Make Ahead
Meatloaf, Plain And Simple
Popular on Food52
83 Reviews
NPWI
January 20, 2023
Just made this for the first time today and holy moly! I used a blend of ground pork, ground beef and ground venison, and I drained some canned diced tomatoes in place of fresh bc I live in the Northwoods and all the fresh tomatoes in the store here are sad little anemic rocks. Other than those changes I followed the recipe and hubs declared it state fair, which is his highest praise. Will make this over and over for sure!
sdebrango
January 20, 2023
Thank you so much!! I am so happy you liked the recipe and it sounds wonderful adding venison!! I use canned diced tomatoes sometimes as well!! State fair!! That is a great compliment thank you again!
Brooklyngurl
December 27, 2022
Made exactly as written. Absolutely delicious. My son is the meatloaf connoisseur around here and he gave it an A+. Easy peasy to make and rave reviews. My favorite kind of meal.
sdebrango
December 27, 2022
You are so sweet thank you so much and it makes me so happy to hear that you enjoyed!! Happy holidays and happy New Year❤️
Nadine P.
December 11, 2022
I love the simplicity of this and I had to try it once I saw the video of Grossing Pelossi. my change ups is I chopped all by hand I uses a poblano pepper and a little basil pesto and panko bread crumbs other than that I followed the recipe and was thrilled to have a new meatloaf family favorite . thank you for sharing!!
sdebrango
December 11, 2022
I love your variation it sounds wonderful. The beauty of this is that it can be tailored to your taste, what you have on hand and it’s very forgiving. Thank you so much and it makes me very happy that you enjoyed the recipe. ❤️
Melissa Y.
December 7, 2022
This is so easy and so flavorful! No need to make any other meatloaf ever again! The texture is perfect and I love that it's veggies that make it sing, not butter and cheese. It holds up to the holiday/winter decadence but without all of the guilt!
AmandaO
November 14, 2022
I usually make the “Easy Meatloaf” from Food52 but half beef or meat substitute and half pork. I use the glaze from Serious Eats Meatloaf, I made a half recipe for the two loaves I made. I use GF breadcrumbs or today, GF croutons in food processor.
This was really good. I like the mix of veggies. Today I split into two hand formed loaves. Sometimes I freeze half the mix in glass storage with half the glaze in a zip loc.
I used the food processor for mushrooms (4 oz) and pepper (4.5 oz before trimming), then for carrots (2.5 oz), celery (4 oz after trimming), onion (3 oz), and bread crumbs (150 g, sorry for unit swap.
The Easy Meatloaf recipe has 20 oz onions and I was close to that for veggies today with the tomato, so I feel like if you’re in that ballpark total you’ll be fine.
This was really good. I like the mix of veggies. Today I split into two hand formed loaves. Sometimes I freeze half the mix in glass storage with half the glaze in a zip loc.
I used the food processor for mushrooms (4 oz) and pepper (4.5 oz before trimming), then for carrots (2.5 oz), celery (4 oz after trimming), onion (3 oz), and bread crumbs (150 g, sorry for unit swap.
The Easy Meatloaf recipe has 20 oz onions and I was close to that for veggies today with the tomato, so I feel like if you’re in that ballpark total you’ll be fine.
sdebrango
November 14, 2022
Thank you so much!! I’m very happy to hear that you liked it! All the vegetables IMHO makes this very special. Thank you again.
Diane
November 10, 2022
This was absolutely delicious. While baking, the aroma was making me really hungry. Once we sat down to eat, I knew this recipe was a keeper - moist, tasty, interesting mix of flavors. I will be making this again really soon!!
sdebrango
November 10, 2022
Diane this makes me so happy!! Thank you so much for making my recipe and I am thrilled you liked it!! Thank you so much!!❤️
Josh H.
May 21, 2022
I've grown up eating meatloaf, and this is, by FAR, the best meatloaf I've ever made myself. No wonder they made sandwiches right off the bat in the YouTube video, because there won't be any leftovers the next day!
I made it for dinner tonight, and I'm making another just so I can have leftovers. I'm sharing this recipe with everyone I love, so so good - thank you!
I made it for dinner tonight, and I'm making another just so I can have leftovers. I'm sharing this recipe with everyone I love, so so good - thank you!
Josh H.
May 21, 2022
also a tip, though an extra dish - pack your meat mixture into a greased loaf pan and flip on the baking sheet to ensure evenness!
Forming it fully freehand can be a bit difficult for some - just round out the edges a bit after to keep it rustic!
Forming it fully freehand can be a bit difficult for some - just round out the edges a bit after to keep it rustic!
sdebrango
May 21, 2022
I have seen people use loaf tons for meatloaf but never tried it. That’s a great idea thank you so much!
Joe
February 3, 2021
I love this recipe. Perfect!! My mom never used peppers or mushrooms, however I will give it a try. I bet its just great ! Many thx from a fellow Brooklynite.
sdebrango
February 3, 2021
Thank you Joe, my Mom used green peppers but not mushrooms, I really love them in this recipe. I do hope you like it! So happy to meet a fellow Brooklynite!!
Helen
January 25, 2021
Loved this. The first meatloaf I've ever made, more or less followed to the letter though left out the pepper so put in a few more mushrooms. Baked for an hour, came out perfectly. They were moist with incredible texture and flavour. Will do again!!
Claudia A.
September 3, 2020
This recipe looks great and I'd like to make it, but won't because there are so many ingredients where the quantity is unclear: 2 stalks celery, 1 medium carrot, 1/2 small onion (yellow, white, or red -- your choice), 1 small bell or Cubanelle pepper diced, etc.
Why not provide actual measurements? Also, for the
6 mushrooms, what the heck and size are "stuffer type mushrooms"?
Some of us don't live in the United States so have little knowledge about vegetable sizes there. Thank you!
Why not provide actual measurements? Also, for the
6 mushrooms, what the heck and size are "stuffer type mushrooms"?
Some of us don't live in the United States so have little knowledge about vegetable sizes there. Thank you!
sdebrango
September 3, 2020
I’m so sorry that it’s confusing. I didn’t realize that outside of the US there is such variation. Honestly, it does not have to be exact. I will measure next time I make it and add to the recipe. Stuffed mushrooms are white or cremini mushrooms that are quite large, big enough to add stuffing to make stuffed mushrooms but really any mushroom would do. I will measure next time I make and add to the recipe:
jane
March 30, 2020
I made it tonight ... did everything per the recipe except I didn't have a tomato so I used a tad less than a 1/4 cup tomato sauce. I used my own dried organic parsley, and added it to the green pepper and mushrooms while sautéing . I put about a tablespoon of horseradish in the ketchup ... was so yummy.. my sides were mashed potatoes and sautéed spinach !
sdebrango
March 30, 2020
Thank you so much and I love how you have made it your own! The beauty of this recipe is that you can add or subtract whatever you like. Thank you again for trying it and I love your additions.
Whitney
September 28, 2019
I tweaked. Fennel instead of celery. Almond flour instead of bread crumbs. Coconut milk instead of cream. Didn't have mushrooms, sadly. Worked out well!
sdebrango
September 28, 2019
Thank you for letting me know!! That sounds awesome. Love fennel!! So glad you gave it a try and you liked it!!
ellory
February 5, 2019
Can you leave off the ketchup entirely or will this dry out the meatloaf?
sdebrango
February 5, 2019
Hi Ellory; truth be told I’ve never made without the ketchup. I think it would be ok to do so just watch and make sure it doesn’t look dry maybe baste with pan juices. You could always use something else as a glaze on top if you have an aversion to ketchup. Let me know how it works for you!!
Knsukut
January 4, 2019
Made this tonight. Turned out great! Didn’t have the parsley, loved the sauted mushrooms. Might try adding some spinach next time....possibilities are endless.
sdebrango
January 4, 2019
Thank you so much! Love the idea of adding spinach, you can add so many different ingredients to tailor to your taste and what you have in the fridge or pantry. I just bought everything to make it this week!! So happy you enjoyed and thank you again!!
Penny H.
August 5, 2018
Yikes! This may be a great meatloaf but sixteen ingredients, several of which aren't usually available in the average kitchen. I find it hard to believe that prep time is only 20 minutes - it would take me longer than that to gather the ingredients if I already had them in my kitchen. Maybe 20 minutes for the final mixing if you had a kitchen full of helpers to do all the heavy lifting.
sdebrango
August 5, 2018
Hi and thank you for the input the prep time may take a bit longer than 20 minutes. It takes about 5 minutes to process the vegetables in the food processor. Then you chop the peppers and mushrooms and sauté that can take 10-15 minutes given-or take. You can cut prep time by adding the mushrooms and peppers to the processor and skip the sauté: yes there are quite a lot of ingredients but it’s mostly vegetables. Sorry that you think the recipe is unmanageable, I never said that it was only a few ingredients, when I say plain and simple I mean there is nothing fancy and it can of course be tailored to suit your taste and what is in your pantry.
[email protected]
September 19, 2017
One of the best meatloafs I've had. Moiste. Flavorful. Easy to prep. Big win!
allison969
August 29, 2016
Indeed this is a delicious version of meatloaf, but "plain and simple" is a bit of a misnomer. This is not difficult, but I've gotten equally successful results with 5 fewer ingredients (and not having to peel, core, and process a small tomato). This one is better when you're in the mood to do something slightly better than routine with more veggies than a traditional recipe would call for. (More veggies = good)
stephanieRD
August 29, 2016
If I don't have a small tomato laying around to use, I'll just use some canned tomato and it works just as well. :)
Bill S.
August 28, 2016
I'll definitely try this, but my question is more basic (maybe naive) regarding meatloaf: mine are tasty, but fresh out of the pan and the oven, they just aren't really loaves. They crumble apart. I believe I'm using the right binders, etc. Something I'm doing wrong, or missing? Thanks
anotherfoodieblogger
January 15, 2016
Well look at that, I even favorited and commented on this recipe over a year ago. So glad to connect over here too. :) Congratulations on this past win!
marymary
January 12, 2016
Delicious with garlic/gouda mashed potatoes and steamed broccoli last night. I added a chopped jalapeno to the finely chopped vegetables (I didn't grind them in the food processor) and sauteed them all together before mixing in the beef/pork. I lightly decorated the top with a latticework of ketchup. Definitely the best meatloaf I've ever had. Cooked in 50 minutes in convection oven at 350. We don't eat a lot of salt, so 1/2 tsp was perfect for us. I've never had a meatloaf sandwich, but will have to try it one day.
Kathcooks
October 17, 2015
Really good meatloaf. Tender, moist, flavorful. Cooking time was spot on. I do believe 1 1/2 tsp. of salt would be perfect. Makes great sandwich.
twinjadojo
January 28, 2015
A perfect meatloaf! 1 tsp of sea salt was just about right (we checked with the fry-off method, though the final loaf tasted less salty); next time we'll do a more generous tsp. My loaf required about 1hr 20 mins to cook thoroughly, and was juicy as can be. We served this with sour cream mashed potatoes and buttered corn and licked our blue plate specials clean. Dreaming of the meatloaf sandwich I've got planned for lunch. Thank you for this recipe!
stephanieRD
January 18, 2015
My meatloaf is in the oven as of 5 minutes ago and I can hardly wait! I'm so excited to eat this. Love meatloaf. Using all beef since that's what I have on hand.
stephanieRD
January 18, 2015
It's SO GOOD and MOIST. This recipe is going in my "Bombass Cookbook" ASAP! Thank you so much for sharing this with us!
CarlaCooks
November 30, 2014
I made this tonight and both my husband and I loved it! I tweaked the recipe a bit to fit what I had in the fridge. I used a lot of mushrooms and sautéed them with leeks and the bell pepper. Once they finished sautéing, I added them to the carrot and celery in the food processor. I omitted the onion since I used a leek. I used 1 pound ground beef and 1 1/2 pounds ground pork. I didn't have any fresh tomatoes (damn you, late fall), so I added about 1/4 of a can of tomatoes. I mixed home-made garlic croutons with panko instead of the fresh breadcrumbs (no fresh bread in the house). I omitted the parsley because I HATE PARSLEY!! (sorry, I feel quite strongly about parsley!) The whole mixture made 2 loaves. Instead of covering them with catsup, I instead reduced the rest of the can of tomatoes with some added salt, sugar, and Sriracha to give it a kick, and used this to cover the loaves. I froze one of the loaves to eat later in the winter and cooked the other at the recommended temperature and time, which was perfect. Thanks for a great recipe!
CarlaCooks
November 30, 2014
I always feel a bit bad about tweaking a recipe on the first go, but sometimes you just have to go with what's in the fridge! Your recipe is a great starting point, and it was very easy to adapt to my needs and likes/dislikes. I highly recommend the spicy topping!
someone
November 14, 2014
Sounds great but I think the name needs tweaked. This has the most ingredients of any recipe I have found so far. Maybe Fancy Meatloaf?
Christina @.
November 1, 2014
Congratulations, Suzanne! You are full of winning recipes! Yippee, very happy for you!! xx
Emilia R.
October 17, 2014
Worth winning the contest! I'm salivating already, lol. My congratulations to you and wish you enter many more Food52 contests in the near future. You see, I have a very selfish motive: that means you will share your recipes with the rest of us... ;-)
fiveandspice
October 13, 2014
Congrats on being a finalist Suzanne! There are truly few things more wonderful that a really good meatloaf. :)
amysarah
October 12, 2014
This reminds me very much of my mom's meatloaf, which of course I appropriated years ago. She always threw the veg's/liquids in a blender (pre-food processor!) before mixing them with the meat, etc., so I still do too. When I see meatloaf mentioned as making a "comeback" I always wonder, when did it go away? Anyway, glad to see this as a finalist. There's a very good reason a next-day meatloaf sandwich is classic.
anotherfoodieblogger
October 11, 2014
Congrats on being a finalist! I make my "mom's meatloaf" all the time, and yes, leftovers for sammies the next day are the best! Except we slather ours with mustard, not mayo. I do like the idea of mincing the veggies in a food processor. Great idea!
lastnightsdinner
October 10, 2014
I make meatloaf for the sole purpose of having meatloaf sandwiches the next day! This sounds wonderful, and I'll be making it soon. Congrats to you - xo
Kukla
October 9, 2014
Congratulations Suzanne, so happy to see your recipe as a finalist and it sounds as a fantastic Meatloaf recipe!!!
EmilyC
October 9, 2014
Big congrats to you, Suzanne! I'm planning to try your meatloaf soon. It looks fantastic!
10 L.
October 9, 2014
Nothing beats a meatloaf sandwich for lunch! Nice one Suzanne! Tom will love it and I will make a smaller loaf sans the onion and celery for Ginger and Buddy (Buddy won't eat celery and, as you know, no onions for dogs). Sending good vibes out to Izzy.
cookinginvictoria
October 9, 2014
Congrats, Suzanne, on the finalist nod! This has been on my to-make list for a long time, but I'm going to finally give it a whirl (with the pork, of course) this weekend. Love, love meatloaf and your version looks divine. :)
AntoniaJames
October 9, 2014
Oh, this is perfect. Congratulations, Suzanne! I've saved this to a very special collection -- recipes to make when my sons are home. Of course, we'll have to "test" it before then, even though we know it's going to be fantastic. ;o)
JanetFL
September 18, 2014
It's lunchtime....I'm hungry and wish I could eat this sandwich now! This will be the perfect picnic sandwich for our fall outings. Thanks, Suzanne!
inpatskitchen
November 4, 2011
Yum!!! I may have to make meatloaf this weekend...yours sounds delicious!!
cookinginvictoria
November 3, 2011
Meatloaf is one of my favorite comfort foods too, and your recipe looks delicious. I love that you use ground short ribs and ground pork. I am of the opinion that pork makes everything taste better! I'll have to try that ketchup recipe too. I have always wanted to make my own!
Bevi
November 2, 2011
Really divine. What size can of tomatoes? This dish would be much appreciated by the Tall One.
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