Favorite Meatloaf Recipe with Tomato Sauce

My Favorite Meatloaf Recipe with Tomato Sauce and brown sugar glaze is flavorful, fork tender and delicious. An easy dinner everyone loves, this classic meatloaf recipe is perfect for busy weeknights!

Need a meatloaf recipe without ketchup and without milk? Looking for meatloaf recipes with tomato sauce? This traditional meatloaf recipe is for you!

I found this hand-written recipe for meatloaf in my grandma’s recipe stash. It’s a great recipe, but it’s not the one I grew up with.

My mom always made meatloaf with onion soup mix and Worcestershire sauce. And, my kids adore my Cheesy Barbecue Meatloaf, meatloaf muffins and Italian Meatloaf Muffins. But since it’s actually titled “My Favorite Meatloaf Recipe,” I had to make it.

I had to make a couple of minor adjustments with the directions, but I pretty much made this easy meatloaf recipe just as written. My family absolutely loved it, and the Hubs says it reminds him of his mom’s old fashioned meatloaf recipe with tomato sauce!

Ingredients

This flavorful meatloaf is made with just a few ingredients that you probably already have on hand.

• Lean ground beef
• Slices of bread — torn to make dry breadcrumbs
• Egg
• Tomato sauce
• Yellow or white onion — Can sub onion powder or dried minced onions
• Brown sugar
• Vinegar — use white vinegar or cider vinegar
• Dijon mustard
• Water
• Sea salt and black pepper

How to Make Meatloaf with Tomato Sauce

First, add the egg to a large bowl. I like to beat the egg slightly before adding the remaining ingredients. This is a personal preference, but it means less mixing time for the meat, which means a more tender meatloaf!

Then, combine ground beef and the rest of the ingredients in the large mixing bowl.

I recommend mixing the meatloaf ingredients together with your hands. It’s really the best way to do it.

Pro tip: Don’t over mix the meat mixture. If you work the meatloaf mixture too long, you get tough meatloaf.

As soon as the beef mixture starts to stick together, it’s time to form into a loaf shape and place it in a prepared baking dish.

You want to form the loaf so that it’s not too thick. Otherwise, it takes longer to cook. This meatloaf is about 2 inches thick.

I use a casserole dish or shallow baking dish to cook meatloaf. But you can use a rimmed baking sheet if you want.

This is a juicy meatloaf, so you need a baking dish with sides to catch the pan juices. I never use a loaf pan, but you definitely can if you want.

You can line the casserole dish with aluminum foil or parchment paper to make clean-up easier.

Make the Brown Sugar Glaze

To make the glaze for the meatloaf, combine the tomato sauce, brown sugar and remaining ingredients in a small bowl. Stir until the mixture is well combined.

I like to let the meatloaf cook for about 15 minutes before adding the glaze This is a personal preference, though. If you pour the glaze on top of the loaf before cooking, the top doesn’t brown as much.

So what I do is pop the meatloaf into the oven, and then I make the glaze while the meatloaf cooks. After about 15 minutes of baking, I pour it on top of the meatloaf.

You can baste the meat loaf with the tangy glaze while it bakes, or just leave it alone.

Cooking Time

The meatloaf takes about an hour to bake. The total cook time depends upon your oven. Sometimes, it only takes 45 to 50 minutes to cook.

When the temperature reaches 160 degrees f internally, it’s done. The best way to tell if a meatloaf is done is to use a meat thermometer or instant read thermometer.

I like to top the meatloaf with chopped fresh parsley for a pop of color. Then, it’s time to eat!

Best Side Dishes

We think the best side dishes to serve with meatloaf are mashed potatoes and green beans or frozen peas. Jasmine rice is another family favorite.

How to Store Leftover Meatloaf

Store leftover meatloaf in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It keeps well for 3 to 4 days.

For longer storage, cut the loaf into individual slices. Then, wrap in wax paper or plastic wrap, and store in freezer safe containers or foil.

Recipe first published in 2019 and updated in 2021

I hope you enjoy this delicious brown sugar glazed meatloaf recipe as much as we do! If you think it’s the best meatloaf recipe on the planet, let me know!

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