Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a rimmed baking pan with aluminum foil and spray with cooking spray.
In a small pan, cook onions in butter over medium low heat until tender. Let them cool completely.
In a medium bowl, combine eggs, milk, and breadcrumbs. Let the mixture sit for 5-10 minutes.
Add the ground beef, cooked onions, 1 Tablespoon ketchup or chili sauce, Italian seasoning, parsley, and salt & pepper to the bowl. Mix until just combined.
Form 1 8"x4" loaf on the prepared baking pan and bake for 40 minutes.
While the meatloaf is cooking, combine the chili sauce and ketchup (and brown sugar if using) to make Meatloaf Sauce. Spread mixture over the meatloaf and bake for an additional 15 - 30 minutes or until cooked through and the meatloaf reaches an internal temperature of 160°F*. Broil for 1-2 minutes if desired.
Let the meatloaf rest for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.
Nutitrion
Serving Size: 1 serving
Calories: 403 kcal
Carbohydrates: 21 g
Protein: 23 g
Fat: 25 g
Saturated Fat: 10 g
Trans Fat: 1 g
Cholesterol: 110 mg
Sodium: 633 mg
Sugar: 11 g
Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
Reviews
Jen on 2026-04-29 (5 stars): Made this last night for dinner, it was a HIT! My husband said it's the best meatloaf he's ever had. Kids enjoyed it as well once they got over the fact that it's, well, meatloaf. The only thing I added was a bit of worchestershire sauce to the meat as suggested as an option in the recipe. I will ONLY be making this recipe from now on!
Whitney on 2026-04-26 (5 stars): 80/20 is not lean ground beef. It must be at least 92/8 to be considered lean. Using lean ground beef in this recipe makes it too dry. It's not correct to call this recipe one with lean beef. Also, rather than rely on "medium" for the onion, use 1/2 cup or about 71 grams in weight.
Davena Tarkanen on 2026-04-26 (5 stars): Thank you for the great recipe- we love it! It has become our go to recipe.
Kim on 2026-04-15 (5 stars): This is a really good meatloaf. Thank you for the cooking tips- soaking the bread crumbs and using a cookie sheet instead of a meatloaf pan. I broiled for a few minutes at the end and made it loaf crispy. My go-to meatloaf recipe.
Anastasia Porcari on 2026-04-13 (5 stars): this is our favorite meatloaf. my family requests it all the time. I didn't alter anything and it is great!
Myrna Oliva on 2026-04-07 (5 stars): Wow its a great meatloaf recipe!! Delicious thank you!
Christina on 2026-04-06 (5 stars): My family fights over these loaves! We make 8 loaves and cook them on 450 for 25 minutes. For the sauce, we use 1/2c ketchup, 1/2c barbecue and 4 tablespoons of brown sugar. I make a little extra and put it in the oven while the meatloaf cooks so that there's a dipping sauce.
Carrie M. on 2026-04-06 (5 stars): 😃
pat Young on 2026-04-01 (4 stars): Yum, but as always, with modifications. Thank you.
James on 2026-03-31 (5 stars): very good recipe. I changed a few things like some extra breadcrumbs added bbq sauce instead of ketchup, added carrots and celery. and a heaping tablespoon of minced garlic. ( I love garlic) and cooked an extra 10 minutes. sooooo good!
James on 2026-03-31 (5 stars): very good recipe. I changed a few things like some extra breadcrumbs added bbq sauce instead of ketchup, added carrots and celery. and a heaping tablespoon of minced garlic. ( I love garlic)
Mark Alexander on 2026-03-29 (5 stars): made this twice the other week. totally awesome. two thumbs up.
