Meatloaf. We love them and we love to serve them at gatherings or family dinners. Or maybe you just want to eat classic comfort food on a chilly day. And with all the convenient ready-to-cook frozen foods, you can just go to your nearest supermarket and buy your own meatloaf!
However, the best meatloaf that is bursting with flavors and is fresh and healthy can only be made at home! And no, making it is not rocket science! With that in mind, here is an easy homemade meatloaf recipe that is incredibly easy to make!
Contents
How to make meatloaf at home
I am not exaggerating when I tell you that this might be the best-ever healthy meatloaf recipe you will cook. It is tender and so juicy but most importantly – flavorful. But the best part is that you have control over all the ingredients you use when making this recipe – no unnecessary unhealthy sodium or fats here!
Ingredients:
For the Meatloaf
- 2 lbs of extra lean ground beef (the leaner the beef, the better)
- 2 Large Eggs
- 2 Garlic Cloves minced
- 1 Medium White or Yellow Onion finely chopped
- 3 Tbsp Chopped Fresh Parsley
- 3 Tbsp Sugar-free ketchup
- ¾ Cup Panko Bread crumbs
- ⅓ Cup Milk
- 1½ Tsp Italian Seasoning or Dried Oregano
- ½ Tsp Smoked Paprika
- ¼ Tsp Fresh Ground Black Pepper
- 1½ Tsp Kosher Salt or to taste
- 1 Tbsp Freshly Chopped Parsley (for garnishing)
For the meatloaf glaze:
- 1 Tbsp Raw Honey
- 1 Tsp White Wine Vinegar
- ¾ Cup Sugar-free ketchup
- 1 Tbsp Dijon Mustard
- 1 Tsp Garlic Powder
- ½ Tsp Onion Powder
- ¼ Tsp Fresh Ground Black Pepper
- ¼ Tsp Salt
Instructions:
The first step is to preheat your oven to 375 degrees F. Next, put parchment paper on a 9 x 5 inch loaf pan, making sure that you leave about an inch of overhang on both sides. This will help you to remove the meatloaf from the pan easily.
Get a large mixing bowl and using clean hands, combine all the ingredients given to make the meatloaf. Mix with hands until all ingredients are well combined.
Transfer your meatloaf mixture to your loaf pan with the parchment paper in place. Press or shape your meat mixture to the inside of the pan, making sure that there are no air pockets left.
Once done and ready, bake the meatloaf in the preheated oven for about 40 to 50 minutes.
As the meatloaf is baking, you can start doing the glaze that you will put on top of the meatloaf. In a small bowl, combine all the ingredients provided for the glaze and stir until well combined.
Pour the glaze over the top of the meatloaf and spread the glaze evenly on the meatloaf.
Put the meatloaf back in the oven and bake for an additional 15 to 20 minutes or until you notice that the glaze is caramelized already. Make sure it is not burnt – there is a difference!
Cool the meatloaf a bit for 10 minutes then use the parchment paper flaps at the side to remove the meatloaf from the pan.
Slice the meatloaf and garnish with some freshly chopped parsley. You can serve it with other side dishes as well!
More notes and tips for the best healthy meatloaf recipe
This recipe is quite hard to mess up since you will just be combining all the ingredients and then leaving the meatloaf inside the oven to bake. But if you want more pro tips on how to make this recipe better or for it to suit your taste, then I have here several notes for the best-ever meatloaf recipe:
- This recipe uses ground beef but if you do not prefer ground beef, you can use ground chicken or ground turkey and make a turkey meatloaf instead! If you choose turkey, I would recommend using lean ground turkey.
- If you or someone in your family is on a gluten-free diet, you can use gluten-free breadcrumbs, quick oats, or diced vegetables like cauliflower!
- You can bake the meatloaf while covered if you want to retain the moisture. To do so, cover the meatloaf with an aluminum foil for the first 30 to 40 minutes. After that time, leave it uncovered until the meat is cooked through.
What to serve with homemade meatloaf
As you can probably tell, meatloaves are already so filling and satisfying on their own – that’s why a classic meatloaf can already feed a whole family! But, if you want to add more flavors to it, then I have here some side dishes and pairings you can serve with your easy and healthy meatloaf!
- Air fried sweet potato fries
- Salads
- Air fried chickpeas
- Garlic bread
- Cornbread
- Potato wedges
- And more!
How to store leftover meatloaf
If you have any leftover meatloaf, you can store your cooked meatloaf in an airtight container or wrap it in aluminum foil in the fridge for 3 to 4 days.
But if you want to preserve your meatloaf longer, you can store it in the freezer. When properly stored, your frozen meatloaf can maintain its best quality for about 3 to 4 months in the freezer.
Homemade Glazed Meatloaf
This classic meatloaf recipe is easy and delicious and will instantly become a family favorite! You just need to mix a few ingredients, bake, and wait and serve - that is basically it and that is why I love this recipe so much!
Ingredients
- For the Meatloaf:
- 2 lbs of extra lean ground beef (the leaner the beef, the better)
- 2 Large Eggs
- 2 Garlic Cloves minced
- 1 Medium White or Yellow Onion finely chopped
- 3 Tbsp Chopped Fresh Parsley
- 3 Tbsp Sugar-free ketchup
- ¾ Cup Panko Bread crumbs
- ⅓ Cup Milk
- 1½ Tsp Italian Seasoning or Dried Oregano
- ½ Tsp Smoked Paprika
- ¼ Tsp Fresh Ground Black Pepper
- 1½ Tsp Kosher Salt or to taste
- 1 Tbsp Freshly Chopped Parsley (for garnishing)
- For the meatloaf glaze:
- 1 Tbsp Raw Honey
- 1 Tsp White Wine Vinegar
- ¾ Cup Sugar-free ketchup
- 1 Tbsp Dijon Mustard
- 1 Tsp Garlic Powder
- ½ Tsp Onion Powder
- ¼ Tsp Fresh Ground Black Pepper
- ¼ Tsp SaltFor the Meatloaf
- 2 lbs of extra lean ground beef (the leaner the beef, the better)
- 2 Large Eggs
- 2 Garlic Cloves minced
- 1 Medium White or Yellow Onion finely chopped
- 3 Tbsp Chopped Fresh Parsley
- 3 Tbsp Sugar-free ketchup
- ¾ Cup Panko Bread crumbs
- ⅓ Cup Milk
- 1½ Tsp Italian Seasoning or Dried Oregano
- ½ Tsp Smoked Paprika
- ¼ Tsp Fresh Ground Black Pepper
- 1½ Tsp Kosher Salt or to taste
- 1 Tbsp Freshly Chopped Parsley (for garnishing)
- For the meatloaf glaze:
- 1 Tbsp Raw Honey
- 1 Tsp White Wine Vinegar
- ¾ Cup Sugar-free ketchup
- 1 Tbsp Dijon Mustard
- 1 Tsp Garlic Powder
- ½ Tsp Onion Powder
- ¼ Tsp Fresh Ground Black Pepper
- ¼ Tsp Salt
Instructions
- Peheat your oven to 375 degrees F. Next, put parchment paper on a 9 x 5 inch loaf pan, making sure that you leave about an inch of overhang on both sides. This will help you to remove the meatloaf from the pan easily.
- Get a large mixing bowl and using clean hands, combine all the ingredients given to make the meatloaf. Mix with hands until all ingredients are well combined.
- Transfer your meatloaf mixture to your loaf pan with the parchment paper in place. Press or shape your meat mixture to the inside of the pan, making sure that there are no air pockets left.
- Once done and ready, bake the meatloaf in the preheated oven for about 40 to 50 minutes. As the meatloaf is baking, you can start doing the glaze that you will put on top of the meatloaf. In a small bowl, combine all the ingredients provided for the glaze and stir until well combined.
- Pour the glaze over the top of the meatloaf and spread the glaze evenly on the meatloaf.
- Put the meatloaf back in the oven and bake for an additional 15 to 20 minutes or until you notice that the glaze is caramelized already. Make sure it is not burnt - there is a difference!
- Cool the meatloaf a bit for 10 minutes then use the parchment paper flaps at the side to remove the meatloaf from the pan.
- Slice the meatloaf and garnish with some freshly chopped parsley. You can serve it with other side dishes as well!
I’m Anastasia and I’m a full-time blogger, online entrepreneur, and Pinterest marketing strategist. I help digital entrepreneurs and bloggers drive targeted traffic from Pinterest either through my online courses or through Pinterest consultancy.