Recipe video above. Meatloaf is so much more than a giant hunk of ground beef in a loaf shape. It should ooze with flavour, be moist and tender yet not crumble apart when sliced. And the caramelised glaze is the crowning glory!
Prep time: PT15M
Cook time: PT75M
Total time: PT90M
Rating
4.95 stars (493 reviews)
Keywords
Meatloaf, Meatloaf Recipe
Ingredients
1 cup panko breadcrumbs ((Note 1))
1 large onion (, grated (brown, yellow))
1 kg / 2 lb ground beef (mince) (, preferably not lean)
2 eggs
3 garlic cloves (, minced)
1 tsp Worcestershire Sauce
1/4 cup tomato ketchup
1/4 cup chopped parsley ((optional), or 2 tsp dried parsley or basil)
Preheat oven to 180C/350F. Oil or spray a loaf tin. (Note 3)
Glaze: Mix together in a small bowl. Set aside.
Meatloaf: Place breadcrumbs in a very large bowl. Grate over onion. Mix so the breadcrumbs are all wet. (Note 4)
Add remaining ingredients. Mix well using your hands. Form into a loaf shape, pinching together then smoothing over creases and cracks (helps prevent cracks during baking).
Transfer into loaf tin. Brush generously with glaze, using about 1/2.
Bake for 45 minutes. Remove from oven and brush with most of the remaining glaze. If there is excess fat pooling, scoop/pour it off.
Bake for a further 30 minutes. Remove from oven.
Stand for 10 minutes before turning out and cutting into thick slices. You will probably get a bit of crumbling just on the edges of the first couple of slices, this is normal and indicative of the tenderness of the meatloaf (zero crumble indicates firm packed harder meatloaf which isn't as enjoyable!).
Ideal served with a dollop of ketchup, creamy mashed potatoes and steamed vegetables.
Nutitrion
Serving Size: 179 g
Calories: 404 kcal
Carbohydrates: 15 g
Protein: 24 g
Fat: 26 g
Saturated Fat: 10 g
Cholesterol: 129 mg
Sodium: 607 mg
Sugar: 7 g
Reviews
Sarah on 2026-09-24 (3 stars): I’ve made this twice and the second time it just didn’t work. Now, I halved the recipe. My minced meat had more fat and that’s the way I’ve always preferred it. By halving the recipe, was that a bad thing? I had a smaller container. My oven is pretty hot one and I’ve had to learn to adjust the temps accordingly. There’s only two of us and even then by halving the recipe, there’s still enough left for sandwiches the next day. Maybe this recipe is not for me.
Karen Barlin on 2026-09-09 (5 stars): Love this recipe! Only bullion cubes I could find were OXO. Don’t seem to have any beef in them. Are these ok
Ayla on 2026-08-25 (5 stars): I substituted panko for home made gluten free bread crumbs and it worked perfectly, really soaked up all the flavours. I also added a pinch of salt. It was my first attempt making meatloaf and my husband said it was even better than his mother's recipe! Will definitely make again.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Bonnie Spence on 2026-08-17 (5 stars): I was looking for a new everyday meatloaf recipe and made this one today - it's definitely a keeper - flavourful, light and hubby loved it! Made 2 smaller loaves to put one in the freezer - also shortens cooking time - thanks for the recipe!
Chris Foley on 2026-08-12 (5 stars): Very tasty! A keeper.
Cathleen Benkert on 2026-08-12 (5 stars): I have never ever been able to successfully make meatloaf. I’ve tried for 20 years. It just never turned out until I found this recipe. I made it three times in the past year and my husband loves it and he’s a picky eater. It’s perfect exactly the way the instructions and ingredients read. I know other people have mentioned adding salt. There’s no way you need salt added in this. It seriously is the best recipe I have ever found. Thank you so much for posting it.
Kay on 2026-07-21 (4 stars): Delicious - but definitely needed salt, boullion cubes are not enough. Next time I'll add a tsp to start with.
Paula van Styn on 2026-05-12 (5 stars): Simply delicious! Instead of grated onion - I used onion flakes. Turned out really well x
Trish McKeown on 2026-04-14 (5 stars): I actually used this recipe and made the mix into hamburgers. They were simply delicious! Even better, they freeze really well, so I can have them on hand. Another fantastic recipe, thanks Nagi!
Ros on 2026-04-14 (5 stars): Absolutely delicious
Rae Spratt on 2026-04-07 (5 stars): My son was desperate to make meatloaf and I was without MY mother’s recipe- so I searched for one online and found this. Was delicious and moist, and my son loved it so much it’s now a family favourite.
Casey Miller on 2026-04-03 (5 stars): Best meatloaf I have ever made.
Hal on 2026-03-17 (5 stars): Made this many times and it's delish! Made into meatballs and cooked on stove top, and instead of putting sauce on top and baking, I simmered the sauce. Fabulous and easy recipe. Substituted panko for 2/3 cup GF breadcrumbs.
Ralph on 2026-03-10 (5 stars): My family loves meatloaf! For many years my mother-in-law's recipe reigned supreme. But RTE has dislodged the MIL's recipe from its top of the stack ranking. It is so flavorsome and moist. I personally like the flavor that parsley brings to the party so much that I will as much as double the recipe amount. Adding the extra parsley doesn't mess up the texture. I'm also convinced that grating the onion is part of this recipe's secret of success. I used to mince onions for meatloaf but Nagi has changed my ways permanently. You owe it to yourself to try this recipe.
Tracy on 2026-02-21 (5 stars): Added a ton of blitzed and sautéed mushroom, brocolli stalk and spinach that needed using and switched breadcrumbs for quinoa flakes (have a GF in the fam). Have done this before and still get a great meatloaf. This time I subbed the ketchup in the loaf and the glaze for left over BBQ sauce from the brisket recipe - wowza!
