Mama’s meatloaf combines ground beef and turkey making the inside less dense, more tender, and is topped with the best ketchup and brown sugar base glaze you have ever tasted. It’s the ultimate comfort food that takes just 15 minutes to prep and can be served with your favorite country sides.
I know that there are a thousand different meatloaf recipes floating around out there, but this one is hands down, the best! It’s made from scratch and will definitely remind you of the one your mom made for you growing up. This is my mama’s meatloaf recipe, I hope you love it as much as we do.
The best meatloaf recipe is one that is served with mashed or duchess potatoes, honey glazed carrots, and buttermilk cornbread. For dessert, go with a hot milk cake or chess pie.
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🥩 Ingredients:
Meatloaf Ingredients:
- lean ground beef and ground turkey – this combination keeps the meatloaf tender and less dense than others.
- rolled oats – this helps to absorb the moisture so it’s not dry and takes the place of panko bread crumbs, which is what you will see in other recipes.
- wheat germ – this is optional but does help to keep the loaf together.
- large eggs – our binding agent
- powdered milk – plain Greek yogurt can also be used in its place.
- tomato sauce – adds moisture and more flavor.
- Seasonings: black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, chili powder, celery salt.
Sauce Ingredients:
- ketchup – our base that pairs well with the beefiness of the loaf.
- light brown sugar or honey – adds a little sweetness to balance out the tomato taste from the ketchup and tomato sauce.
- Worcestershire sauce – deepens the flavor.
- Apple cider vinegar and water – helps to thin the sauce and give it that tang.
- yellow mustard – you can also use dry mustard instead.
- tomato sauce – use the remaining half from the meatloaf mixture.
For a full list of ingredients and their measurements, 📋 please view my printable recipe card at the bottom of the post.
Optional Garnish:
We like to add the remaining sauce to the meatloaf in the last 30 minutes of baking so it thickens. If desired, garnish with fresh chopped parsley.
Substitutions and Variations
- Lipton Soup Mix Meatloaf – this version has a ton of flavor and uses fewer ingredients because of the dry soup mix packet.
- Baking dish – if you do not have a loaf pan, divide the mixture into two logs and place them on a baking sheet or in a casserole dish.
- Gluten free – omit the wheat germ and use gluten free oats.
🔪 Instructions:
PREP: Grease a 9×5 loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray and preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Step 1: Combine all of the meatloaf ingredients in a large bowl and mix using your hands until all is incorporated.
Step 2: Shape the meat mixture and place it into the meatloaf pan.
Pro Tip: I like to use gloves when making meatloaf. It’s easier and less messy.
Step 3: Stir the sauce ingredients in a small bowl and spread half on top of the meatloaf.
Step 4: Bake for 30 minutes, then top with the remaining sauce. Bake for 20-30 more minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees.
SERVE: Remove the meat loaf from the oven and allow it to rest for a few minutes before slicing.
Tips for Making Mama’s Meatloaf
- Do not freeze the meatloaf if the meat was previously frozen.
- Avoid overcooking the meatloaf. Sometimes this will make it fall apart or it can dry out.
- Wheat germ adds some great nutrition and helps bind the meatloaf together – substitute additional oats if you don’t want to use wheat germ. But I do think it’s one of the secret ingredients in my mom’s meatloaf recipe so give it a try!
- The combination of ground beef and ground turkey makes a lighter, but still moist meatloaf. Try ground chicken or pork instead of the ground turkey if you’d like. I would not recommend 100% ground turkey as it will be much drier and can lack flavor that comes from the fat in the ground beef.
Fun Fact
Meatloaf was a household staple during the Great Depression. It allowed families to stretch their ingredients further to make a balanced meal.
Recipe FAQs
Keep leftovers in an airtight container or wrapped tightly with plastic wrap for up to 3 days.
Once the cooked meatloaf has cooled, wrap it tight in plastic wrap and freeze. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight, then reheat when ready.
You can also freeze the uncooked loaf. Simply wrap it with plastic wrap and freeze. Thaw overnight, then follow the regular cooking instructions.
To keep the meatloaf moist, be sure to use the correct measurements of oats and milk or yogurt. Also, do not over bake it.
More Amazing Ground Beef Recipes
If you tried my Mama’s Meatloaf or any other recipe on my website, please please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how you liked it in the 📝 comments below.
Mama’s Meatloaf
Ingredients
Meatloaf Ingredients:
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1 pound ground turkey
- 1 cup rolled oats
- ¼ cup wheat germ optional
- 2 large eggs
- ¼ cup powdered milk or substitute plain greek yogurt
- 8 oz. tomato sauce or ½ 15 oz. can
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon Garlic powder
- ¾ teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¾ teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon celery salt
Sauce Ingredients:
- ½ cup ketchup
- ½ cup light brown sugar or honey
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- ½ cup Apple cider vinegar
- ½ cup water
- 1 tablespoon yellow mustard
- 8 oz. tomato sauce or remaining half of 15 oz. can
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a 9×5 loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine all of the meatloaf ingredients. Use gloved hands for the most efficient mixing.
- Shape meat mixture into a loaf and place in the prepared pan.
- Combine the ingredients for the sauce in a small bowl. Spread half of the sauce over the prepared meatloaf.
- Bake for 30 minutes; top with remaining sauce, and then cook for an additional 20-30 minutes or until the center of the meatloaf reaches 160°F.
- Remove from the oven and let rest for several minutes before slicing.
- Storage: Cover cooled meatloaf with plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Meatloaf can be frozen up to 3 months. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap after it has completely cooled. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before reheating.
Notes
Nutrition
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