Meatloaf Recipe: Cooking a Classic in 10 Steps

When it comes to delicious, home-cooked meals, nothing beats the classics. Meatloaf is a delightful classic, full of seasoned ground beef, onions, garlic, and plenty of tomatoey goodness. While it’s difficult to beat grandma’s famous recipe, here’s one that may just give it a run for it’s money, along with a couple ways you can spruce this time-honored dish up a little.  

Ingredients

• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 tablespoon steak seasoning
• 1 tablespoon garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup onions, minced
• 2 eggs
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1 1/4 cups old fashioned rolled oats
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tablespoons ketchup
• 1 15-ounce can tomato soup, divided

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and spray with cooking spray.
3. In a large bowl, add the oats and milk and mix until combined.
4. Set aside for 15 minutes to allow the oats to soak. 
5. Strain out the milk into a separate container, but don’t discard.
6. In the bowl with the oats, add ground beef, eggs, steak seasoning, garlic, onions, ketchup, and 3 tablespoons of tomato soup.
7. Gently combine, but try not to overwork the mixture, as it will become tough. If the mixture is too wet, add 1-2 more tablespoons of oats. (It’s okay if they aren’t soaked.) If mixture is too dry, add in the milk, 1-2 tablespoons at a time. You want the mixture to be pretty moist but firm enough to hold its shape.
8. Transfer the mixture to the baking sheet and use your hands to form a loaf that is approximately 12 inches long, 6 inches wide, and about 2 1/2 inches tall. It should be smooth and have rounded edges. 
9. Bake for 30 minutes, remove from the oven and spread the remaining tomato soup on top of the meatloaf.
10. Bake for an additional 30 minutes, then let rest for 10-15 minutes before serving.

Customizations

• Stuff 4 ounces of mozzarella cheese into the center of the loaf, wrap the outside with bacon, and spread barbecue sauce on the outside instead of tomato soup. Mix together the following bourbon glaze and coat the outside with it:

• 1 cup fruit jam or preserves
• 1/4 cup dark brown sugar 
• 1 tablespoon Sriracha
• 1/2 cup bourbon (or any kind of whiskey or cognac)
• 1/2 cup barbecue sauce
• 1/4 cup water

• Mold meatloaf mixture into cupcake shapes and bake in a cupcake pan. Top with ketchup and creamy mashed potatoes for a bite-sized snack.
• To make your meatloaf a little more diet-friendly, you can swap the ground beef for ground turkey.