Classic Meatloaf | thehealthyfoodie.com

So my daughter calls me up the other day and goes “Mom, would you happen to have a recipe for a Classic Meatloaf? You know, just a good ole’ meatloaf; no tricks, no gimmicks or special tweaks, no hidden treasures, no sneaky organ meat.. Just plain ole meatloaf made with nothing but your standard ground beef.”

I searched my brains for a couple of seconds, and then I realized I did not. I had made individual chicken meatloaves that tasted just like Christmas, then came these Veggie Overload Individual Meatloaves.

Later, I came up with these awesome Meatloaf Stuffed Bell Peppers, and more recently, my pièce de résistance, this intriguing Tex-Mex Meatloaf, which is generously stuffed with avocados, tomatoes, onions and olives and tastes just like a Mexican Fiesta!

But I had never made a simple, basic, classic meatloaf, like the ones I remembered from my childhood. Ha! The recipe for that one must’ve been quite simple, me thinks: something like ground beef, a packet of dried onion soup a bit of salt and pepper and a good dose of ketchup. *Maybe* one or two cloves of garlic, but most likely a teaspoon or two of garlic powder.

I think that’s pretty much all there was to it… Surely I would be able to recreate something similar, only one hundred times better!

Classic Meatloaf | thehealthyfoodie.com

It didn’t take long before I got busy working on it.

Frankly, I had totally forgotten just how much I looooove meatloaf, and I now have a definite go-to, perfect everyday recipe for it. This bad boy is so crazy moist and tender and unbelievably juicy… and talk about tasty, too!

I think I want to have at least a slice per week for the rest of my life. And really, that shouldn’t be a problem, for this meatloaf is crazy easy to make! I only need to find someone to eat the leftover slices…

Any takers?

Yeah… I might be a bit too far for most of you. Perhaps it would be easier if you made your own!

Classic Meatloaf | thehealthyfoodie.com

To start, we have to make some kind of a quick BBQ sauce.

To do that, we’ll require some tomato paste, Dijon mustard, apple cider vinegar, a little bit of black strap molasses, some fresh garlic and a bunch of carefully selected spices, which we will then quickly stir with a spoon until evenly combined.

You’ll be surprised at how crazy good this sauce if for such a quick little thing that doesn’t even ask for any cooking.

Classic Meatloaf | thehealthyfoodie.com

Now in a large mixing bowl, add all the ingredients for the meatloaf, including half the BBQ sauce you just made and knead well with your hands until all the ingredients are well combined.

Can you spot my favorite secret ingredient in there? Of course, I added grated cauliflower! It really helps in making this meatloaf so deliciously juicy…

Classic Meatloaf | thehealthyfoodie.com

Transfer the meat mixture to a loaf pan; press it down and shape it so the top looks nice and rounded.

Classic Meatloaf | thehealthyfoodie.com

Spread the rest of the BBQ sauce evenly all over the top and then place your meatloaf in the oven.

Know that this meatloaf will release a lot of liquid during baking, which you can probably tell by looking at the state in which my loaf pan was after it came out of the oven, so be sure to place a broiler pan or large piece of aluminum foil directly underneath it to collect those drippings that will assuredly leak out of the pan.

Bake uncovered for a total of 15 minutes at 375°F then lower the temperature to 350°F. Continue baking for 30 minutes, then cover loosely with aluminum foil and bake for yet another 30 minutes.

Classic Meatloaf | thehealthyfoodie.com

Remove the meatloaf from the oven and let it rest for at least 20 minutes before serving.

Garnish with fresh parsley and extra-virgin olive oil, if desired.

Classic Meatloaf | thehealthyfoodie.com

Like I said, this bad boy does produce quite a lot of juices as it bakes, but that is what makes it so moist and delicious. It pretty much gets to bake in its own juice.

PLUS, these drippings are so tasty, you can spoon some right over your meatloaf at the moment of serving to make it that much juicier and tastier.

Not that it needs it, really…

Classic Meatloaf | thehealthyfoodie.com

Classic Meatloaf | thehealthyfoodie.com
Print Recipe Rate this Recipe
4.34 from 3 votes

Classic Meatloaf

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Resting Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 55 minutes
So tasty, so moist, so juicy and so easy to make, this Classic Meatloaf Recipe is probably the last one you'll ever need. It's totally gluten-free, too!
Servings: 6

Ingredients

Meatloaf

BBQ Sauce

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 375°F
  • In a small mixing bowl, add all the ingredients listed under “BBQ sauce” and stir well with a spoon until evenly combined.
  • In a large mixing bowl, add all the ingredients for the meatloaf, including half of the BBQ sauce that you just made and knead well with your hands until all the ingredients are well combined.
  • Transfer the meat mixture to a loaf pan. Press it down and shape the top so it looks nice and round.
  • Spread the rest of the BBQ sauce evenly all over the top and then place your meatloaf in the oven. Make sure to place a broiler pan or large piece of aluminum foil directly underneath to collect the drippings that will assuredly leak out of the pan.
  • Bake for a total of 15 minutes at 375°F then lower the temperature to 350°F. Continue baking for 30 minutes, then cover loosely with aluminum foil and bake for another 30 minutes.
  • Remove the meatloaf from the oven and let it rest for at least 20 minutes before serving.
  • Garnish with fresh parsley and extra-virgin olive oil, if desired.

Nutrition

Calories: 350kcal, Carbohydrates: 13g, Protein: 35g, Fat: 17g, Saturated Fat: 7g, Cholesterol: 153mg, Sodium: 1148mg, Potassium: 930mg, Fiber: 4g, Sugar: 5g, Vitamin A: 823IU, Vitamin C: 35mg, Calcium: 105mg, Iron: 6mg
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Author: Sonia! The Healthy Foodie

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