you Anna! I’m so happy you liked it!
I love to try new recipes and well I just love to cook and recipes that you can share with me would be so appreciated.
We make this all the time. Great recipe and the family loves it!
YAY Cathy! Thank you for the comment! It’s constantly on our dinner rotation. My boys love it! Glad you guys like it to!
The meatloaf recipe is delicious! The sauce is out of this world.
Thank you so much, Cynthia!! So glad you liked it!
I tried several meatloaf recipes, but this will be the last. It’s a keeper and a regular in my house.
YAY!!! That’s what I like to hear! Thank you so much for the nice comment!
How should I adjust the ingredients if I made with 3 to 3 1/2 lbs beef?
Can’t wait to try it. Thank you
Hi Lauren! Okay so I’ve never made this with 3-3.5 pounds of ground beef. What I do know is that it fits up to the very top of the loaf pan with 2 pounds so you might want to go ahead and double it and do 4 pounds of beef and do it in two loaf pans. Does that make sense? Let me know how you like it. It’s one of my favorite dinners! Thank you!
Looks soooo good I’m trying it
You have to!! SO good!
This is the best meatloaf recipe ever! It’s easy to make and my family goes nuts for it. It even tastes amazing as leftovers the next day. I have made this meat loaf about 5 times so far. This recipe will stay in our family for years to come. Thank you very much for sharing this recipe. ??
OMG this makes me SO SO SOOO happy!!! Thank you for being a reader and thank you for leaving this sweet comment!
Making it again tonight! It’s about to go in the oven. The whole family is super excited! Family favorite.
Ok, I read through all the rave reviews for this meatloaf and was skeptical. I thought, “come on, how good can it be? It’s just meatloaf.” I made it tonight and holy cow, I understand what all the fuss is about! It’s soooo good! I halved the recipe since I only had 1 lbs of ground beef, used 2 egg whites, and sugar free ketchup instead of tomato sauce. Still phenomenal. This will be the only meatloaf I ever use. Thank you!!
I’m so glad you liked it! It’s a family favorite!!
Family favorite! My husband LOVES this recipe and ends up eating the whole thing after one sitting. Highly recommend.
Thank you so much Natasha! We love it too and I’m so glad you do too!
Absolutely delicious.
Thank you, Rachel!!
Very nice recipe, Jen. I’ve never made a Meatloaf using oats, only Italian Seasoned Breadcrumbs or bread soaked in milk. What do the Oats do, as opposed to Breadcrumbs? I also always add some diced red or green Bell Pepper. Even Cracker Barrel adds Bell Peppers, and everyone loves their Meatloaf. I wonder why people don’t usually add it. I’ve seen folks add celery, but to me, THAT does NOT go well in Meatloaf. My family likes Meatloaf topped with some homemade Spaghetti Sauce, since we all gravitate toward the savory, rather than sweet.
This is the best ever meatloaf! This is definitely better than my old recipe. My whole family loved it!! It’s a keeper.
Thanks Stacy! I’m so glad you liked it!
Husband & daughter approved! Super simple & turned out REALLY REALLY GOOD!!
I’m so glad you liked it!!
This is a great recipe — very flavorful and moist. I have made it twice now and will definitely make it again!
I’ve made this recipe several times now and it is the best meatloaf. My husband says it the best he’s ever eaten.
Looks yummy, making it this am. hope it tastes as good as it looks and reads!
This is The Best Meatloaf ☺
Thank You For Sharing…
One of the only recipes that I have saved and used consistently for a long time. Delicious & moist every time.
Great
This recipe is so good! I’m on my second serving right now! Adding the oats is so smart – sneak in a little whole grain into one’s diet. I baked this in a 9-in cake pan for an hour at the recipe temperature, and it came out moist and tender.
I’m so happy you liked it, Iris!
Easily on of the best and easiest meatloaf recipes I have made. If you don’t have a meatloaf tin that’s okay, it works great in a baking dish or sheet. Thanks for the recipe
I saved this recipe about 3 or so years ago and I have made it well over 10 times. It’s the ONLY meatloaf recipe I use! Thank you!!
Aw thanks Lindsey! It’s our family favorite and I make it all the time!! Thanks for the comment!
This is a staple for my husband and me. We have been making it for years and this is the ONLY meatloaf recipe we ever use. Super, super simple and delicious!! I absolutely love the glaze – so good!!
The glaze is the best!! Thank you for the sweet comment!
This really is a very good meatloaf. Super easy to make and is always a hit. Great recipe Jen! Everyone in my family regularly request it. I’ve made it numerous times and have learned that yes, it is best to double or triple the sauce. I normally double the whole recipe and make two pans of meatloaf, and have also found that you can mix in a cup or two of chopped mushrooms and it improves the flavor even more.
Hi Jen! I’ve been using your recipe for years now. Just popped it in the oven once again and thought I really need to comment. I’m the #1 meatloaf maker in the family now. THANK YOU!
I also double the sauce and sometimes add cayenne pepper to it. Depends on who’s coming over to eat with us.
Ahhhh you just made my day! Thank you SO MUCH!!!
I have been making your recipe for a few years now. We love it. It’s moist and flavorful and the only one my husband wants.
Thanks so much for sharing it!
I’m so glad you like it!
This is our favorite meatloaf! The glaze is DELICIOUS! I never liked Meatloaf until one day my husband asked me to try to make it….several FAILED recipes later I stumbled across yours and it’s been a hit and our go to ever since. The only thing I change is I will sometimes do 1 pound of lean ground turkey and pound of lean ground beef just ot switch it up and we ALWAYS double up the glaze recipe. It is a definite must try! Thank you so much!
This was SO GOOD! This was definitely the best meatloaf I’ve ever made, and I’ve made a lot! I stuck to the recipe except increased the onions and used panko instead of oats since I didn’t have any. This was super flavorful, cooked to perfection, moist and loved by everyone! The sauce for the top really added to it! Highly recommend. Thank you for sharing this. This will be my new go to meatloaf recipe.
I am THRILLED you like it as much as we do! I make this all of the time for my boys!