Homemade Meatloaf Recipe

This Homemade Meatloaf is packed full of spicy, umami flavor and served with the most delicious ketchup based sauce. Comfort food at it's easiest and finest!

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 1

Total Time 1 10

Servings servings

Calories 443kcal

Author Danielle Wolter

Ingredients

Meatloaf:

1 pound ground beef
¼ cup whole milk ricotta cheese
¼ cup Parmesan cheese grated
1 large egg
½ medium onion minced
3 cloves garlic minced
10 saltines finely crushed
2 pieces day old bread
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
½ cup half & half
1 teaspoon black pepper
2 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 ½ teaspoon sea salt
4 slices bacon minced

Ketchup Sauce:

1 cup ketchup
¼ cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
¼ teaspoon Tabasco sauce

Instructions

Meatloaf:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Put bread slices in a bowl and cover with the half & half.
Place all remaining meatloaf ingredients in a bowl.
Remove the middle from the half & half soaked bread pieces and combine with remaining meatloaf ingredients.
Mix all ingredients (being careful not to over mix) and place in a greased bread pan. *I use non-stick spray to grease the pan.
Brush half the ketchup glaze over the top of the meatloaf.
Cover with aluminum foil and bake in the oven for 1 hour and 5 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees. Remove the foil for the last 15 minutes of cooking to allow the edges to brown.
Remove and let rest for 10 minutes to let juices redistribute.
Slice the meatloaf and serve with the reserved ketchup glaze.

Ketchup Glaze:

Add the ketchup, brown sugar, mustard and Tabasco sauce to a small saucepan.
Heat over medium-low heat and stir until it starts to simmer. Remove from heat and set aside.

Notes

Using a lean ground beef will have the best results. Try to use at least a 90/10 mix, but use a 93/7 if you can find it.
Mince all your ingredients so they are easier to incorporate into the beef mixture (this include the bacon).
Don't over-mix the meatloaf as it can become tough. Mix it just enough to incorporate all the ingredients, then leave it alone!
If you don't have a loaf pan, you can form it into a rectangle and place it directly on a baking sheet.
Let the meatloaf rest before slicing it. This allows the juices to redistribute and prevent the meatloaf from crumbling.

Nutrition