This is a succulent meatloaf glazed with a sweet and sour sauce that everyone will enjoy!
My children didn't even know what meatloaf was, as I had never made it before. My childhood memories of meatloaf did not provide any encouragement for me to make that dish for my family. When I ran across this recipe, it was so highly rated that I decided to try it out. My family loved it! I have made it many times since. I even made it for a friend's family when she was convalescing after surgery. Her son said, "This is better than your meatloaf, Mom!" :) She requested the recipe and now makes it for her family. I used to use the slices of bread but I really like using dry bread crumbs better (about 1 cup). I don't end up with any visible chunks of bread in the loaf.
Read MoreNobody in my family liked this. It was very sweet and too lemony.
Read MoreMy children didn't even know what meatloaf was, as I had never made it before. My childhood memories of meatloaf did not provide any encouragement for me to make that dish for my family. When I ran across this recipe, it was so highly rated that I decided to try it out. My family loved it! I have made it many times since. I even made it for a friend's family when she was convalescing after surgery. Her son said, "This is better than your meatloaf, Mom!" :) She requested the recipe and now makes it for her family. I used to use the slices of bread but I really like using dry bread crumbs better (about 1 cup). I don't end up with any visible chunks of bread in the loaf.
Very moist and tasty! A few substitutes: I used 1 small can tomato sauce in the meat mixture in place of lemon juice and ketchup mixture; eliminated beef bouillon granules and added salt, pepper and garlic powder; and used 2 slices of bread instead of 3. I've also made this dish just using ketchup as glaze and it comes out great! I baked potatoes at the same time; total cooking time was closer to 1 1/2 hrs. My husband and grown children love this meat loaf! Grandkids don't like the onions; onions should be chopped fine or they don't cook through. This dish also cooks best with very lean beef, under 7% to 15% fat. Serve with corn and a simple tossed salad for a great, easy meal.
As much as I love my mom, her meatloaf recipe wasn't the best. I've been looking for one to replace it,and this is the one! The best part about this recipe is the glaze/sauce. I doctored the actual meat loaf up a little bit with some minced garlic and finely chopped green peppers and onion, some seasoning (garlic salt, onion powder, etc), some steak sauce, etc... I also used bread crumbs instead of the cubed bread. It came out perfect anyway-very moist and flavorful. Double the amount of sauce so you will have some extra. I served the leftover on a couple of little toasted French rolls with melted Provolone and extra sauce as a meatloaf sandwich. Great recipe-thanks!
My Mother's recipe is close; we use vinegar instead of lemon juice. Use 1/2c italian bread crumbs/or 3/4c oatmeal instead of bread. Everyone that has ever eaten it says Eureka!! when they taste the meat and the sauce together. Thanks for sharing your recipe with everyone. Finally, they've discovered our secrets. Betty Russell
This recipe is a keeper! Here are my changes: Topping 1 cup ketchup, 3 tblsp. Brown sugar, 2 tblsp. Lemon juice & 2 tsp. mustard powder Meatloaf 2 lbs. ground beef 1 cup plain bread crumbs, 6 tblsp. Lemon juice 2 eggs, 1 package beefy onion soup mix, ½ tblsp steak sauce, ½ tsp. garlic (from the jar). I formed 3 small loaves and put topping on at the beginning. Thanks Delia!
I have yet to find a meatloaf that I REALLY love until this one!! The glaze is wonderful and adds a great flavor to the meatloaf. I did use 3/4c breadcrumbs rather than the bread slices. I have just found in the past that bread slices sometimes makes the meatloaf soggy. If you're looking for a fabulous meatloaf - this one is a definate keeper!!!
This recipe turned out really well. It was very moist and had a nice, tangy sauce that was similar to Boston Market's. I made the meatloaf (my first ever) according to directions except for the following things: I added about 1/2 pkg of onion soup mix and used 1 cup of bread crumbs instead of bread cubes. I also followed others' suggestions of using only 2 TBSP. of brown sugar for the sauce. It was still plenty sweet - we wouldn't have wanted it any sweeter. Will make again.
Better than my mom's!!! Just like others, I used 1 c. bread crumbs instead of the bread. I chose to omit the onions from the meat mixture, and add 1/2 tsp. onion salt, to save my 6 yr. old from picking through it. I also added 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce and 2 cloves of garlic to the meat. I doubled the sauce recipe, adding more sauce to the meat and used a mixture of half lemon juice and half apple cider vinegar. Then, the BEST part, was choosing to add potatoes and large onions around the meat. I sliced 3 large potatoes, and half an onion and mixed them with olive oil, salt, pepper and a little of the sauce mixture. Rather than waiting until the end to add the sauce, I put it on at the beginning. I cooked everything for around 1 hr. 15 min at 375. It was delicious. Everyone had seconds and my son said they were the best potatoes he had ever eaten. I was sure to pick out the large onions for him, then, everyone was happy! This is my NEW meatloaf recipe!
This recipe was a nice change from regular meatloaf. Very good...will make again...
I just love the recipe. I make it all the time. I was low on ketchup, so I added some chili sauce (Heinz makes it) and some barbecue sauce in the fridge. I also substituted lemonade for the lemon juice. Still tasted great. You can pretty much add anything you want and this will still come out great. It's the sauce you put on afterwards that really makes it. And I always end up adding some breadcrumbs because it's still too moist with just the 3 slices of bread.
Very easy to follow and very good results. My husband had seconds and raved about this recipe.
This is a very nice recipe...not my favorite but if you're looking for a nice change I suggest you try it. I did not change a thing and for the most part it was really good. I'm not a lemon fan. For the thoses for change more than one thing in a recipe then complain about it...it's not fair to rate a recipe that YOU have altered!!! If you have a recipe that you feel is better I suggest you submit it.
This was good! I loved all the flavors. The only problem for me was that it wasn't cooked through after the hour and ten minutes. I think next time I will cook for an hour and twenty, and then another ten after the glaze. The glaze is great though!!
YUMMY! Was looking for a tasty new meatloaf recipe! Found one!! Only changes I made were to use maple syrup instead of sugar in the sauce, add fresh garlic, a little extra onion, and some of the catsup mixture directly in the meat. I also used oats instead of bread crumbs. Results..... AWESOME!!! Whole family ate it up... even the baby! Thank you!!!
This is the ONE! I've been looking for five years for a perfect meatloaf. The sounds that came from my husband told me I have found it! Thank you to the cook that submitted this one:) I loved it too and I'm not that keen on meatloaf.
Very good, i never add lemon juice and just use salt and pepper not bouillon granules. I sometimes grind the bread a little in my food processor-for more uniformity- and if you have onion haters in your house try using dry minced onion they will never know its there!
This is the one and only meatloaf recipe for me! I used to make it often, but my now husband said he didn't like meatloaf, so I haven't made it since we've been together. Well, I finally made it without telling him. He gave me a hard time for making it, but he ate it and the leftovers (and he's not a left over eater). Success! :)
I like this version of meatloaf, and my whole family like it too. The meatloaf came out very tender and juicy every time I made. The flavor is strong enough the mix up the just beef taste.
Family favorite, I cut off 10 minutes of cooking time. 10 years ago I made a meatloaf so bad that my husband was sick for 3 days and wouldn't even talk about meatloaf for years after... I made this a few months ago and he requests it all the time now, the kids love it too!
I've never made meatloaf quite as good as this one, it tasted real good. I followed the recipe exactly except I added about half of a medium onion (about 1/2 cup) instead of a 1/4 cup, and I think this recipe leaves room for extra ingredients to be added of your preference!
I use ground turkey in this recipe & increase the ketchup just a little. Delicious! My whole family loves it.
My family loved this meatloaf! I did make changes, some were made because of necessity (that's all I had), others were made because I wanted to. I doubled the glaze & used 3 lbs of ground beef/ground pork mix. To it I added 1 cup of Italian bread crumbs & parmesan cheese. Sauteed the onions in a little butter to soften them. Added 2 eggs & some minced ginger, too. This gave me enough mixture to make 2 loaves. I don't like cooking meatloaf in a loaf pan, so I cut out some parchment paper the size of the meatloaf & cooked the loaves on a rack atop a cookie sheet. Yummy!!!
my hubby actually ate meatloaf! this reminded me of the meatloaf my grandmother used to make. very good comfort food.
Best meatloaf I have made in years! Everyone loved the flavor! My husband and my seven year old especially liked it. I loved it! Will make regularly. (Substituted some onion powder for chopped; subbed some worcestershire for beef broth; added some garlic powder. Flavor was like a unique bbq sauce almost. The sauce would be great on grilled ribs!
I can't rate the actual meatloaf but the glaze is wonderful, I use it with a different meatloaf recipe on this site.
This is an excellent meatloaf recipe. Up until finding this one, i used an old standby recipe that was handed down to me from my mom. I only tried this because of all the rave reviews it got, and it definately is a keeper!! My husband liked this one better than my old recipe. I did make a few changes only because I did not have a few ingredients on hand... Instead of chopped onion and the bouillon granules, i used a packet of Lipton Onion soup, which I think added great flavor. I also used a cup of italian breadcrumbs instead of the cut up bread slices, but next time i will substitute oatmeal becuase i like the texture oatmeal gives meatloaf over the breadcrumbs. The sauce is rather sweet, but that is just the way we like it at our house!! Thanks for a great recipe! Two thumbs up!
I loved this!! It was a little sweeter than what I'm used to (I've never used brown sugar before), and I've always used bread crumbs and a ton of spices. So this was a nice change!
This was an awesome dish, for a novice meatloaf maker. I doubled the sauce, and I still wish I had tripled it actually! I also used a cup of breadcrumbs instead of the bread. Totally delicious!
According to my friends, this tastes better than the brown sugar meatloaf recipe. I added dry onion soup mix & lots of ground pepper. It's so basic, so simply, yet so yummy. I think the ground ginger in the meatloaf was just too different for our tastes.
This is awesome! I didn't have beef buillon cubes so I used the Lipton beefy onion packet. And topped it with brown gravy instead of the rest of the ketchup mixture. Only becausey my husband loves brown gravy. The best! Must try!!
Delicious! I am not a big fan of meatloaf but this is a different spin on a classic meal.
Holy monkey this was good. I did not, and would not double the sauce unless you have a sweet tooth. -Big Jesse
If I could give this 100 stars I would! Fantastic, anyone looking for your go to meatloaf recipe, this is it. No leftovers, which is a shame because I wanted to take a meatloaf sandwich for lunch tomorrow. Next time I'll double it :) Thanks so much for posting this one.
My husband and I loved it!! We made double "sauce", because my husband loves tons of sauce on his meatloaf. I used 1/2cup brown sugar and 2x the rest of the ingedients. I didn't have beef bullion, but it was still great. I did add a little salt and pepper.
Great recipe. Cut up some garlic and bellpepper with the onion. Also used Italian bread crumbs instead of bread. Unless it's sweet potatoes or sweet and sour chicken, I'm not too big on eating sweet tasting foods so I omitted the brown sugar and lemon juice. Added a little A1 steak sauce to the ketchup and ground mustard and it turned out superb. Will try the original recipe just to see how it is but I gotta be in tha mood for that sweet taste.
I made this twice and both times it came out pretty good. Next time I'm going to try it with turkey instead of beef and see how that works. (I'm cutting red meat out of my diet.)
I had never eaten or made meatloaf before - and this was absolutely delicious. I doubled the sauce, and heated up the extra in a saucepan to pour over the sliced meatloaf. I will probably triple the sauce next time. I also used 1 cup breadcrumbs instead of the bread. This is definitely one of my favorite recipes. Try it!
This has been my go-to recipe for meatloaf since I discovered it last summer. It's now one of the most requested dishes for my meat'n'potatoes lovin' family! It is a staple in our menus and will continue to be so! The sauce is absolutely amazing, sweet and tangy! YUM!
Very Good. I substituted 1/2 c. bread crumb to each lb. of meat instead of bread slices. I eliminated boulion cube and just used salt, pepper, garlic powder. I added two minced cloves of garlic, 1/2 c. minced pepper and onion. I also threw in a half can of tomato soup just for moisten sake. The glaze was a little on the sweet side, but I'm a sucker for sweet. Turned out just how I remember my mom's!! Thanks!!!
I would give this a 6 if I could. I love it. I made revisions after reading other reviews: I used breadcrumbs and some Ritz crackers instead of bread, added lots of onion and spiced the meat up abit with garlic, pepper, onion powder. I made extra sauce like other suggested and used it all up. I even made it another time with ground turkey, it was good but I still like the beef better. There is no way not to like this one.
The Goods!
What a great recipe! My boyfriend absolutely loves this. Thanks!
Excelent recipe, the meat loaf itself reminds me of my moms that I have missed for years. Of course she used just ketchup on hers so the sauce included in this recipe is a welcome addition. Like others I doubled the sauce and added 1/4c chopped green pepper (like mom use to). I also made it an 8x8 glass dish. Thank you sooo much.
the only ingredients I added was some garlic-2 cloves, tbl spoon of hot spice, and a squirt of BBQ sauce. It,s become a weekly expected meal. I've also experimented with combo's of beef and pork ,veal, deer and moose meat! Still comes out quick and easy!!!!!!
We really enjoyed this recipe! I made meatballs (rather than loaf) ahead of time and then cooked them in the crockpot with the sauce the day we were ready to have them. Yum!
I'm not a huge fan of meatloaf but I really enjoyed this. Got rave reviews from my boyfriend as well.
I have been making this recipe for a year now and I'm finally going to review it. First let me tell you the changes I made. I double the sauce, and add just a little bit extra than called for into the mixture, and put the rest on top when it is time to do so. I also end up cooking this for about 10 min longer, as my meat is still sometimes pink. This is BY FAR the best meatloaf recipe I have come across. My family just raves and raves about it! The glaze on it gives it the perfect flavor when having cold meatloaf sandwiches the next day. Just add a bit of ketchup! Thanks so much for the perfect meatloaf recipe. I really don't want to try anything else, this one is it for me!
Fantastic! I substituted meatloaf mix (ground beef, pork and veal) for all ground beef. I love this recipe and it's now in my "favorites" box!
Excellent! I made the recipe exactly as stated. It was a real hit with my family. I have tried many meatloaf recipes and this is outstanding. #1....the only meatloaf recipe I will make from now on. Thank you for sharing.
A*M*A*Z*I*N*G Substituted 1 packet Lipton onion soup mix for the onion, 1 cup seasoned bread crumbs for the bread, and dijon mustard for the dried. MAKE AT LEAST DOUBLE THE SAUCE FOR LEFT OVERS!!!!!
I just fed my family this recipe along with Slow Cooker MAshed Potatoes from this site. At first, I didn't like the sauce. Once paired with the potatoes, it was great! My husband ate half of my plate before he left for work! I followd the suggestions of a few and used 2 TBSP of brown sugar, added 1/2 pkg onion soup mix, and 1 cup of bread crumbs. I doubled the onion, and the sauce. I added half of the sauce to the meatloaf which made it a really moist; just right! If you dont like sweet sauce, reduce to only 1 TBSP brown sugar.
Yum! I don't like meatloaf, but I loved this one. I combined all suggestions.... put 1 piece of bread and 3/4 cup italian bread crumbs. I'm Italian so everything gets garlic added....about 2 cloves crushed. I used 3 tablespoons worcestershire sauce instead of bouillon. I also doubled the sauce for extra....an absolute must! The only change I would make is to add some real onion. I added the lipton soup trying to get mostly the flakes so the mix wouldn't make it too salty, but it wasn't enough onion flavor for us. Next time I'll add 1-2 tablespoonse of chopped onion with the onion soup mix. Thanks for a great recipe and all suggesions!!!
I liked this recipe first because it was different than any I had ever made. Secondly, I had all the ingredients. I could taste the lemon juice but I thought it added the zing that most meatloaf does not have. I did not change anything and I agree with others, DOUBLE the sauce because you will want more! Thanks for the sharing the recipe.
My family loves this recipe! My boys(1,3,4) always ask for more. As usual I did change the recipe slightly. I doubled the sauce and added 1T of vinegar. I used 3/4 cup of oats instead of bread. I precooked the onions and omitted the bouillon since they all have MSG in them.Instead I used 1 tsp. curry powder and 1 tsp. ground meat spices (salt, ginger powder, pepper, nutmeg, marjoram, cardamom, chili powder).
This was a delicious meatloaf. Everyone, including all four kids, loved it. I served it with mashed potatoes and steamed carrots. Delicious! Thanks for sharing, Delia!
I rate this recipie a definite 5 it was so tangy and different from other meatloaves everybody loved the sauce they thought it was so good even my 3 year old ate it this was really good I recommend this
I tried this for supper last week, and my family really loved it. I cook for my parents; my mother is quite picky, and she had a second helping. It's great!
Love it. I make it all the time. It is not a traditional meatloaf. Sweet, but yummy.
To sweet for my taste but everyone else enjoyed it, so I would say it was a hit. I of course had to take to topping off for myself...still I will make again since everyone else enjoyed it...
This is not the type of meatloaf I grew up on so I typically don't make one's like this but my husband was having a craving for a recipe like his mom used to make and I decided to try this one out (I used white vinegar instead of the lemon juice like my mom used to do). Well he said it matched his moms if not better and asked if I could make it more ofter- I will, I enjoyed it too!
I'm not a huge fan of meatloaf but my husband loves it. I tried this recipe bc of all the great reviews and I found it to be pretty good. I didn't really care for the sweetness of the glaze but my husband really like it. If I make this again I will probably leave out the brown sugar.
The sweet/tangy sauce makes this meatloaf great. I wanted to use up some bacon so I fried it, chopped it up and added to the hamburger before baking the loaf. Next time I make this I, too, will double the sauce as another reviewer suggested. Thanks for sharing, Delia.
This was EXCELLENT meatloaf...a keeper for sure. I did not add bullion (didn't have) and I used bread crumbs...mixed everthing else first and then added enough bread crumbs for proper wetness. I also added green & orange peppers...just about 1/3 of each. Really good. Note: I purchased one of the perforated meatloaf pans (mine was Wilton from Walmart but I'm sure other brands have similar) and I can not believe the difference it makes in meatloaves. Seperates the grease so your loaf is not swimming/cooking in grease. Worth the $8. I also doubled the sauce 'cause we like things saucy 'round here (the meatloaf too!) :-)
One word sums up this meatloaf: MAGNIFICENT!!!
This was really good. I only gave it a 4 star for the following reasons. First, I added salt, pepper and garlic (I've never heard of a meatloaf without salt & Pepper) and a little extra bouillon. If I hadn't I think it would have been very bland. Second, I would change the glaze slightly. It was really really sweet. I think I will cut the sugar down (maybe in half) next time. I will also put the glaze on at the beginning and let it carmelize and get thick and goey. 10 minutes wasn't enough time for the glaze to do more than get hot (barely). I personally like my glaze to become "baked on". Over all, it was a great meatloaf. It held together better than any other meatloaf I have ever made which means it made a wonderful next day meatloaf sandwich!
YUM YUM YUM. Yum. I made this at a friend's house and forgot to grab the beef bouillon, so instead I used 1 1/2 tsp each soy sauce and Worstershire sauce. I also used about 1 tbsp. regular prepared mustard instead of the mustard powder. This is the best.. the best! The coating on the outside didn't really get as sticky as I normally like, so next time I'll probably cook it for 15-20 minutes instead of the recommended 10 minutes. This is definitely a keeper!
Delicious! I added a crushed clove of garlic and used vinegar instead of lemon juice (didn't have any).
If you don't feel like being overly creative, don't change a thing about this recipe. It is good as is. I have made it several times and it always turns out great.
This is a very moist, tasty meatloaf. My husband says he could sit down and eat a big bowl of the glaze. Fortunately, he's not doing the cooking.
This was wonderful! My picky 3.5 yr old LOVED this and requested (with 3 reminders) to have the "extra" in his lunchbox the next day. A couple revisions: Used vinegar instead of lemon juice, approximately 1 cup dry breadcrumbs instead of the bread slices, and ommitted the onion. I baked the loaf in 4 mini pans to cut the bake time and also so I could easily freeze the extra for a quick meal another time... unfortunately there were no leftovers to freeze!!
This meatloaf is a huge hit!! I did make a few changes. I used 1/4 cup of ketchup, 1/2 cup of Gates BBQ sauce, substituted a mix of worchestire sauce and balsamic vinegar for the lemon juice and used a dry onion soup mix instead of chopped onions. I also toasted the slices of bread before crumbling them into the mix. This is now everyone's new favorite. I made it a second time for a big family gathering and everyone wanted the recipe. My aunt has already made it twice! Thank you for helping me find a way to make meatloaf spectacular!
I have already reviewed this but felt the need to do it again because I did some things different (even though the first time "as is" was 5 stars as well). This time I used ground turkey instead of beef. I doubled the ketchup mixture, used a little extra onion, and used a chicken bouillon cube instead of beef. I used my mini food processor to chop the onions and bread. Not only did we all love it, but my 2 year old who is very picky ate more then I did! Also, my husband, who always complains about the onions, thought this was perfect. I believe that because I used the food processor the onion was chopped much better then I would do myself and therefore cooked better. Anyway, this recipe is a definite winner all the way around!
Family loved ths! Will definitely make again. I did sub Italian bread crumbs (1/2 cup) for the bread; came out fantastic!!
This was a project! I'd never made meatloaf before, and had decided a week in advance that this was the recipe I was making. It turned out very good; my fiance loved it, and I'd definitely make it again!
This was simple and delicious. I made as directed except forgot to put lemon juice in the meat mixture. OK, I was in a hurry and misread the recipe. I would make this again just the same way as hubby and even my onion-hating son loved it. A hint to make nice firm meatloaf: once you have put the mixture in the loaf pan, pat it down, then drop it hard on the counter a few times. Of course, it has to be metal pan.
This meatloaf was really very good! I didn't put it in a loaf pan and I didn't use bread slices. I used bread crumbs and shaped it in order to put it on a rack to drain fat. I'm not sure that I would call the taste sweet-and- sour-like, I would call it sweet and tangy. Overall, the best meatloaf recipe I've tried!
This is awesome. No one eats meatloaf in my house. So I decided to make this with a side of creamy mash potatoes 2 also from this website. Everyone raved. I loved the glaze.
My boyfriend wanted meatloaf last week and his method is to usually stick some meat on a pan and let it go. I offered to try my hand at it and chose this recipe. And what a delite it was! Very delicious and a definite addition to my recipe collection! Thank you for sharing.
I am not a fan of meatloaf, but this recipe is delicious! The meat was so moist, and flavorful! I will make this again.
We loved this recipe. My husband does not like meatloaf and he even said it was good. Thank you for such a wonderful recipe.
I used my own recipe for the meatloaf, but used the glaze for the top. I used about half to cover the top and allowed it to bake for the entire time. I then used the additional amount right at the end and broiled it on low for a few minuets to get a good gooey glaze on the top. VERY YUMMY!!
This is a keeper in my house. I have tired it with lemon juice and w/out. It seems a little watered down with the lemon juice so I have cut it down to just 1tble spoon. I love it both ways. My kids it and my husband asked for it all the time..
I hated meatloaf till I tried this recipie. Nice texture and tastes great! Turned out perfect and cooking time was accurate.
Really good! I used Italian Bread crumbs (3/4c.) instead of bread. We ate all but a slice, my husband loved it. Serves well with smashed potatoes and corn. Will make it again. Thanks.
Delish! Needed something quick and easy for dinner last night! Coupled it with corn and cheesy mash potatoes. AND....this was my first meatloaf. Thanks for the recipe.
My husband says this is the best meatloaf recipe I've ever made, so it is the only one I use now. I didn't divide the lemon juice (same as ericak, misread the recipe first time), so I put it all in the sauce mix. I also cheat by using a package of onion soup mix instead of chopped onion and beef granules (saves on time and prep), and I substitute 1/3 cup dried bread crumbs for the slices of bread (I don't like the occasional lump of bread that inevitably ends up in the loaf). The glaze is nice and tangy/sweet. Highly recommend trying it!!
