This is the BEST moist meatloaf recipe with a delicious brown sugar glaze that adds the perfect amount of sweetness and pairs perfectly with the savory and juicy taste of this classic comfort food! This will be the new family favorite!
Caution: This brown sugar meatloaf recipe will cause a frenzy! You will be positively inundated with praise, requests for seconds, and demands to make it again! It is easy to pull together and even easier to eat!
You know I don’t do dry around here. No dry chicken, no dry cakes, no sad, dry scones, and absolutely NO DRY MEATLOAF.
There is nothing worse than having to choke down a dry, bland meatloaf that no amount of ketchup can save. This classic meatloaf recipe doesn’t need saving. It is super moist from the saltine crackers and onions on the inside and the flavor-locking secret sauce on the outside.
Table of Contents
How to Make The Best Meatloaf
- Choose the meat: In the video, I use a blend of ground beef, veal, and pork like I do for meatballs. It was EVEN better than just the ground beef that I usually use. This is optional but feel free to use whatever you have on hand!
- For the perfect texture: No matter the ground meat you choose, make sure there is between 3-7% of fat in the mix. That little bit of fat helps to keep it moist. However, too much fat will just make for a greasy meatloaf. No one wants that.
- Saltine Crackers: The crushed saltine crackers add a bit of salt and absorbs the milk and some of the juices from the meat. This holds all the moisture INSIDE the loaf rather than letting it all run out.
- Liquid: Just enough milk to add a bit of moisture and soften the saltines but not take away from the structure.
- Lock it all in: Not only is the brown sugar glaze sauce delicious, it also locks in all that moisture and keeps the top from drying out. Even if you don’t double the sauce, make sure you have enough to cover the top of the loaf.
Key Ingredients Needed
- Brown Sugar: You can use dark brown sugar or light brown sugar. You can reduce the amount of sugar if you’d like, but keep a little extra for that caramel molasses flavor.
- Ketchup: Any brand of ketchup will suffice. I like ketchup without a lot of added flavorings, dyes, or ingredients. This is the body of the meatloaf sauce and key to locking in the flavor.
- Worcestershire Sauce: I may pronounce it wrong every time, but Worcestershire sauce rounds out the flavor of the sauce. It balances the sweetness of both the ketchup and brown sugar and adds a nice depth and warmth.
- Ground Sirloin: No matter the ground meat you choose, ensure there is between 3-10% of fat in the mix. That little bit of fat helps keep the meatloaf moist. Too much fat will just make for a greasy meatloaf. No one wants that.
- Milk: Any milk will do. I have used everything from whole milk to skim milk, and most recently I made it with unsweetened almond milk. It was still phenomenal! My husband wasn’t any the wiser.
- Eggs: These whole eggs are the binders. They work with the connective tissues in the meat to hold everything together.
- Kosher Salt: Kosher salt is less salty than table salt, and a teaspoon of salt weighs less than other finer ground varieties. It heightens the flavor and will make the meat more tender.
- Spices: Ground black pepper and ground ginger bring the flavor. You can’t taste either distinctly, but you would notice if they weren’t there.
- Onion: Finely diced onion is obviously here for flavor, but it also adds to the moisture of the final meatloaf. As it cooks, it releases its inherent moisture, which flavors the meatloaf inside out and adds to the moisture retained by the saltine crackers.
- Saltine Crackers: Unlike bread crumbs, crushed saltines add a bit of salt, but also absorbs the milk and some of the juices from the meat that is cooking. This holds all the moisture INSIDE the loaf rather than letting it all run out. The more finely crushed, the better the result!
- Chopped Rosemary: A sprinkle of chopped fresh rosemary pairs beautifully with the sauce and the fragrant meatloaf. You could also mix some into the ground beef mixture to bump it up a notch.
Cooking Instructions
- Preheat the Oven
Preheat the oven to an internal temperature of 350 degrees F (175 degrees C)
- Make the Sauce
Mix the brown sugar, ketchup, and Worcestershire sauce together in a small saucepan. I typically make twice the amount of sauce so there is extra for serving.
- Mix the Remaining Ingredients
In a large mixing bowl, mix all of the remaining ingredients for the meatloaf mixture through the saltine crackers
- Shape Mixture Into a Loaf
Shape the meatloaf mixture into a loaf and place in a 9" x 9" baking pan. You can make it in a loaf pan, but the larger pan allows the fat to drain away from the loaf.
- Spread Ketchup Mix on Loaf
Generously spread the ketchup mixture on the top of the loaf. Allow the ketchup mixture to drop down the sides of the loaf. This will help keep the meat moist while also adding a variety of delicious flavors.
- Bake
Bake the loaf in a preheated oven for 60 minutes or until the juices look clear. Alternatively, a meat thermometer can be used.
- Bring Extra Sauce to a Boil and Simmer
While the meat cooks, bring the extra sauce to a boil and simmer on low. Drizzle the the extra sauce over the meatloaf; add fresh chopped rosemary to taste.
Cooking Method Variation
How Do You Cook Meatloaf Using an Air Fryer?
You can make mini meatloaves using an Air Fryer baking oven! Make 4-6 mini loaves, top with the meatloaf sauce and bake in a preheated air fryer oven set at 385°F for 8-10 minutes.
Cleaning Tip: I lined my air fry oven baking sheet with aluminum foil, giving it a quick spray with nonstick cooking spray for a simple cleanup.
Meatloaf Recipe Variations
- Meat Choice: I have made this same recipe with turkey, chicken, ground beef, and a mix of beef, veal, and pork. It is exceptional every time.
- Cracker Magic: You know what is also awesome in this meatloaf? Ritz crackers. I don’t like to play favorites, but Ritz crackers are everything. Just substitute for the saltines and make sure you have an extra sleeve for snacking. 😉
- Brown Sugar Meatballs: Why yes, you can make this meatloaf into meatballs. Give ‘em a little sear and pouring the double batch of the brown sugar sauce over the top and simmer until cooked through. Make a sub, top rice or stab them with a toothpick for an easy appetizer, or reverse that and make Swedish Meatball Meatloaf! Genius
- Mini Meatloaves: Short on time? No problem. Make 4-6 mini meat loaves instead. They cook in under 20 minutes! Life happens, but nothing should stand in the way of your meatloaf dinner.
Recipe Substitutions
- Turkey or Chicken: This recipe is also fabulous with turkey and/or chicken. For the best results, choose ground poultry with 3% fat. This is especially important with leaner proteins like turkey and chicken.
- Non-Dairy Milk: I have successfully made this with unsweetened almond milk. Any non-dairy milk will do! Just make sure it’s unsweetened and unflavored. No one wants their meatloaf to taste like vanilla.
Professional Chef Tip
When mixing the meat mixture together, I squeeze all of the ingredients until they are well-combined. Continue mixing and kneading in a large bowl until a cohesive ball forms. This activates all the connective tissues in the meat. It only takes an extra minute, but it will help your meatloaf stay together and hold in all those juices keeping the meat extra moist and tender!
Recipe
The BEST Meatloaf Recipe
Ingredients
- ½ cup brown sugar (loosely packed)
- ½ cup ketchup
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 ½ pounds ground sirloin (or ground meat of your choice)
- ½ cup milk
- 2 eggs
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground pepper (rounded generously)
- 1 small onion (chopped fine)
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger (rounded generously)
- ¾ cups finely crushed saltine crackers (~12 crackers)
- Chopped fresh rosemary for serving. (Lindsey's secret ingredient. It’s not necessary but it takes the dish to a whole other level!)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to an internal temperature of 350 degrees F (175 degrees C)
- Mix the brown sugar, ketchup, and Worcestershire sauce together in a small saucepan. I typically make twice the amount of sauce so there is extra for serving.
- In a large mixing bowl, mix all of the remaining ingredients for the meatloaf mixture through the saltine crackers
- Shape the meatloaf mixture into a loaf and place in a 9" x 9" baking pan. You can make it in a loaf pan, but the larger pan allows the fat to drain away from the loaf.
- Generously spread the ketchup mixture on the top of the loaf. Allow the ketchup mixture to drop down the sides of the loaf. This will help keep the meat moist while also adding a variety of delicious flavors.
- Bake the loaf in a preheated oven for 60 minutes or until the juices look clear. Alternatively, a meat thermometer can be used.
- While the meat cooks, bring the extra sauce to a boil and simmer on low. Drizzle the the extra sauce over the meatloaf; add fresh chopped rosemary to taste.
Video Instructions
Notes
Before You Go!
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This recipe looks amazing! Going to have a go at it tonight. We’ve used the same sauce as a substitute bbq sauce on bqq roasted chicken and pork chops. It never disappoints! How long would I cook it if I doubled the meat quantity? I’m going to try it with pork and ground beef to give it more juiciness!
Hi Nessa, Just bake it until an thermometer reads 165 degrees, which is the recommended internal temperature for ground beef. That is the easiest way to tell!
Do you have a link to the original recipe? I’ve made it several time and it was amazing. I remember rosemary in it though. I wanted to make it again but wasn’t sure if anything else was changed in the new version.
Hi Marina! The only difference between the original and this one is actually the rosemary! Great catch. The original recipe said "fresh, chopped rosemary for serving, to taste" and everything else is the same. I'm so glad you enjoy this recipe, it's one of my favorites!
Hi Marina, nothing else in the recipe changed just a little note at the bottom that said " Lindsey’s Secret Ingredient: chopped fresh rosemary for serving. It’s not necessary but it takes the dish to a whole other level!" I will put it back in 🙂 Thank you for catching my error when I updated the post! Don't worry, it's still the same delicious meatloaf just semi-nicer pictures
These meatballs are so good. My family loves them…kids included. They’ve become my “go to” turkey meatball recipe. I’ve made them quite a few times and finally decided I should say thank you for a good recipe. Thank you
Best meatloaf I've ever had. My family loves it!
Thank you, Nancy!! I am so pleased that you and your family love it as much as mine!