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Easy meatloaf recipe on a dish with pan of meatloaf in background.

Easy Meatloaf Recipe

Mix up this easy meatloaf recipe and double or triple the batch to have meatloaf on hand any night of the week with just minutes of hands-on time.
4.39 from 42 votes
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Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 391kcal
Author: Carolyn Thomas

Equipment

  • Loaf Pan
  • Plastic Ziptop Bags 1 gallon size

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds ground beef or pork, lamb, venison, etc.
  • 2 whole eggs whisked
  • ¾ cup breadcrumbs or rolled oats
  • 1 whole onion chopped
  • 1 whole bell pepper chopped
  • 2 cups tomato sauce
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 Tablespoon Italian seasoning
  • ¼ cup ketchup

Instructions

  • Chop and prepare all ingredients ahead of time.
  • In a large bowl, combine ground beef, eggs, breadcrumbs, onion, bell pepper, tomato sauce, salt and Italian seasonings.
  • Mix until all ingredients are well incorporated (but don’t overmix or your meatloaf will turn out tough).
  • Label ziptop bags with the contents, date, and cooking directions.
  • Add uncooked meatloaf into the ziptop bag, seal and place in the freezer until ready to use.
  • The night before (or at least an hour prior to cooking dinner), remove the frozen meatloaf from the freezer and place it in the refrigerator (overnight), on the counter or in a sink of cool water. If left on the counter or in a sink of cool water, the meatloaf should defrost in about an hour because it’s so thin.
  • Once the meatloaf mixture is defrosted, preheat the oven to 350°F and grab a standard-size loaf pan and the ketchup (we love using our homemade ketchup).
  • Dump the meatloaf mixture into a loaf pan, pressing firmly to eliminate air pockets.
  • Brush the top with a generous layer of ketchup or other preferred sauce.
  • Slide the meatloaf into a preheated oven and bake at 350°F until the internal temperature of the meatloaf is 160°F.
  • Allow the meatloaf to cool in the pan for 10-15 minutes before cutting into it and serving.
  • Top with additional ketchup, if desired, and enjoy!

Notes

  • Double, triple, or 10x this recipe and store them in the freezer for up to 3 months!
  • Defrost the meatloaf mixture on the countertop or in a sink of cool water for about an hour. Or, defrost it overnight in the refrigerator.
  • Make our homemade ketchup as the sauce on top of the meatloaf!

Nutrition

Serving: 1slice | Calories: 391kcal | Carbohydrates: 22g | Protein: 24g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 81mg | Sodium: 1027mg | Potassium: 1020mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 1053IU | Vitamin C: 15mg | Calcium: 74mg | Iron: 5mg
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