Classic Southern Meatloaf

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Classic Southern Meatloaf made with lean ground beef, finely diced vegetables, and a sweet, tangy glaze baked to perfection. This easy, no-fuss comfort food favorite is tender, flavorful, and perfect for a hearty family dinner.

Prep Time15

Cook Time1 15

Total Time1 30

Course: Dinner, Main, Main Course

Cuisine: American, Southern, Southern Comfort

Servings: Servings

Calories: 261kcal

Author: Jeremy Klae

Ingredients

2 lbs Lean Ground Beef 93/7
1 White Onion Diced
1 Green Bell Pepper Diced
2 tablespoon Minced Garlic
½ Cup Whole Milk
3 tablespoon Ketchup
1 teaspoon Browning
1 teaspoon Kosher Salt
1 teaspoon Ground Black Pepper
1 teaspoon Onion Powder
2 Eggs beaten
20 Saltine Crackers Crushed

Meatloaf Glaze

½ Cup Ketchup
2 tablespoon Dark Brown Sugar
1 tablespoon Dijon Mustard
1 tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°f, crushing up the saltine crackers, and dicing the onion and bell pepper.
In a mixing bowl, combine the crackers, onion, bell pepper, eggs, milk, minced garlic, Worcestershire and browning sauce, ketchup, kosher salt, black pepper, and onion powder.
Add the ground beef to the same bowl and mix the meatloaf ingredients together until thoroughly combined and evenly distributed.
Transfer the mixture to a loaf pan and press firmly to ensure everything sticks together well during baking.
Place the meatloaf in the oven and bake for 45 minutes.
in a small mixing bowl, whisk together the Ketchup, dark brown sugar, Dijon mustard, and Worcestershire sauce to prepare the meatloaf glaze.
Once you have reached the 45-minute mark, remove the meatloaf from the oven, drain any excess grease if you’d like, and brush the top with the glaze.
Place your meatloaf back in the oven and bake for about another 45 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 160°F.
Once the meatloaf is done, let it rest for about 10 minutes, slice it, and serve it with brown gravy, mashed potatoes, or any of your favorite comfort-food sides.

Video

Notes

Lean ground beef keeps it from getting greasy. Using lean ground beef prevents excess fat from pooling in the pan. Just be careful not to overbake — pull the meatloaf at 160°F and let it rest before slicing to keep it tender and juicy.

Finely dice the vegetables instead of sautéing them. Dicing the onions and bell peppers very small allows them to cook directly in the loaf. This gives the meatloaf a fresher, more pronounced flavor while keeping the texture balanced.

Don’t overmix the meat. Gently combine everything just until incorporated. Overmixing can make the meatloaf dense.

Let the meatloaf rest before slicing. Allow it to rest for 10–15 minutes after baking. This helps the juices redistribute and keeps clean slices.

Adjust the glaze to your preference. If you like a thicker glaze layer on top, double it. Southern meatloaf is meant to be saucy.

Nutrition