How to Make All-American Meatloaf - A Step-by-Step Guide

If there's one dish that's truly quintessentially American, it's meatloaf. This hearty, homey dish has been a staple of home kitchens and diners across the country for generations, and for good reason. With its savory blend of ground meat, breadcrumbs, and seasonings, all baked to perfection and smothered in a rich, tangy tomato glaze, meatloaf is the ultimate comfort food.

While the origins of meatloaf may be hard to pin down, the dish has become firmly entrenched in American cooking tra...

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Ingredients

  • 2 pounds ground beef
  • 1 cup quick cooking oats
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • ½ cup milk
  • 2 eggs
  • ¼ cup ketchup
  • ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon dried basil
  • ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons ketchup
  • 4 slices Cheddar cheese, halved

Information

  • Prep Time: 20 mins
  • Cook Time: 1 hr 5 mins
  • Total Time: 1 hr 25 mins
  • Servings: 8
  • Yield: 1 5x9-inch loaf

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
  • Mix ground beef, quick oats, onion, milk, eggs, 1/4 cup ketchup, parsley, garlic, salt, basil, and black pepper together in a large bowl until thoroughly combined; pat the mixture into a 9x5-inch loaf pan.
  • Bake meatloaf in the preheated oven until firm and no longer pink inside, 1 to 1 1/4 hours. An instant-read meat thermometer inserted into the center of the meatloaf should read at least 160 degrees F (70 degrees C).
  • Remove from oven, spread 2 tablespoons ketchup over loaf, and top with Cheddar cheese slices; return to oven and bake until cheese has melted, about 5 more minutes.
  • Nutrition

    344 cal.

    • Total Fat: 21g
    • Saturated Fat: 9g
    • Cholesterol: 134mg
    • Sodium: 595mg
    • Total Carbohydrate: 12g
    • Dietary Fiber: 1g
    • Total Sugars: 4g
    • Protein: 27g
    • Vitamin C: 5mg
    • Calcium: 151mg
    • Iron: 3mg
    • Potassium: 398mg